Best Picture
will win: The Big Short
should win: The Martian or Bridge of Spies. this award is judged on production; i judge it on totality. The Martian and Bridge of Spies were the most entertaining films of the year.
Best Director
will win: Alejandro G Inarritu, The Revenant
should win: apart from Adam McKay, everyone deserves it. the lengths Inarritu went to shoot his epic. the orchestrated chaos of Mad Max: Fury Road. Tom McCarthy elicited consistently strong performances from an ensemble cast and made a film that's hard to dislike. Room could be half as good in another director's hands.
Best Actor
will win: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
should win: Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl. many thespians probably can play a woman. Redmayne played a man with hints of a woman who becomes a woman knowing she's still a man - with all the complexities and subtleties in between. DiCaprio's performance seemed externally induced; Redmayne's was internalised. in drama school we consider the latter superior.
Best Actress
will win: Brie Larson, Room
should win: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy. i knocked on her Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle acclaim. but here, she's really really good. magnum opus, if you like.
Best Supporting Actor
will win: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
should win: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies. once in a while a non-lead consumes a film through sheer brilliance, à la Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) and Francis Ng (Infernal Affairs 2).
Best Supporting Actress
will win: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
should win: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl. a role as complex as Redmayne's (Rooney Mara would have a chance if her eyes weren't so distracting).
Best Original Screenplay
will win: Spotlight
should win: Bridge of Spies. both are by far the best, but Spotlight loses out a little by having the actual reportage as reference.
Best Adapted Screenplay
will win: The Big Short
should win: The Big Short
will win: The Big Short
should win: The Martian or Bridge of Spies. this award is judged on production; i judge it on totality. The Martian and Bridge of Spies were the most entertaining films of the year.
Best Director
will win: Alejandro G Inarritu, The Revenant
should win: apart from Adam McKay, everyone deserves it. the lengths Inarritu went to shoot his epic. the orchestrated chaos of Mad Max: Fury Road. Tom McCarthy elicited consistently strong performances from an ensemble cast and made a film that's hard to dislike. Room could be half as good in another director's hands.
Best Actor
will win: Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
should win: Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl. many thespians probably can play a woman. Redmayne played a man with hints of a woman who becomes a woman knowing she's still a man - with all the complexities and subtleties in between. DiCaprio's performance seemed externally induced; Redmayne's was internalised. in drama school we consider the latter superior.
Best Actress
will win: Brie Larson, Room
should win: Jennifer Lawrence, Joy. i knocked on her Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle acclaim. but here, she's really really good. magnum opus, if you like.
Best Supporting Actor
will win: Sylvester Stallone, Creed
should win: Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies. once in a while a non-lead consumes a film through sheer brilliance, à la Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight) and Francis Ng (Infernal Affairs 2).
Best Supporting Actress
will win: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
should win: Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl. a role as complex as Redmayne's (Rooney Mara would have a chance if her eyes weren't so distracting).
Best Original Screenplay
will win: Spotlight
should win: Bridge of Spies. both are by far the best, but Spotlight loses out a little by having the actual reportage as reference.
Best Adapted Screenplay
will win: The Big Short
should win: The Big Short