by Stephen Milek
Well we are through the early award season and lots of critic associations have spoken. We also have the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes opinions. So we would expect the Oscar race starting to become clearer. Well this year that isn't the case. Nominations are all over the place and hard to say what will sustain the momentum till the Oscar Nominations. Now I have never been good at predicting Oscars so what this is just the movies that so far seem to be getting the most praise. This is based on current trends and a lot can change very quickly. The biggest surprise so far is the amount of love that Mad Max: Fury Road is getting. While it was a very well-liked movie action movies don’t tend to get the end of the year love. Also, there are a few movies that haven’t come out and don’t have critical consensus. It is hard to tell where they fall so they are not listed in any category but could very well become front runners.
The Hateful Eight – Possible for picture, director, supporting actress, screenplay
The Revenant – Possible for picture, director, actor, screenplay
Joy – Possible for picture, director, actress
The Big Short – Possible for picture, director, screenplay, supporting actor
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – possible for Best Picture.
Of course many people think this is the year the Leo could win Best Actor so some consider him a front runner but at this point still hard to tell so I have left him off that category for now.
The Hateful Eight – Possible for picture, director, supporting actress, screenplay
The Revenant – Possible for picture, director, actor, screenplay
Joy – Possible for picture, director, actress
The Big Short – Possible for picture, director, screenplay, supporting actor
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – possible for Best Picture.
Of course many people think this is the year the Leo could win Best Actor so some consider him a front runner but at this point still hard to tell so I have left him off that category for now.
Best Picture
Frontrunners
Spotlight
Carol
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
The Martian
Room
Inside Out
Mad Max: Fury Road
Next in Line
Creed
Anomalisa
Long Shots
Steve Jobs
Ex Machina
Sicario
Beasts of No Nation
Straight Outta Compton
Best Director
Frontrunners
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Todd Haynes – Carol
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies
Ridley Scott – The Martian
Next in Line
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Ryan Coogler – Creed
Pete Docter – Inside Out
Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson – Anomalisa
Lenny Abrahamsson- Room
John Crowley - Brooklyn
Long Shots
Danny Boyle – Steve Jobs
Laszlo Nemes – Son of Saul
Alex Garland – Ex machina
Best Actor
Frontrunners
Matt Damon – The Martian
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Johnny Depp – Black Mass
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Next in Line
Paul Dano – Love and Mercy
Michael B. Jordan – Creed
Geza Rohrig – Son of Saul
Long Shots
Ian McKellen – Mr. Holmes
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Michael Caine – Youth
Will Smith - Concussion
Best Actress
Frontrunners
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Brie Larson – Room
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Next in Line
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Long Shots
Lily Tomlin – Grandma
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Best Supporting Actor
Frontrunners
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Next in Line
Jacob Tremblay – Room
Idris Elba –Beasts of No Nation
Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight
Michael Keaton- Spotlight
Long Shots
Jason Segal – The End of the Tour
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Harvey Keitel – Youth
Benicio Del Toro - Sicario
Best Supporting Actress
Frontrunners
Kristin Stewart – Cloud of Sils Maria
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Next in Line
Alicia Vikander- Ex Machina
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
Long Shots
Jane Fonda - Youth
Best Adapted Screenplay
Frontrunners
The Martian
Carol
Brooklyn
Next in Line
Steve Jobs
Room
Anomalisa
Long Shots
Best Original Screenplay
Frontrunners
Spotlight
Bridge of Spies
Inside Out
Next in Line
Son of Saul
Trainwreck
Long Shots
Creed
Ex Machina
Best Animated Film
Frontrunners
Inside Out
Anomalisa
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep
Next in Line
Minions
The Good Dinosour
Long Shots
Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge out of Water
Best Documentary
Frontrunners
Amy
The Look of Silence
Next in Line
Cartel Land
He Named Me Malala
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Best of Enemies
Long Shots
Where to Invade Next
Best Foreign Language Film
Frontrunners
Son of Soul
Mustang
Phoenix
Next in Line
The Second Mother
The Assassin
Long Shots
Goodnight Mommy
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence