Oscars 2016! Who Should Win vs Who Will Win!

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   It’s finally time! The Oscars are this Sunday! 2015 was an awesome year for both blockbusters and dramas alike. People across the country are watching as many movies as possible before this Sunday and filling out their personal ballots. So who do I think is going to win big this Sunday night? Who should win? Here’s what I think!

​Original Screenplay
   Ex Machina was by far the most original and intuitive screenplay of 2015. It had a very interesting concept that was executed magnificently. Throughout the entire film, there are only about three characters, and that is all the story needed. You were invested in these characters. You were genuinely on the edge of your seat to see what was going to happen next. This is mainly due to the film’s fantastic dialogue. Ex Machina is one of the most original films in recent history, and it deserves this award.
    While Ex Machina should win the Oscar, the Academy will give it to Spotlight. Which I have no problems with. Spotlight is a brilliantly written film. It also has fantastic characters and even better dialogue. The only reason I prefer Ex Machina is because Spotlight was based on a true story. That story had actually happened, so obviously the screenwriters had something to go off of. Ex Machina was a purely original film. Therefore, it should win the Oscar for Original Screenplay. 
Verdict:
Should Win: Ex Machina
Will Win: Spotlight

​Adapted Screenplay
   When the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards were announced. I was convinced that The Martian would win the award for Adapted Screenplay. But then I saw a little film called Room. Now, I believe that Room will win the Oscar, deservedly so.
    Room has arguably the best screenplay of the year. I haven’t read the book, but I’ve heard the book is just as good. The concept of Room is one that could very easily bite off more than it can chew. However, this film managed to pull it off extremely well. It’s going to win the Oscar, and I’ve no objection to that.
Verdict:
Should Win: Room
Will Win: Room

​Visual Effects
   The Oscar for visual effects is usually a difficult one to predict. However, this year a little film called Star Wars: The Force Awakens came out. Star Wars is known for its advancements in visual effects. The Force Awakens used a mixture of practical and digital effects to great effect. Also, the Academy received a bit of backlash from the mainstream movie audience when The Force Awakens wasn’t nominated for Best Picture.
   However, Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn’t deserve this Oscar. This Oscar deserves to go to Ex Machina. While there weren’t a lot of visual effects, those that were there were seamless. You don’t notice them at all, which is kind of the point of visual effects. They have to be believable. Which Ex Machina’s definitely were.
Verdict:
Should Win: Ex Machina
Will Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Music (Original Score)
   The music in a film is one of the most important parts. A good musical score can turn a good film into a great one. One of the best musical scores in history is that of Star Wars. It’s such a fitting score to such an amazing series. All of the classic scores and new ones in The Force Awakens worked perfectly. That is why Star Wars: The Force Awakens is going to win this Oscar.
   That doesn’t mean that it should win. Personally, I believe that The Hateful Eight should win the Oscar for Best Original Score. The music in Quentin Tarantino’s latest endeavor worked incredibly well. It was so unnerving, and it really helped build the tension in this film. It deserves to win the Oscar. If Star Wars hadn’t come out this year it would have. 
Verdict: 
Should Win: The Hateful Eight
Will Win: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

​Animated Film
   The Oscar for Best Animated Feature has been decided for about eight months. The moment audiences saw Inside Out, they knew it was going to win. There is simply no question about it. If I had to put money on one film winning the Oscar this year, it would be Inside Out for Best Animated Feature.
   Inside Out is one of Pixar’s best films, and that’s saying a lot. This film was loads of fun, but it also had a very emotional story to it. It was a film that everyone can enjoy, no matter who you are. Inside Out will go down in history as one of the best animated films. Period.
Verdict
Should Win: Inside Out
Will Win: Inside Out

