It’s that time of year again, with the next Oscar ceremony fast approaching, here are my annual predictions. This year, all the acting awards (with the possible exception of best supporting actress) seem like a forgone conclusion. However, the awards for best director and best film are totally up in the air…
Best Film Editing
The Big Short – Hank Corwin
Mad Max: Fury Road – Margaret Sixel
The Revenant – Stephen Mirrione
Spotlight – Tom McArdle
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey
Will win: The Big Short
Should win: The Big Short
Should have been nominated: Sicario – Colin Patton
Best Cinematography
Carol – Ed Lachman
The Hateful Eight – Robert Richardson
Mad Max: Fury Road – John Seale
The Revenant – Emmanuel Lubezki
Sicario – Roger Deakins
Will win: The Revenant
Should win: Sicario
Should have been nominated: The Connection – Laurent Tangy
Best Original Score
Bridge of Spies – Thomas Newman
Carol – Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
Sicario – Jóhann Jóhannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams
Will win: The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
Should win: Sicario – Jóhann Jóhannsson
Should have been nominated: White Bird in a Blizzard – Harold Budd
Best Documentary – Feature
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom
Will win: Amy
Should win: Cartel Land
Should have been nominated: Death of a Gentleman
Best Foreign Language Film
Embrace of the Serpent (Colombia)
Mustang (France)
Son of Saul (Hungary)
Theeb (Jordan)
A War (Denmark)
Will win: Son of Saul
I won’t comment on should win as most of these haven’t been released here yet, so I can’t really say
Should have been nominated: Mia Madre
Best Animated Feature Film
Anomalisa
Boy & the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There
I don’t really do animation, so won’t choose anything for this category
Will win: Inside Out
Best Original Screenplay
Bridge of Spies – Matt Charman, Joel Coen, and Ethan Coen
Ex Machina – Alex Garland
Inside Out – Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley, and Ronnie del Carmen
Spotlight – Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer
Straight Outta Compton – Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff, S. Leigh Savidge, and Alan Wenkus
Will win: Spotlight
Should win: Spotlight
Should have been nominated: Hateful Eight – Quentin Tarantino
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Big Short – Adam McKay and Charles Randolph from The Big Short by Michael Lewis
Brooklyn – Nick Hornby from Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
Carol – Phyllis Nagy from The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith
The Martian – Drew Goddard from The Martian by Andy Weir
Room – Emma Donoghue from Room by Emma Donoghue
Will win: The Big Short
Should win: The Big Short
Should have been nominated: Aaron Sorkin – Steve Jobs
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Will win: Sylvester Stallone
Should win: Mark Rylance
Should have been nominated: Seth Rogan – Steve Jobs
Best Supporting Actress
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara – Carol
Rachel McAdams – Spotlight
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Will win: Alicia Vikander
Should win: Rooney Mara…..or Jennifer Jason Leigh!
Should have been nominated: Sarah Solemani – Hector
Best Actor
Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
Matt Damon – The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Will win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Should win: Michael Fassbender
Should have been nominated: Michael Keaton – Spotlight & Eddie Marsan – Still Life
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Brie Larson – Room
Jennifer Lawrence – Joy
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Will win: Brie Larson
Should win: Saoirse Ronan
Should have been nominated: Carey Mulligan – Suffragette
Best Director
Adam McKay – The Big Short
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson – Room
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Will win: I think you can rule out Lenny Abrahamson, but you can make an argument for any of the others. Ultimately, I think it is a 2 horse race with academy favourite Alejandro G. Iñárritu just edging out veteran George Miller.
Should win: Adam McKay
Should have been nominated: Denis Villeneuve – Sicario
Best Picture
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Will win: This is even closer than last year’s race, this time a three way battle between The Revenant, Spotlight and The Big Short. It’s stick a pin in time…The Big Short
Should win: Spotlight
Should have been nominated: Sicario