MoviefiedNYC’s in-your-face Oscar Predictions: Who Will and Should Win!

Here we are again, just a few short days away from the 88th Academy Awards.  For those of you who are doing some final research for that office pool and want to make a truly informed prediction, the Moviefied NYC team has done all of the leg work.  Managing Editors John David West and Myrna Duarte share their predictions along with Award Season Guru Ariadne Ansbro.  Below are our picks for who will win and which of the nominees should win, cause, as we know, Oscar can be a fickle mistress.

Best Picture: The Big Short, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Room, Spotlight.

• David: Who will win: This is one of the toughest years in recent memory to predict the winner—and I like it that way! I’m going to go with The Revenant winning, making Alejandro G. Iñárritu the first director to direct back-to-back Best Picture winners. Who Should Win: Spotlight was the most evenly excellent and riveting movie of the year.
• Myrna: Who will and should Win: The Revenant
• Ari: Who will Win: How is it that this is the toughest category for me to predict?!  The Big Short won the Producers Guild Award, Spotlight won the Screen Actors Guild Award, and The Revenant won the Golden Globe.  Statistically, the Producers Guild has correctly predicted the Best Picture winner in the eight of the last ten years, where as the SAGs have correctly predicted six of the last ten years. I am going to go out on a limb and say Spotlight.  To hell with statistics!  Who Should Win: For me the movie of the year was Spotlight.  Even though the audience knew exactly what the Boston Globe reports would find, this journalistic thriller still kept us rapt.

Best Director: Adam McKay, The Big Short, George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant, Lenny Abrahamson, Room, Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

• David: Who will win: This year’s directors are quite strong, so this is a tough one but I’m going to go with George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road. Who Should Win: I’m leaning towards Adam McKay for The Big Short.
• Myrna: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road – Teach those whipper snappers how to make a movie George.
• Ari: Who will win: Alejandro G. Iñárritu will be the first director since Jospeh L. Mankowitz to receive back-to-back directing Oscars for The Revenant.  Who Should Win: Lenny Abrahamson somehow took a book with an extremely depressing premise and directed a hopeful story in Room.

 

Best Actor: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo, Matt Damon, The Martian, Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant, Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs, Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl.

• David: Could, should, and will Leonardo DiCaprio for The Revenant. Missing from the nominees: Paul Dano, Love and Mercy.
• Myrna: Leonardo DiCaprio‘s day has arrived.
• Ari: Let’s face it, Leo is winning for his raspy voice and eating raw bison liver.  However, I really loved Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs.

 

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Carol, Brie Larson, Room, Jennifer Lawrence, Joy, Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years, Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

• David: Who will win: This year’s Oscar for pretty blond girl goes to Brie Larson. Who should Win: Cate Blanchett, Carol. Missing from this list is Rooney Mara, Carol and Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl.
• Myrna: Brie Larson, Room – Because BLar might even be cooler than JLaw and good.
• Ari: Who will win: Brie Larson‘s heartbreaking performance as a kidnap victim will rain supreme on Oscar night. Who should win: Saoirse Ronan‘s beautiful portrayal of an Irish immigrant in 1950s Brooklyn was the performance of the year.

Best Supporting Actor: Christian Bale, The Big Short, Tom Hardy, The Revenant, Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight, Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies,  Sylvester Stallone, Creed

• David: Who will win: Supporting Actor category is really tough this year—and this year’s Lifetime Achievement Award goes to Sylvester Stallone for Creed. Who Should Win: Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight, and or Mark Rylance. Possible upset: very deserving Tom Hardy for The Revenant.
• Myrna: Sylvester Stallone, Creed but I would not mind a Rylance upset.
• Ari: Who will win: Honestly, this is the toughest of the big categories for me.  The actor who won the SAG award was not nominated in this category and the actor who won the Golden Globe was not nominated by the Screen Actors Guild.  However, I am going to follow the party line and say that Sylvester Stallone will win for playing the underdog character that he created 40 years ago.  Who Should Win: Mark Rylance‘s nuanced performance as a Soviet spy in Bridge of Spies.

Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight, Rooney Mara, Carol, Rachel McAdams, Spotlight, Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl, Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs.

