We’re at a crossroads in cinema.
A global pandemic accelerated the conversation in the industry between film and television and how streaming and movie theaters co-exist. If you speak with people “In the know,” they’re nervous about the future. I remain optimistic.
The glass is half-full. Art and the way we consume content have changed dramatically, as it has throughout the past decades. Does that mean fewer movie houses? Perhaps that doesn’t mean the end of my most cherished sanctuary, my church, where I go to escape and praise the Gods of celluloid.
After shaking off my first in-person attendance of the 94th Oscars ceremony, full of slaps and history-making moments, it was full-steam ahead.
I was blessed to have had the opportunity to take my first-ever trip to Europe, where I navigated gorgeous scenery and a couple of unwarranted stops on a red carpet for wearing the “wrong color” tuxedo, but most importantly, saw a few films that had me enamored, notably, Ruben Östlund’s Palme d’Or winning black comedy “Triangle of Sadness” with the discovery of breakout Filipina actor Dolly De Leon.
It was also in France that Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis” descended upon festivalgoers, cementing the place of former Nickelodeon and Disney Channel star Austin Butler in the future of Hollywood, remaining in the top-tier of acting turns seen in 2022.
The summer blockbuster season came into the fold with the domination of Joseph Kosinski’s high-flying sequel “Top Gun: Maverick,” proving that there’s no movie star like Tom Cruise.
Marvel Studios wrapped up its phase four slate with the visual sensations of “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Ragnarok” before culminating with the still-to-come emotional farewell to Chadwick Boseman with “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” building new appreciation for his other castmates, particularly the legendary Angela Bassett.
We graduated into the fall festival run with Telluride giving us the World Premieres of Sarah Polley’s vital “Women Talking” with its enchanting ensemble and the resonating “Empire of Light” with another knockout turn from Olivia Colman and Toby Jones.
After making stops at Venice before going into the Colorado mountains, Todd Field’s long-awaited 16-year return to the writing and directing chair with the psychologically complex “Tár,” featuring two riveting turns from Cate Blanchett and the criminally undervalued Nina Hoss.
TIFF came back in full force, desperately trying to navigate an Emmys-filled weekend, but brought the goods with the premiere of Steven Spielberg’s personal childhood story, “The Fabelmans,” and two dynamite outings from (lead or supporting?) Michelle Williams and veteran actor Judd Hirsch.
It’s been wonderful to see the realization that before director Gina Prince-Bythewood delivered her historical epic “The Woman King,” she’s long been one of the best in the game as cinephiles revisit classics like “Love and Basketball” (2000). Embedded within the story of Dahomey Empire, the filmmaker brought an onslaught of talented Black women to the forefront — both in front and behind the camera – like Thuso Mbedu and editor Terilyn A. Shropshire.
The comeback stories were high points, such as Brendan Fraser skyrocketing to a new stratosphere of fame and gratitude with his transformation in Darren Aronofsky’s “The Whale.”
New York Film Festival gave an overdue voice to the harrowing story of Mamie Till-Mobley, in the form of the ferocity of Danielle Deadwyler in Chinonye Chukwu’s harrowing drama. “Till” also reminded us that Whoopi Goldberg is still an incredible actress when afforded the right vehicle.
The Hollywood industry had to look in the mirror at its culpability in enabling a monster like Harvey Weinstein with Maria Schrader’s influential “She Said.”
It also became a game of “will they” or “won’t they” when it came to the release of Antoine Fuqua’s “Emancipation” with Will Smith. Although divided from critics, I was able to take away the genius of cinematographer Robert Richardson and the memorable roles played by Ben Foster and Charmaine Bingwa.
And then there’s “Everything Everywhere” in between, and the story of Ke Huy Quan’s triumphant return is the soul of the season, along with Michelle Yeoh’s long-awaited adoration tour underway.
I’ll always continue to champion the animation medium, which saw outstanding outings with “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio,” “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and the forever delightful, “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.”
Documentaries continue to thrive with innovation, most notably with artisan mastery of Ryan White’s “Good Night Oppy,” which will go down as one of the most egregious snubs from the shortlist in recent memory.
I’m not sure I’ve cried more with films like Matthew Heineman’s “Retrograde” and Chris Smith’s “Sr” while finding more love in the musical space with Daniel Geller and Dayna Goldfine’s “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” and Brett Morgen’s “Moonage Daydream.”
