Calling all film lovers, it is that time of year again. I’m going to be perfectly honest, this was not my favorite movie year. While some films were exemplary, the lineup as a whole was kind of mixed and not that mind-blowing. I found last year to be a better year and the year before that to be nearly perfect (even though my least favorite of the lineup won). I could go on about this, but I do not have the time or the space. I am here to talk about what will win this year. I can not go through every category, unfortunately, so we will just be going with the above the line categories. Sorry to disappoint all of you cinematography and/or makeup fans. I respect you, but this is not the place. These predictions will honor the actors, directors, writers and, of course, the best picture. These are not only my predictions but also my opinions as a film connoisseur. I must say that in terms of predicting, this was a difficult year. While some categories were obvious others were neck and neck. I guess that makes everything more exciting. Without further ado, here is what I believe will win the Oscars, and what should win if I had a say.

Best Picture: This category is the reason why we are all here. This determines the absolute best film of 2022, as decided by the jury of voters. Sometimes this is a category that people can call a while in advance, other times it goes back and forth. This category has gone back and forth for a bit, but at this point, it seems safe to say that “Everything Everywhere All at Once” will be the winner. While it is not the usual choice of the Oscar crowd, it has gotten a lot of buzz. The film has won the Best Film category at many award shows, and so many people have sung its praises loud and clear. Now while this has been a widely popular film, my personal choice would be “The Banshees of Inisherin.” I love Martin McDonagh’s dry humor and I felt this film was very thought-provoking. I have liked a lot of McDonagh’s work in the past, and I felt this was a pretty enjoyable film. Based on the discussions at the moment, this seems to be the second-place film in terms of what will win, and I think it deserves the top honor.

Best Actor: While I said before that this was not my favorite year of movies, I thought this was a truly wonderful year for Best Actor performances. These were all raw and interesting parts. I will also say that this was the hardest category to predict, as it is a tight race. However, I believe that Austin Butler is going to take the Oscar for “Elvis” as the titular role. The Oscars love to vote for a biopic, especially when the role is of one of the most successful musicians of all time. There will be a lot of push from the film’s producers and with some important precursors, I’m willing to say that Butler could win. However, I thought Brendan Fraser’s performance in “The Whale” was absolutely phenomenal. It was a really difficult part that made me feel very emotional. There is a very big chance that he could win, but there may not be enough push, especially since the film is not nominated for Best Picture. Hopefully the Academy sees what I see. Fraser’s performance is one of my favorites in a long time, and he would deserve the win. I support the Brendanaissance.

Best Actress: This was a year of some commanding Best Actress performances. All of them were very interesting to watch and were a key part of all of these films. Most of them would absolutely be worthy of a win. This year, it seems that the Oscar will go to Cate Blanchett for her “Tár” performance. She has won plenty of precursors, not to mention that she is a darling at the Oscars. Her role of a conductor going through a breakdown is the exact type of meaty performance that the Oscars like, which is why she will probably win. I would certainly be happy if she did win. Blanchett had a very difficult part, and it required her to be in practically every scene. The role was very complex and you got to see many layers of this character. Blanchett is a legendary actress for the modern era, and “Tár” showed why she is truly worthy of that status. 

Best Supporting Actor: While these performances were not dominating roles, they definitely had their spotlight moments. They were foils to their leads to help make for some interesting dynamics. Out of all of the acting categories, the winner hers seems to be the clearest. The Oscar is most likely going to Ke Huy Quan from “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” He has won the majority of the precursor awards, and the hype around him makes him almost a lock. This category is basically in the bag. That being said, I personally feel partial to Brendan Gleeson’s performance in “The Banshees of Inisherin.” It is not a showy part, but he is very important to the story. His subtlety makes the performance powerful, and I think he deserves the praise.

Best Supporting Actress: Many of the roles in this category were unique and played an interesting position in their film. These supporting actresses had commanding presences every time they spoke. There are a lot of contenders in this category, and this is probably the category where the most nominees have a chance. At the moment, most signs are pointing to Angela Bassett from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” winning in this category. She has received a lot of praise and awards for this role, and while many supporting actresses have been receiving attention, Bassett seems to be the one to beat. However, I personally believe that Hong Chau’s performance in “The Whale” was absolutely phenomenal. It was an emotionally captivating part that had many unraveling layers as the film played out. It was a character that the audience could connect with, and Chau did an outstanding job.

Best Director: A film is literally nothing without its director calling the shots. They help bring the film and help show the visual beauty of the story. It will only be natural this year that Best Director goes to Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, The Daniels, for directing “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” While it is not always the case that the Best Picture winner also wins Best Director, it looks like that will be the case this year. This was a film that was not only entertaining, but renowned for its action and visuals. There has been a lot of applause for The Daniels and their large efforts will soon pay off. Personally, my choice is the classic choice. I really enjoyed Steven Spielberg’s directing for “The Fablemans.” Spielberg has received praise for decades for his directing skills, and for great reasons. This film is simpler than some of his other projects, but it was still beautiful. It told a story of classic Americana and helped transport audiences into his life, without going too fantastical or all over the place. While I definitely support newcomers, I also respect the experienced filmmakers.

Best Original Screenplay: Some years, the top film contenders are mixed between the original and adapted screenplay categories. This year, it appears that most of the top contenders have original stories to tell. While there could be a case for most of these films to win, this Oscar will probably go to Martin McDonagh’s writing for “The Banshees of Inisherin.” Since this is not a flashy film, it has to rely on its story and script for brilliance. That is what makes the script so special. McDonagh is very experienced in storytelling, and I want him to receive praise for this storytelling. I think the movie’s screenplay was very well done, with its interesting plot points and quick witted humor. I think he has the capability to win and he absolutely deserves that.

Best Adapted Screenplay: As mentioned before, the screenplay categories are a little lopsided this year. The films in this category are not the ones that are getting all of the buzz. However, that does not mean that these films do not have merit. These films all have terrific stories to tell. Based on how the award season is going, it looks like Sarah Polley’s “Women Talking” will be winning the Oscar. This story of rape in a religious colony is dark yet captivating, and has fascinated many audiences. While it may not win other categories, it will probably win in this one. However, while I really enjoyed this film’s story, I think I slightly prefer Rian Johnson’s writing in “Glass Onion” with its twists and turns. These two films could not be more different, so it is hard to compare them. However, there is a lot more intrigue in “Glass Onion” as well as a lot more excitement in the mystery. I would be happy if either of these films win, but I feel that “Glass Onion” had a unique story to tell and Johnson deserves recognition.

There are a lot more categories to go over, and I will certainly predict them later on my own time, but this is all that there is room to discuss. At the end of the day, it is an honor just to be nominated. While the Academy, and myself, have their preferences, all of the nominees deserve their spots. It should be an interesting night of awards, and I’m sure some of them will go against the predictions. I might even change my personal predictions by the time the awards roll around. The Oscars will air on March 12 on ABS at 8 p.m. ET, live from the Dolby Theater and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel. It is live TV so anything can happen. Make sure to tune into this exciting celebration of film, or at least read my recap of it all after the ceremony.