Best Actor

This race was both tough and long. Nestled alongside fellow nominees Andrew Garfield (tick, tick.. BOOM!), Javier Bardem (Being The Ricardos), and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), Will Smith (King Richard) and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) found themselves in a rematch of sorts. The two icons were previously nominated against each other back in 2001 when Denzel won for Training Day. In the beginning, it was really anybody's race. Nonetheless, after Will nabbed the Critics’ Choice Award, the Golden Globe, and the SAG Award, it was obvious that the Oscar was his.

Javier Bardem was just fine in Being The Ricardos, nothing too groundbreaking or catastrophically bad. He’s nowhere close to the real thing which worked for Nicole Kidman’s performance but against his own. He gave a very average performance overall. Benedict Cumberbatch was phenomenal in The Power of the Dog, his performance was a highlight. He brought a special complexity to the age-old combination of calm and cool. I loved that I always wanted to know more about his character every time I saw him. Denzel Washington gave my favorite performance of the category In The Tragedy of Macbeth. His intensity was captivating, and I was invested in his character's journey for the film's entire duration. I really wish he won this year, but at least he already has one!

I believe that Will winning was a good choice. He gave a terrific performance, and while it wasn’t necessarily my favorite, I still found it well-done enough to justify a win. His actions last night, while erratic and impulsive, also magnify the brilliance of his performance. He won an Oscar for playing a dedicated and protective family man after proving he’s the same way in real life.

Best Adapted Screenplay

There wasn’t really much competition in this category. Everybody had their favorites, but CODA has had this one in the bag for a while — especially after winning at the Writers’ Guild. 

I don’t agree with this winner. My pick for Best Adapted Screenplay would be Drive My Car. Drive My Car’s screenplay is extremely precise. Ryusuke Hamaguchi & Takamasa Oe not only adapt the short story of the same name, but also elements of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. The writers were able to bring myriad elements together and made them feel fresh and new. CODA, on the other hand, feels extremely familiar in its story beats and it feels comfortable being predictable. The Power of The Dog’s screenplay was great. Nevertheless, the movie excelled because of what the actors did with the script and not just the script itself. The Lost Daughter’s screenplay was incredibly opaque and difficult to follow. The screenplay must work better for people who have read the book because, personally, it left me cold. Dune’s screenplay was alright, but I still don’t understand most of what happened in it.

Nevertheless, CODA’s win is a landmark moment for diversity in both this specific category and the institution of the Academy.