Today I will tackle the categories of Best Actress and Best Director.

BEST ACTRESS

This category seems fairly easy to predict, but then so did last year’s and there was quite an upset. Demi Moore seemed like a sure thing and Mikey Madison, an unknown newcomer took home the prize. This year Jessie Buckley, who starred in “Hamnet”, has won most of the awards so far. Her performance, as William Shakespeare’s wife, was outstanding and in my opinion the best performance of all of the nominees. Rose Byrne in “If I Had Legs I Would Kick You” was an early favorite, but her chances have faded. Her role is very emotional and she handles it well, but it did not capture my sympathy. By the end of the film I was relieved it was over. Renete Reinsve in the foreign film “Sentimental Value” is also nominated. She is quite intense as an actress/daughter of a long absent father/director. She is good, but not good enough to overcome being in a foreign film nor Jessie Buckley. Emma Stone is nominated for “Begonia” another strange film from Yorgos Lanthimos, director of “The Favorite” and “Poor Things”. Stone is always good, especially in Lanthimos’ films, but she already has two Oscars and it may be too soon for her to win another. Kate Hudson is the final nominee for “Song Sung Blue”. She gives an outstanding performance and surprises with her singing. Hudson was nominated 25 years ago and if there is an upset, she may be the one to pull it off.

WILL WIN; Jessie Buckley

SHOULD WIN: Jessie Buckley

BEST DIRECTOR

A lot of people have said that this race was over as soon as “One Battle After Another”. Critics once again raved about a a Paul Thomas Anderson film as they have done to many of his others. He is no doubt a gifted director, writer and producer, but I find his films to be over long. He should hire an editor and let them trim his movies. “One Battle” is one of his most coherent films and he probably deserves the Oscar. He’s already won a number of the other awards. Giving him some competition is Ryan Coogler for “Sinners”. The film received a record 16 nominations and like Coogler’s previous films, it is interesting, well acted and good entertainment. It is also one of the first vampire films to receive so much awards talk. Coogler could upset Anderson’s chances, but I doubt it. Chloe Zhoa is nominated for “Hamnet” and she did a wonderful job. If I were voting, I would vote for her. I couldn’t stand the film she won for in 2020, “Nomadland”, but I loved this one. Josh Safdie is nominated for the first time for “Marty Supreme”. He did a great job and deserves the nomination, but I do not believe this is his year. Finally, Joachim Trier is nominated for “Sentimental Value”, He also did a good job but, in my opinion, not an Oscar-worthy job.

WILL WIN: Paul Thomas Anderson

SHOULD WIN: Ryan Coogler