2016 Oscar Predictions

As always, these are my predictions to win, not who or what movie I wish would win.


Best Picture: The Revenant

Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio - The Revenant

Best Actress: Brie Larson - Room

Best Supporting Actor: Sylvester Stallone - Creed

Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs

Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu - The Revenant

Best Original Screenplay: Alex Garland - Ex Machina

Best Adapted Screenplay: Drew Goddard - The Martian

Best Animated Film: Inside Out

Best Foreign Film: Son of Saul

Best Documentary Film: Amy

Best Documentary (Short Subject): Body Team 12

Best Animated Short Film: World of Tomorrow

Best Live Action Short Film: Stutterer

Best Original Score: Ennio Morricone - The Hateful Eight

Best Original Song: "Earned It" - Fifty Shades of Grey

Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki - The Revenant

Best Film Editing: Stephen Mirrione - The Revenant

Best Production Design: Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson - Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Costume Design: Jenny Beavan - Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin - Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Sound Editing: Mark A. Mangini and David White - Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Sound Mixing: Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff, and Ben Osmo - Mad Max: Fury Road

Best Visual Effects: Ex Machina


Already, my expectations are very low coming into this show. I was pissed off at last year's results, the #OscarsSoWhite movement didn't help any favors, and the fact that The Revenant, yet another Iñárritu movie I viciously don't like (but more so then Birdman), is extremely expected to be the big winner. I can understand with the pity Oscar for DiCaprio but seriously, back-to-back wins in Best Director and Best Picture? Excuse me while I throw up...

Oh wait, Spotlight also has a chance. Hooray, one overhyped movie over another!

The acting categories are nearly all locks except for Best Supporting Actress. I can actually see Mara or McAdams getting the surprise win, unless the Academy wants to give Winslet the same golden treatment as Cate Blanchett with a win in the two actress categories.

I expect Mad Max: Fury Road to be a tech sweeper and nothing else. A beautiful dream will be if it wins Best Picture or, more likely, Best Director for George Miller but the Academy hates action as much as they hate comedy.

I love you Inside Out but Pixar hasn't been successful in the Best Screenplay categories.

Best Foreign Language Film and Best Documentary are both coin flips. The Academy love their Holocaust movies but will likely again skip over other genocide-themed pics.

Morricone has to win.

Remember When Actual Pop Songs Were Nominated & Would Win Best Original Song? Part 6: "Earned It" was one of the top songs of last years and one of the very few hit songs to be attached with a popular (for one week) movie. "Writing's On The Wall" technically was one as well but was poorly received by listeners and James Bond fans. It may have won the Golden Globe but I don't see it winning unless Sam Smith really is still popular with voters, because he sure as hell isn't as big as he was with the public two years ago. The other three nominees are only there to fill the card and have zero chance.

Poor Roger Deakins. Poor, poor Roger Deakins.


See you on Monday with my reactions to the awards and the ceremony itself.