2021 Critics Choice Awards Film Predictions
BY CHARLIE HOBBS
In the wake of last week’s Golden Globes, a livestream at once so uncanny and so irksome that I often wondered at my impulse to continue watching, it feels as though the remainder of awards season is not only unpredictable but entirely dark-sided and careening towards some awful and unknown end. The Critics’ Choice Awards, normally the only show unafraid to break from the hegemonic ((?? is this proper use steph help….)) predestined choices and award the occasional Natalie Portman in Jackie, are next up and nothing already being certain this particular show has lost a bit of its luster. And yet here we are attempting to predict who might win. Complicating matters are this Awards’ tendency not only to break from the season’s narrative but also to award the occasional tie-- Glenn Close and Lady Gaga for Best Actress in 2018, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and 1917 for Best Picture last year and so on and so forth. With that in mind let’s try to get excited…
BEST PICTURE
Da 5 Bloods
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Mank
Minari
News of the World
Nomadland
One Night in Miami
Promising Young Woman
Sound of Metal
The Trial of the Chicago 7
Will Win: Nomadland
Dark Horse: The Trial of the Chicago 7 or Minari
Should Win: Minari
Best Actor
Ben Affleck – The Way Back
Riz Ahmed – Sound of Metal
Chadwick Boseman – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Tom Hanks – News of the World
Anthony Hopkins – The Father
Delroy Lindo – Da 5 Bloods
Gary Oldman – Mank
Steven Yeun – Minari
Will Win: Chadwick Boseman
Dark Horse: Steven Yeun
Should Win: Tie between Riz Ahmed and Delroy Lindo
Best Actress
Viola Davis – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Andra Day – The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Hulu)
Sidney Flanigan – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)
Vanessa Kirby – Pieces of a Woman (Netflix)
Frances McDormand – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)
Carey Mulligan – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
Zendaya – Malcolm & Marie (Netflix)
Will Win: Carey Mulligan
Dark Horse: Frances McDormand, Viola Davis
Should Win: Vanessa Kirby
Don’t be surprised if there’s a tie!
Best Supporting Actor
Chadwick Boseman – Da 5 Bloods
Sacha Baron Cohen – The Trial of the Chicago 7
Daniel Kaluuya – Judas and the Black Messiah
Bill Murray – On the Rocks
Leslie Odom, Jr. – One Night in Miami
Paul Raci – Sound of Metal
Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya
Dark Horse: Leslie Odom, Jr.
Should Win: Paul Raci + Daniel Kaluuya
Best Supporting Actress
Maria Bakalova – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
Ellen Burstyn – Pieces of a Woman (Netflix)
Glenn Close – Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix)
Olivia Colman – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)
Amanda Seyfried – Mank (Netflix)
Yuh-Jung Youn – Minari (A24)
Will Win: Yuh-Jung Youn
Dark Horse: Maria Bakalova
Should Win: Yuh-Jung Youn
Best Young Actor/Actress
Ryder Allen – Palmer (Apple TV+)
Ibrahima Gueye – The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Alan Kim – Minari (A24)
Talia Ryder – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)
Caoilinn Springall – The Midnight Sky (Netflix)
Helena Zengel – News of the World (Universal Pictures)
Will Win: Alan Kim
Dark Horse: Talia Ryder
Should Win: Alan Kim
Best Acting Ensemble
Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
Judas and the Black Messiah (Warner Bros.)
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Minari (A24)
One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Will Win: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Dark Horse: Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Should Win: Minari and Judas and the Black Messiah tie
Best Director
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24)
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
David Fincher – Mank (Netflix)
Spike Lee – Da 5 Bloods (Netflix)
Regina King – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)
Will Win: Chloé Zhao
Dark Horse: Lee Isaac Chung
Should Win: Chloé Zhao
Best Original Screenplay
Lee Isaac Chung – Minari (A24)
Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman (Focus Features)
Jack Fincher – Mank (Netflix)
Eliza Hittman – Never Rarely Sometimes Always (Focus Features)
Darius Marder & Abraham Marder – Sound of Metal (Amazon Studios)
Aaron Sorkin – The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)
Will Win Emerald Fennell – Promising Young Woman
Dark Horse: Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Should Win: Lee Isaac Chung – Minari
Best Adapted Screenplay
Paul Greengrass & Luke Davies – News of the World (Universal Pictures)
Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller – The Father (Sony Pictures Classics)
Kemp Powers – One Night in Miami (Amazon Studios)
Jon Raymond & Kelly Reichardt – First Cow (A24)
Ruben Santiago-Hudson – Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix)
Chloé Zhao – Nomadland (Searchlight Pictures)
Will Win: Chloé Zhao – Nomadland
Dark Horse: One Night in Miami
Should Win: Jon Raymond & Kelly Reichardt – First Cow
Best Comedy
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm (Amazon Studios)
The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix)
The King of Staten Island (Universal Pictures)
On the Rocks (A24/Apple TV+)
Palm Springs (Hulu and NEON)
The Prom (Netflix)
Will Win: Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
Dark Horse: Palm Springs
Should Win: Palm Springs
Should’ve Been There:
Best Foreign Language Film
Another Round (Samuel Goldwyn Films)
Collective (Magnolia Pictures)
La Llorona (Shudder)
The Life Ahead (Netflix)
Minari (A24)
Two of Us (Magnolia Pictures)
Will Win: Minari
Dark Horse: Another Round
Should Win: Minari