YAY!!! It's finally here!!! OSCAR TIME!!! I make no bones about loving the Oscars, I've watched every single year for the past 14 years. Yes, even when I didn't own a TV. So yes, I care WAY too much about the Oscars, but that's just who I am. Deal with it. Anyway, every year I make my predictions at oscar.go.com. Last year was not my best, 15 right out of 24. But not my worst, 10 out of 24. So let's see if this year gets me a perfect score!! And now for predictions!!
Best Picture
And the nominees are:
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
My pick: The Revenant. Man this one is tough this year!! Although that does make for an exciting end to the award show. This really seems to be a 3 horse race between: the Revenant, the Big Short, and Spotlight. I really could see Spotlight taking this one, it deals with heavy subject matter (the Catholic Church scandal from the early 00s) and the Academy really likes that kind of movie. The Big Short also deals with an important issue, the banking crisis. But I think the Revenant will take this one because, Spotlight came out pretty early in the year and has lost momentum. And the Big Short is a pretty complicated movie, with lots of math and statistics, and that could turn off some voters. So because the Revenant is the freshest in the Academy's mind in it will probably take the big prize. But it wouldn't shock me if either Spotlight or the Big Short walked away with this award.
Actor in a Leading Role
And the nominees are:
Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
Matt Damon (The Martian)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)
My pick: Leonardo DiCaprio. I just can't decide on this one. Everyone WANTS Leo to win this award. Everyone will not SHUT UP about how he's been ROBBED so many times before. And the Academy might finally feel bad enough for him (he ate raw bison and slept inside an animal carcass for the Revenant) to finally give him this award. Most people don't think this is his best performance but it will probably get him his Oscar. Fingers crossed so then everyone can stop WHINING about it! But I do still think Fassbender has a shot, and man would that make me happy! I've loved him for years! But I've already ranted about him and Damon in my post about the nominations so I won't go into that again. But if either Damon or Fassbender won, I would be sooooo happy!!!
Actor in a Supporting Role
And the nominees are:
Christian Bale (The Big Short)
Tom Hardy (The Revenant)
Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Mark Ruffalo (Spotlight)
Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
My pick: Sylvester Stallone. I know, I can't really believe it myself! But there just seems to be a consensus out there that Stallone will get this award. I don't know if he deserves it (I haven't seen Creed). I don't know if Mark Rylance can pull off an upset here. But there you go, I'm just going with Stallone. But if Ruffalo won I would be over the moon!!
Actress in a Leading Role
And the nominees are:
Cate Blanchett (Carol)
Brie Larson (Room)
Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)
Charlotte Rampling (45 Years)
Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
My pick: Brie Larson. This one does seem to be a lock. I haven't seen Room, but I do hear great things about it and her performance is supposed to be really amazing. Blanchett is always awesome, but I don't think she will get her 3rd Oscar this year. Lawrence shouldn't even be nominated (but I won't go into that again!). And it would make my heart happy if Saoirse won! And this is Rampling's first nomination and she is older than all the other nominees, so if she won I wouldn't be upset. But I think Larson has this one in the bag.
Actress in a Supporting Role
And the nominees are:
Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)
Rooney Mara (Carol)
Rachel McAdams (Spotlight)
Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
My pick: Alicia Vikander. I LOVE her soooo much!!! And I know that most people wanted her to get a nomination for Ex Machina, but she didn't so deal with it! She is amazing and I want her to win sooo badly!! I do love Winslet but she already has an Oscar and I don't think this is the year she will get a second.
Animated Feature Film
And the nominees are:
Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There
My pick: Inside Out. This one is super easy, it's not even a contest. Inside Out WILL win. I do hear really good things about all the other films nominated, especially Anomalisa. But come on, this is Inside Out's category all the way!
Cinematography
And the nominees are:
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario
My pick: The Revenant. This will be the third Oscar in a row for this cinematographer, but it's a pretty safe bet. Although Sicario's cinematographer is considered one of the best in the business and he's never won before, so he could upset here.
Costume Design
And the nominees are:
Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
My pick: Cinderella. This should really be a no brainer. I mean come on Academy! This is the only category it's nominated in, and it's costumes are CLEARLY the best!!! Don't mess with me Academy! Don't. Mess. With. Me.
Directing
And the nominees are:
The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
My pick: Alejandro Inarritu for The Revenant. Yes, I think he'll win back to back Oscars. It rarely happens for directors but I do think shooting with natural lighting and everything else he did on the Revenant will get him the Oscar once again. I could see Miller winning, if only because he's an older director and this might be the last chance the Academy gets to honor him in this category.
Documentary Feature
And the nominees are:
Amy
Cartel Land
The Look of Silence
What Happened, Miss Simone?
Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom
My pick: Amy. Personally I don't think the award should go to this documentary about the late Amy Whinehouse, but it has great reviews and it's about the tragic life of a famous person. So it probably will win. I think Cartel Land should win, but what are you going to do?
