by Stephen Milek
Oscar nominations will be announced next week and all the Oscar ballots have been submitted. So it's time to start putting some predictions in writing. I thought about waiting till the DGA announced their nominees and I might update it after they do but not sure how much will change. I am pretty confident on most of these predictions. Again these are based on current trends and previous nominations so far this Oscar season. These are not my personal opinions since I have not seen most of the movies. Unlike previous years I am only predicting a few of the major categories. Not going to try to predict all of them.
Let me know what you think.
Let me know what you think.
Best Picture - The number of nominations in this category can be anywhere from 5 - 10. Last year there were 8 and the 2 years previous there were 9. Since there is no way of telling how many there will be I tried to list them in order of predicted chances with Inside Out the least likely to make the cut. I would have had Carol higher up but after missing out on a PGA nomination it bumped it down a few notches.
Predictions
Spotlight
The Revenant
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Carol
Brooklyn
Room
Inside Out
Possibilities
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
The Hateful Eight
Sicario
Creed
Anomalisa
Ex Machina
Straight Outta Compton
Long Shots
Steve Jobs
Beasts of No Nation
Trumbo
Best Director
Predictions
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Todd Haynes – Carol
Adam McKay- The Big Short
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies
Alejandro González Iñárritu – The Revenant
Possibilities
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott - The Martian
Ryan Coogler – Creed
Quintin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
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 - I think the Top 4 are pretty much a lock. The 5th spot is up for grabs but I am going with Bryan Cranston.
Predictions
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Matt Damon – The Martian
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Bryan Cranston - Trumbo
Possibilities
Paul Dano – Love and Mercy
Michael B. Jordan – Creed
Will Smith - Concussion
Geza Rohrig – Son of Saul
Long Shots
Ian McKellen – Mr. Holmes
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Johnny Depp – Black Mass
Michael Caine – Youth
Best Actress - Pretty confident about these picks.
Predictions
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Brie Larson – Room
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
Possibilities
Emily Blunt – Sicario
Helen Mirren - The Woman in Gold
Maggie Smith – The Lady in the Van
Long Shots
Lily Tomlin – Grandma
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Best Supporting Actor -This category is wide open and besides for Mark Rylance it's a crap shoot. So this should be an interesting category to see who turns up in.
Predictions
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Possibilities
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Michael Keaton- Spotlight
Benicio Del Toro – Sicario
Jacob Tremblay – Room
Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Long Shots
Jason Segal – The End of the Tour
Harvey Keitel – Youth
Best Supporting Actress - The big question is what movie will Alicia Vikander get a nomination for Ex Machina or The Danish Girl. I feel Ex Machina is building some steam and went with that one. Although some might consider her role in The Danish Girl as a lead so she could get two nominations.
Predictions
Kristin Stewart – Cloud of Sils Maria
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Possibilities
Alicia Vikander- The Danish Girl
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
Long Shots
Jane Fonda – Youth
Elizabeth Banks- Love and Mercy
Best Original Screenplay
Predictions
Spotlight
Bridge of Spies
Inside Out
The Hateful Eight
Ex Machina
Possibilities
Straight Outta Compton
Trainwreck
Sicario
Love and Mercy
Long Shots
Son of Saul
Joy
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predictions
The Martian
Room
Carol
Steve Jobs
The Big Short
Possibilities
Brooklyn
Anomalisa
Long Shots
Trumbo
Creed
Beasts of No Nation
Best Animated Film -Another category I am pretty confident in unless like last year there is a major upset.
Predictions
Inside Out
Anomalisa
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep
The Good Dinosaur
Possibilities
Minions
Long Shots
Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge out of Water
Best Documentary -Amy and The Look of Silence have dominated the conversation so far and one of those two should win. So just trying to pick who the other 3 losers will be.
Predictions
Amy
The Look of Silence
He Named Me Malala
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Winter on Fire
Possibilities
What Happened, Miss Simone
Cartel Land
Best of Enemies
Long Shots
Where to Invade Next
Listen to Me Marlon
Meru
Best Foreign Language Film - Son of Soul is the big front runner in this category. Also feel pretty confident in Mustang. The rest not as much but think it will look something like this.
