The Hudsucker Takes on the 88th Annual Academy Awards: Predictions, Hopes and Snubs

Image Credit: AMPAS

The 88th Academy Awards take place this Sunday at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, and as awards season comes to a close, The Hudsucker once again tries its hand at predicting the winners in each category. For the fourth year in a row, a few of our resident cinephiles — Andrew Rogers, Nicole Drum, Jessica Fritz, Katherine Hernandez, Tania Hussain, Janna Jeffrey, Meg Quinn, and Elizabeth The — share their thoughts on the nominees, as well as who they feel was snubbed and who they’d like to see win each category.

Image Credit: Open Road Films

Best Picture

The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight

Predicted Winner: Spotlight
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Spotlight (also receiving votes: Brooklyn, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, and Room)

Best Actor

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Predicted Winner: Leonardo DiCaprio
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Leonardo DiCaprio (also receiving votes: Bryan Cranston, Matt Damon, and Michael Fassbender)

Image Credit: A24 Films

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Predicted Winner: Brie Larson
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Brie Larson (also receiving votes: Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, and Saoirse Ronan)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Predicted Winner: Sylvester Stallone
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Mark Ruffalo (also receiving votes: Sylvester Stallone)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Image Credit: Focus Features

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl 
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Predicted Winner: Alicia Vikander
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Alicia Vikander (also receiving votes: Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams, and Kate Winslet)

Best Director

Adam McKay, The Big Short
George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson, Room
Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

Predicted Winner: Alejandro G. Iñárritu
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (also receiving votes: Lenny Abrahamson, Tom McCarthy, and George Miller)

Image Credit: Disney Pixar

Best Animated Feature

Anomalisa
Boy and the World
Inside Out
Shawn The Sheep Movie
When Marnie Was There

Predicted Winner: Inside Out
The Hudsucker’s Choice: Inside Out (also receiving votes: Anomalisa and When Marnie Was There)

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)

Predicted Winner: “Writing’s On The Wall” (Spectre)
The Hudsucker’s Choice: “Til It Happens To You” (also receiving votes: “Earned It” and “Writing’s On The Wall”)

Snubs

Room

Image Credit: Getty Images

Janna says:

“Room” was an incredibly moving film, and though Brie Larson did a wonderful job, I felt that Jacob Tremblay completely stole the show. He was the heart of the film and carried essentially every scene in the movie beautifully. He felt genuine and he made me cry. Some child actors stumble into acting and into a role that matches their personality; some work hard and give a stunning performance. Jacob was the latter. He was my favorite part of “Room” and I’m still upset he wasn’t nominated.

Elizabeth says:

Jacob Tremblay in “Room.” At 9 years old, the young Canadian actor performs at an equal caliber to his much older acting comrades. His unforgettable portrayal of a young boy navigating through a traumatic, life-altering event is handled with a fine balance of innocence and maturity and for that, he should have been a shoo-in nominee at every major awards ceremony. The glaring snub doesn’t faze the gracious Tremblay one bit, as he’s getting to rub shoulders with the likes of his heroes (such as Sylvester Stallone and Leonardo DiCaprio) while making his way through his first awards season. I know this is just the beginning of this young thespian’s acting career, but he really did deserve the recognition now.

Katherine says:

Jacob Tremblay was incredibly moving in “Room” and deserved a nomination for Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor. Both him and Brie equally carried that movie and made it one of the best of the year. Though his role could have easily turned into the annoying child in the wrong hands, Tremblay pulled off the character perfectly and made him sympathetic and believable. It’s really a shame he wasn’t nominated because even at his young age he gave an incredibly mature and moving performance.

Creed

Image Credit: New Line Cinema

Jessica says:

When it comes to the arts, we must give credit where credit is due. In this case, Michael B. Jordan will walk away empty-handed for a role that put him on the map as a truly remarkable performer. This was the role that showed audiences that he is much more than an actor that relies on his good looks. This was the role that showed audiences that he is, in fact, talented. This snub is reminiscent of last year’s awards that saw “Whiplash’s” J.K. Simmons receive an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, but left its lead, Miles Teller, without so much as a nod.

Meg says:

I really would’ve liked to see Michael B. Jordan get more attention for “Creed,” he’s an incredible actor and I think he was deserving of it. 

Beasts of No Nation

Image Credit: Netflix

Tania says:

The biggest snub for me would have to be Idris Elba in “Beasts of No Nation.” Elba and the film received acclaim from numerous critics and audiences for his role as a cold-blooded and sadistic commandant unfazed by the violence of war. However, the Academy didn’t appreciate the movie at all and completely disregarded it. The film should have been nominated for Best Picture as well with its sobering and adamant depiction of a slightly hopeful representation of war at the expense of innocence lost. That said, I’m also really disappointed in the lack of diversity in various categories. It would have been nice to also see Michael B. Jordan nominated for “Creed” alongside co-star, Sylvester Stallone for a film that really garnered acclaim.

