We’re almost one week away from the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, which is on Sunday, March 27, 2022, and I wanted to do a quick recap of the movies I listed here. I also updated that article with links to my reviews and popcorn count, but below I’ll make a quick prediction, based solely on my opinion and preference, which might be very different than the awards, because I’m not (that) old, and not a Jew.

Of all the movies I planned to watch, the only one I haven’t is West Side Story, because it’s not on any streaming platforms.

Actor in a Leading Role

The competition here is fierce, all actors nominated here gave a strong performance, and the fact that they’re playing such different roles makes it very hard to separate them. My opinion sways between Javier Bardem and Benadryl Cucumbersnitch.

Actor in a Supporting Role

Competition is tight here as well, all actors gave strong performances, but none of them struck me in a particular mode. I liked Troy Kotsur’s performance, JK Simmons was good too, but all the others were great as well.

Actress in a Leading Role

This is a close call between Jessica Chastain’s transformation into Tammy Faye, and Nicole Kidman’s portrayal as Lucille Ball. Both acted nicely. Kristen Stewart’s performence was also good, but not sure if it deserves the Oscar.

Actress in a Supporting Role

There’s a tight battle here as well between Judi Dench, Kirsten Dunst, and Aunjanue Ellis, and the statue could go either way. Unfortunately, I couldn’t see West Side Story, so no idea about Ariana DeBose’s performance. Update: After watcing West Side Story, I can say that Ariana DeBose’s performance is as strong as the others, so the winner is too close to call.

Animated Feature Film

All of the animations were strong, I really loved The Mitchells vs. the Machines. Many great and fun animations here, except for Flee, which is a very good animated drama, and I have a feeling that Academy Dinosaurs might go for this as the winner, just because they’re sad and this is a drama.

Best Picture

It’s the first time this category has ten nominees, and most of them are good. Brilliant only a few: I’m rooting this year for Belfast and for The Power of the Dog. Update: Also West Side Story seems to be a strong contender, but the winner is a bit too close to call.