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The 94th Annual Academy Awards

Nominees, Fun Facts, Ratings, and Predictions

Victoria Walston '23, Staff Writer|March 22, 2022

The beginning of the year is an exciting time for movie goers and movie stars alike – it’s awards season! All manner of films get nominated for all kinds of awards, and the actors and filmmakers show up to the awards ceremonies in glittering, fancy outfits. For moviegoers, excitement is high as they root for their favorite actors and films to win. Of course, the most anticipated awards ceremony is the Academy Awards – aka the Oscars.

The Academy Awards were created to recognize and honor outstanding achievements in film, thus encouraging higher levels of quality. This first Academy Awards Ceremony was hosted May 26, 1929. Voting on the winners is conducted by members of the Academy, thus the name “Academy Award of Merit.” Academy Awards, essentially, are awarded to filmmakers by their peers. The more popular nickname, “Oscar,” came from an Academy librarian who thought the award statue looked like her Uncle Oscar. The winner receives a gold plated statue of a knight holding a sword and standing on a reel of film.

This year’s nominees are:

Best Animated Feature Film

Encanto (Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer)
Flee (Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen and Charlotte De La Gournerie)
Luca (Enrico Casarosa and Andrea Warren)
The Mitchells vs. The Machines (Mike Rianda, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Kurt Albrecht)
Raya and the Last Dragon (Don Hall, Carlos López Estrada, Osnat Shurer and Peter Del Vecho)

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Fun Fact: Walt Disney has the most Oscar wins of all time. In all, he won 22 Oscars and three honorary ones, with a total of 59 nominations. He was nominated for an Oscar every year between 1942 and 1963.

Best International Feature Film

Drive My Car (Japan)
Flee (Denmark)
The Hand of God (Italy)
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)
The Worst Person in the World (Norway)

Best Original Screenplay

Belfast (Written by Kenneth Branagh)
Don’t Look Up (Screenplay by Adam McKay; Story by Adam McKay & David Sirota)
King Richard (Written by Zach Baylin)
Licorice Pizza (Written by Paul Thomas Anderson)
The Worst Person in the World (Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier)

Best Adapted Screenplay

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Fun fact: the youngest actress to win the Best Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar was 10 year old Tatum O’Neal for Paper Moon in 1973.

CODA (Screenplay by Siân Heder)
Drive My Car (Screenplay by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Takamasa Oe)
Dune (Screenplay by Jon Spaihts and Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth)
The Lost Daughter (Written by Maggie Gyllenhaal)
The Power of the Dog (Written by Jane Campion)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Jessie Buckley (The Lost Daughter)
Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)
Judi Dench (Belfast)
Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog)
Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)

Best Actress in a Leading Role

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Fun fact: Katharine Hepburn has the most Best Actress in a Leading Role wins with four total.

Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
Olivia Colman (The Lost Daughter)
Penélope Cruz (Parallel Mothers)
Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

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Fun fact: The oldest Oscar winner to date was Christopher Plummer, who won Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Beginners (2010) at 82 years old.

Ciarán Hinds (Belfast)
Troy Kotsur (CODA)
Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog)
J.K. Simmons (Being the Ricardos)
Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Javier Bardem (Being the Ricardos)
Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog)
Andrew Garfield (Tick, Tick … Boom!)
Will Smith (King Richard)
Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth)

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza)
Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)
Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)

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Fun Fact: Kathryn Bigalow became the first woman in history to win the Best Director Award for her film The Hurt Locker (2009).
Steven Spielberg (West Side Story)

Best Picture

Belfast (Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik and Tamar Thomas, Producers)
CODA (Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi and Patrick Wachsberger, Producers)
Don’t Look Up (Adam McKay and Kevin Messick, Producers)
Drive My Car (Teruhisa Yamamoto, Producer)
Dune (Mary Parent, Denis Villeneuve and Cale Boyter, Producers)
King Richard (Tim White, Trevor White and Will Smith, Producers)
Licorice Pizza (Sara Murphy, Adam Somner and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers)
Nightmare Alley (Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Bradley Cooper, Producers)
The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian, Emile Sherman, Iain Canning and Roger Frappier, Producers)
West Side Story (Steven Spielberg and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers)

My Reviews:

I watched most of these films and gave them a rating. Based on my ratings, I have a few predictions for the winners.

I rated these films based on:

Overall Entertainment (How interesting it was)
Ingenuity Factor (How creative the story was)
Fluidity of the storyline and Depth (How well the film flows. Are there funny moments to offset the seriousness and vice versa?)
Like-ability/ Leave-ability (how many times did I do/ think about doing other things due to boredom?)
The End (How unsettling was it? Did it tie up the loose ends?)

I rated the actors on the above factors as well as:

Believability
Emotional response

I rated the directors on the film criteria.

As a student, I thought it would be fitting to give the films and actors grades. D is the lowest score and A+ is, obviously, the highest. In the interest of this article not being a long read, all of my summaries, reviews, and predictions are three sentences or shorter. Disclaimer: all of my reviews and predictions are purely my opinions – not facts.

