APN’s Grammy Predictions

Award season is upon us, and with it comes all the drama, snubs, and controversy. The nominations are set and to say the winners of these categories will be a toss up would be nothing less than an understatement. In Best Picture, it comes down to two: “The Brutalist” vs “Anora.” I see the academy going with strong, deep, drama with “The Brutalist,” over the much more lighthearted, comedic “Anora.” As in the past we’ve seen the Oscars tend to lean towards dramas. I would be remiss however, to not mention the dark horse that I’m rooting for “The Substance.” An ambitious and bold horror film that relaunched Demi Moore into stardom. Unfortunately, “The Substance” may just be a little too out there to secure the win. Looking over at the actors, I wouldn’t be surprised to see “The Brutalist” continue its success, with Adrian Brody, Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones all nominated and safe bets in some of the main acting categories. Timothee Chalmet holds a strong case in the Best leading actor race, with his performance in “A Complete Unknown.” The Best supporting actor category is headlined by Kieran Culkin in “A Real Pain” and my personal favorite performance of the year Jermey Strong in “The Apprentice.” The aforementioned Demi Moore looks like the one to beat in the Best lead actress category, However, Mikey Madsion may be a formidable opponent for her work in “Anora.” Regardless of who wins, the performances were phenomenal across the board. A spectacular year of movies is sure to be capped off by a spectacular ceremony. 

• Evan Rando 

I haven’t always been on time for viewing the Oscars but this year feels different for me. Ariana Grande is supposed to be hosting this year’s show and I’m excited because she’s a great artist. She has been experimenting in comedic roles and I think the Oscars would be a great opportunity to showcase that. 

For Best Picture, I think “Anora” or “Wicked” should win. I think Anora showed a real life example of what a lot of women go through in the exotic dancer lifestyle, but it also went too depressing, it took us along the ride of her whirlwind of emotions and falling in love in Las Vegas. 

Wicked impacted me emotionally because it told a classic story that still applies to the world around us. It was a beautiful remake that showed each actor’s unique spin on the characters. I’ve never watched the Broadway Musical, but I saw that movie and cried. 

For Best Actor, I feel Demi Moore should win for her performance in “The Substance.” She embodied what most women have to deal with all their lives, society’s fear of aging women. The movie was terrifying and showed what lengths people go to to try to seem younger and more palatable for our patriarchy. 

• Brionne Thompson 

Beautifully tragic and nothing but disturbing, I predict that “The Substance” will win best picture. The film masterfully portrays the dread many feel surrounding aging with a spectacular cast that delivers discomfort, sex appeal and existential dread. Between the social commentary of the film and the gruesome way they show such a relatable concept, this film without a doubt will win the oscar for best picture.

• Kollin Kriner 

As someone who enjoys all things pop culture, the Oscars are a big annual event in my life. I usually only pay attention to the red carpet and some of the larger categories like best actor in a leading role. The fashion is what originally draws me in. Although I haven’t seen all of the nominated movies, I do know what colors and styles are relevant this year. I am hoping to see fashion that represents that actor and their roles best. I predict that Ariana Grande and Cynthia will wear something that represents “Wicked”  part. 2 and stray away from the classic pink green and black looks they have been giving. I also think Timothy Challamet will wear ‘60s or ‘70s inspired clothes to go with his recent film “A Complete Unknown.” At the Grammys, we saw many celebrities leaning towards pastels and brighter spring colors. I think we can expect similar themes at the Oscars. 

• Abigail Passafiume 

For the Oscar predictions, I must say that I have not watched all films in each category. However, for the films that I have seen I believe may deserve a win in specific areas. My first prediction is for best picture and cinematography the winner would be “Dune: Part Two”. The reason for this is because when viewing the film, similar to the first, the movie brings you into another universe that you believe is real. I think that shots captured to make the movie look realistic were crafted beautifully and let the viewer see this world and how the story as a whole comes together. My other prediction would be that best supporting actor should go to Kieran Culkin in “A Real Pain”. I may be biased because I love Culkin as an actor, but he did a phenomenal job in the film that I believe couldn’t be done by anyone else, he was the movie. My last prediction is for best costume design, which I think “Gladiator II” should be awarded with. The movie sets us back in time, looking at the detail and craftsmanship done to express class differences and historical beauty that brought the film to life. 

-Sydney Blake