As the countdown to the 96th Academy Awards comes to an end, tensions rise to see which nominees win in their respective categories.

If you think you know who is going to win, please take part in the Northern Star’s film award contest. By entering who you believe is going to win, you enter for a chance to win a $20 Visa gift card. The contest ends 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

LINDSAY’S PICKS

Here are my ideal outcomes in six of the major categories.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Best Actor is a tough category to decide a favorite when there are two great choices in front of you – Cillian Murphy and Paul Giamatti.

But, if I had to choose a favorite, it would have to go to Murphy.

Both of their performances excelled in eliciting a certain feeling out of me.

Murphy’s subtle, compelling portrayal of Robert J. Oppenheimer left me speechless.

Giamatti playing a cranky but somewhat lovable teacher made me want to go to Boston with one of my high school teachers.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

I will be extremely devastated if Lily Gladstone does not win Best Actress.

When I first saw the trailers for “Killers of the Flower Moon” in theaters, I knew Gladstone was the real star of the movie.

I am not the biggest fan of Emma Stone, so saying her performance was amazing in “Poor Things” means something to me.

Their performances are the complete opposite of one another. Gladstone’s performance is understated but powerful, while Stone is bold and eccentric in her role.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Robert Downey Jr. made another big comeback portraying Lewis Strauss after retiring as Iron Man, except this time he’s coming for an Oscar.

One of my favorite actors happens to be Ryan Gosling, so I was happy that he was nominated for Ken at this year’s ceremony.

While very unlikely, if Gosling somehow makes it on the stage, I will be one of the few people out there ecstatic about that decision.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Da’Vine Joy Randolph is the clear choice for this category for her role as Mary Lamb in “The Holdovers,” and the other nominees don’t even come close.

Fellow nominees Emily Blunt and America Ferrera are only able to show off their acting chops in a few scenes, like Ferrera’s womanhood monologue and Blunt’s interrogation scene. 

Randolph makes every second of her screen time count, and it shows. Viewers can connect with her character, and while good writing is a big part of that connection, it’s an actor’s skill that solidifies it. And she does that.

BEST PICTURE

I don’t particularly enjoy long movies or historical dramas, but “Oppenheimer” blew me away. 

Every aspect of the film is done incredibly well; from great performances to its score, visual effects and so much more, “Oppenheimer” is the epitome of an Oscar-worthy movie.

“Past Lives” and “Poor Things” both deserve recognition for being incredible films.

Each would have had a strong chance of winning if they weren’t against such a powerhouse.

BEST DIRECTOR

I might be riding the “Oppenheimer” train, but any other choice for Best Director than Christopher Nolan is the wrong one.

It’s time for the director to finally win an Academy Award. Nolan has been making critically acclaimed films for over two decades, and he has done it again with “Oppenheimer.” 

Unfortunately, I haven’t had the opportunity to watch “Anatomy of a Fall” or “The Zone of Interest,” but I think it’s safe to say I am not alone in my support of Nolan.

NICK’S PICKS

For me, the Oscar cycle comes down to one thing: what does the Academy value? 

If it’s following the norm, that’s one set of winners; if it’s groundbreaking performances that’s another.

Here are my picks and predictions in each of the big six categories. 

BEST PICTURE

I would eat a shoe if anything other than “Oppenheimer” wins. I think it’s easily the best film of the year up for the award, and it is so wildly groundbreaking that anything but a win would look poorly on the Academy.

However, if I had to pick one other film to win, it would be “Past Lives.” 

“Past Lives” is such a calm and simple film, yet accomplishes so much tension and emotion that I feel it deserves praise near the same level as “Oppenheimer.” Also, “Past Lives” is a directorial debut, so that makes the praise even more astounding to me.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

For December and January, the race looked to be a two-headed monster. It was either Paul Giamatti for “The Holdovers” or Cillian Murphy for “Oppenheimer.”

In February, however, Murphy took home virtually every award. Thus, he is my prediction for the Oscar. 

His performance is both subtle and extreme and shows off all of the nuances that a biopic of this size requires. 

Giamatti plays the standard cranky teacher gone nice role but does so in a way that perfects the trope. While I don’t expect him to win, I wouldn’t be surprised by a Giamatti win here.

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Just as Lindsay said, this is not close. 

The Oscar should be Lily Gladstone for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” something I predicted when I saw the film for the first time.

However, the Academy doesn’t love subtly, so an Emma Stone win for “Poor Things” might be the most likely option.

Where Gladstone was layered and restrained, Stone was over the top and outrageous. 

Gladstone easily has the best performance of the year – in any category – and has one of the best lead actress performances ever, but do I expect the Academy to recognize that … honestly, I’m still not settled yet. 

It could go either way, but I’m rooting for Gladstone.

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

While Robert Downey Jr.’s role in “Oppenheimer” was great and showed the thought-to-be-lost acting chops of a modern legend, he isn’t my pick for Best Supporting Actor. 

That award feels like it should be Sterling K. Brown’s for his role in “American Fiction.”

His balance of comedy and drama, bringing both levity and more depth to “American Fiction” is so necessary to the film’s success that his support feels essential to the film.

Now, the Academy will almost certainly give it to Downey, but a man can dream, right?

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Just as Best Actress felt pretty settled, Best Supporting Actress feels pretty set in stone. If I had to bet my life on one award, it would probably be this one. 

Da’Vine Joy Randolph absolutely embodied her role in “The Holdovers.” Full of love and loss, Randolph brought the film to life and set up the award-winning run the film has had so far. 

Expect at least one more award for the film here. 

BEST DIRECTOR

I think this award is Christopher Nolan’s to lose. 

With nominations in almost every technical category and acting nominations to pair with it, “Oppenheimer” is a feat in filmmaking.

The proof: “Oppenheimer” is just one nomination shy of tying the record of most nominations for a single film.

It has a chance to become the most awarded film ever – it needs to win all but one of its categories to beat out “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

All of this success is led by the vision and hard work of the director, and Nolan downright deserves to win this award.

If anyone else wins, expect riots – I know I will join them.