• David: Who will Win: This year’s Young Pretty Actress Award goes to Alicia Vikander for her excellent (lead roll) performance in The Danish Girl. Who Should Win: Kate Winslet for her (Supporting) roll Steve Jobs. Upset: Jennifer Jason Leigh.
• Myrna: Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs because she is so loved but my heart belongs to Rachel McAdams, Spotlight.
• Ari: Who will Win: Again, I am torn. This is truly a toss up between Kate Winslet and Alicia Vikander.  Winslet has won several awards for this film already, however, Vikander will probably win for the substantial role she played in The Danish Girl.   Who Should Win: Winslet was fantastic as the heart of Steve Jobs, the film and the man.

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Big Short, Brooklyn, Carol, The Martian, Room.

• David: Who will and should win: The Big Short.
• Myrna: Who will Win:  The Martian. Who Should Win: The Big Short.
• Ari: Who will Win: The Big Short will most likely get one of its only wins of the night in the category.  Who knew watching the demise of the American housing market could be so much fun?! Who Should Win: I read Brooklyn, I loved Brooklyn, so, Brooklyn.

Best Original Screenplay: Bridge of Spies, Ex Machina, Inside Out, Spotlight, Straight Outta Compton.

• David: Who will and should win: Spotlight. Upset: a win for Straight Outta Compton could make things interesting.
• Myrna: Ex Machina I ♥ Alex Garland
• Ari: Who will and should Win: Spotlight (starting to see a trend here?)

Best Animated Feature:  Anomalisa, Boy and the World, Inside Out, Shaun the Sheep Movie, When Marnie Was There.

• David: Inside Out will and should Win
• Myrna: Who will Win: Inside Out  Who Should Win: Anomalisa
• Ari: Who will Win: Inside Out will continue Pixar’s domination of this category.  Who Should Win: Shaun the Sheep Movie was adorable!!!!  I kinda loved it.

 Best Animated Short: Bear Story, Prologue, Sanjay’s Super Team, We Can’t Live Without Cosmos, World of Tomorrow

• David: Who will win: Sanjay’s Super Team.  Who should win: World of Tomorrow
• Myrna: World of Tomorrow hands down!
• Ari: Who will win: World of Tomorrow Who Should Win: Bear Story. What can I say?  I like bears.

Best Cinematography: Carol, The Hateful Eight, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Sicario.

• David: Who will win: If The Revenant wins this will three years in a row for Emmanuel Lubezki. Who Should Win: Edward Lachmann’s stylized look for Carol.
• Myrna: Who will win: Tough category, The Revenant will win but Sicario is nipping at its heals.
• Ari: Who will win: The Revenant will most likely win, for its use of natural light and beautiful photography.  Who Should Win: Carol was eye candy for me.  That is the true winner.

Best Costume Design: Carol, Cinderella, The Danish Girl, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant.

• David: Who will win: the winner is The Mad Costume Showcase  Cinderella. I kid! I think the winner will be The Danish Girl. Who should win: Mad Max for its mad-creative, found-object costume design.
• Myrna: Who will win: Carol.  Who Should Win:  Mad Max: Fury Road‘s design is mind blowing.
• Ari: who will and should Win: Carol’s gorgeous 1950s designs were exquisite.  I am all for this win!

Best Documentary — Feature: Amy, Cartel Land, The Look of Silence, What Happened, Miss Simone?, Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.

• David: Who will Win: Amy.  Who Should Win: This is tough, as they were all quite good, but I have to go with The Look of Silence.
• Myrna: Who will Win: Amy,  I loved getting to know her. Who Should Win: What Happened, Miss Simone? A woman so head of her time.
• Ari: Who will Win: Amy will most likely win for its look into at an artist who could not handle her fame.  Who Should Win:  I really enjoyed Winter on Fire, so I will have to go with that.

Best Documentary—Short: Body Team 12, Chau Behind the Lines, Claude Lanzman, A Girl in the River, Last Day of Freedom

• David: Who will win: A Girl in the River.  Who should win: The nominees in this category are all very compelling documentaries, but A Girl in the River felt immediately important, stirring, and insightful.
• Myrna: Who will win: A Girl in the River.  Who Should Win: Body Team 12.
• Ari: Who will and should win: A Girl in the River feels a lot like a previous winner in this category, Saving Face (2011) about women in the Islamic world whose husbands throw acid on them.  Another film which makes me appreciate all of the freedom that I have.