Some of the best moments in moviemaking this year came with international and non-English language features such as Belgium’s “Close” and Denmark’s “Holy Spider,” both ranked very high on my list and represented in various categories. I’m not sure I’ll have a more memorable three hours than watching India’s Tollywood breakout “RRR” with my wife on our couch at home, giving her two new leading men to admire from afar with Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr.
I ended the year with a handful of visual effects-driven spectacles such as Roland Emmerich’s “Moonfall,” which was just as fun as unbelievable, and the billion-dollar making “Avatar: The Way of Water” by James Cameron. Regarding the latter, as the evolution in the animation medium continues with discussions about undeniable beauties like “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On,” I opted to recognize the motion-capture creations of Cameron’s sequel in the animated feature, which should not be taken as a slight. I greatly advocate for animation and its worthiness of recognition in varying technical categories. If people support things like “The Adventures of Tintin,” then “Avatar 2” can also be seen in the same space.
Finally, even though they’re not Oscar categories yet, I’ve included two additional recognitions for best casting and stunts, which are overdue for the Academy to adopt. The honorees for those are the casting directors and the stunt coordinators.
As final Oscar voting gears up to begin on Jan. 12 before being announced on Jan. 24, it’s always great to encourage industry voters to watch as many movies as possible. Most importantly, a reminder that the list below is not absolute. If a film or performance isn’t listed, that doesn’t mean I hated it. Naming the best of any art form is subjective, and tastes change over time.
As of today, and looking ahead to 2023, this is mine.
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Best Picture
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection - “Close” (A24)
Michiel Dhont, Dirk Impens - “RRR” (Variance Films)
D.V.V. Danayya - “Holy Spider” (Utopia)
Sol Bondy, Jacob Jarek, Ali Abbasi - “Tár” (Focus Features)
Todd Field, Scott Lambert, Alexandra Milchan - “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (A24)
Dean Fleischer-Camp, Andrew Goldman, Elisabeth Holm, Caroline Kaplan, Terry Leonard, Paul Mezey, Jenny Slate - “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Luca Guadagnino, David Lajganich, Francesco Melzi d’Eril, Lorenzo Mieli, Marco Morabito, Gabriele Moratti, Theresa Park, Peter Spears - “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Frances McDormand - “Retrograde” (National Geographic)
Matthew Heineman, Caitlin McNally - “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Daniel Kwan, Mike Larocca, Daniel Scheinert, Jonathan Wang - “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
Keith Beauchamp, Barbara Broccoli, Thomas K. Levine, Michael JP Reilly, Frederick Zollo, Whoopi Goldberg
Winner: “Close”
Runner Up: “RRR”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix); “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures); “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films); “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios); “The Silent Twins” (Focus Features); “The Son” (Sony Pictures Classics); “Sr.” (Netflix); “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures); “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate); “Wendell & Wild” (Netflix)
- “Close” (A24)
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Best Director
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection - Chinonye Chukwu – “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
- Lukas Dhont – “Close” (A24)
- Todd Field – “Tár” (Focus Features)
- Matthew Heineman – “Retrograde” (National Geographic)
- S.S. Rajamouli – “RRR” (Variance Films)
Winner: Todd Field, “Tár”
Runner Up: Lukas DhontHonorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Ali Abbasi – “Holy Spider” (Utopia); Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24); George Miller – “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); Sarah Polley – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); Gina Prince-Bythewood – “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
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Actor in a Leading Role
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection - Mehdi Bajestani – “Holy Spider” (Utopia)
- Austin Butler – “Elvis” (Warner Bros.)
- Eden Dambrine – “Close” (A24)
- Colin Farrell – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
- Brendan Fraser – “The Whale” (A24)
Winner: Austin Butler, “Elvis”
Runner Up: Brendan FraserHonorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Hugh Jackman – “The Son” (Sony Pictures Classics); Bill Nighy – “Living” (Sony Pictures Classics); Cooper Raiff – “Cha Cha Real Smooth” (Apple Original Films); N.T. Rama Rao Jr. – “RRR” (Variance Films); Will Smith – “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films)
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Actress in a Leading Role
Image Credit: ©United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection - Danielle Deadwyler – “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
- Zar Amir Ebrahimi – “Holy Spider” (Utopia)
- Tamara Lawrence – “The Silent Twins” (Focus Features)
- Taylor Russell – “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
- Michelle Yeoh – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
Winner: Danielle Deadwyler, “Till”
Runner Up: Michelle YeohHonorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Cate Blanchett, “Tár” (Focus Features); Olivia Colman, “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures); Zoe Kazan, “She Said” (Universal Pictures); Gustagie Malanga, “Saint Omer” (Neon); Emma Thompson, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” (Searchlight Pictures)
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Actor in a Supporting Role
Image Credit: Everett Collection - Paul Dano – “The Batman” (Warner Bros.)
