This year, the 97th Academy Awards (the Oscars) will be held on March 2. Hosted by comedian Conan O’Brien, the ceremony will acknowledge achievements in filmmaking for movies released in 2024. The awards are presented over 23 categories, with five major categories being Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Actor and Best Actress.
The Best Picture award is given to a standout film, regarding all aspects of writing, acting, directing and more. The award is considered to be the highest honor to be given to a film at the Oscars. This year, there are 10 nominations including the movies, “Wicked” and “Dune: Part Two.”
Wicked, the adaptation of the beloved Broadway musical, has been nominated for several reasons. The popular film has resonated with audiences. The overall vision, execution, and technical aspects have been thoroughly praised by many fans.
“I was impressed [with Wicked] because it’s part one [of] two movies. I was really impressed by what they did with it being part one movie. And I just enjoyed the flow of it,” Performing Arts Associate Teacher Mrs. Ann Esposito said. “As a dancer and a choreographer, I loved seeing all of the movement.”
“Dune: Part Two” has also been selected for Best Picture. The nomination seems to be focused on the movie’s visual aspects, such as lighting, angle and composition as well as the film’s huge commercial success.
“I’ve heard amazing things about ‘Dune: Part Two,’ and I’ve heard about its scene work,” Belfry Officer Kyle Guess ‘26 said. “How it plays around with the environment just helps amplify the story that they’re trying to tell.”
The Best Actor and Actress awards include a wide range of nominees including Timothée Chalamet (“A Complete Unknown”), Sebastian Stan (“The Apprentice”) and Cynthia Erivo (“Wicked”). These awards go to this year’s most recognized actor and actress, respectively.
Cynthia Erivo who plays the lead in “Wicked” has been selected for the Best Actress award. Her performance in the film has been claimed to be outstanding and transformative as she fully embodies her character, Elphaba Thropp.
“Cynthia [Erivo]…the reason why I think she did so well, or why I would love to see her is because I think she took a character that’s kind of well known and really made it her own,” Mrs. Esposito said. “It’s all the same music, most of the lines are the same, the plot, nothing changed for their base, but they figured out a way to make it their own.”
Another nominee, Sebastian Stan is being recognized for his role in the film, “The Apprentice.” His portrayal of young Donald Trump has been commended for its depth and nuances. Stan is mostly known for his part as Bucky Barnes from the Captain America movie series which is also greatly applauded by audiences.
“Sebastian Stan could have one role here and a completely different role here, and it’s just the duality that actors have that is so amazing,” Guess said.
Oscar nominations are given to the most successful movies and actors of that year. Advertising and marketing before the film’s release date plays a big role in how much recognition and awareness that it will receive.
“‘Wicked,’ I was seeing marketing months in advance, they did it in a very specific way that hype started building up until the movie came out,” Mrs. Esposito said. “And how Cynthia and Ariana [were] talking about [their] working relationship in the movie, there were little drops of information.”
The upcoming Oscars award ceremony will be one to look forward to in the near future as it features many of 2024’s popular films, actors and actresses.