Oscars 2021 predictions: Nomadland, Chloé Zhao, Chadwick Boseman – CNET [CNET]

It’s certainly been an unusual year, as the pandemic wiped dozens of planned movies off the calendar. But affecting and emotional films did make it into theaters, while streaming services continued uninterrupted — and indeed the film with the most nominations (Mank, up for 10 awards) is a Netflix production. Amazon Prime Video also has Borat, One Night in Miami and Sound of Metal in the running. And Apple TV Plus has landed two Oscar nominations in its first year since launching.

The 93rd Academy Awards take place Sunday, April 25. With films like Nomadland, Minari, Borat 2, Mank and Promising Young Woman in the running, 2021 Oscars could be a close race. Here are my predictions for the major categories.

Best picture

There are two clear trends in this year’s Oscars: true stories, and the experience of marginalized people in America. Two of the films even intersect with portrayals of the same real-life figure: murdered Black Panther Fred Hampton, depicted in both The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Judas and the Black Messiah.

• The Father
• Judas and the Black Messiah
• Mank
• Minari
• Nomadland
• Promising Young Woman
• Sound of Metal
• The Trial of the Chicago 7

My money’s on: Nomadland

Best director

More than one woman is nominated as best director for the first time in Oscar history. A win for Chloé Zhao would more than make up for the disappointment of seeing her Marvel movie Eternals delayed by the pandemic, while The Crown star Emerald Fennell could win for her debut feature as writer and director with the scathingly timely Promising Young Woman. Another director nominated for his first film was Orson Welles with Citizen Kane, the subject of Hollywood melodrama Mank, which marks David Fincher‘s third Oscar nomination.

• Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round)
• David Fincher (Mank) 
• Lee Isaac Chung (Minari) 
• Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) 
• Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) 

My money’s on: Chloé Zhao

Best actor in a leading role

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