3rd Annual AcadeMitch Awards
The movies are back! Kind of. Sort of. Mostly! It will take years to figure out just what changed and for how long when it comes to theatrical exhibition, streaming wars, and genres that dominate (movies made for kids, teens, and families) and genres that have seemingly disappeared (movies made for adults). When it comes to the Academy and their flagship Oscars ceremony, there is even more confusion. Do they nominate films that are popular to improve the ratings? With ABC’s Oscars simulcast taking a nosedive in viewership the past several years, there has never been a time where a hit like Spider-Man: No Way Home has been more needed. But the Academy’s voting body (as vast and diverse as it’s ever been) is seemingly more interested in nominating cinematic accomplishments aimed at adults. In this writer’s opinion, that is the correct move. But when the winners are announced on March 27, this writer will likely disagree with many holding golden statues…
As always, for each category (except the three “shorts” categories), I'll give:
Will Win: the nominee I predict will win.
Should Win: the nominee I would personally vote for.
Shoulda Been: the film/performance I wish would have been nominated.
Could Win: for when I need to hedge my bets because I feel like the race is so close. (The only categories that include this are Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Production Design, and Film Editing. Your guess is as good as mine on these.)
AcadeMitch Awards: the films/performances I would have nominated in order of preference/achievement.
Best Picture
Will Win: CODA
Should Win: Licorice Pizza
Could Win: The Power of the Dog
Shoulda Been: Pig
AcadeMitch Awards:
Licorice Pizza
Pig
Drive My Car
The Green Knight
The Worst Person in the World
West Side Story
The French Dispatch
Nightmare Alley
Spencer
Dune
Best Director
Will Win: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Shoulda Been: David Lowery, The Green Knight
AcadeMitch Awards:
Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
David Lowery, The Green Knight
Steven Spielberg, West Side Story
Joachim Trier, The Worst Person in the World
Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Drive My Car
Best Actor
Will Win: Will Smith, King Richard
Should Win: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
Shoulda Been: Nicolas Cage, Pig
AcadeMitch Awards:
Nicolas Cage, Pig
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
Dev Patel, The Green Knight
Hidetoshi Nishijima, Drive My Car
Will Smith, King Richard
Best Actress
Will Win: Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Should Win: Kristen Stewart, Spencer
Shoulda Been: Renate Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
AcadeMitch Awards:
Renate Reinsve, The Worst Person in the World
Jodie Comer, The Last Duel
Kristen Stewart, Spencer
Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
Best Supporting Actor
Will Win: Troy Kotsur, CODA
Should Win: Troy Kotsur, CODA
Shoulda Been: Mike Faist, West Side Story
AcadeMitch Awards:
Mike Faist, West Side Story
Anders Danielson Lie, The Worst Person in the World
Bradley Cooper, Licorice Pizza
Troy Kotsur, CODA
Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
Best Supporting Actress
Will Win: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
Should Win: Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
Shoulda Been: Kathryn Hunter, The Tragedy of Macbeth
AcadeMitch Awards:
Kathryn Hunter, The Tragedy of Macbeth
Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
Olga Merediz, In the Heights
Alicia Vikander, The Green Knight
Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: CODA
Should Win: Drive My Car
Shoulda Been: The Green Knight
Could Win: The Power of the Dog
AcadeMitch Awards:
Drive My Car
The Green Knight
West Side Story
Nightmare Alley
The Power of the Dog
Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Belfast
Should Win: The Worst Person in the World
Shoulda Been: The French Dispatch
AcadeMitch Awards:
The Worst Person in the World
Licorice Pizza
The French Dispatch
Pig
Mass
Best Animated Feature
Will Win: Encanto
Should Win: Flee
Shoulda Been: N/A (shoutout to the animation in The French Dispatch!)
AcadeMitch Awards:
Flee
Raya and the Last Dragon
Luca
The Mitchells vs. the Machines
Encanto
Best Documentary Feature
Will Win: Summer of Soul
Should Win: Summer of Soul
Shoulda Been: The Sparks Brothers
AcadeMitch Awards:
Summer of Soul
Flee
The Sparks Brothers
The Velvet Underground
Attica
Best International Film
Will Win: Drive My Car
Should Win: Drive My Car
Shoulda Been: Titane
AcadeMitch Awards:
Drive My Car
The Worst Person in the World
Titane
The Hand of God
A Hero
Cinematography
Will Win: Dune
Should Win: The Tragedy of Macbeth
Shoulda Been: The Green Knight
AcadeMitch Awards:
The Green Knight
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Spencer
West Side Story
Nightmare Alley
Production Design
Will Win: Dune
Should Win: West Side Story
Could Win: Nightmare Alley
Shoulda Been: The Green Knight
AcadeMitch Awards:
West Side Story
Nightmare Alley
Dune
The Green Knight
The French Dispatch
Visual Effects
Will Win: Dune
Should Win: Dune
Shoulda Been: The French Dispatch
AcadeMitch Awards:
Dune
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The French Dispatch
Last Night in Soho
Sound
Will Win: Dune
Should Win: Dune
Shoulda Been: In the Heights
AcadeMitch Awards:
Dune
West Side Story
The Tragedy of Macbeth
In the Heights
The Last Duel
Film Editing
Will Win: King Richard
Should Win: The Power of the Dog
Could Win: Dune; The Power of the Dog
Shoulda Been: West Side Story
AcadeMitch Awards:
West Side Story
The French Dispatch
The Green Knight
The Power of the Dog
Dune
Original Score
Will Win: Dune
Should Win: The Power of the Dog
Shoulda Been: Spencer
AcadeMitch Awards:
Spencer
The French Dispatch
The Power of the Dog
Dune
The Green Knight
Original Song
Will Win: “No Time to Die” - No Time to Die
Should Win: “No Time to Die” - No Time to Die
Shoulda Been: Spencer
AcadeMitch Awards:
I’m gonna be honest, I really don’t care about this category and think it should be done away with. 🤷
Costume Design
Will Win: Cruella
Should Win: West Side Story
Shoulda Been: Spencer
AcadeMitch Awards:
Spencer
West Side Story
Last Night in Soho
Cruella
Dune
Makeup and Hairstyling
Will Win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Should Win: The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Shoulda Been: Spencer
AcadeMitch Awards:
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Spencer
Dune
The Green Knight
The Last Duel