At this point, I've seen 6 out of the 8 nominees for Best Picture. I don't think I will see any more before the Oscars, so here are some of my predictions and feelings toward a few of the categories.
Best picture
Might as well start at the top. Out of the 8 nominees, I've seen: Spotlight, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Room, Brooklyn, and The Martian. I haven't seen Bridge of Spies or The Big Short.
Very briefly, I like Spotlight and Brooklyn and The Martian. I liked Mad Max, but I'm not sure why it's nominated. I loved Room and think that this is the movie that deserves to win. I read the book a few years ago and this is a fantastic adaptation.
Okay, now that that's covered: I saw The Revenant because of all the hype. And I didn't like it. Really the cinematography is its only redeeming feature. It was actually rather dull (and long), punctuated with scenes of extreme violence. This made the whole experience kind of tortuous. I wasn't very impressed with Leonardo DiCaprio either; actually, I think Tom Hardy had the better performance. The movie worked toward a predictable and unfulfilling end. Tom Hardy's role brought a little intrigue, as did brief glimpses into the main character's past. For the majority of the movie, however, I was in almost as much pain as DiCaprio's character.
I think The Revenant will probably win Best Picture, but I don't think it deserves to.
Actor in a leading role
This is probably Leonardo DiCaprio's year-- and I think he is a great actor who deserves an Oscar. Preferably not for The Revenant, though. I don't know most of these movies, but Matt Damon was fantastic in The Martian.
Actress in a leading role
Hands down, I think that Brie Larson should win for her showstopping performance in Room. And I am confident that she will win! I will be kind of upset if Jennifer Lawrence wins again. She's too young to have three Oscars.
And then skipping all the other categories... Animated short film
I've only seen one of the five, and that is: World of Tomorrow. I only saw it because it was featured on Netflix, but I have seen it three times now and I really enjoy it. The animation style is simple and creative, and the story is funny yet affecting. I highly recommend it.