These are listed in order of likelihood of winning. Explanations are further down.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Ariana DeBose: West Side Story

I enjoyed this character more than I thought I would. She was likable and strong. I think Ariana did a really good job, especially with her accent.

65.5/70= 93% A

Jessie Buckley: The Lost Daughter

I like the way she played this character. The character was not likable, but she wasn’t supposed to be. The character felt very real, and was full of very human emotions.

63/70= 90% A-

Kirsten Dunst: The Power of the Dog

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Fun Fact: The record for the shortest acceptance speech is shared by renowned director Alfred Hitchcock and actor William Holden. They both said, “Thank you.”

There’s nothing wrong with the way this character was done, the film itself was just something I couldn’t get into. The odd behaviors of the character don’t get an explanation, and she did not feel very human. Despite this, the character possessed a lot of admirable qualities.

57.5/70= 82% B-

Anjanue Ellis: King Richard

This character was likable but lacked emotional depth. She was mostly arguing or grumpy in all of her scenes (I did not take this into account, because it wasn’t up to the actress), and I think this was supposed to help show how strong she was, but it didn’t. I feel like the movie could have existed without her, meaning I feel like she was just there, and did not add much to the story.

54/70= 77% C

Judi Dench: Belfast

Her character was very sweet and lovable. She was the typical grandmotherly figure I expected to see.

60.5/70= 86% B

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Nicole Kidman: Being the Ricardos

I don’t know much about Lucille Ball since I had never heard of her before this film, but I think Nicole Kidman did a great job. I like how she made herself into Lucy, and I especially like her accent. The character was stubborn because she had to be, and was likeable despite the stubbornness.

65.5/70= 93% A

Jessica Chastain: The Eyes of Tammy Faye

This character was a lovable sweetheart. She showed growth and emotional depth, and there was something about her that was very compelling and demanded my attention. I have no complaints.

63.5/70= 90% A-

Kristen Stewart: Spencer

This character was convincing, and I didn’t develop a like or dislike for her. I like the way Diana was physicalized, and I think her accent was done well. I have no problems with the way this character was done.

59.5/70= 85% B

Olivia Colman: The Lost Daughter

This was a very compelling and nuanced performance. Her choices made the character feel 100% real, and I was immersed in the story. This character was a great mix of love, guilt, and selfishness.

63/70= 90% A-

Penelope Cruz: Parallel Mothers

I couldn’t watch this movie because the streaming platform I used did not have subtitles, and the movie is in Spanish.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

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Fun Fact: In 1940, The LA Times broke the Academy’s embargo and published the names of all the Oscar winners prior to the ceremony. After this, the Academy introduced the sealed envelope tradition that is still practiced to this day.

Kodi Smit- McPhee: The Power of the Dog

This character was strange, but justifiably so. He was likable and motivated. He didn’t show much emotional depth, but that contributed to the story in a positive way.

60/70= 85% B

J.K. Simmons: Being the Ricardos

This character was likable, and a needed ally to Lucy. He added a special platonic connection to the story. However, he was forgettable as he didn’t get much screen time, and I don’t remember the character’s name.

65/70= 92% A-

Ciarán Hinds: Belfast

Like Judi Dench, he was lovable and sweet. There’s not much else to say.

60.5/70= 86% B

Jesse Plemmons: The Power of the Dog

George Burbank was on the simpler side, he enjoyed the smaller things in life and was kind. The character didn’t get to show much emotional depth. His performance was good, but not that memorable.

58/70= 82% B-

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Andrew Garfield: Tick…Tick…Boom!

Andrew Garfield did this character very well. He showed a vulnerable side balanced with confidence and enthusiasm. The character was entertaining, relatable, convincing, and felt very human.

64/70= 91% A-

Will Smith: King Richard

This character was typical, what I would have expected. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, and the character was admirable. The performance was convincing but felt slightly off somehow.

53/70= 75% C

Benedict Cumberbatch: The Power of the Dog

Phil Burbank was mysterious and hateful with no redeeming qualities, which (to me) means Benedict did a good job. There is never really a full explanation for his behavior and actions. My only critique is that his accent sounded kind of off.

60.5/70= 86% B

Denzel Washington: The Tragedy of Macbeth

I’m not really a fan of Shakespeare. The film was okay, Denzel did fine. The black and white along with the old timey dialogue was enough to put me to sleep.

60/70= 85% B

Javier Bardem: Being the Ricardos

I hadn’t heard of Desi Arnaz before this movie, and Javier Bardem did a good job with making him memorable. This character was likable and passionate. His relationship to Lucy felt special, and he added some extra lightheartedness to the film.

64.5/70= 92% A-

Best Picture

Licorice Pizza-

Licorice Pizza is a classic coming of age indie film. It has comedic moments and likable characters. It is one of my favorites from this list.

Overall Entertainment Score:9/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:9/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score:9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:9/10
The End Score: 9/10

45/50= 90% A-

The Power of the Dog

The story moved at an odd pace for me. It felt like most of the action happened offscreen. It’s a good watch for anyone who notices the little details when watching a film, because these things need to be noted in order to understand the full picture.

