02 March 2025
San Francisco
The 97th Academy Awards will be held in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 2, 2025. The city, which was affected by devastating fires in January, saw homes lost by many Hollywood actors and workers. Conan O'Brien will host the event, marking his first time emceeing the Oscars. The show may also honor the city's first responders for their efforts during the crisis.
2024 saw many small and medium budget films making a splash at award shows. The indie film “Anora,” written, directed, and edited by Sean Baker, was made with an $8 million budget and garnered six Oscar nominations. The film is about Anora, a Brooklyn sex worker who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch and faces threats from his family. This film is a frontrunner in the ‘Best Film’, ‘Best Original Screenplay’, and ‘Best Actress’ categories.
Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” made with a $10 million budget, was nominated in ten categories. This 3-hour, 20-minute film was shot in VistaVision and released with a 15-minute intermission. The story follows the life journey of a Hungarian-Jewish architect who emigrates to the U.S. post-World War II and rebuilds his life and career. Adrien Brody, who brilliantly portrayed the lead character, is expected to win the ‘Best Actor’ award.
One of the most nominated movies of the year is “Conclave”. This film, which received eight nominations, is a political thriller that delves into the secretive process of electing a new pope following the sudden death of the previous pontiff. It is rare for a movie to be awarded Best Film without a nomination for its director. Though “Conclave” is neck and neck in the race for Best Film with “Anora,” its brilliant German director, Edward Berger (“All Quiet on the Western Front”), did not receive a nomination for Best Director.
Spanish movie produced by Netflix, “Emilia Pérez”, is a musical crime film that follows a Mexican cartel leader who, with the help of a lawyer, fakes his death to transition into a woman and start anew. The film became controversial due to old tweets posted by its lead actress, Karla Sofía Gascón, a real-life transgender woman playing a trans character in the film. The film received a record 13 nominations but may go home with only two awards.
“A Complete Unknown” is a biographical drama chronicling Bob Dylan's rise in the 1960s folk scene, leading up to his controversial electric performance in 1965. Timothée Chalamet, who played young Dylan in the movie, will be the youngest ‘Best Actor’ if wins the award.
“The Substance” marks the return of Hollywood superstar Demi Moore. Though she faces stiff competition from Mikey Madison (“Anora”) and Fernanda Torres (“I’m Still Here”), the Academy may finally award Demi Moore her first Oscar. “The Substance” follows an aging actress who consumes a black-market drug to regain her youth, leading to unforeseen and horrifying consequences. The film also boasts terrific makeup and hairstyling, making it a strong contender in this category.
“Dune: Part Two” continues the epic saga of Paul Atreides as he allies with the Fremen to seek vengeance and confront conspiracies on the desert planet Arrakis. This film is expected to win ‘Best Visual Effects’ award. Hans Zimmer’s score for this film is memorable, but the Academy surprisingly did not nominate him for ‘Best Original Score’. Another brilliant score that was overlooked is “Challengers,” featuring superb techno beats by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (“The Social Network”). Best Original Score is now a tie between “The Brutalist” and “Wicked.”
“I’m Still Here” is a Brazilian political biographical drama depicting the harrowing true story of Eunice Paiva, portrayed by Fernanda Torres, as she navigates the challenges of her husband's forced disappearance during Brazil's military dictatorship. The film set a record by earning nominations in both the ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best International Feature Film’ categories.
Two actors who are locked in to receive Oscars in the Best Supporting categories are Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”) and Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”). Both actors have full-length roles in their respective films, leading critics to criticize the Academy for nominating them in the Best Supporting categories.
Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine As Light” made it to the “top ten films” of 2024 lists compiled by Time magazine and Barack Obama. Many believed it would be a strong Oscar contender, but Kiran Rao's “Laapataa Ladies” was chosen as India's official entry for ‘Best International Feature Film’ by the Film Federation of India (FFI). Unfortunately, “Laapataa Ladies” did not make it to the Oscars shortlist. However, the Indian short film “Anuja,” produced by Priyanka Chopra, successfully earned a nomination for ‘Best Live Action Short Film’.
My Predictions on Oscar Night:
• Best Picture: “Conclave”
• Best Director: Sean Baker (“Anora”)
• Best Actor: Adrien Brody (“The Brutalist”)
• Best Actress: Demi Moore (“The Substance”)
• Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin (“A Real Pain”)
• Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña (“Emilia Pérez”)
• Best Original Screenplay: Sean Baker (“Anora”)
• Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan (“Conclave”)
• Best International Feature: “I’m Still Here" (Brazil)
• Best Cinematography: “The Brutalist”
• Best Sound: “A Complete Unknown”
• Best Editing: “Conclave”
• Best Original Score: “The Brutalist”
• Best Song: “El Mal” (“Emilia Pérez”)
• Best Production Design: “The Brutalist”
• Best Costume Design: “Wicked”
• Best Makeup and Hairstyling: “The Substance”
• Best Visual Effects: " Dune: Part Two”
• Best Animated Feature: “Flow”
• Best Documentary Feature: “No Other Land”
• Best Documentary Short: “Incident”
• Best Live-Action Short: “Anuja”
Prasad Nadhavajhala can be contacted at prasadnvn@yahoo.com
Past articles:
Oscar musings 2024
Oscar musings 2020
Oscar musings 2018
Oscar musings 2017
Oscar musings 2016
Oscar musings 2015
Oscar musings 2014
Oscar musings 2013
Oscar musings 2012
Oscar musings 2011
Oscar musings 2010
Oscar musings 2009
