Awards Season Update: New Year…New Predictions!

Normally, the start of a new year would mean we’re just days away from the Oscar nominations being announced. We’d already know the Golden Globe nominees, etc, but of course, this is hardly normal times. 2020 was unlike any other cinematic year, which in turn means 2021 will be similarly unique. As such, we’re still in a bit of a holding pattern. That leaves mainly critics groups, who traditionally only have limited influence, as the arbiters of who and what are gaining awards traction. More will be coming, now that it’s a new year, but for now…we wait. As such, prediction updates have been slightly limited. Still, we press on.

It’s not all status quo, however. We also have some new contenders hitting, both of which seek to shake up the race. Monday brings the embargo lifting of The United States vs. Billie Holiday (I’ve seen it, so stay tuned), while tonight you’ll be hearing my/social media’s thoughts on Cherry. Can one or both be another big streaming title with Academy aspirations? Stay tuned to find out!

Below are my updated predictions, both for the Academy Awards, as well as the latest set of Golden Globes picks. Take a gander and sit back for more to come as continue on in 2021…

First up my Globe picks, which are here on the site:

Best Motion Picture – Drama – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Second Spot: Nomadland)

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Hamilton (Second Spot: The Prom)

Best Director – Motion Picture – Chloe Zhao for Nomadland (Second Spot: David Fincher for Mank)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama – Carey Mulligan for Promising Young Woman (Second Spot: Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama – Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Second Spot: Anthony Hopkins for The Father)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Maria Bakalova for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Second Spot: Meryl Streep for The Prom)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy – Sacha Baron Cohen for Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Second Spot: Leslie Odom Jr. for Hamilton)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture – Amanda Seyfried for Mank (Second Spot: Ellen Burstyn for Pieces of a Woman)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture – Bill Murray for On the Rocks (Second Spot: Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah)

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture – Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Second Spot: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland)

Best Motion Picture – Animated – Wolfwalkers (Second Spot: Soul)

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language – Minari (Second Spot: The Life Ahead)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Mank (Second Spot: Ludwig Göransson for Tenet)

Best Original Song – Motion Picture – Diane Warren – lo Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead (Second Spot: Rita Wilson – Everybody Cries from The Outpost)

As is always the case, you can also go here for the Oscar predictions. That’s where the full lineups are. However, in case any of you want to see the Cliff Notes version of them, my current predicted winners in each category are as follows. You can see the victors, as well as who or what occupies the number two spot in each category:

Best Picture – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Second Spot: Nomadland)

Best Director – Chloe Zhao for Nomadland (Second Spot: David Fincher for Mank)

Best Actor – Anthony Hopkins for The Father (Second Spot: Chadwick Boseman for Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)

Best Actress – Carey Mulligan for Promising Young Woman (Second Spot: Vanessa Kirby for Pieces of a Woman)

Best Supporting Actor – Chadwick Boseman for Da 5 Bloods (Second Spot: Daniel Kaluuya for Judas and the Black Messiah)

Best Supporting Actress – Ellen Burstyn for Pieces of a Woman (Second Spot: Amanda Seyfried for Mank)

Best Original Screenplay – Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Second Spot: Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman)

Best Adapted Screenplay – Kemp Powers for One Night in Miami… (Second Spot: Chloe Zhao for Nomadland)

Best Animated Feature – Soul (Second Spot: Wolfwalkers)

Best Production Design – Mank (Second Spot: Tenet)

Best Cinematography – Mank (Second Spot: Nomadland)

Best Costume Design – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Second Spot: Mank)

Best Film Editing – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Second Spot: Tenet)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling – Mank (Second Spot: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom)

Best Sound – Sound of Metal (Second Spot: Tenet)

Best Visual Effects – Tenet (Second Spot: The Midnight Sky)

Best Original Score – Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for Soul (Second Spot: Ludwig Göransson for Tenet)

Best Original Song – Diane Warren – lo Si (Seen) from The Life Ahead (Second Spot: Rita Wilson – Everybody Cries from The Outpost)

Best Documentary Feature – Dick Johnson is Dead (Second Spot: John Lewis: Good Trouble)

Best International Feature – Another Round (Second Spot: I’m No Longer Here)

Stay tuned for another update to my predictions very soon!