Overall Entertainment Score:7/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:8/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score: 9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:7/10
The End Score:10/10

41/50= 82% B-

West Side Story

I’ve never seen the original so I can’t comment on the similarities and differences between the two. The story moved at a nice pace, there was good cinematography, and the songs were catchy. Not all musicals can have a lot of musical numbers and still move the story along, but this one did nicely.

Overall Entertainment Score:9/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:9/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score:10/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:8.5/10
The End Score: 9/10

45.5/50= 91% A-

Nightmare Alley

This film was pretty unique and interesting. It was a little dark but it was done in an enthralling way. It had great cinematography and costuming, with a peculiar storyline.

Overall Entertainment Score:9.5/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:9/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score:9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:9/10
The End Score: 9.5/10

46/50= 92% A-

Don’t Look Up

Don’t Look Up is a typical satire film. It has a great balance of dry humor and story details that parallel reality. The serious moments and comedic moments bounce off of each other well.

Overall Entertainment Score:9/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:10/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score: 9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:9/10
The End Score:10/10

47/50= 94% A

Dune

This film was good, not great. There were stunning visual effects, and I understand the appeal for sci-fi fans. I kind of wish there were a few lighthearted moments to offset the intensity.

Overall Entertainment Score: 7.5/10
Ingenuity Factor Score:8.5/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score:9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:7.5/10
The End Score: 9/10

41.5/50= 83% B-

King Richard

This is a good classic sports drama film and I like the way everything was executed, but I don’t understand how it ended up on this list. My only complaint is that, while I understand the importance of doing so, I feel this film had an unnecessary amount of racial under (and over) tones. What I mean by that is the source of every conflict in the story was reduced to the protagonists being black.

Overall Entertainment Score: 7/10
Ingenuity Factor Score: 6/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score: 9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:7/10
The End Score: 9/10

38/50= 76% C

Belfast

Belfast is a quaint little coming of age story with likable characters. It was a little dry in my opinion, and I didn’t love the black and white effect of the film. Overall, it was a good watch.

Overall Entertainment Score:8/10
Joshua Eckstein on Unsplash
Ingenuity Factor Score:9/10
Fluidity of the storyline Score:9/10
Like-ability/ Leave-ability Score:7.5/10
The End Score: 9/10

42.5/50= 85% B

Drive My Car

I was unable to watch this film.

CODA

I was unable to watch this film.

Best Director

Paul Thomas Anderson (Licorice Pizza):

The story wasn’t the most unique, but there was something about it that somehow made me feel a bit nostalgic. I think he did a good job, I have no complaints.

45/50=90% A

Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog):

I didn’t love this film, but so many people do. So I think she has a high chance of winning.

41/50= 82% B-

Steven Spielberg (West Side Story):

I think West Side Story being a remake impacts its chances of winning. A Star is Born (2019) was a remake and won best picture. I don’t know if West Side story will win best picture (I really think it could), but I think Steven Spielberg could win best director.

45.5/50= 91% A-

Kenneth Branagh (Belfast):

There really isn’t much to say about how he did as a director. The film was okay and I understand why he made it. As I previously said, I found it to be a little dry and predictable.

42.5/50= 85% B

Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car):

I was unable to watch this film

My Predictions (*disclaimer: these are based on my opinions)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Ariana DeBose

This one is really tough because I think it could also go to Jessie Buckley or Kirsten Dunst. All three gave performances adored by all, so I went with the highest scoring actress here, rather than also accounting for other details.

Best Actress in a Leading Role: Nicole Kidman

I gave her the highest score with a 93%. Based on past Academy Awards, the Academy loves to see films about one of their own. Lucille Ball is a beloved name in Hollywood, so there’s already great things attached to her name. Hollywood also loves Aaron Sorkin, and can’t get enough of his work. Additionally, Being the Ricardos was genuinely a good film. So, I think Nicole is a strong contender to win. That being said, I believe there’s a high chance that Jessica Chastain might slide into the winning spot.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role: J.K. Simmons

All of the actors nominated in this category gave solid performances along the same lines as each other. Meaning, they did good but no one stood out to me as incredibly memorable, or surpassing the others. They each had unique qualities making it hard to pick one. But in the interest of making a guess for each category, I went with the one who I gave the highest score to.

Best Actor in a Leading Role: Andrew Garfield

Though I didn’t give him the highest rating out of his competition, I think he gave the strongest performance. There were qualities of the film I found to be weaker than the others, but that’s not a reflection of him, rather of flaws in my grading system. I think this year is Andrew’s year.

Best Director: Jane Campion

Her film was a little boring to me but I had heard all good things prior to watching it. I think it has something to do with my age, I must be looking for something different in a film. As far as I know only adults participate in the choosing of the winner of an Oscar. So, her chances are very high.

Best Picture: Licorice Pizza

Despite Don’t Look Up being my personal favorite, I don’t think it will win best picture. The winner for best picture is up in the air for me. Licorice Pizza has beloved indie coming of age nuanced vibes, so I think it has a good chance of winning.

Well, that’s the end. I never thought I’d say it but I think I’m sick of movies…for now.

Remember to watch the 94th Annual Academy Awards this Sunday March 27.