A shortened eligibility year, multiple monochrome films and an underappreciated year for animation is what sums up the 2021 cinematic year. Oscar voters will be voting for their favorites in 23 categories for six days. As we head into this critical period, we examine the offerings that came with a mixture of return to in-person screenings before getting kicked into virtual programming.
Once again, streamers and VOD platforms provided an avenue for many of these films to be seen by audiences. We should be grateful for their inclusion in this new world order but must never forget the magic and the power of the movie theater itself. I can’t recall being more emotional than stepping into the TCL Chinese Theatre in June to watch Jon M. Chu’s “In the Heights.” It was my first time back in a theater in more than a year, and I cried for more than two hours, and it wasn’t just because of “Paciencia y Fe.” It was the homecoming of my favorite pastime, and realizing how I took it for granted. It felt good to be there.
The absence of physical DVD screeners has made this process more daunting. That shouldn’t preclude you from participating.
The absence of in-person events has made it difficult to know what “you should be watching,” but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the decision yourself.
The absence of not knowing what the next week, month or year will bring is scary, but that doesn’t mean you can’t engage today.
My tips for filling out your ballots have already been shared, but it should be stressed, if you are a member of the Academy, it’s your responsibility to have a say in our industry. You fell in love with cinema long ago, and too often, we lose sight of that.
As ballots are being filled out, I want Academy members to recall the movie theater feeling. The movie that made you fall in love with it all. One thing to stress is my personal list below doesn’t read as definitive nor “hatred” for any film or performance that isn’t mentioned. We tend to forget that making the top five or 10 in a respective field of more than 250 films should be challenging and is an impressive feat if you can achieve it. Time can be kind to many of the movies bestowed upon us, while others may end up fading away into the cinematic ether. Cinema is an evolving machine that must continually be re-examined. It’s okay if you feel different later.
My dream ballot is down below to serve as a recommendation, or an appeal, to voters.
Good luck to all the potential nominees and happy voting. We’ll be watching you.
Winners are in bold with asterisks**
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Best Picture
Image Credit: A24 Best Picture
- “C’mon C’mon” (A24) **WINNER**
Chelsea Barnard, Lila Yacoub, Andrea Longacre-White
- “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix)
Emile Sherman, Iain Canning, Roger Frappier, Jane Campion, Tanya Seghatchian - “Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures)
Yvett Merino, Clark Spencer - “Flee” (Neon)
Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen - “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (Netflix)
Kurt Albrecht, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller - “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (Netflix)
Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Julie Oh - “Red Rocket” (A24)
Sean Baker, Alex Coco, Samantha Quan, Alex Saks, Shih-Ching Tsou - “Belfast” (Focus Features)
Laura Berwick, Kenneth Branagh, Becca Kovacik, Tamar Thomas - “Titane” (Neon)
Jean-Christophe Reymond - “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
Lawrence Bender, Jay-Z, James Lassiter, Jeymes Samuel
Honorable mentions: “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), “Dune” (Warner Bros), “Passing” (Netflix), “Blue Bayou” (Focus Features), “Val” (Amazon Studios)
- “C’mon C’mon” (A24) **WINNER**
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Best Director
Image Credit: KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX Best Director
- Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
(Netflix) **WINNER**
- Julia Ducournau, “Titane”
(Neon) - Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
(Netflix) - Mike Mills, “C’mon C’mon”
(A24) - Jeymes Samuel, “The Harder They Fall”
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: Guillermo Del Toro, “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), Denis Villeneuve, “Dune” (Warner Bros), Jonas Poher Rasmussen, “Flee” (Neon), Sean Baker, “Red Rocket” (A24), Kenneth Branagh, “Belfast” (Focus Features)
- Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”
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Best Actor
Image Credit: Courtesy of Macall Polay/NETFLIX Best Actor
- Clifton Collins Jr, “Jockey”
(Sony Pictures Classics) - Winston Duke, “Nine Days”
(Sony Pictures Classics) - Andrew Garfield, “Tick Tick … Boom!”