Best Film Editing: The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Spotlight, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

• David: Who will win: The Big Short. Who should win: The Big Short.
• Myrna: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road 
• Ari: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road will reign supreme.  Who should win: The Big Short was put together in a way that made me feel a bit like I actually understood sub-prime mortgages.  That is Oscar worthy.

Best Foreign Language Film: Embrace of the Serpent, Mustang, Son of Saul, Theeb, A War.

• David: Who will win: Son of Saul.  Who should win: Son of Saul.
• Myrna: Who will win: Son of Saul.  Who should win: Mustang.
• Ari: Who will and totally should win: Son of Saul.

Best Live Action Short: Ave Maria, Day One, Everything Will Be Okay, Shok, Stutterer.

• David: Who will win: I’m predicting Shok. Who should win: Shok.
• Myrna: Who will win: Shok  Who should win: Day One
• Ari: Who will win: Shok  Who should win: Stutterer, I have a soft spot for movies about characters with speech impediments.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling: Mad Max, The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out a Window and Disappeared, The Revenant

• David: Who will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road, Who should win: Mad Max. It’s insult to all the brilliant Makeup and Hairstylist that the Oscars can’t find five nominees.
• Myrna: Who will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road  Who Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road two words, War Boys!
• Ari: Who will and should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road had some pretty amazing makeup on every single character.  This will most likely be one of many technical awards Mad Max will win.

Best Original Score: Bridge of Spies, Carol, The Hateful Eight, Sicario, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

• David: Who will Win: For sure Ennio Morricone will win his first competitive Oscar for The Hateful Eight. Who should win: Morricone!
• Myrna: Who will Win: The Hateful Eight.  Who Should Win: Sicario
• Ari:  Who will win: Ennio Morricone has been nominated six times since 1979 and has never won a competitive Oscar (He received an honorary Oscar in 2007).  Look for him to win for his career as opposed to just the work he did on The Hateful Eight.   Who should win: I honestly was not blown away by any of the scores this year.  I will abstain.

Best Original Song: “Earned It,” 50 Shades Of Grey, “Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction, “Simple Song #3,” Youth, “Til It Happens to You,” The Hunting Ground, “Writing’s on the Wall,” Spectre.

• David: Who will win: The Oscars love to award a pop stars, so this year it will go to Lady Gaga, Diane Warren for “Til It Happens to You,” The Hunting Ground. It’s been a good year so far for Gaga! Who Should Win: Gaga!
• Myrna: Who will Win: “Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction. Who should win: “Manta Ray,” Racing Extinction.
• Ari: Who will Win: “Til It Happens to You”, The Hunting Ground.  I am sure that the Academy will continue its trend of awarding superstars with Oscars in this category (see Adele, Eminem, Three 6 Mafia).  Congrats, Lady Gaga.    Who Should Win: “Writing’s on the Wall”, Spectre.  Hey, it was the only thing good to come out of Spectre.

Best Production Design: Bridge of Spies, The Danish Girl, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant.

• David: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road. Who should win: Mad Max: Fury Road.
• Myrna: Who will and should:  Mad Max: Fury Road. 
• Ari: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road  Who should Win: Creating the terrain of Mars in The Martian was pretty incredible.  I really wish that the film would receive accolades for that, however, it won’t.

Best Sound Editing: Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Sicario, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

• David: Who will and should win: Seems like a no-brainer to me, Mad Max: Fury Road.
• Myrna: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road.  Who should win: Mad Max: Fury Road.
• Ari: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road will continue to rake in the technical awards.  Who should win: I think that The Martian should see some love in this category.

Best Sound Mixing: Bridge of Spies, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Star Wars: The Force Awakens

• David: Who will win: it’s going to be a tech sweep for Mad Max: Fury Road, and it should be that way!
• Myrna: Who will win:  The Revenant. Who should win: Mad Max: Fury Road.
• Ari: Who will win: Mad Max: Fury Road, again who should Win: The Martian.

Best Visual Effects: Ex Machina, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Martian, The Revenant, Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

• David: Who will Win: This could be the one chance for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Who Should Win: Ex Machina.
• Myrna: Who will win:  The Revenant  Who should win: Ex Machina. 
• Ari: Who will win:  I am pretty sure that Star Wars: The Force Awakens will walk away with this one. Who should win: Ex-Machina was so cool!!!!!  This is a category where cool should win!

The 88th Academy Awards will be announced on Sunday, February 28 on ABC. Join MoviefiedNYC for live streaming at @MoviefiedNYC