AirTalk’s FilmWeek: 2022 Oscar Preview

It’s been a big year for films! Jane Campion’s Netflix western “Power of The Dog” leads the way with 12 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Trailing close behind is the sci-fi blockbuster “Dune” which snagged 10 nominations. The film had a simultaneous release in theaters and on HBO Max, a controversial decision Director Denis Villeneuve wasn’t happy about. Other Best Picture nominees in addition to those two films: “CODA,” “Belfast,” “Licorice Pizza,” “Drive My Car,” “Don’t Look Up,” “King Richard,” “West Side Story” and “Nightmare Alley.” Other categories covered include Best Animated Feature, Best Documentary Feature, Best Supporting Actress, and more!

There’s so much to talk about! Join Larry and our top-notch critics just days before the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, as they break down the major categories and nominations and offer their hot takes, praise and even eyerolls. You can find the full list of nominees here.

Our critics for the 20th annual Film Week Academy Awards Preview are:

• Justin Chang -- LA Times & NPR’s Fresh Air
• Tim Cogshell -- Alt Film Guide.com and CineGods.com
• Andy Klein
• Christy Lemire -- Roger Ebert.com & Breakfast All Day podcast
• Lael Lowenstein                                                             
• Wade Major -- CineGods.com                                      
• Amy Nicholson -- New York Times film writer & podcasts Unspooled and Zoom
• Claudia Puig -- President/LA Film Critics Association  
• Charles Solomon -- Animation Scoop and Animation.com

Round One

1) Best Animated Feature:

• Encanto -- (Directed by Jared Bush & Byron Howard)
• Flee -- (Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen)
• Luca -- (Directed by Enrico Casarosa)
• The Mitchells vs. the Machines -- (Directed by Michael Rianda)
• Raya and the Last Dragon --  (Directed by Don Hall & Carlos Lopez Estrada)

2) Best  Documentary Feature:

• Ascension -- Directed by Jessica Kingdon
• Attica -- Directed by Stanley Nelson & Traci A. Curry
• Flee -- Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen
• Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) -- Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson
• Writing with Fire -- Directed by Rintu Thomas & Sushmit Ghosh

3) Best Supporting Actress:

• Jessie Buckley -- The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose -- West Side Story
• Judi Dench -- Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst  -- The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis -- King Richard

Round Two

 4) Best Adapted Screenplay:

• CODA -- Sian Heder
• Drive My Car -- Ryusuke (ROO-skay) Hamaguchi & Takamasa Oe (OH-ay)
• Dune -- Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve, & Eric Roth
• The Lost Daughter -- Maggie Gyllenhaal
• The Power of the Dog -- Jane Campion

5) Best Original Screenplay:

• Belfast -- Kenneth Branagh
• Don’t Look Up -- Adam McKay
• King Richard -- Zach Baylin
• Licorice Pizza -- Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Worst Person in the World -- Eskil Vogt & Joachim Trier 

6) Best Supporting Actor:

• Ciaran Hinds -- Belfast
• Troy Kotsur -- CODA
• Jesse Plemons -- The Power of the Dog
• J. K. Simmons -- Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee -- The Power of the Dog 

7) Best Actress:

• Jessica Chastain -- The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman -- The Lost Daughter
• Penelope Cruz -- Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman -- Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart -- Spencer

Round Three

8) Best Actor:

• Javier Bardem -- Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch -- The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield -- tick, tick…BOOM!
• Will Smith -- King Richard
• Denzel Washington -- The Tragedy of Macbeth 

9) Best Directing:

• Belfast -- Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car -- Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza -- Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog -- Jane Campion
• West Side Story -- Steven Spielberg 

10) Best Picture:

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don’t Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story