Two years in a row I missed on my pick of the Best Picture. Winner of International Feature Film, Parasite, the South Korean film, directed by Bong Joon Ho became the first international film to win the Oscar for Best Picture in the history of the Academy Awards. As the awards for Parasite piled up, the possibility that it could win Best Picture was more and more likely to happen. Bong Joon Ho went on and on about wanting to drink the night away.

Joaquin Phoenix’s speech was my favorite of the night. He touched on second chances and spoke out against “cancel culture.” He championed the need to give a “voice to the voiceless” and using love and innovation to create new ways of doing things that will benefit all. Quoting a lyric from his brother River Phoenix, he says: “Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.”

Probably the funniest (and oddest) part of the show was Eminem reprising “Lose Yourself.” The audience’s reaction to Eminem’s performance is particularly comedic, especially when they cut to a horrified Idina Menzel. My question was “Why?”

Overall, I did better than last year’s picks with 19 out of 24 correct picks.

Best Picture

Ford v. Ferrari
The Irishman
Jojo Rabbit
Joker
Little Women
Marriage Story
1917
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Parasite

Winner: Parasite

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Antonio Banderas, Pain and Glory
Leonardo DiCaprio, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Adam Driver, Marriage Story
Joaquin Phoenix, Joker
Jonathan Pryce, The Two Popes

Winner: Joaquin Phoenix, Joker

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Cynthia Erivo, Harriet
Scarlett Johansson, Marriage Story
Saoirse Ronan, Little Women
Charlize Theron, Bombshell
Renée Zellweger, Judy

Winner: Renée Zellweger, Judy
Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Tom Hanks, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins, The Two Popes
Al Pacino, The Irishman
Joe Pesci, The Irishman
Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Winner: Brad Pitt, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Kathy Bates, Richard Jewell
Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Scarlett Johansson, Jojo Rabbit
Florence Pugh, Little Women
Margot Robbie, Bombshell

Winner: Laura Dern, Marriage Story
Best Director

Martin Scorsese, The Irishman
Todd Phillips, Joker
Sam Mendes, 1917
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Winner: Bong Joon Ho, Parasite

Best Adapted Screenplay

Steve Zaillan, The Irishman
Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit
Todd Phillips and Scott Silver, Joker
Greta Gerwig, Little Women
Anthony McCarten, The Two Popes

Winner: Taika Waititi, Jojo Rabbit

Best Original Screenplay

Rian Johnson, Knives Out
Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story
Sam Mendes, 1917
Quentin Tarantino, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, Parasite

Winner: Bong Joon Ho and Han Jin Won, Parasite

Best Animated Feature Film

How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World
I Lost My Body
Klaus
Missing Link
Toy Story 4

Winner: Toy Story 4

Best Documentary Feature

American Factory
The Cave
The Edge of Democracy
For Sama
Honeyland

Winner: American Factory

Best Film Editing

Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland, Ford v. Ferrari
Thelma Schoonmaker, The Irishman
Tom Eagles, Jojo Rabbit
Jeff Groth, Joker
Yang Jinmo, Parasite

Winner: Michael McCusker, Andrew Buckland, Ford v. Ferrari

Best Original Score

Hildur Guðnadóttir, Joker
Alexandre Desplat, Little Women
Randy Newman, Marriage Story
Thomas Newman, 1917
John Williams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Winner: Hildur Guðnadóttir, Joker

Best Original Song

“I Can’t Let You Throw Yourself Away,” Toy Story 4
“(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman
“I’m Standing with You,” Breakthrough
“Into the Unknown,” Frozen II
“Standing Up,” Harriet

Winner: “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” Rocketman

Best Cinematography

Rodrigo Prieto, The Irishman
Lawrence Sher, Joker
Jarin Blaschke, The Lighthouse
Roger Deakins, 1917
Robert Richardson, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Winner: Roger Deakins, 1917

Best Costume Design

Sandy Powell, Christopher Peterson, The Irishman
Mayes C. Rubeo, Jojo Rabbit
Mark Bridges, Joker
Jacqueline Durran, Little Women
Arianne Phillips, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Winner: Jacqueline Durran, Little Women

Animated Short Film

Dcera (Daughter) – Daria Kashcheeva
Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry, Karen Rupert Toliver
Kitbull – Rosana Sullivan, Kathryn Hendrickson
Memorable – Bruno Collet, Jean-Francois le Corre
Sister – Siqi Song

Winner: Hair Love – Matthew A. Cherry, Karen Rupert Toliver

Live Action Short Film

Brotherhood – Meryam Joobeur, Maria Gracia Turgeon
Nefta Football Club – Yves Piat, Damien Megherbi
The Neighbors’ Window – Marshall Curry
Saria – Bryan Buckley and Matt Lefebvre
A Sister – Delphine Girard

Winner: The Neighbors’ Window – Marshall Curry

Sound Mixing

Gary Rydstrom, Tom Johnson, Mark Ulano, Ad Astra
Paul Massey, David Giammarco, Ford v. Ferrari
Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic, Tod Maitland, Joker
Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson, 1917
Michael Minkler, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Winner: Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson, 1917

Sound Editing

Donald Sylvester, Ford v. Ferrari
Alan Robert Murray, Joker
Oliver Tarney, Rachael Tate, 1917
Wylie Stateman, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Matthew Wood, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Winner: Donald Sylvester, Ford v. Ferrari

Documentary Short Subject

In the Absence
Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)
Life Overtakes Me
St. Louis Superman
Walk Run Cha-Cha

Winner: Learning to Skateboard in a Warzone (If You’re a Girl)

International Feature Film

Corpus Christi – Poland
Honeyland – North Macedonia
Les Misérables – France
Pain and Glory – Spain
Parasite – South Korea

Winner: Parasite – South Korea

Makeup and Hairstyling

Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker, Bombshell
Nicki Ledermann, Kay Georgiou, Joker
Jeremy Woodhead, Judy
Paul Gooch, Arjen Tuiten, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
Naomi Donne, Tristan Versluis, Rebecca Cole, 1917

Winner: Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan, Vivian Baker, Bombshell

Visual Effects

Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Avengers: Endgame
Pablo Helman, Leandro Estebecorena, The Irishman
Robert Legato, Adam Valdez, The Lion King
Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, 1917
Roger Guyett, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Winner: Guillaume Rocheron, Greg Butler, 1917

Production Design

Bob Shaw and Regina Graves, The Irishman
Ra Vincent, Nora Sopkovà, Jojo Rabbit
Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales, 1917
Barbara Ling, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Lee Ha Jun, Cho Won Woo, Parasite

Winner: Barbara Ling, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Did you make predictions for this year’s Oscars? How many did you get right?

There are several movies I want to see now that I didn’t get to before the awards show.