Will the movie “Oppenheimer” make history at the Oscars? Who will win the highly competitive best actress category? And will Martin Scorsese leave without any awards again?
According to Clayton Davis, an editor at Variety awards, here are five things to keep an eye on at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday.
Will ‘Oppenheimer’ set a new record?
It's certain that Christopher Nolan’s film “Oppenheimer” will win multiple Oscars. But how many exactly?
Even if it wins a “really conservative” eight, it would be the most for a movie since “Slumdog Millionaire” in 2009, as explained by Davis.
Achieving the record of 11 is probably just out of reach. But if it wins close races like best actor and best adapted screenplay, getting 10 would put it on par with “West Side Story” (1961).
After a period of small, independent hits winning best picture, “Oppenheimer” would be the highest-grossing winner since “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” in 2004, and the third-highest of all time (also behind “Titanic”).
It appears certain to be the highest-grossing film in history to win Oscars for its actors, including Robert Downey Jr and possibly Cillian Murphy.
It would also be only the second movie produced by a married couple (Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas) to win best picture, following “Driving Miss Daisy.”
What to expect with ‘Barbie’
Although it's not expected to win many Oscars, “Barbie” will have a significant presence throughout the Oscars event on Sunday.
Both Billie Eilish and Ryan Gosling will perform songs nominated for an Oscar from the movie, and host Jimmy Kimmel will likely make jokes about the popular comedy in his opening monologue.
“I can’t imagine an entire evening that doesn’t reference ‘Barbie’ multiple, if not hundreds of times,” Davis joked.
There will likely be comments about the so-called “snubs” for Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie, who were not nominated for directing and starring in the year’s highest-grossing movie, and many references to all things pink.
“It’s going to be an avalanche of Barbie content. That might annoy a couple people,” Davis said.
The highly contested best actress category
No race is more difficult to predict than best actress, with Lily Gladstone and Emma Stone being the top choices among experts.
Davis predicts a win for Lily Gladstone from “Killers of the Flower Moon,” but acknowledges that his opinion changes “at different moments.”
If Gladstone, the first Native American actor to win, is successful, it would be a historic moment for the gala, although some voters don’t see her as the true “lead” of a movie dominated by Leonardo DiCaprio's three-and-a-half hours of screen time.
Stone’s performance in the Greek film “Poor Things” by Yorgos Lanthimos is popular among the Academy’s “international vote” — but could suffer if some of that bloc gives their vote to Sandra Hueller from the French courtroom drama “Anatomy of a Fall.”
“This is where it comes down to math,” said Davis.
Martin Scorsese’s defeats
Martin Scorsese, an acclaimed director, has received numerous awards.
But if Gladstone doesn't win, “Killers” may be the third of Scorsese’s movies to enter the Oscars with 10 nominations and leave without any awards.
Scorsese faced similar difficulties with his movies “The Irishman” and “Gangs of New York.”
“Having 30 Oscar nominations and not winning any of them is like having 'first world problems,'” Davis joked. “But it's still a lot.”
– America, America –
As usual, the Oscars presenters represent the elite of Hollywood.
During a press conference this week, it was revealed that five previous winners of each acting category will take the stage to announce the five nominees this year.
This could result in Jennifer Lawrence introducing Emma Stone, Matthew McConaughey announcing Paul Giamatti, and Tim Robbins praising Robert Downey Jr.
This approach was taken from the 2009 Oscars, and it brings a “beautiful connection and human interaction,” according to this year’s showrunner Raj Kapoor.
What combination does Davis hope for the most?
“Rita Moreno as a presenter, to introduce America Ferrera’s nomination for ‘Barbie’ and exclaim ‘America, America!'”
“I’m going to cry. I'll be in tears. And I can’t wait.”
by Agence France-Presse
