Who Should Win the Oscar in Each Category

There are people who devote their lives to predicting who will win at the Academy Awards. That’s not me. Here’s my completely unscientific but absolutely accurate list of who should win an Oscar in 2024.

• Actor in a Leading Role: Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)
  • Second pick: Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)
• Actor in a Supporting Role: Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things)
  • Second picks: Sterling K. Brown (American Fiction) or Ryan Gosling (Barbie) would make me happy, too
• Actress in a Leading Role: Emma Stone (Poor Things)
  • Second pick: Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall)
• Actress in a Supporting Role: Da’Vine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)
  • Second pick: Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)
• Animated Feature Film: Spider-Man: Across the Universe
• Cinematography: Oppenheimer
• Costume Design: Poor Things
• Directing: Yorgos Lanthimos, Poor Things
  • Second picks: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) or Jonathan Glazer (The Zone of INterest)
• Film Editing: Poor Things
• International Feature Film: The Zone of Interest
  • Second pick: The Teacher’s Lounge
• Makeup and Hairstyling: Poor Things
  • Second pick: Society of the Snow
• Music (Original Score): Oppenheimer
• Music (Original Song): I’m Just Ken (Barbie), just because I want to see the world burn
  • Second pick: What Was I Made For? (Barbie)
• Production Design: Poor Things
• Documentary Feature Film: I’ve only seen one nominee (20 Days in Mariupol), which was decent.
• Sound: The Zone of Interest
• Visual Effects: The Creator
  • Second picks: Godzilla Minus One or Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Poor Things
  • Second pick: American Fiction
• Writing (Original Screenplay): The Holdovers
  • Second picks: Past Lives or Anatomy of a Fall
• Live Action Short Film: I’ve only see one–The After–and it would be an embarrassment if it won

Best Picture Rankings:

1. Poor Things – a masterpiece
2. The Holdovers – pitch perfect
3. American Fiction – pitch perfect
4. Barbie – has achieved more than anyone could have ever anticipated
5. Oppenheimer – a very good movie that is a little style over substance
6. The Zone of Interest – a technical masterpiece that I respect more than I love
7. Anatomy of a Fall – an extremely well made and compelling drama
8. Past Lives – a superbly acted drama
9. Killers of the Flower Moon – the most disappointing movie of 2023
10. Maestro – it’s embarrassing this movie was nominated for Best Picture

By Erik Samdahl