BY CHARLIE HOBBS

The 2021 awards cycle has lasted nearly as long as this abridged semester at Vassar. Beginning with the Golden Globes in February and ending tonight at long last with the Oscars, the season is crawling to a quiet close. This anticlimax comes despite a genuinely exciting uncertainty in both Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, races that even now feel too close to call, and a . Is it because the biggest film amongst the nominees in terms of budget and scale and scope is also the most boring? We personally blame Gary Oldman for all of this. More like scary old man! With that in mind, here are our final predictions.

Best Picture

The Father

Judas and the Black Messiah

Mank

Minari

Nomadland

Promising Young Woman

Sound of Metal

The Trial of the Chicago 7

Will Win: Nomadland

Dark Horse: The Trial of the Chicago 7

Should Win Sound of Metal

Best Director

Lee Isaac Chung, Minari

Emerald Fennell, Promising Young Woman

David Fincher, Mank

Thomas Vinterberg, Another Round

Chloé Zhao, Nomadland

Will Win: Chloé Zhao

Dark Horse: David Fincher

Should Win: Chloé Zhao

Best Actor Winner Prediction

Riz Ahmed, Sound of Metal

Chadwick Boseman, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Anthony Hopkins, The Father

Gary Oldman, Mank

Steven Yeun, Minari

Will Win: Chadwick Boseman

Should Win: Riz Ahmed

Best Actress

Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom

Andra Day, The United States vs. Billie Holiday

Vanessa Kirby, Pieces of a Woman

Frances McDormand, Nomadland

Carey Mulligan, Promising Young Woman

Will Win: Frances McDormand

Dark Horse: Carey Mulligan

Should Win: Vanessa Kirby - we said it before and we’ll say one last time

Best Supporting Actor

Sacha Baron Cohen, The Trial of the Chicago 7

Daniel Kaluuya, Judas and the Black Messiah

Leslie Odom, Jr., One Night in Miami

Paul Raci, Sound of Metal

LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah

Will Win: Daniel Kaluuya

Should Win: Daniel Kaluuya

Best Supporting Actress

Maria Bakalova, Borat Subsequent Moviefilm

Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy

Olivia Colman, The Father

Amanda Seyfried, Mank

Youn Yuh–jung, Minari

Will Win: Youn Yuh–jung

Dark Horse: Maria Bakalova

Should Win: Youn Yuh–jung

Best Adapted Screenplay

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anthony Hines, Dan Swimer, Peter Baynham, Erica Rivinoja, Dan Mazer, Jena Friedman & Lee Kern

The Father, Christopher Hampton and Florian Zeller

Nomadland, Chloé Zhao

One Night in Miami, Kemp Powers

The White Tiger, Ramin Bahrani

Will Win: Nomadland

Dark Horse: Borat

Should Win: The Father

Best Original Screenplay

Judas and the Black Messiah, Will Berson & Shaka King

Minari, Lee Isaac Chung

Promising Young Woman, Emerald Fennell

Sound of Metal, Darius Marder & Abraham Marder

The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aaron Sorkin

Will Win: Promising Young Woman

Dark Horse: The Trial of the Chicago 7

Should Win: Minari