2016 Oscar Predictions

In keeping with prior years, I have listed my Oscar Predictions in three categories: WILL WIN, my best guess of what is on the cards, COULD WIN, a likely option- and finally SHOULD WIN, my personal selection. There are also some films and performances that I felt are missing from consideration.

Oscar Predictions

Best picture:
Will Win: The Revenant
Could Win: Spotlight or The Big Short
Should Win: The Big Short
Missing: Inside Out; Sicario; Steve Jobs

Best Actor:
Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
Could Win: No one, but Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
Should Win: Matt Damon – The Martian (but Leo needs an Oscar, so just give him the prize)
Missing: Michael B. Jordan – Creed; Jason Segal – End of the Tour

Best Actress
Will Win: Brie Larson – Room
Could Win: Saiorse Ronan – Brooklyn
Should Win: Saiorse Ronan – Brooklyn
Missing: Julliette Binoche – Clouds of Sils Maria; Emily Blunt – Sicario

Best Actor in a supporting Role:
Will Win: Sylvester Stallone – Creed
Could Win: Tom Hardy – The Revenant
Should Win: Christian Bale – The Big Short or Stallone
Missing: Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation; Benecio Del Toro – Sicario; Jeff Daniels – Steve Jobs; Walter Goggins – The Hateful Eight

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Will Win: Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl
Could Win: Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs or Rooney Mara – Carol
Should Win: Kate Winslet – Steve Jobs
Missing: Kristen Stewart – Clouds of Sils Maria; Chloë Grace Moretz – Clouds of Sils Maria; Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina

Best Director
Will Win: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu – The Revenant
Could Win: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win: George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road or Adam McKay – The Big Short
Missing: Dennis Venueville – Sicario; John Crowley – Brooklyn

Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Spotlight – Tom McCarthy & Josh Singer
Could Win: Inside Out –
Should Win: Inside Out
Missing: Mistress America – Noah Baumbach & Greta Gerwig

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will Win: The Big Short – Adam McKay & Charles Randolph
Could Win: Room – Emma Donahue
Should Win: The Big Short
Missing: Steve Jobs – Aaron Sorkin

Best Cinematography
Will Win: Emmanuel Lubezki – The Revenant
Could Win: John Seale – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win: John Seale – Mad Max: Fury Road or Roger Deakins – Sicario
Missing: Alwin Küchler – Steve Jobs

Best Costume Design
Will Win: Sandy Powell – Cinderella
Could Win: Sandy Powell – Carol or Jenny Beaven – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win: Sandy Powell for either film
Missing: Crimson Peak

Best Film Editing
Will Win: Margaret Sixel – Mad Max: Fury Road
Could Win: Hank Corwin – The Big Short
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Missing: Elliot Graham – Steve Jobs

Best Production Design
Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Could Win: Bridge of Spies
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Missing: Crimson Peak; Inside Out

Best Original Score
Will Win: Ennio Morricone – The Hateful Eight
Could Win: John Williams – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should Win: Ennio Morricone- The Hateful Eight
Missing: Michael Giochino – Inside Out; Junkie XL – Mad Max: Fury Road; Daniel Pemberton- Steve Jobs

Best Original Song
Will Win: “Til it Happens to You” from The Hunting Ground – Music & Lyrics by Lady Gaga & Diane Warren
Could Win: “Writings on the Wall” from Spectre – Music & Lyrics by Jimmy Napes and Sam Smith OR “Earned It” from Fifty Shades of Grey – Music & Lyrics by The Weeknd, Ahmad Balshe, Jason Quenneville, & Steven Moccio
Should Win: “Til it Happens to You”
Missing: “See You Again” from Furious 7 – Written by Justin Franks, Andrew Cedar, Charlie Puth, and Cameron Thomaz (Wiz Khalifa); “Feels Like Summer” from Shaun the Sheep Movie – Written by Ilan Eskeri, Nick Hodgson, & Tim Wheeler

Best Visual Effects
Will Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Could Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Missing: The Kingsman: The Secret Service; Avengers: Age of Ultron; Ant-Man

Best Sound Mixing
Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Could Win: The Revenant or Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road or Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Missing: Avengers: Age of Ultron; Ant-Man; Straight Outta Compton

Best Sound Editing
Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
Could Win: The Revenant or Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Should Win: Mad Max: Fury Road or Sicario
Missing: Avengers: Age of Ultron; Inside Out