Oscar Nominations - Predictions for 1977...I mean 2016

'70s franchise films featuring Rocky Balboa, Mad Max and Han Solo factor into most of Thursday's nominations. It's been the most unpredictable award season in decades. The SAG, Critics and Golden Globe awards have differed dramatically, but bet on The Academy to act its own way— and bet on these picks below:

BEST PICTURE

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Brooklyn

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

Straight Outta Compton

Spoiler: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

DIRECTOR

Todd Haynes, Carol

Alejandro G. Inarritu, The Revenant

Thomas McCarthy, Spotlight

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Ridley Scott, The Martian

Spoiler: McKay, The Big Short

ACTOR

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Matt Damon, The Martian

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Michael B. Jordan, Creed

Spoiler: Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

ACTRESS

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Spoiler: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy Alicia Vikander bumps to lead for The Danish Girl

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation

Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight

Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Spoiler: Paul Dano, Love & Mercy or Benicio Del Toro, Sicario

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
 Rooney Mara, Carol

Helen Mirren, Trumbo

Alicia Vikander, Ex-Machina

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Spoiler: Jane Fonda, Youth

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short

Brooklyn

Carol

The Martian

Steve Jobs

Spoiler: Room

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Bridge of Spies

Ex Machina

The Hateful Eight

Inside Out

Spotlight

Spoiler: Straight Outta Compton or Sicario or Son of Saul

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bridge of Spies

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Sicario

Spoiler: The Martian

VISUAL EFFECTS

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Jurassic World

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Walk

The Martian

Spoiler: The Revenant

COSTUME DESIGN

Brooklyn

Carol

The Danish Girl

Cinderella

Mad Max: Fury Road

Spoiler: The Hateful Eight

FILM EDITING

The Big Short

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant

Spoiler: Spotlight

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Mad Max: Fury Road

Mr. Holmes

The Revenant

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Bridge of Spies

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

SOUND EDITING

Bridge of Spies

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

SOUND MIXING

Inside Out

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

VISUAL EFFECTS

Jurassic World

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Martian

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The Walk

  

ANIMATED

Anomalisa

The Good Dinosaur

Inside Out

The Peanuts Movie

Shaun The Sheep Movie

Spoiler: The Prophet

DOCUMENTARY

Amy

Best of Enemies

Cartel Land

Going Clear

The Look Of Silence

Spoilers: The Hunting Ground, Listen To Me Marlon

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The Brand New Testament, Belgium

Labyrinth of Lies, Germany

Mustang, Frande

Son Of Saul, Hungary

Viva, Ireland

Spoiler: Theeb, Jordan

ORIGINAL SCORE

Carol

Bridge of Spies

The Hateful Eight

Spotlight

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Spoiler: The Danish Girl

ORIGINAL SONG

See You Again, Furious 7

Til It Happens To You, The Hunting Ground  (Lady Gaga)

Simple Song #3, Youth

Flashlight, Pitch Perfect

Earned It, Fifty Shades

Spoiler: Love Me Like You Do, Fifty Shades

Golden Globe Predictions 2016

The Hollywood Foreign Press is as unpredictable as host Ricky Gervais, but I have an 82% correct prediction rate that could help you win your awards pool (or look really darn smart during the telecast). One prediction that I’ll get 100% correct: there will be no sweep this year. This group will spread the love across many movies.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

Prediction: Spotlight

Spoiler: Mad Max: Fury Road

Surprise: The Revenant

They’ll be tempted to stand out with an edgy pick, but bet on this collection of foreign journalists to choose a prestige film about truth in journalism

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Prediction: The Big Short

Spoiler: Trainwreck

Surprise: The Martian

20^th Century Fox’s decision to submit The Martian in the Comedy category should backfire and lose to a film with actual humor. Don’t be shocked if Trainwreck is this year’s Hangover, which won Best Motion Picture in this category in 2010.

Best Director – Motion Picture

Prediction: Ridley Scott, The Martian

Spoiler: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Surprise: George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

This is the year to celebrate Ridley Scott.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Prediction: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Spoiler: Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Surprise: Anyone else would be truly shocking

You don’t get attacked by a CGI bear and lose, unless you’re in a competition with Bryan Cranston of course.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Prediction: Brie Larson, Room

Spoiler: Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Surprise: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

Give Brie the edge for performing in this year’s most somber movie (Room) and funniest (Trainwreck). The Carol girls should cancel each other out.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Prediction: Christian Bale, The Big Short

Spoiler: Matt Damon, The Martian

Surprise: Steve Carell, The Big Short

Damon is in every scene of The Martian. That said, Christian Bale is more memorable.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy 

Prediction: Amy Schumer, Trainwreck

Spoiler: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Surprise: Lily Tomlin, Grandma

Truly the comedian of the year, Amy should win and everyone knows Jennifer Lawrence wants her to win as well.

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Prediction: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

Spoiler: Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Surprise: Paul Dano, Love & Mercy

I predict Oscar will be in Stallone’s corner, but I’m betting Mark Rylance’s captivating character edges Rocky out at the Globes.

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Prediction: Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Spoiler: Helen Mirren, Trumbo

Surprise: Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

A tough category, but this is their best chance to pick an edgy choice. Alicia’s performance in The Danish Girl gives her an edge of the more predictable choice of Helen Mirren.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Prediction: Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Spoiler: Adam McKay, The Big Short

Surprise: Emma Donoghue, Room

Best Original Score

Prediction: Ennio Morricone, The Hateful Eight

Spoiler: Carter Burwell, Carol

Surprise: Ryuichi Sakamoto Alva Noto, The Revenant

Best Original Song

Prediction: One Kind of Love, Love & Mercy

Spoiler: See You Again, Furious 7

Surprise: Love Me Like You Do, Fifty Shades of Grey

Best Animated Feature Film

Prediction: Inside Out

Spoiler: Anomalisa

Surprise: Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Motion Picture – Foreign Language 

Prediction: Son of Saul

Spoiler: Mustang

Surprise: The Club

The Big Short

A tall order.

When I look at the best films of 2015, I realize that Brooklyn had my heart Spotlight had my head and The Big Short got about everything else.

To put it shortly: It’s one my top five favorites of the past year. (Two thrillers, Bridge of Spies and Jurassic World, round out that list.)

It’s an impressive feat. Not only is this a film focused on the details of the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s but also it’s a tragic film from Adam McKay, a director known only for comedy. You may know his films: Step Brothers, Anchorman, Anchorman 2 and Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby.

The Big Short is a timely morality tale that explores the implications of opportunity and fraud, yet somehow it’s loads of fun. Hollywood: 1 Wall Street: 0.

Simply put: It’s a big, ambitious film that delivers.

Award potential: Expect Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Screenplay, Editing and more. Christian Bale has the edge as the stand out to grab a Supporting Actor nod. Expect the full cast to battle Spotlight for SAG’s ensemble award.

Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay for author Michael Lewis’ Moneyball found more brilliant ways to explain tough subjects, but Charles Randolph and Adam McKay’s take on Michael Lewis’ The Big Short was hilarious. It will be the front runner for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The ten buck review: Worth ten bucks