Straight Outta Compton

Nicole says: 

“Straight Outta Compton” for Best Picture. The movie was INCREDIBLE. It was so well-done and really was just one of the best films I have ever seen. I feel like this should have been nominated above “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Concussion

Andrew says:

Part of me is surprised that “Carol” wasn’t nominated for Best Picture because I thought it was a legit contender, but the biggest snub to me was that Will Smith wasn’t nominated for “Concussion.” He would have been my pick to win.

Some Final Thoughts on the Nominees Before the Show:

Janna says:

I understand this is a controversial opinion and that many people love the movie, but I couldn’t stand “Mad Max: Fury Road.” It was a decently put-together action film, but with an incredibly basic plot, little to no character development outside of Charlize Theron’s character, and practically no substance. I do not think it deserves Best Picture.

Meg says:

I’m pretty prepared for “Spotlight” to lose Best Picture but it’s not gonna make it any easier to see. It’s not often that a movie sticks with me like this one has, months after I saw it, and I wish it’d win. At least it got the (very well deserved!) SAG Award for best ensemble.

Image Credit: Open Road Films

Katherine says:

Though I don’t think he’ll win, I’ll be disappointed if Mark Ruffalo ends up winning Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Spotlight.” He gave the weakest performance of the entire ensemble, and his acting was grating and one-note. Michael Keaton was much more deserving of a nomination for Best Supporting Actor as he gave a subtle, nuanced performance and stood out amongst all the other performances in the movie. Ruffalo might have had the “flashiest” performance in “Spotlight” but his nomination should have gone to someone else.

Tania says:

I’d be sad and very upset if Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t win because seriously, what does an actor have to do to be taken seriously by the Academy? It’s been 20 years coming—like, have you seen “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?” He earned a nomination for that movie, but of course, was too young and lost to Tommy Lee Jones for “The Fugitive.” But since then, DiCaprio has proven his worth in so many films. He’s a real actor’s actor, practicing method acting exceptionally well, diving straight into the role as if it were his own persona. Did you know he literally became OCD when shooting “The Aviator” just to feel like Howard Hughes? In “The Revenant,” he took more than 30 to 40 different sequences for director, Alejandro G. Iñárritu just to get the role right—and you know what that entailed? Eating raw bison liver. And sleeping in animal carcasses. Look if NBC can keep a show called “Fear Factor” on the air for like seven seasons and America cheers as huge corporations pay for people vomiting creepy or fugly animal eggs, then Leo—who could have asked for a body double or opt for something made of sugar and corn syrup—should receive the same acclaim. Just saying. But he never chickens out, because he takes his craft seriously and if the Academy knows that, they would give him the award. If they don’t, the Academy can drive themselves into hell with the way movie plots are today.

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

Elizabeth says:

I want Leo to win the Oscar as much as Leo wants to win the Oscar, which is just a long, drawn-out and obvious way of saying A LOT. I have been a fan of Leo’s since “Titanic” and have followed his career for almost two decades now. I have seen him give one phenomenal performance after another and watched as the Academy dashed his dreams year after year. DiCaprio has gone through incredible lengths to make an impact on every motion picture he’s been a part of, and all of his efforts have come to an outstanding cumulation in “The Revenant.” It is not an easy film to watch, but it is worth it to see DiCaprio deliver his best and most gutsy acting to date. Judging from all the buzz he’s received during this awards season, I think the time has finally come for Leo to escape his status as a pitied meme and become elevated to the ranks of an Oscar winner.

Jessica says:

Leonardo DiCaprio has had so many fantastic films come to life over the years, but has yet to be truly recognized for them. His film credits such as “Titanic,” “Blood Diamond,” “The Aviator,” and many more were applauded and celebrated, but never left him holding the statue. After such an impressive career, it’s about time Leo has his moment. Maybe then, the internet memes will stop…

Andrew says:

I’ll be upset if Leonardo DiCaprio wins for Best Actor because then the hilarious memes will no longer be relevant. Plus, I don’t think “The Revenant” is the best performance of his career. And I like being able to joke that I have as many Oscars as Leonardo DiCaprio.

Nicole says:

Leonardo DiCaprio is a great actor, that is not in dispute, but his role in “The Revenant” was mostly just grunting and being cold. He’s done better work and I’d rather see him get the award for a year when he actually acts.

 * * * * *

Now that we’ve given you our thoughts, it’s time for you to share your thoughts and predictions about the 88th Academy Awards with us! Think we got it right? Or think our predictions are all wrong? Want Leonardo DiCaprio to finally win an Oscar or remain a meme forever? Feel free to leave us a comment and let us know who you think will take home the golden statue this year! And please come back on Sunday after the show to discuss the results with us.

The Oscars air live on Sunday February 28th at 7pm EST/4pm PST on ABC.