24 Mar Final 2022 Oscar Predictions: Film Editing, Cinematography, Costume Design
BEST FILM EDITING
Because both BAFTA and CCA went with films (No Time to Die and West Side Story respectively) that are not nominees here, this category is really interesting. One stat I want to mention is that every Editing winner since Whiplash has won a Sound award as well, and the only nominees here that are also nominated for Sound are Dune and The Power of the Dog. If you look at the films that have recently been awarded in this category, they are usually centered around music, sports, war, and/or sci-fi action. Dune fits the last two boxes while The Power of the Dog doesn’t hit any. Therefore, Dune should take this.
Nominees:
Dune
King Richard – ACE (Drama)
The Power of the Dog
tick, tick…BOOM! – ACE (Comedy)
Don’t Look Up
Pick: Dune
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
In the last 20 years, only four winners have won this category without a nomination in Best Director (funnily enough, Villeneuve’s previous film Blade Runner 2049 won Best Cinematography although Villeneuve missed Director).
2021 – Mank – ASC
2020 – 1917 – BAFTA, ASC, CCA
2019 – Roma – BAFTA, CCA
2018 – Blade Runner 2049 – BAFTA, ASC, CCA
2017 – La La Land – BAFTA, CCA
2016 – The Revenant – BAFTA, ASC, CCA
2015 – Birdman – BAFTA, ASC, CCA
2014 – Gravity – BAFTA, ASC, CCA
2013 – Life of Pi – BAFTA, CCA
Based on past winners, the Academy seems to like very flashy cinematography in this category. For this category, BAFTA and ASC are the most important precursors and Dune’s BAFTA-ASC combination should help it to victory. The last time a film with that combination with that combination lost the Oscar was Children of Men in 2007. The Power of the Dog and ‘Macbeth’ can steal, but this seems like Dune’s to lose.
Nominees:
Dune – BAFTA, ASC
The Power of the Dog – CCA
The Tragedy of Macbeth
Nightmare Alley
West Side Story
Pick: Dune
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Cruella is the overwhelming favorite but two things give me pause. Firstly, every winner in the last 25 years has been set primarily in the 1950s or earlier or was a sci-fi/fantasy film. Secondly, in the last 30 years, only five films have won this award without a Production Design nod as well. Cruella is set in the 1970s. It has the flashiest costumes of the bunch and that alone should push it to the win but don’t be surprised if something like Dune or Nightmare Alley (which both have production design nominations unlike Cruella) steal.
Nominees:
Cruella – CCA, BAFTA, CDG (Period)
Dune – CDG (Sci-Fi/Fantasy)
Nightmare Alley
Cyrano
West Side Story
Pick: Cruella