2021 Oscars: Picks

As always, I’m posting my picks for what I want to win, not necessarily my predictions of what I think will win, although I think there’s a decent amount of overlap between the two this year, especially in some of the acting categories. It’s a little weird – it wound up feeling like I’m not showing too many of the Best Picture nominees much love, but even if my picks didn’t wind up reflecting a big cross-section of the nominees, I can honestly say I liked them all quite a bit. It’s been a while since that’s been true, which is impressive, given the state of the film industry this past year.

Best Picture: Minari – This was a tough one. All the Best Picture nominees are great, but they’re so different, it’s almost hard to compare them. I had to follow my heart, though, and my heart led me to Minari. So lovely.

Best Leading Actor: Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) – I know that there’s the posthumus Oscar “narrative” going on, especially riding the wave of how deeply Boseman’s death hit people, but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s electric in this movie. In a category filled with men doing excellent work, you can’t take your eyes off him.

Best Leading Actress: Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) – I don’t look at biopic acting as the be-all end-all of performances, and I’m not one to want to instantly give out Oscars for uncanny impressions. However, I didn’t pick Day for how much she sounds like Billie Holiday. I’m picking her for how she plays the character, how she brings out the emotion of the piece. I’d be genuinely happy with any of the nominees winning, but if I have to pick just one, I’m going with Day.

Best Supporting Actor: Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) – For obvious reasons. Kaluuya is so striking here, strong and commanding but also grounded and true. And while Stanfield is clearly excellent as well, I maintain that this is the wrong category for him. Kaluuya looms large in the film, but his character is the object of the story while Stanfield’s is the subject, so Kaluuya is more correctly-positioned for me as the supporting actor.

Best Supporting Actress: Yuh-jung Youn (Minari) – Another category with lots of good performances, but Youn stands out amid everybody’s fine work. She brings so many facets to this role and is a joy to watch in ways that are constantly unexpected. (Note: I haven’t seen Glenn Close in Hillbilly Elegy.)

Best Director: Minari – I debated long and hard between this film and Nomadland, and in the end, I had to give Minari the edge. What Chloé Zhao creates in Nomadland is so impressive, but Lee Isaac Chung’s film just grabs my heart, and the direction is an important part of that.

Best Original Screenplay: Minari – Yeah, yeah, are you sensing the theme? An easy choice, despite another category full of strong contenders. This, to me, is a masterful screenplay that constantly rewards its audience with its beauty, humor, and honesty.

Best Adapted Screenplay: One Night in Miami – No brainer. I loved One Night in Miami and wish it garnered more nominations, but I would’ve been pissed if it hadn’t been recognized here. Such incredible dialogue, deftly juggling the personalities of the characters and gliding seamlessly between heavy emotional discussions and lighter tension-diffusing moments.

Best Cinematography: Nomadland – Simply stunning. Sure, the beautiful American landscapes lend a helping hand, but Nomadland is gorgeous in its wide, expansive starkness, and the camera work wonderfully evokes the feeling of the characters’ lives. (Note: I haven't seen News of the World.)