Telluride Dispatch #1: ‘La Grazia,’ ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,’ ‘Ballad of a Small Player’
The 52nd Telluride Film Festival began yesterday, August 29, and my ninth journey to this cinematic mecca started with a drive that felt like plunging... Read More
Mark Johnson
Mark Johnson has been a prominent voice in film coverage and the Oscar race since 2009. He launched his career with his own website, Award Contenders, before joining forces with Clayton Davis at Awards Circuit from 2011 to 2020. After continuing his insightful work at Awards Daily from 2020 to 2024, Mark now contributes to both The Contending and AwardsWatch. His renowned Oscar predictions column, The Awards Alchemist (formerly Good As Gold), has solidified his reputation in the industry. A member of the Critics Choice Association, Mark regularly attends major film festivals, including Telluride, Nantucket, and Middleburg, offering in-depth analysis and predictions throughout awards season.
2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Previews the Historic Debut of the Casting Category and Fall’s Early Contenders
Film festival season is nearly here, and some of the mystery around separating contenders from pretenders will begin to lift once we’re in the mountains... Read More
2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Frames the Cinematography Landscape
As the cinematic landscape of 2025 slowly begins to take shape, I’m diving back into my Oscar predictions, this time with a focus on the... Read More
2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist’s First Look at the Acting Races
Back in March, I kicked off my early predictions for the 98th Academy Awards with a preview of potential Best Picture contenders. That was more... Read More
2026 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist’s First Look at the 98th Academy Awards
Every year, post-Oscar Sunday, I experience a familiar cycle: a brief withdrawal, a period of reflection on what I got right (or wrong) in my... Read More
2025 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist’s Final Forecast in All 23 Categories – Cannes You Feel the Love Tonight?
“Alchemy is a kind of philosophy: a kind of thinking that leads to a way of understanding” – Marcel Duchamp Alchemy goes beyond the simple... Read More
The Top Ten Breakthrough Performers of 2024: Nell Tiger Free, Joseph Quinn, David Jonsson and More
Welcome to the 16th annual Breakthrough Performers list, where we shine a spotlight on rising actors who are on track to become Hollywood’s next big... Read More
This past weekend, those who enjoy forecasting the Oscar race were finally given some much-needed clarity. For the first time this awards cycle, we have... Read More
2025 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist Predicts the Nominees in All 23 Categories
For those who eagerly forecast the Oscar race, this is the most thrilling time of the year. Predicting the winners is enjoyable in its own... Read More
2025 Oscar Predictions: The Awards Alchemist’s December Update with Golden Globe Nominations, Critics’ Awards Wins
With December well underway, the race for Best Picture remains wide open. No clear frontrunner has emerged yet, despite several contenders fiercely competing for the... Read More
Pittsburgh Film Critics Association (PFCC) Winners: 9 Wins for ‘Sinners’ 
Critics Association of Central Florida (CACF) Awards: ‘Sinners’ Wins 7 
Director Watch Podcast Ep. 134 – ‘Dick Tracy’ (Warren Beatty, 1990) 
Producers Guild of America (PGA): ‘F1,’ ‘Weapons’ In, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,’ ‘Wicked: For Good’ Out