For cinema, 2023-2024 Oscar’s season could be labelled an extraordinary year. We had the Oppenheimer v Barbie period when two titans went head-to-head for box office. Then, in the latter part of the year came an avalanche of amazing movies like Poor Things, Godzilla Minus One, Holdovers as well as Anatomy of Fall. Such a wide range of high-quality productions made the 96th Academy Awards full of not just giltz and glamour but also intrigue. Once Dolby Theatre hosted the show, it was time to determine the best movies of 2024. Let’s look back at the awards show, recap the Oscar odds for 2024 at the bookmakers, revisit the flops and the surprises.
The Main Star of the Oscars 2024
As so often happens, one particular movie takes a large number of awards in the same year. We had Dune taking 6 in 2021, Mad Max taking 6 in 2015 and La La Land doing the same a year later. For 2021, all eyes and praise seemed to be on Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
It wasn’t a total sweep but a very commanding performance with 7 wins in total and the rake of several major categories including:
- Best Picture (13/2 odds)
- Best Director (82/25 odds)
- Best Actor for Cillian Murphy who played J. Robert Oppenheimer (10/3 odds)
- Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr. who played Lewis Strauss (10/3 odds)
- Best Cinematography
- Best Film Editing
- Best Original Score
The epic biographic delves deep into the vastly overlooked yet tumultuous personal story of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the world-altering atomic bomb. The film was meticulously produced and delivered on the 65 mm IMAX tape for the most immersive experience. It’s a truly unique experience when a film gets so much critical and fan acclaim at the same time.
Other Best Movies and Actresses in 2024 Oscars’ – What Were the Odds
It came as no surprise as Emma Stone received the Best Actress award for her role in Poor Things. The odds for this were 7/2. Director Yorgos Lanthimos took a very unique approach to both cinematography and storytelling to portray the story of Bella Baxter. She is essentially a kid in a woman’s body. A result of a science experiment, the woman embarks on a journey to discover life and all its pains & pleasures by herself.
The film blends elements of horror and historical fiction, giving Emma Stone more than plenty of opportunities to show off versatility and depth as an actress. The American didn’t disappoint. However, one mustn’t forget very memorable roles by Willem Dafoe and the ever-classy Mark Ruffallo that portrayed important men in Bella’s life.
The supporting roles were also spotlighted. RDJ won for the best male supporting role, but there was a bit more intrigue at the women’s front. In the end, Da’Vine Joy Randolph wont Best Supporting Actress at 82/25 for her role in The Holdovers. She excellently portrayed a school cafeteria worker/mother who’s mourning a loss of son. In a story about personal transformation and facing difficulties, she was amongst the most convincing people in a production that featured top tier acting from almost all roles.
Let’s Not Forget Technical Mastery
Not only directors, actors and actresses make Hollywood what it is. We cannot overlook the importance of production quality and technical mastery. Almost always, the best movies are made by hundreds of A-list, talented people. This reflects in such details as immersion, effect quality, believability and beauty of sets, etc.
While the star of the show Oppenheimer continued its run away with awards for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing, Godzilla Minus One took home the Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
Quite a strange paradox, because in the Academy Awards show, with the best movies of 2024 being announced, Godzilla and Oppenheimer managed to share the stage. Of course, that is strange because for the Japanese, Godzilla is a reiteration of the Atomic Bomb itself. Paradox aside, the award for Godzilla Minus One was a clear nod to the innovative and boundary-pushing visual artistry.
Were There Any Snubs for Oscar Odds?
This year might be a rare occasion where there wasn’t too much snubbing or disappointment going on. Only hardcore fans of specific movies could’ve been dissatisfied and that was only possible if Oppenheimer managed to snag one or two awards from their personal favourite.
Yet, while Oppenheimer was expected to perform well, other films like Barbie and Poor Things could be labelled the night’s biggest surprises. Greta Gerwig’s Barbie wasn’t predicted to have much success on the academy front but accomplished winning Best Costume Design. And as for Poor Things, probably no one expected it could be the 2nd most successful film at the Academy Awards show yet it did just that and got 4 awards in total.
As for disappointment, you could potentially list The Zone of Interest and The Holdovers. Despite their critical acclaim and strong performances, these productions did not secure wins in the major categories, leading to a mix of satisfaction and disappointment among fans and critics alike.
So as it seems, 2024 was a rare year where Oscar Odds really mostly predicted the winners right out of the gate. With only a handful surprises, the culmination of an amazing year in cinema was not-to-miss. Let’s wait on next year’s show and see if that one can top it!