Predictions
Son of Soul
Mustang
Embrace the Serpent
The Fencer
A War
Possibilities
Viva
The Brand New Testament
Labyrinth of Lies
Theeb
Predictions
Spotlight
The Revenant
The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
Carol
Brooklyn
Room
Inside Out
Possibilities
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens
The Hateful Eight
Sicario
Creed
Anomalisa
Ex Machina
Straight Outta Compton
Long Shots
Steve Jobs
Beasts of No Nation
Trumbo
Best Director
Predictions
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
Todd Haynes – Carol
Adam McKay- The Big Short
Steven Spielberg – Bridge of Spies
Alejandro González Iñárritu – The Revenant
Possibilities
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Ridley Scott - The Martian
Ryan Coogler – Creed
Quintin Tarantino – The Hateful Eight
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 - I think the Top 4 are pretty much a lock. The 5th spot is up for grabs but I am going with Bryan Cranston.
Predictions
Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Matt Damon – The Martian
Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl
Bryan Cranston - Trumbo
Possibilities
Paul Dano – Love and Mercy
Michael B. Jordan – Creed
Will Smith - Concussion
Geza Rohrig – Son of Saul
Long Shots
Ian McKellen – Mr. Holmes
Abraham Attah – Beasts of No Nation
Johnny Depp – Black Mass
Michael Caine – Youth
Best Actress - Pretty confident about these picks.
Predictions
Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
Brie Larson – Room
Cate Blanchett – Carol
Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
Possibilities
Emily Blunt – Sicario
Helen Mirren - The Woman in Gold
Maggie Smith – The Lady in the Van
Long Shots
Lily Tomlin – Grandma
Charlize Theron – Mad Max: Fury Road
Amy Schumer – Trainwreck
Best Supporting Actor -This category is wide open and besides for Mark Rylance it's a crap shoot. So this should be an interesting category to see who turns up in.
Predictions
Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation
Mark Ruffalo – Spotlight
Christian Bale – The Big Short
Possibilities
Paul Dano – Love & Mercy
Michael Keaton- Spotlight
Benicio Del Toro – Sicario
Jacob Tremblay – Room
Oscar Isaac – Ex Machina
Michael Shannon – 99 Homes
Long Shots
Jason Segal – The End of the Tour
Harvey Keitel – Youth
Best Supporting Actress - The big question is what movie will Alicia Vikander get a nomination for Ex Machina or The Danish Girl. I feel Ex Machina is building some steam and went with that one. Although some might consider her role in The Danish Girl as a lead so she could get two nominations.
Predictions
Kristin Stewart – Cloud of Sils Maria
Rooney Mara – Carol
Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
Possibilities
Alicia Vikander- The Danish Girl
Rachel McAdams - Spotlight
Long Shots
Jane Fonda – Youth
Elizabeth Banks- Love and Mercy
Best Original Screenplay
Predictions
Spotlight
Bridge of Spies
Inside Out
The Hateful Eight
Ex Machina
Possibilities
Straight Outta Compton
Trainwreck
Sicario
Love and Mercy
Long Shots
Son of Saul
Joy
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predictions
The Martian
Room
Carol
Steve Jobs
The Big Short
Possibilities
Brooklyn
Anomalisa
Long Shots
Trumbo
Creed
Beasts of No Nation
Best Animated Film -Another category I am pretty confident in unless like last year there is a major upset.
Predictions
Inside Out
Anomalisa
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun the Sheep
The Good Dinosaur
Possibilities
Minions
Long Shots
Spongebob Squarepants: Sponge out of Water
Best Documentary -Amy and The Look of Silence have dominated the conversation so far and one of those two should win. So just trying to pick who the other 3 losers will be.
Predictions
Amy
The Look of Silence
He Named Me Malala
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief
Winter on Fire
Possibilities
What Happened, Miss Simone
Cartel Land
Best of Enemies
Long Shots
Where to Invade Next
Listen to Me Marlon
Meru
Best Foreign Language Film - Son of Soul is the big front runner in this category. Also feel pretty confident in Mustang. The rest not as much but think it will look something like this.
Predictions
Son of Soul
Mustang
Embrace the Serpent
The Fencer
A War
Possibilities
Viva
The Brand New Testament
Labyrinth of Lies
Theeb