- Barry Keoghan – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures)
- Pedro Pascal – “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate)
- Ke Huy Quan – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
- Mark Rylance – “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
Winner: Mark Rylance, “Bones and All”
Runner Up: Ke Huy QuanHonorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Andre Braugher, “She Said” (Universal Pictures); Ralph Fiennes, “The Menu” (Searchlight Pictures); Ben Foster, “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films); Judd Hirsch, “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures); Toby Jones, “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures)
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Actress in a Supporting Role
Image Credit: Allyson Riggs/Courtesy of A24 - Dolly de Leon – “Triangle of Sadness” (Neon)
- Nina Hoss – “Tár” (Focus Features)
- Stephanie Hsu – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
- Lashana Lynch – “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
- Gabrielle Union – “The Inspection” (A24)
Winner: Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Runner Up: Dolly de LeonHonorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Angela Bassett, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios); Charmaine Bingwa, “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films); Whoopi Goldberg, “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing); Judith Ivey, “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); Michelle Williams, “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures)
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Original Screenplay
Image Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features - “Close” (A24) – Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
- “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande” (Searchlight Pictures) – Katy Brand
- “Tár” (Focus Features) – Todd Field
- “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate) – Tom Gormican, Kevin Etten
Winner: Todd Field, “Tár”
Runner Up: “Close”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Martin McDonagh – “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures); Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg — “The Fabelmans” (Universal Pictures); Ali Abbasi – “Holy Spider” (Utopia); Vijayendra Prasad, S.S. Rajamouli – “RRR” (Variance Films); Keith Beauchamp, Chinonye Chuwku, Michael Reilly – “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
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Adapted Screenplay
Image Credit: ©MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection - “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – David Kajganich (based on the novel by Camille DeAngelis)
- “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (A24) – Dean Fleischer-Camp, Elisabeth Holm, Nick Paley (based on the short videos)
- “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (DreamWorks Animation) – Paul Fisher, Tommy Swerdlow, Tom Wheeler (based on characters from “Shrek” and the fairytale by Giovanni Francesco)
- “She Said” (Universal Pictures) – Rebecca Lenkiewicz (based on the book by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey and the New York Times investigation by Kantor, Twohey and Rebecca Corbett)
- “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – Sarah Polley (based on the novel by Miriam Toews)
Winner: David Kajganich, “Bones and All”
Runner Up: “Women Talking”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix) – Rian Johnson (based on characters written by Johnson); “The Good Nurse” (Netflix) — Krysty Wilson-Cairns (based on the book by Charles Graeber); “Living” (Sony Pictures Classics) – Kazuo Ishiguro (based on “Ikiru” by Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto and Hideo Oguni); “The Silent Twins” (Focus Features) – Andrea Seigel (based on the book by Marjorie Wallace); “The Wonder” (Netflix) – Alice Birch, Sebastián Lelio (based on the novel by Emma Donoghue)
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Animated Feature
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection - “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios) – James Cameron (director, producer), Jon Landau (producer)
- “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix) – Guillermo del Toro (director, producer), Mark Gustafson (director), Alexander Bulkley, Corey Campodonico, Lisa Henson, Gary Ungar (producers)
- “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (A24) – Dean Fleischer-Camp (director and producer), Andrew Goldman, Elisabeth Holm, Caroline Kaplan, Paul Mezey (producers)
- “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (DreamWorks Animation) – Joel Crawford (director), Mark Swift (producer)
- “Wendell & Wild” (Netflix) – Henry Selick (director, producer), Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Jordan Peele (producers)
Winner: “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On”
