Here we are again - Nick and Katy are back with their annual Oscar podcast (in the Members section) and it looks like they both have a thing for Vampires! Below is a transcript of their conversation, which has been condensed for the website.
The Balcony is now open!
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Nominees:
BUGONIA Screenplay by Will Tracy
FRANKENSTEIN Written for the Screen by Guillermo del Toro
HAMNET Screenplay by Chloé Zhao & Maggie O'Farrell
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Written by Paul Thomas Anderson
TRAIN DREAMS Screenplay by Clint Bentley & Greg Kwedar
NICK: One of my favorite movies of the year was Bugonia. It was fabulous to see something unique and beautifully made. Yorgos Lanthimos is always an interesting director, I love being in his world. Sadly, it’s not the year for it to win much. I quite liked Frankenstein but didn’t feel the script missed a bit of what made the book special. The performances were good, and it looked great too, but it was long. I liked Hamnet, it looks like the perfect British made movie courtesy of “Billy Shakespeare”. One Battle After Another (OBAA from here on out) I loved. P.T Anderson makes great movies with quirky characters, Leonardo DiCaprio was great, Sean Penn was great…loved everyone in it. I think it will win for sure.
KATY: The first “Oscar” movie I saw this year was OBAA and I loved it until I saw all the other movies! I didn’t love Bugonia like Nick did, I can admit it was unique, and I am glad I saw it, but not really my kind of movie. I liked Frankenstein more than I thought I would, but I wasn’t blown away by it. I absolutely loved Hamnet, it is a beautiful story and I felt lucky to be in that world for a few hours.Train Dreams was my movie of the year. I adored every second of it. It should win but I know it won't.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Bugonia WILL WIN: One Battle After Another
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Train Dreams WILL WIN: One Battle After Another
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
The Nominees:
BLUE MOON Written by Robert Kaplow
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT Written by Jafar Panahi; Script collaborators - Nader Saïvar, Shadmehr Rastin, Mehdi Mahmoudian
MARTY SUPREME Written by Ronald Bronstein & Josh Safdie
SENTIMENTAL VALUE Written by Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
SINNERS Written by Ryan Coogler
NICK: Original Screenplay - I think there’s only one winner here: Sinners. There’s no doubt to me that Sinners is one of the most unique films of the year, I loved everything about it. I also really liked Sentimental Value, it is delightfully depressing, a remarkable tale of human fragility and madness. Fantastic characters, beautifully acted, Stellan Skarsgård, wow! He is one of those actors that is great in everything he’s in. I liked some things about Marty Supreme, especially my friend that is IN the movie. There were bits I really liked, but I don’t think it will win. It Was Just an Accident was a magnificent movie; you never knew where it was going, it took you on a journey. Blue Moon was good, simpler. It's Sinners all the way for me.
KATY: I did like, but didn’t love, Blue Moon; it took place in 1943 and focused on a night in the life of songwriter Lorenz Hart. The acting was great though the film definitely dragged. I loved Marty Supreme when I first saw it, but liked it less as time went on. That being said, it is a great story idea and very unique. I liked Sentimental Value very much, but didn’t find the story to be particularly revelatory. I loved Sinners, it is an original idea for sure: twin brothers named Smoke and Stack who open a speakeasy and tangle with vampires (to put it mildly). I think Sinners will win but feel that Marty Supreme is the more distinctive of these two stories.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Sinners WILL WIN: Sinners
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Marty Supreme WILL WIN: Sinners
INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM
The Nominees:
THE SECRET AGENT Brazil
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT France
SENTIMENTAL VALUE Norway
SIRĀT Spain
THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB Tunisia
NICK: These were among my 5 favorite movies of the year – and 6 and 7 were Sinners and Begonia! It’s usually my favorite category. I love to see movies from around the world where there are different points of view, different subject matters and perspectives. This year's nominees were a broad spectrum.
I very much enjoyedThe Secret Agent (Brazil). I thought the styling and cinematography was spot on for the period (1970s). It was a little confusing, you never quite knew who was on whose side, but I thought it was nicely abstract in that way and beautifully acted. It Was Just An Accident (France) was the biggest shock to me. I had no idea where it was going and then it turned into something entirely different. It was quite intense, magnificently acted and a really good script. Sentimental Value (Norway) was perhaps a little more traditional, though it could only have been made in Norway/Scandinavia, The movie is filled with fantastic performances. Stellan Skarsgård always delivers in such a believable way. I would be happy to see it win. Sirat (Spain) was a bit more abstract, a man going to Raves in search of a missing daughter…but again, an enjoyable visual journey. The Voice of Hind Rajab (Tunisia) should come with a warning if you have anxiety (Katy). It’s extremely sad. This movie reflects the horror of warfare and was very well scripted. It was sobering but I recommend it. I think Sentimental Value will win because of the momentum behind Stellan Skarsgård and how well liked he is.
