Oscar Predictions 2025

Will the Academy favour The Brutalist despite AI controversies?

The Brutalist. Credit: A24

NOTE: For my thoughts in more depth on any given film, just click the title, and the link will take you back to my original review.

It’s time for my annual lament that I find myself caring about the Oscars. My integrity as a cineaste tells me I shouldn’t, but whilst I retain vast reserves of indifference for other film accolades (even the BAFTAs — most unpatriotic, I know), somehow the Academy Awards matter. Even though they frequently get it wrong at both nomination and winner stages, because I care as much as I do about cinema, I want deserving competitors to triumph. What’s more, sometimes they do. Last year was a case in point.

On the flip side, because I’m an annoyingly contradictory person, I can’t help but feel slightly cheated of my annual rant about Oscar injustices on the rare years when I do agree with the big winners. Venting my spleen about tokenism, sympathy votes, corrupt campaigning, virtue-signalling, and snobbery provides catharsis and (I hope) entertainment value. So yes, there really is no pleasing me. With that in mind, here are my thoughts on this year’s nominees in the main categories, commenting on what I suspect will win versus what should.

One important point to bear in mind: At least a couple of significant contenders haven’t been seen by British audiences (and therefore yours truly) at this point in proceedings. Nonetheless, I shall attempt to activate Nostradamus mode, peer into the cinematic crystal ball, and make accurate predictions.