Predicting The 88th Annual Academy Awards

Achievement in Cinematography

“Carol” Ed Lachman
“The Hateful Eight” Robert Richardson
“Mad Max: Fury Road” John Seale
“The Revenant” Emmanuel Lubezki
“Sicario” Roger Deakins

Here we have another category that’s all wrapped up. Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki will make history by receiving his third Oscar in a row for his brilliant work on The Revenant, after having won the two previous years for Gravity and Birdman. This is confirmed by the fact that he has won a ton of critics’ awards, the BAFTA, and the American Society of Cinematographers’ top honor. Meanwhile, Roger Deakins will continue to make history by having zero wins out of 13 nominations.

Achievement in Film Editing

“The Big Short” Hank Corwin
“Mad Max: Fury Road” Margaret Sixel
“The Revenant” Stephen Mirrione
“Spotlight” Tom McArdle
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

For Film Editing, Mad Max: Fury Road has enjoyed a comfortable lead throughout awards season, picking up numerous awards from the critics, a BAFTA, and the American Cinema Editors’ award for dramatic film. With all of these, it looks as though it will have no trouble taking the Oscar. Alhough, once again, don’t count out The Revenant for the same reasons I stated earlier.

Adapted Screenplay

“The Big Short” Screenplay by Charles Randolph and Adam McKay
“Brooklyn” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“Carol” Screenplay by Phyllis Nagy
“The Martian” Screenplay by Drew Goddard
“Room” Screenplay by Emma Donoghue

This is another instance of an inexplicable frontrunner poised to take an undeserved Oscar. Randolph and McKay’s screenplay for The Big Short is nothing but a banking manual that doesn’t deserve to win over far superior nominees like Carol, Room, and The Martian (not to mention Steve Jobs, which was inexplicably left out). Unfortunately, given its success throughout the critics’ awards, plus its wins from BAFTA, and the USC Scripter (it also won at the WGA, but it didn’t have to go up against all of its competition), it looks like it will be taking the category. However, as we’ll see later, it also looks as though this is set to be its consolation prize…

Original Screenplay

“Bridge of Spies” Written by Matt Charman and Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
“Ex Machina” Written by Alex Garland
“Inside Out” Screenplay by Pete Docter, Meg LeFauve, Josh Cooley; Original story by Pete Docter, Ronnie del Carmen
“Spotlight” Written by Josh Singer & Tom McCarthy
“Straight Outta Compton” Screenplay by Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff; Story by S. Leigh Savidge & Alan Wenkus and Andrea Berloff

Just like with Adapted Screenplay, this is another instance where a lesser screenplay is going to be beating out superior nominees like Inside Out and Ex Machina. Like The Big Short, Spotlight has been enjoying immense popularity in this category, winning a ton of critics’ awards and the BAFTA (it too won the WGA, but didn’t have to go up against its tougher competition), making it the clear choice to take the category on the big night. However, it too would appear to be set up as the film’s consolation prize.