On March 2, comedian Conan O’Brien will host the 96th Academy Awards to honor the best in film from 2024; from large scale blockbusters to indie gems, 2024’s cinematic landscape has pushed boundaries and captivated audiences. Unlike 2023, when most viewers knew that “Oppenheimer” and “Poor Things” would dominate the awards, the upcoming Oscars offers a more unpredictable race with an even more diverse slate of contenders. Critics and fans alike both have vastly different opinions on who will take home the coveted awards. Two such fans are Junior Noah Barnett who said “The Brutalist is the clear choice for best picture” and College Counselor Alex Faye who said “I think it’s got to be the Brutalist”. While many agree with Barnett and Faye about Brady Corbet’s three and a half hour drama, there are just as many people who think the award could go to films like Sean Baker’s Anora or Edward Berger’s Conclave.  To help with the confusion going into Oscar season, here are my thoughts on who could take home awards in all of the major categories:

Best Picture: The Brutalist (A24) 

Best Actress: Demi Moore (The Substance) 

Best Actor: Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) 

Best Supporting Actress: Zoe Saldaña (Emilia Pérez) 

Best Supporting Actor: Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) 

Best Animated Feature Film: The Wild Robot (DreamWorks Animation) OR Flow (Sideshow/Janus Films)

Best International Feature Film: Emilia Pérez (Netflix) 

Best Director: Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) 

Best Original Screenplay: Sean Baker (Anora) 

Best Adapted Screenplay: Peter Straughan (Conclave) 

Best Original Song: El Mal (Jacques Audiard, Camille, Clément Ducol) 

Best Original Score: The Brutalist (Daniel Blumberg)

Best Cinematography: The Brutalist (Lol Crawley)

Best Production Design: Wicked (Nathan Crowley)

Best Costume Design: Wicked (Paul Tazewell)

Best Makeup & Hairstyling: The Substance (Pierre Olivier Persin)

Best Visual Effects: Dune: Part Two (Paul Lambert)