OSCAR PREDICTIONS (1st of 2)

The Shorts:
Animated: World of Tomorrow (this is the only short I've seen)
Documentary: Body Team 12
Live Action: Shok

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

EMBRACE OF THE SERPENT (COLOMBIA)

MUSTANG (FRANCE)

SON OF SAUL (HUNGARY)

THEEB (JORDAN)

A WAR (DENMARK)

Will Win: Son of Saul

I haven't seen any of these, though I plan on seeing Mustang, Saul and Serpent.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

AMY

CARTEL LAND

THE LOOK OF SILENCE

WHAT HAPPENED, MISS SIMONE?

WINTER ON FIRE: UKRAINE'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM

Will Win: Amy, continuing the trend of music themed documentaries winning.

I'd Vote For: Amy's a fine winner, but The Look of Silence is much better. (Those are the only two I've seen.)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

ANOMALISA 

BOY AND THE WORLD

INSIDE OUT

SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE

WHEN MARNIE WAS THERE

Will Win: Inside Out

I'd Vote For: Inside Out. (I've only seen that and Shaun, which was fun.)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

"EARNED IT" - FIFTY 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

Will Win: "Til It Happens To You" and thus Lady Gaga becomes an Oscar winner.
I'd Vote For: I think "Earned It" is probably the best of the lot, but I'd still vote for Gaga.
Should Have Been Nominated: "Love Me Like You Do" is the superior song from Fifty Shades of Grey.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

BRIDGE OF SPIES

CAROL

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

SICARIO

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Will Win: The Hateful Eight
I'd Vote For: Sicario's moody score is one of the year's best. (Carol is the only nominee I haven't seen in this category.)
Should Have Been Nominated: It Follows and it should have won.

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

EX MACHINA

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE MARTIAN

THE REVENANT

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Will Win: This is tough. There's statistic that says anytime a Best Picture nominee is nominated here it will win. That would give the edge to Mad Max as I don't think The Revenant's bear attack is enough to score it a win. However, Star Wars has the most effects and seems like a choice that Academy would make. Rules are made to be broken, so I'll hesitantly predict a Star Wars victory.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Have Been Nominated: Despite it being mediocre and a flop, Tomorrowland had some stellar effects.

BEST SOUND EDITING

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE MARTIAN

THE REVENANT

SICARIO

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Will Win: Between The Revenant and Mad Max: Fury Road, I'm predicting The Revenant to take it.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Have Been Nominated: Creed would have been a great addition to either sound category.

BEST SOUND MIXING

BRIDGE OF SPIES

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE MARTIAN

THE REVENANT

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Will Win: I'm predicting a split between the sound categories, so Mad Max: Fury Road wins this. I'm hoping voters don't forgive those ADR issues plaguing The Revenant. (I mean, remember the never ending tirade against Interstellar last year because of the IMAX sound issues?)

I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Have Been Nominated: Sicario should have been in here, too.

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE 100-YEAR-OLD MAN WHO CLIMBED OUT THE WINDOW AND DISAPPEARED

THE REVENANT

Will Win: Another race between Max and Revenant, but Max's makeup is far showier and Revenant is a little been there, done that. Max wins.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road (I haven't seen that 100-Year-Old-Whatever movie.)
Should Have Been Nominated: Crimson Peak

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

BRIDGE OF SPIES

THE DANISH GIRL

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE MARTIAN

THE REVENANT

Will Win: Mad Max: Fury Road
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Have Been Nominated: Crimson Peak

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

CAROL

CINDERELLA

THE DANISH GIRL

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE REVENANT

Will Win: Cinderella would be the typical winner, but Mad Max actually have very showy designs. Max wins.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road (Carol is the only nominee I haven't seen in this category.)
Should Have Been Nominated: Crimson Peak. And it should have won.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

CAROL

THE HATEFUL EIGHT

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE REVENANT

SICARIO

Will Win: The Revenant, marking a threepeat for Chivo.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road, though Sicario would be a deserving win, too.
Should Have Been Nominated: It Follows, a film whose cinematography either makes or breaks the entire film.

BEST FILM EDITING

THE BIG SHORT

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

THE REVENANT

SPOTLIGHT

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

Will Win: The Big Short might pull off a win here, but Mad Max is just ahead of it.
I'd Vote For: Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Have Been Nominated: It Follows

And that's all for now.