(Netflix) **WINNER** - Amir Jadidi, “A Hero”
(Amazon Studios) - Simon Rex, “Red Rocket”
(A24)
Honorable mentions: Mahershala Ali, “Swan Song” (Apple Original Films), Bradley Cooper, “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), Will Smith, “King Richard” (Warner Bros), Joaquin Phoenix, “C’mon C’mon” (A24), Denzel Washington, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Apple Original Films/A24)
- Clifton Collins Jr, “Jockey”
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Best Actress
Image Credit: Courtesy of Netflix Best Actress
- Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
(Searchlight Pictures) - Olivia Colman, “The Lost Daughter”
(Netflix) - Rachel Sennott, “Shiva Baby”
(Utopia) - Kristen Stewart, “Spencer”
(Neon/Topic Studios) - Tessa Thompson, “Passing”
(Netflix) **WINNER**
Honorable mentions: Agatha Rousselle, “Titane” (Neon), Halle Berry, “Bruised” (Netflix), Natalie Morales, “Language Lessons” (Shout! Studios), Patti Harrison, “Together Together” (Bleecker Street), Virginie Efira, “Benedetta” (IFC Films)
- Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”
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Best Supporting Actor
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection Best Supporting Actor
- Ben Affleck, “The Last Duel”
(20th Century Studios) - Robin de Jesus, “Tick, Tick … Boom!”
(Netflix) - Benicio del Toro, “The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun”
(Searchlight Pictures) - Vincent Lindon, “Titane”
(Neon) **WINNER**
- Jesse Plemons, “The Power of the Dog”
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: Jason Isaacs, “Mass” (Bleecker Street), Ciarán Hinds, “Belfast” (Focus Features), André Holland, “Passing” (Netflix), Lakeith Stanfield, “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix), Lil Rel Howery, “Free Guy” (20th Century Studios)
- Ben Affleck, “The Last Duel”
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Best Supporting Actress
Image Credit: Photo by NIKO TAVERNISE / 20th Century Studios Best Supporting Actress
- Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
(20th Century Studios) **WINNER**
- Kirsten Dunst, “The Power of the Dog”
(Netflix) - Olga Merediz, “In the Heights”
(Warner Bros) - Ruth Negga, “Passing”
(Netflix) - Martha Plimpton, “Mass”
(Bleecker Street)
Honorable mentions: Cate Blanchett, “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), Nina Arianda, “Being the Ricardos” (Amazon Studios), Bree Elrod, “Red Rocket” (A24), Saniyya Sidney, “King Richard” (Warner Bros), Moses Ingram, “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Apple Original Films/A24)
- Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”
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Best Original Screenplay
Image Credit: Courtesy of A24 Best Original Screenplay
- “C’mon C’mon” – Mike Mills
(A24) **WINNER**
- “The Harder They Fall” – Jeymes Samuel, Boaz Yakin
(Netflix) - “Language Lessons” – Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales
(Shout! Studios) - “Red Rocket” – Sean Baker, Chris Bergoch
(A24) - “Titane” – Julia Durournau, Jacques Akchoti, Simonetta Greggio
(Neon)
Honorable mentions: “John and the Hole” (IFC Films), “Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures), “Belfast” (Focus Features), “A Hero” (Amazon Studios), “Petitie Maman” (Neon)
- “C’mon C’mon” – Mike Mills
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Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Adapted Screenplay
- “The Lost Daughter” – Maggie Gyllenhaal
(Netflix) - “Passing” – Rebecca Hall
(Netflix) - “The Power of the Dog” – Jane Campion
(Netflix) **WINNER**
- “Shiva Baby” – Emma Seligman
(Utopia) - “Tick, Tick … Boom!” – Steven Levenson
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: “The Guilty” (Netflix), “A Quiet Place Part II” (Paramount Pictures), “CODA” (Apple Original Films), “Drive My Car” (Janus Films/Sideshow), “In the Heights” (Warner Bros)
- “The Lost Daughter” – Maggie Gyllenhaal
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Best Animated Feature
Image Credit: Courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios Best Animated Feature
- “Encanto” – Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
(Walt Disney Pictures) **WINNER** - “Flee” – Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge Sørensen
(Neon) - “Luca” – Enrico Casarosa, Andrea Warren
(Pixar) - “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” – Mike Rianda, Jeff Rowe, Phil Lord, Chris Miller
(Netflix) - “Ron’s Gone Wrong” – Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine
(20th Century Studios
Honorable mentions: “Sing 2” (Illumination/Universal), “Paw Patrol: The Movie” (Paramount Pictures), “Vivo” (Netflix), “Raya and the Last Dragon” (Walt Disney Pictures), “The Summit of the Gods” (Netflix)
- “Encanto” – Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Charise Castro Smith
