Oppenheimer Dominates, Poor Things Surprises, and Barbie Faces Setbacks: A BAFTA Awards Recap
In the final stretch before Oscar voting opens, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” maintains its dominance, securing seven wins, including Best Film and Director. However, the BAFTA Awards brought surprises, notably with Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” winning four prizes, including Emma Stone for Leading Actress and unexpected success in makeup. Could this foreshadow an upset for the presumed favorite, “Maestro,” at the Oscars? Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan’s misses signal a potential rebound for the Netflix feature.
In the visual effects category, “Poor Things” lacks an Oscar nomination, leaving room for speculation. While “Godzilla Minus One” seems a likely winner, other candidates remain strong contenders.
Emma Stone’s winning streak enhances her Oscar chances, particularly with her closest competitor absent from the BAFTA lineup. Still, questions linger about how many Oscars “Poor Things” can secure, with estimates ranging from zero to six.
Conversely, the meta-comedy “Barbie” faced a blow at the BAFTA Awards, losing the original screenplay award to “Anatomy of a Fall.” The competition remains fierce at the Oscars, with Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction” surprising with a BAFTA win. Despite challenges, “Barbie” holds strong with wins from the Critics’ Choice Awards.
Jonathan Glazer’s “The Zone of Interest” made BAFTA history, winning both outstanding British film and film not in the English language, upsetting Nolan’s film in the sound category. Despite BAFTA’s predictive success, recent years have seen surprises. “Oppenheimer” remains in the discussion, but uncertainties linger.
Da’Vine Joy Randolph’s supporting actress win for “The Holdovers” sets the stage for a tense battle. “The Boy and the Heron” becomes the first non-American production to win the animated film category, facing competition from “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”
“20 Days in Mariupol” appears poised to clinch the documentary Oscar after its recent DGA victory, while “Zone of Interest” locks up the international feature category.
Looking ahead, the WGA Awards, SAG Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards, and PGA Awards will shape the Oscar landscape. Anticipation remains high until the grand reveal, with winners from the Cinema Audio Society, American Society of Cinematographers, and ACE Eddies yet to be announced.
In the final stretch before Oscar voting opens, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” maintains its dominance, securing seven wins, including Best Film and Director. However, the BAFTA Awards brought surprises, notably with Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things,” winning four prizes, including Emma Stone for Leading Actress and unexpected success in makeup. Could this foreshadow an upset for the…