RICHARD’S BLOG

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I became a playwright in 1996, having been an avid theatregoer throughout my life (averaging around 120 plays a year – watching, not writing!) I semi-retired from my day job shortly thereafter and for the next 25 years I worked only part-time, allowing me time to write. I ventured briefly into the world of television and wrote a couple of screenplays, although this pretty much came to nothing, except for TAPS making a short film of one of my scripts starring (a virtually unknown) Benedict Cumberbatch and Georgia Mackenzie, which was cool, and sufficient to get me BAFTA membership. Since the pandemic, theatre in the UK has never really found its way back to what it used to be, and so my attention has drifted more towards film. I am now fully retired from my day job and whilst I still visit the theatre two or three times a month, I now watch upwards of 500 films a year (crazy, but true!) Since I watch so many films and can write, I decided to create a blog – it seemed a very 21st-Century thing to do.
The Oscars are Coming

The Oscars are Coming

As the big night looms ever closer, now only two sleeps’ away, I thought I should set out my predictions in the major categories, which to me are the writing, directing, acting, Best Picture, and, of course the most important, Best International Feature! So below are my suggestions for what will win and what should win:

Best adapted screenplay

This should go to Train Dreams but I fear it won’t – it will go to One Battle After Another. Still, as long as it doesn’t go to Hamnet, I am not too bothered.

Best original screenplay

I think this should go to Sentimental Value, but I suspect it will go to Marty Supreme.

Best director

This should definitely go toJoachim Trier for Sentimental Value, but it will almost certainly end up with Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another.

Best actor

I am a bit torn here – I would like to see Ethan Hawke rewarded for Blue Moon, but I think the Oscar will go to Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, which was also a great performance.

Best actress

I know this is going to Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, but it really should go to Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You.

Best supporting actor

I think this belongs with Stellan Skarsgård  for Sentimental Value (although I did think it was a main role, rather than a supporting role). Realistically, it could go to any of the other nominees, probably Benicio del Toro for One Battle After Another … but please not Sean Penn!

Best supporting actress

I would like to see it go to Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Sentimental Value, but realistically Wunmi Mosaku from Sinners seems to be the clear front runner.

Best picture:

The big one! For me it is a clear choice between Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent with Train Dreams trailing in third place. However, we all know it is going to end up with One Battle After Another – still, as long as it isn’t Hamnet!

Best international feature

This should be a straight choice between Sentimental Value and The Secret Agent. I think Sentimental Value will win out, but quite honestly, I would be more than happy with either – they are the two stand out films of the Oscar season for me.

There are far too many other categories for me to comment upon, and I don’t really have the knowledge to make informed choices when it comes down to the likes of editing, cinematography and production design, so I will leave that to the experts.

I suspect it will be another disappointing night as my predictions romp home one after another, whilst my selections fail to make an impact. But hey, that’s show-business!

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