​Directing
   The director is the most important person in a film. A great director can really make a film an experience. When you think about what film was truly an experience in 2015, Mad Max: Fury Road has to come to mind. That is why George Miller should win the Oscar for Best Director. With the extreme story and all of the stunts that came with it, only a fantastic director could have pulled it off. Also, take into account that he pulled it off at the age of 70!
   However, while Mad Max: Fury Road was nominated for quite a few things this year, it isn’t the typical film the Academy likes to award. So, they’ll give it to the next best. Alejandro G. Innaritu is going to win for The Revenant. Just like Mad Max, The Revenant does not work as well as it does without its fantastic direction. While Innaritu did an amazing job directing The Revenant, Miller was just a bit better.
Verdict
Should Win: George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Will Win: Alejandro G. Innaritu (The Revenant)

Supporting Actress
   While Rachel McAdams was great in Spotlight, and Jennifer Jason Leigh was one of the best parts of The Hateful Eight, the best supporting actress of the year was unquestionably Kate Winslet in Steve Jobs. Her performance was one of the many factors that made that film as magnificent as it was. 
   Admittedly I have not seen Carol or The Danish Girl. So, I cannot comment on the performances of Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander. Although, had Vikander been nominated for Ex Machina this would be a very different conversation. Kate Winslet is the obvious winner here.
Verdict
Should Win: Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Will Win: Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)

​Supporting Actor
   The race for Best Supporting Actor could potentially be the most divisive category this year. There is a legitimate argument to be made for all of these actors. If it were up to me, the award would go to Tom Hardy in The Revenant. Hardy disappeared into his role in that film. Honestly, I forgot I was watching Tom Hardy, and I’m a huge Tom Hardy fan! He gave arguably the best performance of the entire film in The Revenant, and he was acting opposite Leonardo DiCaprio!
   That being said, I believe that Oscars are going to give the award to Sylvester Stallone for his performance in Creed. He’s never won an Oscar in his entire career. In fact, the only other time he was nominated was for this same character of Rocky Balboa. The Academy does like to give awards based upon their previous missteps, so chances are they’ll give it to Stallone. That’s not to say he doesn’t deserve it, I’m just saying that may sway them a bit. 
Verdict
Should Win: Tom Hardy (The Revenant)
Will Win: Sylvester Stallone (Creed)

​Lead Actress
   This category is very similar to the Best Supporting Actress in that there is a clear winner here. Brie Larson was definitely the best actress of the year for her performance in Room. She took that character and brought it to a whole other level.
   Brie Larson was able to portray every single emotion that character was feeling fantastically. For a majority of the film, she was acting opposite a kindergarten-aged child, and she still gave a better performance than every other actress this year. This Oscar is a well-deserved award to Larson, and she will be winning it come Sunday.
Verdict:
Should Win: Brie Larson (Room)
Will Win: Brie Larson (Room)

​Lead Actor
   When it comes to winning an Oscar, momentum is one of the most important factors, and Leonardo DiCaprio has a lot of momentum right now. His performance in The Revenant was great, considering he had very limited dialogue. This really looks like it could finally be Leo’s year. DiCaprio is very much in the same boat as Sylvester Stallone. He’s most likely going to win simply because he hasn’t before.
   However, I believe that this award should go to Michael Fassbender in Steve Jobs. His performance in that film was breathtaking. He was utterly fantastic in that film. That performance paired with Aaron Sorkin’s dialogue made on one of the best performances in recent memory!
Verdict
Should Win: Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)

​Best Picture
   Here it is, the big one. This year’s Best Picture race does not have a single frontrunner. It seems like every day there are new reports saying which film is going to win. Personally, I think Spotlight is going to win. Spotlight is a film that every person needs to see. It shows the truth of what is happening in the world. Things that are happening, but nobody talks about.
   Spotlight deserves to win Best Picture because it is undoubtedly a brilliant film. It features a terrific cast, great music, and a story that just needs to be told. Originally, I had picked The Revenant to win Best Picture; however, because Birdman won last year I believe that dramatically hurts its chances. Both are Alejandro G. Innaritu’s films, and the Academy isn’t too keen on giving back-to-back awards to the same person.
Should: Spotlight
Will: Spotlight

​   So who do you think is going to win the Academy Award this Sunday night? Do you agree with my picks? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this post share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and miscellaneous movie thoughts! I’ll be posting my reaction to the Oscar windows on Monday!
 
Thanks for stopping by!