Runner Up: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood” (Netflix) – Richard Linklater (director, producer), Mike Blizzard, Bruno Felix, Tommy Pallotta, Femke Wolting (producers); “Lightyear” (Pixar) – Angus MacLane (director), Galyn Susman (producer); “My Father’s Dragon” (Netflix) – Nora Twomey (director), Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn, Tomm Moore, Paul Young (producers); “Strange World” (Walt Disney Pictures) – Don Hall (director), Roy Conli (producer); “Turning Red” (Pixar) – Domee Shi (director), Lindsey Collins (producer)
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Production Design
Image Credit: ©Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection - “Crimes of the Future” (Neon) – Carol Spier (production designer), Dimitra Sourlantzi (set decorator)
- “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix) – Rick Heinrichs (production designer), Elli Griff (set decorator)
- “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix) – Curt Enderle (production designer), Guy Davis (set decorator)
- “The Northman” (Focus Features) – Craig Lathrop (production designer), Niamh Coulter (set decorator)
- “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures) – Akin McKenzie (production designer), Renee Filipova (set decorator)
Winner: Rick Heinrichs, Elli Griff, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”
Runner Up: “The Woman King”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Devotion” (Sony Pictures) – Wynn Thomas (production designer), Merissa Lombardo (set decorator); “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures) – Mark Tildesley (production designer), Kamlan Man (set decorator); “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Jason Isvarday (production designer), Kelsi Ephraim (set decorator); “RRR” (Variance Films) – Sabu Cyril (production designer); “White Noise” (Netflix) – Jess Gonchor (production designer), Claire Kaufman (set decorator)
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Cinematography
Image Credit: Courtesy of Apple TV+ - “The Batman” (Warner Bros.) – Greig Fraser
- “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films) – Robert Richardson
- “Nope” (Universal Pictures) – Hoyte van Hoytema
- “RRR” (Variance Films) – K. K. Senthil Kumar
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) – Claudio Miranda
Winner: Robert Richardson, “Emancipation”
Runner Up: “The Batman”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — James Friend, “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix); Frank van den Eeden, “Close” (A24); Roger Deakins, “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures); Florian Hoffmeister, “Tár” (Focus Features); Luc Montpellier, “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
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Costume Design
Image Credit: Courtesy of Allyson Riggs/A24 - “Don’t Worry Darling” (Warner Bros.) – Arianne Phillips
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Shirley Kurata
- “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix) – Jenny Eagan
- “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing) – Marci Rodgers
- “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures) – Gersha Phillips
Winner: Shirley Kurata, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”
Runner Up: “Don’t Worry Darling”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Ruth Carter, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios); Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh, “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight Pictures); Deirdra Elizabeth Govan, “Devotion” (Sony Pictures); Alexandra Byrne, “Empire of Light” (Searchlight Pictures); Linda Muir, “The Northman” (Focus Features)
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Film Editing
Image Credit: ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection - “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – Marco Costa
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Paul Rogers
- “Tár” (Focus Features) – Monika Willi
- “Three Minutes: A Lengthening” (Neon/Super) – Katharina Wartena
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) – Eddie Hamilton
Winner: Monika Willi, “Tár”
Runner Up: “Top Gun: Maverick”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Rejh Cabrera, Helen Kearns, “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios); Pablo Garza, Matthew Heineman, Grace Zahrah, “Retrograde” (National Geographic); A. Sreekar Prasad, “RRR” (Variance Films); Kevin Ford, Amanda C. Griffin, “Sr.” (Netflix); Terilyn A. Shropshire, “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures); Christopher Donaldson, Roslyn Kalloo, “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
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Makeup and Hairstyling
Image Credit: ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection - “The Batman” (Warner Bros.) – Naomi Donne (makeup designer), Mike Marino (prosthetics design), Zoe Tahir (hair designer)
- “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios) – Joel Harlow (makeup department head)
- “Blonde” (Netflix) – Tina Roesler Kerwin (makeup department head), Jaime Leigh McIntosh (hair department head)
- “Emancipation” (Apple Original Films) – Ken Diaz (makeup department head), Andrea Bowman (hair department head)
