Darts & Flowers

Here are my personal predictions and favorites of the six main categories concerning the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, taking place on March 12th. BEST PICTURE Will win: Everything Everywhere All at Once Should win:  Tár BEST DIRECTOR Will win: Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert (Everything Everywhere All at Once) Should win: Todd Field ( Tár ) BEST ACTOR Will win:  Austin Butler (Elvis) Should win: Brendan Fraser (The Whale) BEST ACTRESS Will win: Michelle Yeoh (E verything Everywhere All at Once) Should win: Cate Blanchett ( Tár ) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Will win: Ke Huy Quan (Everything Everywhere All at Once) Should win: Brendan Gleeson (The Banshees of Inisherin) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Will win: Angela Bassett (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever) Should win: Hong Chau (The Whale)

A (sometimes) exhilarating but somewhat hollow satire dealing with fashion, richness, politics, social differences and discrimination. Nothing new, but everything is polished enough to probably please a certain kind of audience. An interesting product, though. Mark: 7 / 10

Written by the author of the play of the same name, it deals with guilt, sorrow and redemption in a sort of cathartic way, though a bit rhetorical in the second half. The cast is awesome, and Brendan Fraser delivers a lifetime performance. Mark: 7.5 / 10

Tiring, annoying and definitely boring. The main issue here is the director and screenwriter, that doesn't even prove himself a good cast director. Ana de Armas, on the contrary, is absolutely great in the depiction of one of the most iconic cinematic figures of all time. Mark: 5 / 10

The production is Swedish, but the rest is Georgian, from the locations to the cast. A brave and reckless movie about the growing awareness of being gay in a very homophobic country. Not particularly original but strong and very well directed. Mark: 7 / 10

A subtle, understated, deep coming-of-age drama, more intense and desperate than everyone may think and state. The chemistry between Paul Mescal and the young Frankie Corio is astonishing. Mark: 7.5 / 10

This third effort by the acclaimed director Todd Field ("In the Bedroom", "Little Children") is definitely an artwork, in the more intrinsic meaning of the word itself: nuanced conversations, personal interpretations and (abuse of) power are its trademarks. And Cate Blanchett delivers an out-of-this-world performance (as usual). Mark: 8.5 / 10