KATY: I don’t have much more to add to what Nicholas said except that I didn’t care for The Secret Agent. It was too much work for me. My WIN is Sentimental Value – Stellan Skarsgård has been around a long time, he has a bit of an acting dynasty with his sons and both of us agree that not everyone watches the International films and may just pick the movie due to Stellan’s likeability.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: The Voice of Hind Rajab WILL WIN: Sentimental Value
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Sentimental Value WILL WIN: Sentimental Value
ANIMATED FILM
The Nominees:
ARCO Ugo Bienvenu, Félix de Givry, Sophie Mas and Natalie Portman
ELIO Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina and Mary Alice Drumm
KPOP DEMON HUNTERS Maggie Kang, Chris Appelhans and Michelle L.M. Wong
LITTLE AMÉLIE OR THE CHARACTER OF RAIN Maïlys Vallade, Liane-Cho Han, Nidia Santiago and Henri Magalon
ZOOTOPIA 2 Jared Bush, Byron Howard and Yvett Merino
NICK & KATY: It’s going to be KPOP Demon Hunters and there isn’t a lot more to say!
Nick: SHOULD WIN: N/A WILL WIN: KPOP Demon Hunters
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Arco WILL WIN: KPOP Demon Hunters
CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Nominees
FRANKENSTEIN Dan Laustsen
MARTY SUPREME Darius Khondji
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Michael Bauman
SINNERS Autumn Durald Arkapaw
TRAIN DREAMS Adolpho Veloso
NICK: The movies in this category all look good because they all have top cinematographers working on them; there’s nothing in this category that doesn’t belong. OBAA stuck out to me because it was crazy and frenetic; Sinners did too because it was so easy to watch. Often when you don’t notice the cinematography, you know they’ve done a good job. Sinners was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish, with some really great shots. I really just liked the look of the whole film.
KATY: I screamed a lot during Sinners because it scared the c*** out of me, so I guess all the shots were set up super well. Or well enough to give me anxiety. I agree with Nick that Sinners will win because it seems unstoppable, but I’d pick Train Dreams in a heartbeat. What a beautifully shot film.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Sinners WILL WIN: Sinners
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Train Dreams WILL WIN: Sinners
CASTING
The Nominees:
HAMNET Nina Gold
MARTY SUPREME Jennifer Venditti
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Cassandra Kulukundis
THE SECRET AGENT Gabriel Domingues
SINNERS Francine Maisler
NICK: Why wasn’t this a category before now? Casting is such a big part of making a movie so I am glad the casting directors are being recognized. It’s a welcome new category. I thought the casting for Hamnet was very good, but it won’t win. I’d love to see Marty Supreme win because my friend Brian Sexton is in the film, but I don’t think it will. OBAA is a terrific ensemble cast, and I feel that that gives it an edge: Sean ! Benecio! Leo! The Secret Agent was great, but it won’t win in this category even though the characters were so diverse and edgy. Sinners is faultless. No one was out of place in that film. I think it will win.
KATY: There are times you get a cast together for a film and it is magic. I think all of these movies could win this category. In Hamnet, Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley really looked like they were deeply in love, and the actors who played their children sort of favored them both. I loved that Fran Drescher and Sandra Bernhard played neighbors in Marty Supreme. Gwenyth was very believable (ha!) as a rich snob, Kevin O'Leary from Shark Tank was very believable as a total a-hole (ha ha), and Timothee, Odessa O’Zion, even Nick’s friend Brian, all made for a nutty bunch of memorable characters. Loved the casting in One Battle – Sean Penn was tailor made for his role as was Benecio Del Toro. The Secret Agent had great casting – the characters - literally - who lived in the halfway house brought their own idiosyncrasies to life in without having much screen time. And Sinners had two factions – the vampires and the ones that weren’t turned in to vampires yet. Anyone of these could win.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: OBAA WILL WIN: Sinners
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Marty Supreme WILL WIN: Sinners
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Nominees:
Elle Fanning in SENTIMENTAL VALUE
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas in SENTIMENTAL VALUE
Amy Madigan in WEAPONS
Wunmi Mosaku in SINNERS
Teyana Taylor in ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
NICK: I liked all of these performances but one, in particular, stood out to me. I was thrilled to see Weapons get recognition because the Oscars often ignore supernatural and horror films. Amy Madigan was outstanding. It was a tour de force performance. I think she will and should win. Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter were both great in Sentinmental Value, but I don’t think they’re going to be a challenge to Amy M. I liked Teyana Taylor in OBAA, yes, a small role, but she was transfixing.