- “The Northman” (Focus Features) – Maralyn Sherman (hair and makeup designer), Carmel Jackson (key makeup and hair artist), Stefania Pellegrini (makeup and hair supervisor)
Winner: Naomi Donne, Mike Marino, Zoe Tahir, “The Batman”
Runner Up: “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures); “Don’t Worry Darling” (Warner Bros.); “Three Thousand Years of Longing” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); “The Whale” (A24); “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures)
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Sound
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection - “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios) — Mark Mangini (sound design and re-recording mixer)
- “The Northman” (Focus Features) — James Harrison (supervising sound editor, re-recording mixer), Steve Little (supervising sound editor), Paul Cotterell, Mark Taylor (re-recording mixer)
- “Nope” (Universal Pictures) — Johnnie Burn (supervising sound editor, sound designer, re-recording mixer), Jose Antonio Garcia (production sound mixer)
- “Prey” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures) — Craig Henighan (re-recording mixer), James Miller (sound designer, sound effects editor), Chris Terhune (re-recording mixer, supervising sound editor)
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) — Mark Weingarten (production sound mixer), James H. Mather, Al Nelson (supervising sound editors), Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor (re-recording mixers)
Winner: Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Al Nelson, Chris Burdon, Mark Taylor, “Top Gun: Maverick”
Runner Up: “The Northman”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix); “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures); “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); “RRR” (Variance Films); “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate)
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Visual Effects
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures - “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios) — Joe Letteri, Richard Baneham, Eric Saindon, Daniel Barrett
- “Beast” (Universal Pictures) — Enrik Pavdeja (visual effects supervisor), Max Poolman (special effects supervisor), Lise-Marie Bothma (special effects coordinator)
- “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios) — Ivan Busquets, Abishek Nair (visual effects supervisor), Marko Chulev, Steven Nichols (digital supervisors)
- “RRR” (Variance Films) — V Srinivas Mohan (visual effects supervisor)
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) — Ryan Tudhope (visual effects supervisor), Scott R. Fisher (special effects coordinator), Seth Hill (visual effects supervisor), Bryan Litson (visual effects supervisor)
Winner: Ryan Tudhope, Scott R. Fisher, Seth Hill, Bryan Litson, “Top Gun: Maverick”
Runner Up: “Good Night Oppy”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios); “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (Marvel Studios); “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24); “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix); “Prey” (Hulu/Searchlight Pictures)
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Original Score
Image Credit: Matt Reeves/Vimeo - “The Batman” (Warner Bros.) – Michael Giacchino
- “Devotion” (Sony Pictures) – Chanda Dancy
- “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (Marvel Studios) – Danny Elfman
- “RRR” (Variance Films) – M.M. Keeravaani
- “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – Hildur Guðnadóttir
Winner: Michael Giacchino, “The Batman”
Runner Up: “Women Talking”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Netflix) – Volker Bertelmann; “Living” (Sony Pictures Classics) – Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch; “Nope” (Universal Pictures) – Michael Abels; “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios) – Blake Neely; “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures) – Terence Blanchard
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Original Song
Image Credit: Variance Films - “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” from “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
- “Love is Not Love” from “Bros” (Universal Pictures) — Marc Shaiman and Billy Eichner
- “Til You’re Home” from “A Man Called Otto” (Sony Pictures) — David Hodges and Rita Wilson
- “Naatu Naatu” from “RRR” (Variance Films) — Kala Bhairava, M. M. Keeravani, Rahul Sipligunj
- “Komuram Bheemudo” from “RRR” (Variance Films) — Suddala Ashok Teja, Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani
Winner: Suddala Ashok Teja, Kala Bhairava, M.M. Keeravani for “Komuram Bheemudo” from “RRR”
Runner Up: “(You Made It Feel Like) Home” from “Bones and All”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Lift Me Up” from “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios); “Vegas” from “Elvis” (Warner Bros.); “Ciao Papa” from “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” (Netflix); “Dosti” from “RRR” (Variance Films); “I Ain’t Worried” from “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures)
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Documentary Feature
