Team Experience Predix - Round 2: Doc, International & Animation

Every other week, we’re polling The Film Experience Writers on where the Oscar race stands. These predictions were done just a day before the Golden Globes announcement. Most of the Best Picture contenders were cited by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (except for Women Talking) but this set of predictions does not account for The Banshees of Inisherin suddenly leading the pack at the Globes.

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Yes, The Fabelmans continues to sit on top of most people’s predictions. Still, the only place to go is down...

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Oscar Volley: How do you choose only 15 finalists for "Best International Feature"?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here’s Elisa Giudici and Abe Friedtanzer…

Argentina, 1985

ELISA: Abe, have been handed one of the toughest Oscar volleys of the year. The Best International Film category is maddening: more than 90 possible contenders, the majority of whom are still unavailable. My first impression this year is that no movie has already locked up a nomination. There is no Parasite, no Another Round, no crystal-clear, 100% sure contender who can sleep tight until the nomination morning. Do you have the same impression? 

There are of course some strong contenders in the category, such as Argentina, 1985. I saw this movie in Venice and underestimated its crowdpleasing power...

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Golden Globe Predix. Which movies / celebrities will they love most?

by Nathaniel R

Do people remember that the original AVATAR triumphed at the Globes. Might AVATAR THE WAY OF WATER repeat?

The Golden Globe nominations arrive on Monday morning. The HFPA has been (mostly) dormant since their broadcast banishment but they hope to be back on the mainstream audience's radar this year. They've been doing internal reforms and recruiting new members, so predicting them is theoretically a whole new ballgame.

Both Tom Cruise and Brendan Fraser have both been outspoken anti-Globe celebrities and the Globes have also been taken to task for racial biases. Either of these things might play into voting or they might not. Because you need a guiding principal for wide open contests like this, the one I've chosen is assuming they'll love Elvis (a very Globes-friendly film) and Banshees of The Inisherin the most.  Who knows how they'll vote but let's try to predict anyway.  But let's try anyway... 

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Oscar Volleys: How Many Pop Hits in Best Original Song?

Team Experience will be discussing each Oscar category as we head into the precursors. Here's Eurocheese and Baby Clyde...  

"Ciao Papa" in GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO

EUROCHEESE: Well Baby, It's Cold Outside and you know what that means - we're Falling Slowly into awards season, and it's time to name the songs seeking Glory in the City of Stars. There are a few big hits that Take My Breath Away: Rihanna's "Lift Me Up," which seems to be everywhere at the moment; Lady Gaga's "Hold My Hand" in the year's biggest hit that just won't slow down; and the standout song from Del Toro's Pinocchio, "Ciao Papa," which I expect will make the cut. Do you agree these three are solid initial nominees, or do you have High Hopes that rest elsewhere? Any Secret Love that you see near the top of your list?

BABY CLYDE: Hey Mr Cheese, I Just Called To Say I Love You. The Academy must be salivating at the prospect of this year’s nominees. Am I correct in thinking that Rihanna, Gaga, Taylor and Billie Eilish are all legit contenders in this category...

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144 Films Eligible for Best Documentary Feature for the 95th Oscars

by Nathaniel R

The Academy has revealed the list of Eligible films for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar. There are 144 in total. Next week the Academy will vote in the preliminary round which will narrow down the titles to 15 (announced on December 21st, 2022) from which they'll choose 5 nominees (announced January 24th, 2023). In other words this month is the last hurrah (Oscar-wise) for 90% of the contenders. After the jump the full list, where you can see the films, and our reviews if we've done them...

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