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Best Production Design
Image Credit: Kerry Hayes Best Production Design
- “Being the Ricardos” – Jon Hutman, Ellen Brill
(Amazon Studios) - “Dune” – Patrice Vermette, Richard Roberts, Zsuzsanna Sipos
(Warner Bros) - “Last Night in Soho” – Victoria Allwood, Emily Norris, Judy Farr
(Focus Features) - “Nightmare Alley” – Tamara Deverell, Shane Vieau
(Searchlight Pictures) **WINNER**
- “Tick, Tick … Boom!” – Alex DiGerlando, Lydia Marks
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (Netflix), “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix), “Passing” (Netflix), “Nine Days” (Sony Pictures Classics), “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix)
- “Being the Ricardos” – Jon Hutman, Ellen Brill
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Best Cinematography
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Best Cinematography
- “Dune” – Greig Fraser
(Warner Bros) **WINNER** - “In the Heights” – Alice Brooks
(Warner Bros) - “The Power of the Dog” – Ari Wegner
(Netflix) - “Spencer” – Claire Mithon
(Neon) - “Val” – Val Kilmer
(Amazon Studios)
Honorable mentions: “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), “C’mon C’mon” (A24), “Titane” (Neon), “Passing” (Netflix), “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (Netflix)
- “Dune” – Greig Fraser
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Best Costume Design
Best Costume Design
- “Dune” – Jacqueline West
(Warner Bros) **WINNER** - “The Harder They Fall” – Antoinette Messam
(Netflix) - “Passing” – Marci Rodgers
(Netflix) - “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” – Kym Barrett
(Marvel Studios) - “West Side Story” – Paul Tazewell
(20th Century Studios)
Honorable mentions: “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Apple Original Films/A24), “Annette” (Amazon Studios), “The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun” (Searchlight Pictures), “King Richard” (Warner Bros)
- “Dune” – Jacqueline West
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Best Film Editing
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Best Film Editing
- “C’mon C’mon” – Jennifer Vecchiarello
(A24) - “The Guilty” – Jason Ballantine
(Netflix) - “King Richard” – Pamela Martin
(Warner Bros) **WINNER** - “Red Rocket” – Sean Baker
(A24) - “Tick, Tick … Boom!” – Myron Kerstein, Andrew Weisblum
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: “Being the Ricardos” (Amazon Studios), “Val” (Amazon Studios), “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix), “Encounter” (Amazon Studios), “Swan Song” (Apple Original Films)
- “C’mon C’mon” – Jennifer Vecchiarello
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Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- “Dune” – Donald Mowat, Love Larson, Eva von Bahr
(Warner Bros) **WINNER** - “Last Night in Soho” – Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
(Focus Features) - “Nightmare Alley” – Cliona Furey, Jo-Ann MacNeil
(Searchlight Pictures) - “Passing” – Margie Durand, Barbara Roman Barreto
(Netflix) - “Titane” – Céline Llerena, Flore Masson
(Neon)
Honorable mentions: “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix), “The French Dispatch of the Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun” (Searchlight Pictures), “The Last Duel” (20th Century Studios), “Free Guy” (20th Century Studios), “Respect” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
- “Dune” – Donald Mowat, Love Larson, Eva von Bahr
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Best Sound
Image Credit: Weibo Best Sound
- “Dune” – Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill, Ron Bartlett
(Netflix) - “The Harder They Fall” – Richard King, Doug Hemphilll, Ron Bartlett, Clint Bennett, Anthony Ortiz
(Netflix) - “The Last Duel” – Oliver Tarney, Paul Massey, David Giammarco, Daniel Birch, Stéphanie Bucher
(20th Century Studios) - “The Power of the Dog” – Robert Mackenzie, Richard Flynn, Leah Katz, Tara Webb, Dave Whitehead
(Netflix) - “Tick, Tick … Boom!” – Paul Hsu, Todd A. Maitland
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: “Licorice Pizza” (MGM/United Artists Releasing), “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), “C’mon C’mon” (A24), “Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures), “Encounter” (Amazon Studios)
- “Dune” – Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill, Ron Bartlett
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Best Visual Effects
Image Credit: Weibo Best Visual Effects
- “Dune” – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer
(Warner Bros) **WINNER** - “Eternals” – Stephane Ceretti, Daniele Bigi, Matt Aitken, Neil Corbould
(Marvel Studios) - “Free Guy” – Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick
(20th Century Studios) - “Spider-Man: No Way Home” – Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein, Dan Sudick
