{"id":21489,"date":"2024-02-28T11:31:08","date_gmt":"2024-02-28T16:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/?p=21489"},"modified":"2024-02-28T11:31:09","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T16:31:09","slug":"rampages-guide-to-the-2024-oscars","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/rampages-guide-to-the-2024-oscars\/","title":{"rendered":"RamPage\u2019s Guide to the 2024 Oscars"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s Oscar season. A time of year celebrated by cinephiles, casual movie viewers, and people who enjoy watching slaps<\/a> alike. The biggest ceremony in Hollywood is coming up, and RamPage has got you covered with a definitive guide of our picks and predictions for this year\u2019s Academy Awards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
Teo Yoo and Greta Lee in \u201cPast Lives\u201d; photo courtesy of A24<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Holdovers<\/a> – Although I\u2019m not usually one for heartwarming movies, even my bitter heart was thawed by this lovely Christmas dramedy set at an all boys school in Massachusetts. Alexander Payne\u2019s film is truly lovely, and although it may not quite have the technical brass to compete with the heavyweights, it\u2019s an excellent film and I don\u2019t think anyone would be disappointed if it won the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Fiction<\/a> – With all due respect to Cord Jefferson\u2019s sharp satire, it\u2019s just not good enough. Yes, it\u2019s a clever and entertaining movie, but it sure isn\u2019t the best movie of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Zone of Interest<\/a> – Full disclosure, I haven\u2019t seen this. However, critics have been impressed by the Holocaust drama by Jonathan Glazer, and who am I to disagree? I doubt that it will win the award, but it\u2019s certainly not impossible. (Note from the editor: The movie was extremely bland and had little to no plot. Although the cinematography was amazing, I don’t see this taking home a win.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barbie<\/a> – Is \u201cBarbie\u201d a lovely, rewatchable comedy? Absolutely. It is most definitely not a frontrunner for Best Picture, however. Similarly to \u201cAmerican Fiction,\u201d it falls into the \u201chonor to be nominated\u201d category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oppenheimer<\/a> – The leader of the pack, sweeping all the other awards shows thus far. That being said\u2026I don\u2019t think it should win. It\u2019s a very good biopic, but there are better movies in the category that I think deserve it more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poor Things<\/a> – Speaking of better movies, \u201cPoor Things\u201d is great! I\u2019d be perfectly happy to see Yorgos Lanthimos\u2019 fantasy\/coming-of-age\/Frankenstein\/comedy\/drama\/adventure take home the prize. It certainly has a shot to be the one to unseat \u201cOppenheimer\u201d and nab the top spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Past Lives<\/a> – This movie is really, really, really <\/em>great. The debut feature from Celine Song, this romantic drama may not have quite enough momentum to win Best Picture, but I firmly believe that in ten years we\u2019ll still be talking about its beauty, a feat that many of this year\u2019s nominees may not manage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anatomy of a Fall<\/a> – Although it\u2019s been somewhat divisive, I am firmly of the opinion that Justine Triet\u2019s courtroom drama is a bonafide masterpiece. If it were up to me, I\u2019d give the movie Best Picture without hesitation. Unfortunately, it\u2019s not up to me, and I doubt that Academy voters will make the right decision, because when do they ever make the right decision?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maestro<\/a> – Eh. Probably shouldn\u2019t have been nominated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Killers of the Flower Moon<\/a> – It\u2019s not nearly as potent as some of the other films in the category, but it’s certainly solid. Plus, Martin Scorsese directed it, which can\u2019t hurt its odds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Will Win: Oppenheimer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Win: Anatomy of a Fall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Snub: The Iron Claw<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Actress<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
Emma Stone in \u201cPoor Things\u201d; photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Emma Stone, Poor Things – As if it was up for debate, her performance in \u201cPoor Things\u201d solidified the fact that Emma Stone is simply unbelievable<\/a>. She adds tremendous humor and pathos to the Lanthimos\u2019 film and pulls off a relatively difficult part with ease. Stone is certainly a frontrunner this year, and for good reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon – Stone\u2019s big competition in this category. Gladstone\u2019s breakout part is extremely impressive, albeit very different from Emma Stone\u2019s. Her restraint and subtlety is exceptional, and you can\u2019t deny that she\u2019s got a decent shot at the award.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Annette Bening, Nyad – The Academy feels like they have to nominate someone from a biopic every year, so\u2026here we are. I don\u2019t think anyone is truly taking Bening seriously, but good for her getting the nomination, I suppose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carey Mulligan, Maestro – I haven\u2019t seen her in this, but I\u2019ve heard she\u2019s pretty good! I doubt that she can keep pace with Gladstone and Stone, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall – I\u2019m trying as hard as I can to not be biased, and don\u2019t get me wrong, Stone and Gladstone are both spectacular, but Sandra Huller is on another planet! She\u2019s unbelievably good in this, and has to speak in two different languages, neither of which are her native one<\/em>. To be able to manage such a convincing and heartrending performance in French and<\/em> English is simply masterful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Will Win: Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Win: Sandra Huller, Anatomy of a Fall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Snub: Greta Lee<\/a>, Past Lives<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Actor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cillian Murphy in \u201cOppenheimer\u201d; photo courtesy of Universal Pictures<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers – Genuinely excellent. Giamatti gives a truly great performance in the movie, and I would love to see him earn a much-deserved Academy Award after years of underappreciated performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bradley Cooper, Maestro – No! Who cares! Cooper overacts this thing like there\u2019s no tomorrow, and in turn the film (which he also directed) is perhaps the most Oscar bait<\/a>-y Oscar bait that has ever Oscar baited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Colman Domingo, Rustin – Yet another biopic nomination. He\u2019s a talented actor in the form of his life with projects coming left and right, but he has no chance of winning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer – Probably the frontrunner in this category. He gives a very strong performance, and I wouldn\u2019t be upset (or surprised) if he nabbed the award. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction – Although he almost certainly won\u2019t win, Wright does some very sweet stuff in this movie, and you feel an ocean of empathy for him. Like all the actors in this category, it\u2019s very nice to see him recognized for his work that has so often flown under the radar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Will Win: Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Win: Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Snub: Nicolas Cage<\/a>, Dream Scenario<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Supporting Actress<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph in \u201cThe Holdovers\u201d; photo courtesy of MGM Studios<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

