The Oscars 2023: Reactions, Predictions, and Controversies.

Oscars 2023 Predictions

In the aftermath of a chaotic broadcast last year, the Oscars have returned again with the nominations being announced earlier this week. Late night host Jimmy Kimmel will be hosting this year’s ceremony, which will be held on March 12, 2023.

Many nominations came as no surprise as Everything Everywhere All At Once stands as the most nominated film of the year with 11 nominations including best director(s) and best picture.

Viewers were also pleased to see that Brendan Fraser received a nomination for his masterful performance in The Whale although this was expected. Many are predicting Fraser will take home the statue as he’s already taken home a Golden Globe award for the role.

The Banshees of Inisherin and All Quiet on the Western Front also received a decent number of nominations including best picture and best original score. Both films are predicted to be in good standing to take home the coveted best picture award.

The best leading actress category has been at the forefront of controversy as British actress Andrea Risenborough received a nomination for her performance in the independent drama To Leslie.

Not only are many surprised at the snubbing of Viola Davis for her performance in The Woman King, but are also looking into the legality of Risenborough’s campaign and ultimate nomination as many of Risenborough’s colleagues exercised their academy connections to help generate buzz for this film.

As a result, numerous actors seemingly out of nowhere were singing their praises about the lesser-known film. Many are questioning if this technically counts as lobbying- a strict condition in the academy’s book that is not to be disregarded.

What’s also being pointed out is the ignorance of Viola Davis’s and Danielle Deadwyler’s respective campaigns, bringing attention back to #OscarsSoWhite. The academy has claimed a commitment to diversifying itself as well as its nominations and while progress has been made, many are still vying for more fair representation.

As for other surprising categories, Walt Disney Animation Studios did not receive any nominations most notably in best animated feature. Pixar’s Turning Red was the only Disney property to receive a nomination in this category.

Predictions seem to be set on Dreamworks’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish or Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio to take home the win. If either film wins this will break Disney’s 3-year winning streak which was at 6 years before being broken by Spider-man: Into The Spider-verse in 2018.

Less anticipation seems to be surrounding the actual ceremony though it’s hard to imagine this year’s Oscar could go any more haywire than last year’s.

A show once associated with glitz, glamor, and recognition seems to have developed a laughable reputation over the years with cringe-worthy jokes, high-strung tensions, and amateurish mistakes (we all remember the La La Land Moonlight debacle) viewers still find themselves watching if for anything else but to see their favorite stars receive their moment of adoration.

Pop Culture Press