(Marvel Studios) - “The Suicide Squad” – Kelvin McIlwain, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawknew, Dan Sudick
(Warner Bros)
Honorable mentions: “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Marvel Studios), “A Quiet Place Part II” (Paramount Pictures), “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures), “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” (Netflix), “The Green Knight” (A24)
- “Dune” – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer
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Best Original Score
Image Credit: Neon/Topic Studios Best Original Score
- “Dune” – Hans Zimmer
(Warner Bros) - “Encanto” – Germaine Franco
(Walt Disney Pictures) - “Jockey” – Aaron Dessner, Bryce Dessner
(Sony Pictures Classics) - “Parallel Mothers” – Alberto Iglesias
(Sony Pictures Classics) - “Spencer” – Jonny Greenwood
(Neon/Topic Studios) **WINNER**
Honorable mentions: “The Suicide Squad” (Warner Bros), “Being the Ricardos” (Amazon Studios), “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix), “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix), “Nine Days” (Sony Pictures Classics)
- “Dune” – Hans Zimmer
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Best Original Song
Image Credit: Courtesy of Disney Best Original Song
- “The Letter” from “Cyrano” – The National
(MGM/United Artists Releasing) - “Just Look Up” from “Don’t Look Up” – Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Taura Stinson
(Netflix) - “Surface Pressure” from “Encanto” – Lin-Manuel Miranda
(Walt Disney Pictures) - “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from “Encanto” – Lin-Manuel Miranda
(Walt Disney Pictures) **WINNER** - “Guns Go Bang” from “The Harder They Fall” – Jeymes Samuel, Scott Mescudi, Shawn Carter
(Netflix)
Honorable mentions: “Waiting on a Miracle” from “Encanto” (Walt Disney Pictures), “The Harder They Fall” from “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix), “Be Alive” from “King Richard” (Warner Bros), “The Conductor” from “Annette” (Amazon Studios), “No Time to Die” from “No Time to Die” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
- “The Letter” from “Cyrano” – The National
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Best Documentary Feature
Image Credit: Courtesy of Neon Best Documentary Feature
- “The First Wave” – Matthew Heineman
(Neon) - “Flee” – Jonas Poher Rasmussen
(Neon) **WINNER** - “Pray Away” – Kristine Stolakis
(Netflix) - “The Rescue” – Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi
(National Geographic) - “Simple as Water” – Megan Mylan
(HBO)
Honorable mentions: “Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America” (Sony Pictures), “Attica” (Showtime), “The Sparks Brothers” (Focus Features), “Francesco” (Discovery Plus), “Introducing, Selma Blair” (Discovery Plus)
- “The First Wave” – Matthew Heineman
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Best International Feature
Image Credit: Neon Best International Feature
- “Flee” (Denmark) **WINNER**
- “A Hero” (Iran)
- “Hive” (Kosovo)
- “Titane” (France)
- “The Worst Person in the World” (Norway)
Honorable mentions: “Drive My Car” (Japan), “Petite Maman” (France), “Parallel Mothers” (Spain), “Bliss” (Germany), “I’m Your Man” (Germany)
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Best Cast Ensemble and Best Stunts
Image Credit: Sundance (these should be categories at the Oscars)
Best Cast Ensemble
- “Belfast” (Focus Features)
- “CODA” (Apple Original Films) **WINNER**
- “King Richard” (Warner Bros)
- “Nightmare Alley” (Searchlight Pictures)
- “Red Rocket” (A24)
Honorable mentions: “The Tragedy of Macbeth” (Apple Original Films), “The Power of the Dog” (Netflix), “Tick, Tick … Boom!” (Netflix), “The Lost Daughter” (Netflix), “Mass” (Bleecker Street)
Best Stunts
- “Black Widow” (Marvel Studios)
- “Free Guy” (20th Century Studios)
- “No Time to Die” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
- “Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” (Marvel Studios) **WINNER**
- “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (Sony Pictures)
Honorable mentions: “Eternals” (Marvel Studios), “The Tomorrow War” (Amazon Studios), “The Harder They Fall” (Netflix), “The Last Duel” (20th Century Studios), “The Green Knight” (A24)
2022 Academy Awards Predictions
- Best Picture
- Best Director
- Best Actor
- Best Actress
- Best Supporting Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
- Best Original Screenplay
- Best Adapted Screenplay
- Best Animated Feature
- Best Production Design
- Best Cinematography
- Best Costume Design
- Best Film Editing
- Best Makeup and Hairstyling
- Best Sound
- Best Visual Effects
- Best Original Score
- Best Original Song
- Best Documentary Feature
- Best International Feature
- Best Animated Short
- Best Documentary Short
- Best Live-Action Short