And the Winner Is...(2016 Edition)

88^th Academy Award Predictions

It is that time of year again, my faithful readers, where I get to sit here and choose my winners of the Academy Awards. I think I did awesome last year with my top category predictions only really missing the screenplay awards.  Like last year, I will give my predictions for the top categories: Best Adapted/Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor/Actress, Best Actor/Actress, Best Director, and of course Best Picture. Like last year, please comment on my predictions. Tell me how close I am or how way far off the mark you think I am.

Best Original Screenplay:

Winner—Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for Spotlight

I think the buzz for this film came at about the right time.  The true story about a group of journalists in Boston that exposed the biggest scandal of the Catholic Church. I thought the script was very well put together, giving the film an All the President’s Men feel.

Should Win—Alex Garland for Ex Machina

This is a purely selfish pick. I absolutely loved this film and I thought that the film presented a tired film subject matter and breathed beautiful, thought-provoking new life into it. Is artificial intelligence a good or bad thing? How can we really tell? Garland did a great job of making this film more about human interaction than anything close to resembling The Terminator.

Best Adapted Screenplay:

Winner/Should Win—Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for The Big Short

McKay and Randolph adapted the book The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis (author of Moneyball). The book is about the 2007 Market crash, but the adaptation that McKay and Randolph provide is one that takes this depressing and complicated situation and flips it on its end. McKay and Randolph simplify it and at times make the situation funny, an almost impossible job given how many lives were affected negatively.

Best Supporting Actress:

Winner—Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

Oscar favorite Kate Winslet will walk away with this Oscar for her portrayal of Joanna Hoffman, Steve Jobs’ marketing manager. No doubt that Winslet was magnificent in this film and is very deserved of this nomination, I just don’t think she really should win.

Should Win—Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)

Vikander has been a force to reckon with this year with such great performances from Ex Machina to Testament of Youth and even The Man from U.N.C.L.E. I think that it is high time to give this young lady her due and hand her that golden statue.

Best Supporting Actor:

Winner/Should Win—Tom Hardy (The Revenant)

Hardy was brilliant as the villainous frontiersman, John Fitzgerald. But like Vikander, I think that Hardy has had a great year and I think this little statue with just capitalize the talent that oozes out of Hardy with every role he takes. With this film, Hardy takes on a thick Texas drawl and transforms into one of the most memorable movie villains.

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

Winner—Cate Blanchett (Carol)

Another Oscar familiar face, Blanchett’s take of a woman in the 1950s who falls in love with another woman. Like Winslet, I believe that Blanchett is amazing in everything she does and this film is no different. The downside to this is I think that she will win because of how daring the role is and Oscar is having a lot of political upheaval right now.

Should Win—Brie Larson (Room)

Larson should ride this acclaim wave that started with her Golden Globe win back in January. Larson portrays a woman imprisoned with her 5 year-old son in a little room underground. When they finally break free, the film focuses on how Larson and her son need to find a normal for them. Larson does a marvelous job of being two people in the film. The first being the strong mother who gives courage to her son and the second is the fragile woman that needs to find a steady person of her own.

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Winner/Should Win—Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

Come on Academy members, get this one right! DiCaprio has only gotten better over many years of Oscar speculation and this role is his best by far. I think DiCaprio put his heart and soul into this role and he should be rewarded accordingly. The pure will to live that exudes from the screen is something that is not easy. If DiCaprio is robbed this year, I give up all hope on the Academy Awards!

Best Director:

Winner-- Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant)

Last year’s winner of the same award will walk away with his second Oscar. Iñárritu holds nothing back in his very brutal envision of this revenge story. The director also takes us to harsh locations and makes it seem that the audience is suffering right along with the film’s protagonist. Though as harsh as those locations were, Iñárritu displays such beauty with a lot of wide shots that are displayed amongst this film.

Should Win—George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)

How cool would this be? An “out of left field” winner like the director of a Mad Max film. Don’t get me wrong I think that Miller was outstanding in his writing and direction of this post-apocalyptic epic, but like Christopher Nolan and The Dark Knight, the Academy doesn’t fare to well for summer blockbusters…not matter how well the film is done.

Best Picture:

Winner—Spotlight

As I mentioned a little bit ago, I think this film caught the praise waive at just the right time. I also think that this film is put together very well and touches the audience in a very real way. For more on my thoughts about this film please click here.

Should Win—The Revenant

To me, this film has Oscar written all over it. Beautifully directed, brilliantly acted, and the scenery is so breathtaking. The film never bores and yet it tells a very overly told story of revenge and redemption. As with Spotlight, if you would like to check out my full review of The Revenant, please click here.

Well until next year, let’s try and enjoy this year’s ceremony and remember that we are all watching to celebrate the art of filmmaking, not trying to watch a political battle.  Like I said, please let me know if you agree/disagree with any of my predictions. I love hearing from my followers.