We've been polling you for the last month plus on the Oscar charts about who you feel SHOULD win the Oscars in each category and we now have the results, so we know what the readers are rooting for tomorrow...
BEST PICTURE
An easy victory for Nomadland. The rest of the candidates were no match for the top three and all scored under 10%.
BEST DIRECTOR
It's Zhao in a landslide... though not as big of a landslide as two other categories were.
BEST ACTRESS
In a bit of a surprise given how tight this particular race was at awards shows, you voted resoundingly in favor of just one candidate: Carey Mulligan.
BEST ACTOR
Now this was a competition. It was a three way intense battle at first but Riz pulled ahead. Gary Oldman has the worst vote count of anyone from the four acting categories. Only one other thing scored 1% in a competition (in Cinematography)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
In a bit of a surprise your votes here were much different than they were when we polled you for the Smackdown. Of course that was a different voting system. Glenn Close was in last place at the Smackdown (from your votes) when you had to judge all five performances, but in second place here where you could only vote for one person and you could vote daily. Among reader votes received for the Smackdown, Maria Bakalova's performance was the most polarizing scoring everywhere from 1 to 5 hearts so she ended up in the middle of the pack, just as she did here. Curiously Olivia Colman came in second in the Smackdown but is in last place here, suggesting that people feel that Oscar for The Favourite was enough for now.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Readers of The Film Experience have also let it be known that they prefer supporting actors in supporting categories putting Raci up top. We're a bit surprised to see Leslie Odom Jr in last place though (remember when people thought he would win the Oscar months ago before we knew that Judas and the Black Messiah was arriving this season)
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Promising Young Woman achieves a decisive victory here. It might at the Oscars, too. We shall see
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The closest vote in ANY category for readers. Nomadland just barely edges out The Father in a virtual tie.
BEST INTERNATIONAL FEATURE
Quo Vadis Aida?'s strong showing suggests it's still on the rise. If they had released it sooner they might have had a chance to topple Another Round on Oscar night.
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Interestingly My Octopus Teacher which just keeps winning lately is firmly middle of the pack for all of you.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
We love you. This is one of the rare places where the gorgeous Wolfwalkers beat Pixar's giant contender. And comfortably too! Poor Over the Moon though... the runt of the litter this time.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Emma prevails in a close battle with Ma Rainey. We think the Oscar vote will be close too. We want a tie so badly! We've never had one in Costume Design.
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nomadland's cinematography has the second highest percentage for the win of any reader voting. The #1 most voted for thing is further down, keep scrolling.
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Mank in a landslide though The Father put up a weak fight.
BEST FILM EDITING
Voting was all over the place with this category though we were surprised to see Promising Young Woman land in last place among readers.
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Tenet way out front but happily the very charming Love and Monsters won some of you over.
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR
Pinocchio's strong showing here despite being underseen is telling. Could it surprise on Oscar night?
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Like all precursor awards everywhere you went with Soul. Happily Emile Mosseri (Minari) also placed well. He's so impressive.
BEST SOUND
Sound of Metal's sound has the biggest landslide victory in any category. Almost 90% of the votes went its way.
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Husavik" was way out front, as we expected and it's true we were stumping for it all season.
ANIMATED SHORT
The high profile of Netflix's candidate seems to have helped here. More surprising is Opera's high showing as that one was harder for people to find. It would surely have even more votes if it was easy to watch online.
LIVE ACTION SHORT
Hmmm. Oscar Isaac's starpower seems to have helped. The Present, which came in second, is much better if you ask us.
DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Tight race there with three titles vying for the win each with over 20% of the votes.