Award show season is in full swing, and the Oscars draw millions of viewers in each year. The 95th Academy Awards will take place at 7 p.m. CT on Sunday, March 12. 

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

There are five nominees for the best Actor In A Leading Role category this year. Judging by how well each of the movies did in theaters, it looks like Austin Butler and Brendan Fraser will be going head to head for the win with their roles in “Elvis” and “The Whale” respectively. 

Paul Mescal is one of the five nominees, nominated for his role in “Aftersun,” making this his first, and hopefully not last, Oscar nomination. Mescal may not have the best chance of winning against Butler and Fraser, but his nomination was a pleasant surprise. 

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

When looking at the list of nominees for Actress In A Leading Role, guessing who will take home the win could come between Cate Blanchett for her role in “Tár” and Michelle Yeoh for her role in “Everything Everywhere All At Once.” 

Yeoh makes Academy Awards history by being the first Asian actress nominated for the Actress In A Leading Role category. Though both women did phenomenally in their roles, Yeoh deserves the win.

The actress least likely to win would be Ana De Armas, who is nominated for her role in “Blonde,” a movie that turned out to be a disaster rather than a masterpiece. 

SOUND

The soundtrack for a movie can either make or break the film. This year’s five nominees captivated audiences from start to finish and made their respective stories come to life.

“Avatar: The Way Of Water” looks like it should be the obvious winner, until viewers remember “The Batman,” which came out in early March of last year. The talent of Stuart Wilson, William Files, Douglas Murray and Andy Nelson deserves to be recognized by winning best Sound. “The Batman” exceeded expectations and delivered an entertaining, exciting watch. 

BEST PICTURE

With ten contenders, Best Picture is the category with the most nominees. There are lots of movies to choose from this year but the piece of art that is “Avatar: The Way Of Water” should take home the win. Since its release was highly anticipated and came out last month, the film should be fresh in everyone’s minds.

“The Fablemans,” directed by Steven Spielberg, and “Top Gun: Maverick,” directed by Joseph Kosinski, are easy runner-ups as both films told their stories effectively and successfully reached a wide-ranged audience. The winner will be a close call, making this category one of, if not the most, highly anticipated watch.  

SNUBS

Although the Academy recognized some of the most beloved movies of 2022, they also disregarded some films that deserved to be on the nomination lists. 

“The Woman King,” starring Viola Davis, didn’t get any Oscar nominations this year even though it earned over $90 million at the box office, almost doubling the film’s budget. As an imminent evil is looming close, the only all-female warrior clan in Africa prepares to defend their honor and their home. Based on real events, this film is as memorable as it is enthralling.

Out of the three Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films that were released in theaters last year, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was the only movie that received nominations. Across all categories, the film received three nominations and Angela Basset received a well-deserved nomination for the Actress In A Leading Role category. 

“Thor: Love and Thunder” didn’t stand out, but “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” should have received at least one nomination, specifically in the Visual Effects category. “Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness” told a visually appealing story that brought viewers through twisted realms and shattered dimensions. The visual effects emphasized the horror aspects of the film and created a realistic, magical experience. 

Comedian and late-night host Jimmy Kimmel will return for a third time to host the ceremony. To see the full list of Academy Award nominees, visit the Oscars website.