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ROBERT RUGAN

Writer | Director
  • Portfolio
  • Reel
    • Director Reel (Excerpts)
    • DANNY AND THE WILD BUNCH
    • DUREX "Get It On"
    • WILEY vs. RHODES
  • Film/TV Projects
    • Netflix Animation Project
    • THE CURSE OF BRIDGE HOLLOW
    • THE ADVENTURES OF BEAUREGARD THIBODEAUX
    • BUDDY HOLLY IS ALIVE AND WELL
    • LEGO: BILLION BRICK RACE
    • RESCUE RANGERS
    • MEDUSA
    • KIDROBOT
    • CHILDREN OF THE LAMP
    • THE GENIUS FILES
    • THE FICTION
    • GENESIS 1
  • I Might Be Wrong But...
  • About Me / Contact

MY 2023 Oscar Picks

March 12, 2023

For some reason, this year, I felt the need to comment on some of my “should win" picks. (*Take it for what you think it’s worth.)

BEST PICTURE

Will Win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: ??

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Will Win: Brendan Fraser, THE WHALE

Should Win: Austin Butler, ELVIS (*this might be the most difficult category for me. Colin Farrell’s performance in THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN is also remarkable. Geez. This one’s tough.)

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Will Win: Ke Huy Quan, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: Ke Huy Quan, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Will Win: Michelle Yeoh, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: Michelle Yeoh, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Will Win: Jamie Lee Curtis, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: Kerry Condon, THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (*This might be the single best performance of an actor in any category, in any movie, all year.)

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Will Win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO

Should Win: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S PINOCCHIO (*even though the story is a complete MESS. But damn, the stop-motion is just too pretty. I also really liked SEA BEAST. Pirates! And sea monsters!! ;))

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Will Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

COSTUME DESIGN

Will Win: BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER

Should Win: ELVIS (*just for those “Las Vegas Kung Fu” Elvis costumes alone.)

DIRECTING

Will Win: The Daniels, EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: Steven Spielberg, THE FABELMANS (*Is FABELMANS a perfect movie? No. Is it even Spielberg at his best? Not really. But there is no better cinematic storyteller working today. Period. If you don’t believe me, go re-watch the sequence in the middle of the movie in which Sammy is editing the “family camping trip,” and tell me it’s not cinematic perfection (chef’s kiss).)

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

Will Win: NA

Should Win: NA

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

Will Win: NA

Should Win: NA

FILM EDITING

Will Win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

Will Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Will Win: THE WHALE

Should Win: ELVIS

ORIGINAL SCORE

Will Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (*the score for this movie annoyed/confused me at first, but over the two-and-a-half hour running time, it grew on me. Now, I can’t stop listening to it.)

ORIGINAL SONG

Will Win: “Naatu Naatu,” RRR

Should Win: “Naatu Naatu,” RRR (*This! This! THIS!)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Will Win: BABYLON

Should Win: BABYLON (*the production design is the best thing about this movie.)

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Will Win: THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE

Should Win: THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX AND THE HORSE (*although I want to deduct points for the lack of an Oxford comma in the title. Grrrr.)

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Will Win: NA

Should Win: NA

SOUND

Will Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should Win: TOP GUN: MAVERICK

VISUAL EFFECTS

Will Win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

Should Win: AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Will Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

Should Win: ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Will Win: EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE

Should Win: THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (*This movie is not perfect by any means, but the dialogue is some of the best I’ve heard in a long time. I mean, come on… “I am not putting me donkey outside when I'm sad.” — is enough to get my vote.

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I might be wrong but…

these are my Oscar Picks.