Starting my Oscar list early is always a bit of a challenge. The nominations do not happen until January 17, 2025 – 5 days after the nominations voting round closes. And yes, this date is on my calendar. So, the question is – how do I decide what to put on my list so I can start watching movies in the fall?

To increase my chances of watching movies that will eventually become nominations, I look at predictions lists, taking predictions from the top 10 list for a handful of key categories. There are many websites one could read to find the predicted nominees. I choose to use Variety magazine website. No particular reason, really – I just like that one. The predictions change quite a bit until around October and then not quite as much. Starting in October I make a grid of the top 10 predictions in the following categories: best picture, director, lead actor, lead actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, original screenplay, adapted screenplay, cinematography, and animated movie (although not all top 10 for animated). That grid is portrayed below according to the October 31 edition of the predictions – I will try to update it regularly.