KATY: Where is Chase Infiniti for OBAA? Where is Odessa O’Zion from Marty Supreme? I didn’t see Weapons, I would have had a full blown anxiety attack. From everything I’ve read and seen, Amy Madigan deserves to finally be recognized with an Oscar. I didn’t think Teyana Taylor really deserved so much praise to be honest. She was good but not Oscar good. Sentimental Value's Elle and Inga cancel each other out. Wunmi was heartbreaking in Sinners, but she won’t win. It's an honour to be nominated though!!
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Amy Madigan for WEAPONS WILL WIN: Amy Madigan for WEAPONS
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Didn't pick, mad at snubs WILL WIN: Amy Madigan for WEAPONS
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Nominees:
Benicio Del Toro in ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Jacob Elordi in FRANKENSTEIN
Delroy Lindo in SINNERS
Sean Penn in ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Stellan Skarsgård in SENTIMENTAL VALUE
NICK: This is quite a tough category. So many terrific actors. Jacob Elordi is a force to be reckoned with as an actor now. He was very good in Frankenstein and delivered what he needed to as that character. Delroy Lindo was great in Sinners...but think they have to give another movie an award on Oscar night so that might hurt Delroy’s chances of winning. Stellan Skarsgård is good in everything, but not sure he will win for Sentimental Value, a movie I am not sure many voters saw. Without a doubt the #1 performance for me was Sean Penn in OBAA. It is almost a textbook example of what you should aspire to do as an actor. I would be happy to see any of them win, but I think it's Sean's night.
KATY: When I saw ONE BATTLE, the first thing I said is, Sean Penn is a shoo-in for an Oscar. But I recently read an article that opined that since Sean didn’t show up for BAFTA or SAG, didn't go to the Oscar nominees luncheon, and isn’t campaigning at all, he’s showing the Academy he doesn’t care if he does or doesn’t win – so will people really vote for him? I don’t think Benecio (OBAA) or Jacob (Frankenstein) will win. I think either Stellan (Sentimental Value) or Delroy (Sinners) could win. People like both of them, they’ve both had long careers, they’ve never won an Oscar before…but I think Delroy has the edge. It's a tough call for me.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Sean Penn for One Battle After Another WILL WIN: Sean Penn for One Battle After Another
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Sean Penn for One Battle After Another WILL WIN: Delroy Lindo for Sinners
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
The Nominees:
Jessie Buckley in HAMNET
Rose Byrne in IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU
Kate Hudson in SONG SUNG BLUE
Renate Reinsve in SENTIMENTAL VALUE
Emma Stone in BUGONIA
NICK: Jessie Buckley was magnificent in Hamnet. It was a perfect match and she delivered on every level she needed to. No doubt she will win, and she should. That being said, I love Emma Stone in everything. It would be fun if she won for Bugonia but beyond unlikely. Renate Reinsve, who played the older daughter in Sentimental Value, wow, that was quite a performance. She was the glue that held the movie together. While she was a surprise nomination, she really deserves it. And Kate - it is nice to see her back in the light of Oscar nominee. She's a great actress.
KATY: It doesn’t really matter what I think because this is the only shoo-in category of the entire night. Jessie Buckley is unbeatable for her role in Hamnet. Emma S is always terrific, but won’t win. Renate was wonderful in Sentimental Value, she was the lynchpin of the family and the film. Kate H was surprisingly good in Song Sung Blue, and made you remember she's better when not in a rom-com. Rose Byrne was beyond amazing in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, and in a different year, she’d be the front runner.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet WILL WIN: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet but mega shout to Rose Byrne WILL WIN: Jessie Buckley for Hamnet
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
NOMINEES
Timothée Chalamet in MARTY SUPREME
Leonardo DiCaprio in ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
Ethan Hawke in BLUE MOON
Michael B. Jordan in SINNERS
Wagner Moura in THE SECRET AGENT
NICK: Talking about characters that aren’t so likeable...Marty Mauser of Marty Supreme wasn’t likeable at all. Timothee Chalamet played Marty immaculately well, but he was hard to root for. I just don’t think Timothee is going to win. I don’t think Leo will win for OBAA, even though he’s good in everything he does. It doesn’t seem like the tide is in his favor this year. It would be nice to see Ethan Hawke win the Oscar for Blue Moon, he’s also always good in everything you see him in, but I don’t think it’s his year at all. I was pleased to see Wagner Maura nominated for The Secret Agent because it was a stellar performance and he carried the movie. Michael B. Jordan was sublime in Sinners, and the fact that he played brothers – it was a special role. He is going to win, and he should win. He’s one of the reasons the movie is so great.