Image Credit: Everett Collection - “Bad Axe” (IFC Films) — David Siev (director, producer), Jude Harris, Diane-Moy Quon, Katarina Vasquez (producers)
- “Good Night Oppy” (Amazon Studios) — Ryan White (director), Matt Carroll, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Matt Goldberg, Jessica Hargrave (producers)
- “Retrograde” (National Geographic) — Matthew Heineman (director, producer), Caitlin McNally (producer)
- “Sr.” (Netflix) — Chris Smith (director), Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Emily Barclay Ford, Kevin Ford (producers)
- “Three Minutes: A Lengthening” (Neon/Super) — Bianca Stigter (director), Floor Onrust (producer)
Winner: “Retrograde”
Runner Up: “Sr.”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “The Automat” (A Slice of Pie Productions); “Fire of Love” (National Geographic/Neon); “Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song” (Sony Pictures Classics); “Nothing Compares” (Showtime); “Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb” (Sony Pictures Classics)
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International Feature
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection - “All Quiet on the Western Front” (Germany) — Edward Berger (director)
- “Close” (Belgium) — Lukas Dhont (director)
- “Holy Spider” (Denmark) — Ali Abbasi (director)
- “R.M.N.” (Romania) — Cristian Mungiu (director)
- “RRR” (India) — S.S. Rajamouli (director)
Winner: “Close”
Runner Up: “RRR”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Argentina, 1985” (Argentina); “Cairo Conspiracy” (Sweden); “Joyland” (Pakistan); “The Quiet Girl” (Ireland); “Saint Omer” (France)
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Animated Short
Image Credit: Edith Productions - “The Flying Sailor” (The New Yorker) — Wendy Tilby and Amanda Forbis (directors)
- “Ice Merchants” (The New Yorker) — João Gonzalez (director)
- “My Year of Dicks” (The Animation Showcase) — Sara Gunnarsdóttir (director)
- “More Than I Want to Remember” (MTV Documentary Films/Paramount+) — Amy Bench (director)
- “New Moon” (Edith Productions) — Jérémie Balais, Jeffig Le Bars, Raul Domingo (directors)
Winner: “New Moon”
Runner Up: “The Flying Sailor”Honorable mention: (in alphabetical order) — “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse” (Apple TV+)
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Documentary Short
Image Credit: The New York Times Op-Docs - “38 at the Garden” (HBO Max) — Frank Chi
- “As Far as They Can Run” (MTV Documentary Films)
- “The Best Chef in the World” (The New York Times Op-Docs) — Ben Proudfoot (director)
- “Holding Moses” (Frankly Speaking Films) — Rivkah Beth Medow, Jen Rainin (directors)
- “The Martha Mitchell Effect” (Netflix) — Anne Alvergue (director)
Winner: “The Best Chef in the World”
Runner Up: “38 at the Garden”Honorable mention: (in alphabetical order) — “Favorite Daughter” (MTV Documentary Films)
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Live Action Short
Image Credit: Courtesy of Nuhash Humayun - “All Too Well: The Short Film” — Taylor Swift (director)
- “Life Rendered” — Emma Needell (director)
- “Moshari” — Nuhash Humayun (director)
- “Regret to Inform You” — Yusuf Nasir (director)
- “We Cry Together” — Dave Free (director)
Winner: “Moshari”
Runner Up: “We Cry Together”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Warsha” (Dania Bdeir, director)
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Casting
Image Credit: Sony Pictures - “Close” (A24) — Sebastian Moradiellos (casting director)
- “She Said” (Universal Pictures) — Francine Maisler (casting director)
- “Triangle of Sadness” (Neon) — Pauline Hansson (casting director)
- “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures) — Aisha Coley (casting director)
- “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) — John Buchan, Jason Knight (casting directors)
Winner: Aisha Coley, “The Woman King”
Runner Up: “Women Talking”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — Lucy Pardee, “Aftersun” (A24); Francine Maisler, “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing); Bret Howe, Mary Vernieu, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” (Netflix); Bret Howe, Mary Vernieu, “The Menu” (Searchlight Pictures); Kim Coleman, “Till” (Orion/United Artists Releasing)
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Stunts
Image Credit: Scott Garfield / Paramount Pictures - “Avatar: The Way of Water” (20th Century Studios) — Steven John Brown, Stuart Thorp (stunt coordinators)
- “The Batman” (Warner Bros.) — Robert Alonzo (supervising stunt coordinator)
- “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) — Timothy Eulich (stunt coordinator)
- “Top Gun: Maverick” (Paramount Pictures) — Casey O’Neill (stunt coordinator)
- “The Woman King” (Sony Pictures) — Daniel Hernandez (stunt coordinator, fight coordinator), Grant Powell (stunt coordinator)
Winner: “Top Gun: Maverick”
Runner Up: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”Honorable mentions: (in alphabetical order) — “Babylon” (Paramount Pictures); “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” (Marvel Studios); “Devotion” (Sony Pictures); “The Northman” (Focus Features); “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” (Lionsgate)