My 2016 Oscar Predictions!

image via Hollywood Reporter

For the first time in my entire life, I attempted to watch every single movie nominated for an Academy Award for this 88th Annual ceremony. It was an exhausting endeavor, one that I'm not sure I'd try to tackle again, but it was incredible to see the varying quality of nominees, particularly in categories like Documentary, Foreign, or Animated features. Not only will I successfully watch all 42 films + 15 short subjects by Sunday night (I have 3 left to go, marked with a * below), I've posted reviews for [almost] all of them, too! (click on the movie titles below to check out my thoughts in greater detail) The reviews that are missing will be posted within the coming weeks, but this is the very first year where I have an educated guess for all the categories, even those pesky short films. A mixed blessing, particularly when your favorites are not favored to win the top prize!

Every year, I post predictions somewhere online—anywhere I can—and my record isn't always so hot. This is especially true for our annual Oscar Party Pool, where I truly believe an upset just might happen, and that it'll be in my favor. My heart gets in the way of my head, and I just can't help rooting for the long shot. This year, though, many of my favorites have a pretty darn good chance of winning! So without further ado, I've posted by predictions for this year's Oscars below, tagging as follows:

✓ = My Prediction to Win
♥ = What I Wish Would Win

Don't forget to submit your picks, or share them in the comments below!

BEST PICTURE
• The Big Short
• Bridge of Spies
• Brooklyn
♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
✓ The Revenant
• Room
• Spotlight

BEST DIRECTOR
• Adam McKay, The Big Short
✓♥ George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
• Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant
• Lenny Abrahamson, Room
• Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

BEST ACTOR
• Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
• Matt Damon, The Martian
✓♥ Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
• Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
• Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

BEST ACTRESS
• Cate Blanchett, Carol
✓♥ Brie Larson, Room
• Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
• Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
• Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
• Christian Bale, The Big Short
♥ Tom Hardy, The Revenant
• Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
• Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
✓ Sylvester Stallone, Creed

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
• Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
• Rooney Mara, Carol
• Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
✓♥ Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
• Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
• Bridge of Spies
♥ Ex Machina
• Inside Out
✓ Spotlight
• Straight Outta Compton

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
✓ The Big Short
• Brooklyn
• Carol
• The Martian
♥ Room

BEST FOREIGN FILM
• Embrace of the Serpent *
✓♥ Mustang
• Son of Saul
• Theeb
• A War

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
✓ Amy
• Cartel Land
• The Look of Silence *
• What Happened, Miss Simone?
♥ Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
• Anomalisa
♥ Boy and the World
✓ Inside Out
• Shaun the Sheep Movie
• When Marnie Was There

BEST FILM EDITING
• The Big Short
✓♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Revenant
• Spotlight
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST SONG
• "Earned It," Fifty Shades of Grey
• "Manta Ray," Racing Extinction *
• "Writings on the Wall," Spectre
✓♥ "Til It Happens To You," The Hunting Ground
• "Simple Song #3," Youth

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
• Bridge of Spies
• Carol
✓♥ The Hateful Eight
• Sicario
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
♥ Ex Machina
• Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
• The Revenant
✓ Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
• Carol
• The Hateful Eight
♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
✓ The Revenant
• Sicario

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
• Carol
✓ Cinderella
• The Danish Girl
♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Revenant

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
✓♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared
• The Revenant

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
• Bridge of Spies
• The Danish Girl
✓♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
• The Revenant

BEST SOUND EDITING
✓♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
• The Revenant
• Sicario
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST SOUND MIXING
• Bridge of Spies
♥ Mad Max: Fury Road
• The Martian
✓ The Revenant
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens

BEST SHORT FILM: LIVE ACTION
• Ave Maria
• Day One
♥ Everything Will Be Okay
✓ Shok
• Stutterer

BEST SHORT FILM: ANIMATED
• Bear Story
• Prologue
• Sanjay's Super Team
♥ We Can't Live Without Cosmos
✓ World of Tomorrow

BEST SHORT FILM: DOCUMENTARY
• Body Team 12
• Chau, Beyond the Lines
• Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah
✓ A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness
♥ Last Day of Freedom