America Ferrera, Barbie – I\u2019m not denying that she was great in that one scene<\/a>, but overall I don\u2019t think she\u2019s necessarily up to snuff for this award. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple – Also very unlikely to win it, but congratulations to her on getting nominated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Da\u2019Vine Randolph, The Holdovers – Yeah, she\u2019s winning it. Having already dominated in just about every other award show you can think of, Randolph is the strong favorite, and rightfully so. She gives an excellent performance, and when (not if) she wins it\u2019ll be wholly deserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer – She was barely in this! This category isn\u2019t the strongest, and the Academy defaulted back to the old \u201cjust pick somebody from a biopic\u201d method for her nomination. I\u2019m not saying she was bad, I\u2019m just saying she was on screen for sixteen minutes and didn\u2019t have all that much to do in that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jodie Foster, Nyad – I love Jodie Foster, you love Jodie Foster, we all love Jodie Foster. That being said, she\u2019s barely a contender in this race. Keep an eye out for her at next year\u2019s Emmys, though, after her spectacular work in \u201cTrue Detective: Night Country<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Will Win: Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Win: Da\u2019Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Snub: Deki Lhamo<\/a>, The Monk and the Gun<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Supporting Actor<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
Sterling K. Brown in \u201cAmerican Fiction\u201d; photo courtesy of MGM<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mark Ruffalo, Poor Things – I don\u2019t think anyone would be upset if he won. Ruffalo put in a very entertaining performance as the debonair adventurer Duncan Wedderburn, effectively showing off his impressive comedy chops. That said, he didn\u2019t have too much dramatic material to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert de Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon – It\u2019s Robert de Niro, doing his thing for three and a half hours. What more can I say?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer – He\u2019s the favorite in this category, but I can\u2019t say I completely understand why. For me, he just didn\u2019t really\u2026do much. Unfortunately, as was established earlier, I have no say in the Academy\u2019s voting process, so it\u2019s likely that the veteran actor will earn the prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ryan Gosling, Barbie – The most controversial pick of the bunch. In all honesty, I don\u2019t know if he deserved this. Yes, he was very funny, but not much else. In all honesty, I\u2019d go as far as to say that \u201cBarbie\u201d didn\u2019t deserve nominations in any of the major categories. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction – Although he\u2019s a longshot to win it, Brown killed it. His screen time is limited but he makes the most of it with multiple moving monologues that really tug at your heartstrings. He does a great job, and in a year with so many snubs, it was nice to see him get the nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Will Win: Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Win: Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biggest Snubs: Charles Melton<\/a>, May December; Harris Dickinson<\/a>, The Iron Claw; Jeremy Allen White<\/a>, The Iron Claw; Dominic Sessa<\/a>, The Holdovers; Willem Dafoe<\/a>, Poor Things; Janne Hyyti\u00e4inen<\/a>, Fallen Leaves; Milo Machado Graner<\/a>, Anatomy of a Fall, John Magaro<\/a>, Past Lives (it\u2019s safe to say I was not thrilled with the Academy\u2019s choices)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Best of the Rest<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"\/
Still from \u201cNinety Five Senses\u201d; photo courtesy of MAST<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Original Screenplay: Anatomy of a Fall<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Adapted Screenplay: Poor Things<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Cinematography: Oppenheimer<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Original Score: Poor Things<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Original Score: \u201cI\u2019m Just Ken<\/a>,\u201d Barbie<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Editing: Anatomy of a Fall<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Production Design: Poor Things<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Costume Design: Poor Things<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Society of the Snow<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Sound: The Zone of Interest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Visual Effects: Godzilla Minus One<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best International Feature: The Zone of Interest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Animated Feature: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Animated Short: Ninety-Five Senses<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Live Action Short: The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Documentary Feature: Four Daughters<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Best Documentary Short: Nai Nai and W\u00e0i P\u00f3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Oscar season. A time of year celebrated by cinephiles, casual movie viewers, and people who enjoy watching slaps alike. The biggest ceremony in Hollywood is coming up, and RamPage has got you covered with a definitive guide of our picks and predictions for this year\u2019s Academy Awards. Best Picture The Holdovers – Although I\u2019m […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":21490,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,3,57],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21489"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21489"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21489\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21491,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21489\/revisions\/21491"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jdrampage.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}