Since the Toronto International Film Festival, everyone who runs a film website has been speculating what will be scoring nominations at the upcoming Academy Awards. We analyze, overanalyze, and second guess ourselves with every single nomination that comes out from guilds and critics groups. Because what is more fun than being right? This year has been really difficult to be right, with curveballs being thrown every single day. Three weeks ago, Spotlight was the clear frontrunner to win. Now, it’s lost the Golden Globe, and people were wondering if Tom McCarthy would even be nominated by the Directors Guild of America (he was).

Last week, I made predictions for the “major” categories, but this is going to cover it all (except the three shorts, because those are impossible to predict): Best Picture to Best Visual Effects. Changes have been made since my initial prediction posts, as they should, but this is my final list. Well, it would have to be since tomorrow is the day the nominations get announced. Let’s hope I do well.

Best Picture

1. The Big Short
2. The Revenant
3. The Martian
4. Spotlight
5. Mad Max: Fury Road
6. Bridge of Spies
7. Carol
8. Room
9. Straight Outta Compton
10. Brooklyn

Best Director

• Alejandro González Iñárritu – The Revenant
• Tom McCarthy – Spotlight
• Adam McKay – The Big Short
• George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
• Ridley Scott – The Martian

Best Actress

• Cate Blanchett – Carol
• Brie Larson – Room
• Charlotte Rampling – 45 Years
• Saoirse Ronan – Brooklyn
• Alicia Vikander – The Danish Girl

Note: I think the Academy will place Vikander as a lead in this film to follow suit with the Globes and BAFTA. Rooney Mara, who was also in category trouble, I think will remain in supporting to not compete with her costar.

Best Actor

• Steve Carell – The Big Short
• Bryan Cranston – Trumbo
• Leonardo DiCaprio – The Revenant
• Michael Fassbender – Steve Jobs
• Eddie Redmayne – The Danish Girl

Best Supporting Actress

• Jennifer Jason Leigh – The Hateful Eight
• Rooney Mara – Carol
• Helen Mirren – Trumbo
• Alicia Vikander – Ex Machina
• Kate Winlset – Steve Jobs

Best Supporting Actor

• Christian Bale – The Big Short
• Idris Elba – Beasts of No Nation
• Mark Rylance – Bridge of Spies
• Sylvester Stallone – Creed
• Jacob Tremblay – Room

Best Original Screenplay

• Bridge of Spies
• Ex Machina
• The Hateful Eight
• Inside Out
• Spotlight

Best Adapted Screenplay

• The Big Short
• Brooklyn
• The Martian
• Room
• Steve Jobs

Best Animated Feature

• Anomalisa
• The Good Dinosaur
• Inside Out
• The Peanuts Movie
• Shaun the Sheep Movie

Best Foreign Language Film

• The Brand New Testament
• Labyrinth of Lies
• Mustang
• Son of Saul
• Theeb

Best Documentary Feature

• Amy
• Cartel Land
• He Named Me Malala
• Listen to Me Marlon
• The Look of Silence

Categories: AwardsTags: 45 Years, Academy Awards, Amy, Anomalisa, Beasts of No Nation, Black Mass, Bridge of Spies, Brooklyn, Carol, Cartel Land, Cinderella, Creed, Ex Machina, featured, Fifty Shades of Grey, Furious 7, He Named Me Malala, Inside Out, Jurassic World, Labyrinth of Lies, Mad Max: Fury Road, Mustang, Oscars, Room, Shaun the Sheep Movie, Sicario, Son of Saul, Spectre, Spotlight, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Steve Jobs, Straight Outta Compton, The Big Short, The Brand New Testament, The Danish Girl, The Hateful Eight, The Hunting Ground, The Look of Silence, The Martian, The Peanuts Movie, The Revenant, The Walk, Theeb, Trumbo, Youth