KATY: Where is The Rock for The Smashing Machine or Paul Mescal for Hamnet or Robert Aramayo for I Swear or Joel Edgerton for Train Dreams, my movie of the year? Not loving this category because I think there were too many snubs. It was Timothee’s award to lose and he has indeed lost it. His portrayal of Marty Mauser in Marty Supreme was the big buzz initally but it has all but vanished. Leo’s not really campaigning for OBAA, and that's ok. Ethan Hawke had a minute of momentum for Blue Moon, but it wasn’t sustainable. That being said, he was so great as Lorenz Hart. Sinners' Michael B. Jordan as twins Smoke & Stack was revelatory. How good an actor are you when you're playing twin brothers with distinct personalities and you're believable as both? I hope you win, Vince (IYKYK).
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners WILL WIN: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Joel Edgerton (not nominated) for Train Dreams WILL WIN: Michael B. Jordan for Sinners
DIRECTING
The Nominees:
HAMNET Chloé Zhao
MARTY SUPREME Josh Safdie
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Paul Thomas Anderson
SENTIMENTAL VALUE Joachim Trier
SINNERS Ryan Coogler
NICK: This is a tough category, but I have to say that directing the madness of One Battle After Another may just give the edge to Paul Thomas Anderson. Sinners is the movie of the year – a monumental achievement in directing. Paul and Ryan have probably split the votes, and I’d be happy to see either of them win…I am a bit torn, but I think it’s going to be Paul Thomas Anderson.
KATY: It’s going to be Ryan Coogler for Sinners. It just is. I have nothing to say about the others as to why they shouldn’t win because the all deserved their noms. I wish Chloé Zhao would win, wouldn't that be a kick in the butt! I loved Hamnet, it was such a gorgeous, emotional, loving film, and I think she did a magnificent job as the Director. I think P.T Anderson had momentum that seems lost to me. Ryan will win but Chloé should.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Ryan Coogler for Sinners WILL WIN: Paul Thomas Anderson for One Battle After Another
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Chloé Zhao for Hamnet WILL WIN: Ryan Coogler for Sinners
BEST PICTURE
The Nominees:
BUGONIA Ed Guiney & Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone and Lars Knudsen, Producers
F1 Chad Oman, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Joseph Kosinski and Jerry Bruckheimer, Producers
FRANKENSTEIN Guillermo del Toro, J. Miles Dale and Scott Stuber, Producers
HAMNET Liza Marshall, Pippa Harris, Nicolas Gonda, Steven Spielberg and Sam Mendes, Producers
MARTY SUPREME Eli Bush, Ronald Bronstein, Josh Safdie, Anthony Katagas and Timothée Chalamet, Producers
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER Adam Somner, Sara Murphy and Paul Thomas Anderson, Producers
THE SECRET AGENT Emilie Lesclaux, Producer
SENTIMENTAL VALUE Maria Ekerhovd and Andrea Berentsen Ottmar, Producers
SINNERS Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian and Ryan Coogler, Producers
TRAIN DREAMS Marissa McMahon, Teddy Schwarzman, Will Janowitz, Ashley Schlaifer and Michael Heimler, Producers
KATY: I don’t really know why F1 is on the list of nominations but overall, this is a tight list. Train Dreams made this list, which gave me hope. But where was the director or lead actor? I don't understand how that happens. Like, it's good enough to be nominated for the BEST PICTURE but the lead actor or director aren't? Please make sense. Anyway, Sinners had a buzz from the beginning but once Marty Supreme started to tank and OBAA felt like it had been out forever, Sinners pulled ahead. Would love Hamnet to win – what an upset! – but it won’t happen.
NICK: I don’t know how international movies end up in this category, it’s a bit confusing. It looks like the battle is between One Battle After Another and Sinners. Sinners has been gaining momentum. At the beginning of the season, OBAA seemed to have the edge but as more people have seen Sinners, I think it is now in the pole position. I enjoyed both movies, but if I wanted to watch one of them again, I would choose Sinners. There were so many lovely moments in it, perfectly executed. If there was an upset, I’d love it to be Bugonia or Sentimental Value, but at the end of it, Sinners really deserves to win Best Picture. It should and will win.
Nick: SHOULD WIN: Sinners WILL WIN: Sinners
Katy: SHOULD WIN: Train Dreams WILL WIN: Sinners
THE 98TH ACADEMY AWARDS will air live from the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 15, 2025 on ABC and will be streaming on HULU.
Members of the VIP Community can listen to the entire audio version on the Member section of duranduran.com but, spoiler alert, N&K ruin some endings!
