My Predictions for the 96th Oscars

And a personal ranking within every category

At this time one week from now — 7pm ET/4 pm PT (an hour earlier than usual!) — the Oscars will be getting underway.

© The Academy Awards / ABC

All signs point to another runaway frontrunner destined to sweep up the night, but I’m still excited nonetheless. Hey, my favorite nominee is prized to make a big showing! Inevitability doesn’t ruin the thrill. And despite the groan that I let out when they announced yet another year of Jimmy Kimmel as host, that Barbie promo video was funny enough to give me faith that they aren’t just going to phone it in.

But obviously, you’ve come here for my crystal ball on how to pick the winners. This year, I watched every nominated film — including all the shorts — for the first time to provide the most informed picks. While I still maintain the right to change my mind for the official ballot on the day of the show, here’s where I stand one week out:

Paid subscribers will now receive a detailed explanation for each prediction, along with an alternate pick and my ranked preferences in each category.

If you want some additional reading/listening around the Oscars at large, I’d recommend the below.

(The guest on the above episode, Michael Schulman, fleshed out his ideas about the season a little bit more in “Can You Really Want an Oscar Too Much?” for The New Yorker.)