Documentary Short Subject
And the nominees are:
Body Team 12
Chau: Beyond the Lines
Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
A Girl in the River: the Price of Forgiveness
Last Day of Freedom
My pick: Body Team 12. Man this one is really tough! I could see Caude Lanzmann taking this for the documentary about the making of the film Shoah. Or A Girl in the River about honor killings in Pakistan. But I'm going to go with the film about the Red Cross worker dealing with the Ebola crisis.
Film Editing
And the nominees are:
The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: the Force Awakens
My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. This film was incredibly difficult to make and supposedly even tougher to edit. I don't think this film will win Best Picture but it will probably win this category.
Foreign Language Film
And the nominees are:
Embrace of the Serpent
Mustang
Son of Saul
Theeb
A War
My pick: Son of Saul. Yes, I think another film about the Holocaust will win this category this year. Just like last year. But this is the heavy favorite and supposedly shows a unique perspective on one of the worst events in history. Although Mustang might upset here.
Makeup and Hairstyling
And the nominees are:
Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
The Revenant
My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. This is just a weird category. Every year it gets weirder. I don't know! Mad Max had really unique make up, but the Revenant could upset. Who has even seen the other film?
Original Score
And the nominees are:
Bridge of Spies
Carol
The Hateful Eight
Sicario
Star Wars: the Force Awakens
My pick: The Hateful Eight. This is not my personal choice. I would rather Star Wars or Carol win, if I'm honest. Those scores were just better in my opinion. But Morricone is 87 and has never won for scoring before. Although he does have an honorary Academy Award. Just have a feeling the Academy will vote his way. Although come on, John Williams is always amazing and it would make me sooo happy if he won another Academy Award!
Original Song
And the nominees are:
Earned It (Fifty Shades of Grey)
Manta Ray (Racing Extinction)
Simple Song #3 (Youth)
Til it Happens to You (The Hunting Ground)
Writing's on the Wall (Spectre)
My pick: Til it Happens to You. I will not get into how incredibly WRONG it is that "See You Again" from Furious 7 wasn't EVEN nominated again! But it's WRONG!! And I personally really love "Writing's on the Wall," it might not be the best Bond song, but it's still really good! But yeah, the song that accompanies the documentary about campus rape, is haunting and beautiful. It should win.
Production Design
And the nominees are:
Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. Yeah, this one is everyone's favorite for this category. I would love it if the Martian won though. But I won't be surprised if the Revenant upsets.
Animated Short Film
And the nominees are:
Bear Story
Prologue
Sanjay's Super Team
We Can't Live Without Cosmos
World of Tomorrow
My pick: Sanjay's Super Team. Oh my gosh! Cutest animated short in this category by far!! But even though I WANT it to win, I know how tight this race is. World of Tomorrow has a lot of great reviews so it might take it. And so might Bear Story. But I want Sanjay and his big eyes to win this soooo bad!
Live Action Short Film
And the nominees are:
Ave Maria
Day One
Everything Will Be Okay (Alles Wird Gut)
Shok
Stutterer
My pick: Stutterer. So tough!! Ave Maria is the lone comedy in this sea of depressing shorts, so that might give it an edge. Day One looks very well made and is about war. And Shok is based on a true story (and is super depressing!). But Stutterer looks like the best of both worlds, not too dark and deals with a real issue. Fingers crossed!
Sound Editing
And the nominees are:
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: the Force Awakens
My pick: Mad Max: Fury Road. Flip a coin, it's either going to Mad Max or the Revenant. Really hard to call.
Sound Mixing
And the nominees are:
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: the Force Awakens
My pick: The Revenant. Same thing as with Sound Editing, flip a coin basically. But I'm picking the Revenant to shake things up.
Visual Effects
And the nominees are:
Ex Machina
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: the Force Awakens
My pick: Star Wars: the Force Awakens. Really anyone could win this one. But I'm hoping Star Wars gets at least one Academy Award. Wow, never thought I'd type that sentence! Ex Machina might get some love here though. Or the Revenant's CGI bear might take the prize.
Adapted Screenplay
And the nominees are:
The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room
My pick: The Big Short. I think this will be the one award this film goes home with. It took really complicated subject matter and made it somewhat easy to understand. Although I could see Room upsetting here. And the Martian winning would just make my night!
Original Screenplay
And the nominees are:
Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina
Inside Out
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton
My pick: Spotlight. Like I said, it deals with really heavy subject matter and since it probably won't win Best Picture, I think this will be the one award it takes home. But maybe the voters want to award Ex Machina with something. It could happen. Real long shot is Straight Outta Compton, but stranger things have happened. Lady Gaga's song will probably win an Oscar tonight. We live in crazy times.
There you have it! My predictions for this year's Academy Awards. There are a lot of close races tonight, so I'm not holding my breath! I probably won't get 20 right this year like I did a couple years ago. But you never know! And that's what makes the Oscars so much fun! Don't forget to watch!
