The 2016 Oscars is shaping up to be one of the most talked about in recent years, perhaps for reasons that the Academy isn’t too happy about. Controversy aside, that isn’t what we are here to discuss, its predictions time!
Part of the fun for any awards show is predicting who will take out the awards, each year there are certainly surprises and ones that no one could have seen coming. Sometimes it is wise to bet on the dark horse because the unpredictable has been known to take out the prize.
This year I do think the race is very close, some of the top awards are very hard to pick a clear favourite. My gut feeling is that this year we will see some unexpected winners, and the so called shoe-ins may walk away with nothing.
In the race for Best Picture, other awards certainly sway which way it could go, with The Big Short getting a lot of late traction thanks to being awarded at the Producers Guild Awards. But will it take out the big one on the day? Will we see a big shock? All will be revealed next month on February 28th.
For the purpose of this article, several awards have been left off.
Now on to my predictions:
BEST PICTURE
The Big Short
Bridge Of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Predictions: I do believe the Best Picture race is really down to two films, The Revenant and The Big Short. While my gut is telling me The Revenant may pull it off, I do think The Big Short just may sneak up and take the top award.
DIRECTING
Adam McKay for The Big Short
George Miller for Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu for The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson for Room
Tom McCarthy for Spotlight
Predictions: I do think that Iñárritu may win two years in a row, if he does pick this up I do think The Revenant will win the top prize. There is a lot of momentum behind Adam McKay at the moment and if he swoops in and picks this up, then The Big Short will likely get Best Picture. This one is very close to call, but I am going with Iñárritu.
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Bryan Cranston for Trumbo
Matt Damon for The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant
Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne for The Danish Girl
Predictions: I don’t think Mr. Redmayne will take it two years in a row, I like many others do believe 2016 is the year Leonardo DiCaprio will finally win the award. I would have loved to have seen him win for The Wolf Of Wall Street but honestly as long as he gets the award, I’ll be happy. I will be genuinely shocked if he does not win. I do think his biggest competition is Matt Damon, and there certainly is a lot of momentum for him as well.
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Cate Blanchett for Carol
Brie Larson for Room
Jennifer Lawrence for Joy
Charlotte Rampling for 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn
Predictions: As with Redmayne I do not think Blanchett will win two years in a row, I do believe Brie Larson will take this one out. All the momentum is there, and this film has been a big award winner this season. I will be in shock if she does not take this out, this is one category I do not see a surprise happening.
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Christian Bale for The Big Short
Tom Hardy for The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo for Spotlight
Mark Rylance for Bridge Of Spies
Sylvestor Stallone for Creed
Predictions: I will be genuinely angry if Sly Stallone does not take this one, his was one of the best performances of 2015. After I saw the film, well before any award nominations were given out I said “just give him the Oscar”. I do think he has the heat behind him for this one, this category has been the most predictable in recent years however a surprise may just happen. I am for all Sly, and I really want it to happen.
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Jennifer Jason Leigh for The Hateful 8
Rooney Mara for Carol
Rachel McAdams for Spotlight
Alicia Vikander for The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet for Steve Jobs
Predictions: I am going to go out and say Jennifer Jason Leigh, I think she is a long shot but Tarantino has gotten Best Supporting Actor wins for his last two films, it is time for a women to get one. I do think Kate is the favourite, but I am going with my dark horse here.
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Anomalisa
Inside Out
Shaun The Sheep
Boy and the World
When Marnie Was There
Predictions: As awesome as it would be to see something like Shaun The Sheep, I do think Inside Out is a lock here.
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Ed Lachman for Carol
Robert Richardson for The Hateful 8
John Seale for Mad Max: Fury Road
Emmanuel Lubezki for The Revenant
Roger Deakins for Sicario
Predictions: Emmanuel Lubezki is what my gut is telling me, I do believe The Revenant will get this one. Considering the conditions this was shot in, all the hard work put into making this look the way it did, I mean how can they not?
Documentary Feature
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look Of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter Of Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom
Predictions: This one is a bit hard to call at the moment, but I am going to go ahead and say The Look Of Silence.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight
Matt Charman, Joel Coen, and Ethan Coen for Bridge of Spies
Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff for Straight Outta Compton
Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, and Josh Cooley for Inside Out
Alex Garland for Ex Machina
Predictions: Wouldn’t it be cool if out of no where Alex Garland wins? I am actually going to go ahead and make that prediction, because the surprise is always good.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Drew Goddard for The Martian
Nick Hornby for Brooklyn
Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short
Phyllis Nagy for Carol
Emma Donoghue for Room
Predictions: I do think The Big Short is going to take this one out, there are some great writers nominated in this category and it would be great to see any one of them get it.
Foreign Language Film
Embrace The Serpent from Columbia
Mustang from France
Son Of Saul from Hungary
Theeb from Jordan
A War from Denmark
Predictions: This one I am unsure of, I am leaning towards Son of Saul based on its subject matter.
EDITING
Hank Corwin for The Big Short
Margaret Sixel for Mad Max: Fury Road
Stephen Mirrione for The Revenant
Tom McArdle for Spotlight
Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Predictions: Again I think this will be a toss between The Big Short and The Revenant, my gut is telling me The Big Short though. Not sure why, and this category could also predict some of the bigger awards.
ORIGINAL SCORE
Thomas Newman for Bridge Of Spies
Carter Burwell for Carol
Ennio Morricone for The Hateful 8
Jóhann Jóhannsson for Sicario
John Williams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Predictions: I want so badly for Ennio Morricone to take this, I actually can’t really see any one else getting this one. It should be his, how he has never won one is beyond words.
ORIGINAL SONG
“Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey
“Manta Ray” from Racing Extinction
“Simple Song #3” from Youth
“Writing’s On The Wall” from Spectre
“Til It Happens To You” from The Hunting Ground
Prediction: I think the Bond theme will take this one out like it did with Skyfall. The song itself has had many mixed reactions from people, personally I absolutely love the song. Sam Smith has an incredible voice, that aside I do love the music and lyrics and I felt while not conventional it was a great Bond theme. Also who can believe because of this category, Fifty Shades Of Grey is now an Oscar nominee?
Those are my predictions for most of the categories, will I be proved right or wrong? Only a month to go …
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