The movies that premiered in 2015 aren’t the only thing generating Oscar buzz. Another year of ‘whiteout’ nominations has ignited a cry for diversity, including a group of celebrities boycotting this year’s award ceremony.
Meanwhile, the plebeians can get kicks and giggles by trying to make sense of the brain teaser that is predicting who will take home golden statuettes this Sunday night at 7:30 p.m.
Here are my predictions for what’s going to go down at the Dolby Theatre this weekend:
BEST PICTURE:
The eight films in this category are all deserving of their nominations, but only a few are actual contenders for this award. While “Brooklyn,” “Room” and “Bridge of Spies” are great, they are at the bottom of the category’s totem pole and easily counted out. “The Big Short,” “The Martian” and “Mad Max: Fury Road” have all generated the appropriate financial and critical success, but, in the end, it’s going to be a photo finish between “The Revenant” and “Spotlight” for the night’s top honor.
Last semester, “Spotlight” seemed to be the distinct frontrunner for this category, but “The Revenant” has done nothing but gain momentum since it won the Golden Globe, confirming the shift in voter loyalty. It seems “Spotlight” will suffer the same fate as “Boyhood” did last year when paired against an Iñárritu film, despite it being the cookie-cutter Oscar Best Picture film. However, never put it past the Academy to pull an upset in the most prestigious category of the night.
Will win: “The Revenant”
Should win: “Spotlight”
BEST DIRECTOR:
Sadly, this category has one of the biggest snubs— leaving out Ridley Scott for his work in “The Martian.” This is film veteran George Miller’s first Best Director nomination from the Academy. Meanwhile, Iñárritu is fresh off his win for Best Director at last year’s Oscars and is sitting in a very comfortable seat entering into this year’s award ceremony. The last time a director won back-to-back Oscars was in 1951, and never has anyone directed consecutive Best Pictures. Will the Academy make history with Iñárritu or spread the wealth and reward Miller for reviving his old franchise?
Will win: Alejandro Iñárritu
Could win: George Miller
BEST ACTOR:
And to no one’s surprise, the Oscar will go to…Leonardo DiCaprio! If you haven’t already been spending the past 20-plus years doing this, get your acceptance speech ready, Leo. If you’re putting money on the Oscars, this category is a safe bet.
Will win: Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)
Could win: Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”)
BEST ACTRESS:
No offense to Charlotte Rampling’s performance, but who has even heard of “45 Years?” We can count her out by default, along with Jennifer Lawrence and Cate Blanchett. It’s all going to boil down to the performances of up-and-coming actresses Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan, but I think the Golden Globe, British Academy Film, and Screen Actors Guild wins indicate that Larson will deservingly be our winner for her role in “Room.” The movie is a favorite with the Oscar voters and was one of my favorite films of the year, so #TeamBrie because this will probably be the only hardware the film leaves with.
Will win: Brie Larson (“The Room”)
Should win: Saoirse Ronan (“Brooklyn”)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Last year, the supporting actor category was a sure win for J.K. Simmons. This year, it’s one of the most uncertain races of the night. Victory has been all over the place this award season with Sylvester Stallone winning the Globe, Mark Rylance winning the BAFTA, and Idris Elba, who isn’t even nominated, winning the SAG, which is usually considered to be the best indicator for whom the Academy will pick. Plus, with the buzz “The Revenant” has created, it would be unwise to rule out Tom Hardy. However, I have an inkling that after 40 years, Rocky Balboa is finally going to get the big win at the Oscars that he didn’t in 1976.
Will win: Sylvester Stallone
Could win: Mark Rylance
BEST SUPORTING ACTRESS:
This one is tricky. Kate Winslet took home the Globe, but they had placed two of these nominees, Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander, in the leading actress category. At the BAFTAs and SAGs it was a split between Winslet and Vikander, respectively. It’s the classic seasoned veteran vs. the newcomer, and I think the fact that Vikander could have also been nominated for her role in “Ex Machina” will sway the voters to acknowledge her incredible rookie year.
Will Win: Alicia Vikander
Could Win: Kate Winslet
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:
Pixar’s “Inside Out” is arguably the most original on the list, but I doubt the Academy gives this weighty award to an animated film. Besides, this would be the most suiting category to honor the “Spotlight” crew’s superior filmmaking, since I don’t think they will elsewhere.
Will win: “Spotlight”
Could Win: “Inside Out”
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:
When the nominations for this category were announced and Aaron Sorkin’s Golden Globe-winning screenplay for “ Steve Jobs” wasn’t on the list, it made predicting this category a whole lot easier. The fast-paced, energetic screenplay written by Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for “The Big Short” will earn this enjoyable film’s only Oscar of the night.
Will win: “The Big Short”
Could win: “The Martian”
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE:
And to no one’s surprise, the Oscar will go to“Inside Out.” Congratulations Pixar, for ending your two-year rut by rendering everyone else in this category irrelevant.
Will win: “Inside Out”
Should win: “Inside Out”
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Going for a three-peat is Emmanuel Lubezki. And all signs seem to indicate that he’s going to actually do it.
Will Win: Emmanuel Lubezki (“The Revenant”)
Should Win: Emmanuel Lubezki (“The Revenant”)
For the rest I’ll keep it simple:
Editing: – “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Best Score: – Ennio Morricone (“The Hateful Eight”)
Best Song: – “Til It Happens To You” (“The Hunting Ground”)
Production Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Costume Design: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Makeup and Hairstyling: “Mad Max: Fury Road”
Sound Editing: “The Revenant”
Sound Mixing: “The Revenant”
Best Visual Effects: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Foreign Language Film: “Son of Saul”
Best Documentary Feature: “Amy”
Best Documentary Short Subject: “The Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness”
Best Live Action Short Film: “Shok”
Best Animated Short Film: “World of Tomorrow”
Signed, your resident movie critic.
– Mary Moses Hitt
