March 2, 2025, at 7 p.m.. Dazzling spotlights illuminate the stage as beloved actors, actresses, directors and other film industry stars take their seats in the grand Dolby Theatre. Conan O‘Brien takes the stage, and the 97th annual Oscars commence. 

In recent years, several gasps have rung out in the film community in reaction to unexpected winners such as Jamie Lee Curtis’ win of best supporting actress for her role as Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All At Once. Films are a very subjective form of art, and consequently, there is much discourse surrounding the nominees and awards given during the Oscars.

Best Picture Nominations:

• “Emilia Pérez”
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Conclave”
• “Nickel Boys”
• “I’m Still Here”
• “The Substance”
• “Dune: Part Two”
• “Wicked”
• “Anora”
• “The Brutalist”

My Pick:

My choice for Best Picture would be Denis Villeneueve’s sci-fi epic, “Dune: Part Two.” The flawless cinematography, expansive plot, near-perfect delivery from the actors and harmonious score create the greatest sci-fi film of all time, one that surpasses George Lucas’“ Star Wars.” “Dune: Part Two” builds on every aspect of its predecessor, “Dune,” as it is an intense masterpiece from start to finish, somehow making each frame of its 2 hours and 46 minutes runtime a visual treat for your eyes, resembling some of the greatest art ever created. Furthermore, rising stars such as Timothee Chalamet, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh and Zendaya complement veteran actors such as Rebecca Ferguson, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin and Stellan Skarsgård to create a truly captivating ensemble of cast that immerse audiences in the story. Though “Dune: Part Two” was a monumental achievement in the sci-fi genre, as a result of the academy’s continual bias against sci-fi films, I believe the award will fall to Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist,” another favorite film of mine from 2024..

Best Actor Nominations:

• Ralph Fiennes-“Conclave”
• Sebastian Stan-“The Apprentice”
• Timothee Chalamet-“A Complete Unknown”
• Colman Domingo-“Sing Sing”
• Adrien Brody-“The Brutalist”

My Pick:

My choice for best actor would be Adrien Brody’s performance as Lászlo Tóth, a Hungarian-Jewish architect who immigrated to the United States after being imprisoned in a concentration camp during World War 2. Brody creates the character of Lászlo Tóth by layering a melancholic, depressed personality masked by a smug, self-confident architect. Throughout the film, during lingering shots, Brody, masterfully portraying Lászlo, can subtly be seen with eyes devoid of happiness, hinting at his trauma and pain he suffered during the war. In other scenes, this trauma is barely noticeable due to Brody’s acting, which shows Lászlo as a boastful, confident architect that knows his worth, perfectly expressing how Lászlo is trying to run as far away from the war as possible. I believe the Academy will recognize Brody’s spectacular performance, and he will receive his second Oscar award for best actor. Coincidentally, his previous role that won him best actor was his portrayal of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish-Jewish pianist during World War 2.

Best Actress Nominations:

• Fernanda Torres-“I’m Still Here”
• Demi Moore-“The Substance”
• Karla Sofía Gascón-“Emilia Pérez”
• Cynthia Erivo-“Wicked”
• Mikey Madison-“Anora”

My Pick:

My pick for best actress would be Cynthia Erivo for her portrayal of Elphaba in the movie musical “Wicked.” While I believe her acting in the movie was great, the real reason I would choose her for best actress is due to her terrific performance during musical numbers. If you did not previously know, unlike most movie musicals, Erivo sang each song live in the musical. Not only does this reflect her amazing voice, but also her acting abilities as she was able to perform an incredible song while portraying the character. Erivo also performed her own stunts, which included rappelling through the air on a wire in all directions, meaning that she sang and acted all while soaring in the air. This impressive feat is why I would choose her for best actress. Although I think Erivo should win, I believe that Demi Moore will win for her portrayal of Elisabeth Sparkle in “The Substance.”

Best Cinematography Nominations:

• Paul Guilhaume-“Emilia Pérez”
• Greig Fraser-“Dune: Part Two”
• Ed Lachman-“Maria”
• Jarin Blaschke-“Nosferatu”
• Lol Crawley-“The Brutalist”

My Pick:

In my opinion, best cinematography is the hardest award to choose one singular winner. Cinematography is incredibly subjective, and films can have extremely different color palettes, techniques and shots while still being equally amazing. As a result, I cannot choose between my two picks for best cinematography: Greig Fraser for “Dune: Part Two” and Jarin Blaschke for “Nosferatu.” Fraser masterfully creates the world of Arrakis in “Dune: Part Two” with his unique landscape shots showing the immense scope of the world. Furthermore, his use of an orange color palette helps accentuate the desert world where the movie takes place. The first scene in the movie is excellent, with it taking place during a solar eclipse. The solar eclipse effect is done wonderfully, with the lighting, shots and placement of the camera showing the power of the eclipse on the surrounding desert. Another scene in the film that may be one of the best shot scenes I have ever seen is the colosseum-esque show on the planet of Giedi Prime. On Giedi Prime there is a black sun, making everything in the light of its rays black and white. Fraser executes this concept by using a camera that captured infrared light which was then converted into black and white, creating a shot where a character walks out from a shadow and his skin becomes black and white as it enters the light. With this in mind, it is impossible to choose between the cinematography in “Dune: Part Two” and the beautiful cinematography by Jarin Blaschke in ”Nosferatu.” While Fraser’s shots in “Dune: Part Two” are typically basked in blinding light, Blaschke takes a different approach in “Nosferatu”: dimly lit scenes that are enveloped in darkness. In almost all of the scenes in “Nosferatu,” the only lights present are the moon and the light of a fire. This creates a horrifying aesthetic in which darkness is trying to snuff out the light, reflecting the themes of the film. This cinematography subliminally tells the overarching story of the film, showing that in this world, the dark is beating the light. However, there will always be the light, furiously fighting against the darkness. Furthermore, Blaschke creates frames that resemble beautiful canvases, with each brush of the camera painting a beautiful scene. There were times in the theater where I was in awe, feeling as if I was watching a painting rivaling Rembrandt come to life. These gorgeous shots, combined with the thematic lighting created a truly compelling movie that would captivate any audience. I believe that “Dune: Part Two” and “Nosferatu” are both wonderfully crafted, in main part due to their cinematography, and I believe that they are the clear standouts for the esteemed award. As a result, I look forward to seeing either Greig Fraser or Jarin Blaschke accept the award for best cinematography on March 2.

Best Score Nominations:

• Camille, Clément Ducol-“Emilia Pérez”
• Volker Bertelmann-“Conclave”
• Kris Bowers-“The Wild Robot”
• John Powell, Stephen Schwartz-“Wicked”
• Daniel Blumberg-“The Brutalist”

My Pick:

My pick for best score would be Daniel Blumberg’s phenomenal score in ”The Brutalist.” Blumberg incorporates unusual sounds to create a unique soundscape that reflects the architectural style of the main character in the film, Lászlo, who also had an innovative and unique style. Furthermore, Blumberg creates his score off of the recurring thematic motifs and themes in the story, with ambitious instrumentation mixed with cracks in the melody which subliminally hint at Lászlo’s ambitious mask that hides his depression and trauma in the film. There were times in the theater where the score impacted how I reacted to the film and created suspense or tense scenes. The score builds off of the film and enhances scenes, creating a visual as well as auditory sensation that immerses the audience in the story. While the plot, writing and acting are typically seen as what makes a film great, “The Brutalist” excels as a film due to its terrific score by Blumberg. Subsequently, I think the Academy will recognize this and Blumberg will win the oscar for best score.