Academy Award Predictions by K.O.

Hi guys!

You must be aware that the Academy Awards are right around the corner and my super talented friend, Karlos Otero, is the best of the best regarding this topic, so… I asked him this huge favor to share with us his predictions for this year in the 4 most important categories so we -who don’t know much about it- can make us an idea how it will look like.

Here I let you in very good company:

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Hi, everyone, I love awards season!

It’s the best time to soak yourself in so many quality films and stories. I’m especially excited for the Academy Awards, because it is the ultimate milestone and achievement in film, one of my biggest passions.

Let’s jump right onto the predictions for this year:

BEST PICTURE

— Other possibilities 

There’s been years where we all know what the winner’s gonna be (*cough*12YearsASlave*cough*) but, this year, it was hard to predict the nominees, let alone a winner. There’s always a few front-runners though:

«Room» captivated it’s audience back in September when it had it’s successful premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, with the incredible performances by 9 year-old Jacob Tremblay and lead actress Brie Larson. 

«Brooklyn» tells the story of an introverted and brilliant Irish girl migrating to the land where dreams come true: America. Wrapped in top-notch drama and a career-defining performance from Saoirse Ronan, this film cannot be overlooked.

Ridley Scott goes back to space in «The Martian«. A survival story about spaceman Mark Watney in planet Mars. This film has an incredible cinematography and an outstanding adapted screenplay.

These three films all have incredible stories, but after careful consideration my top two picks are: «The Revenant» and «Spotlight«. 

Oscar winner, Alejandro Iñarritu makes us dive into an old, hunting and violent world in which all that matters is survival. «The Revenant» is beautifully directed and has an outstanding cinematography. 

Tom McCarthy perfectly wraps you in the controversial story told in «Spotlight» about a community of corrupted lawyers and raping-priests. 

— And the Oscar goes to…

 These two films really stood out for me as clear winners this year. While Iñarritu’s direction is beyond flawless, I think this year we’re gonna have a case of different winners in the Best Picture and Best Director category, which doesn’t happen quite often. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that this year’s best picture is Tom McCarthy’s «Spotlight».

BEST DIRECTOR

— Other possibilities 

Ridley Scott (The Martian) is one of my all-time favorite directors and, if it was up to me, he’d have the award.

— But the Oscar goes to…

While Tom McCarthy had the best picture, in my opinion, Iñarritu’s effort can’t be denied. His vision was clear: to create a ruthless, cold and trippy world, and it translates perfectly on Revenant and it’s amazing cinematography. 

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE

In my opinion, this award should go to Jennifer Lawrence, and I think she’s being underrated due to the fact that this is her third film with director David O. Russel, and she’s been nominated almost 3 years in a row. Her role was incredibly strong. I mean: “Never speak, on my behalf, about my business, again”… AM I RIGHT?

— And the Oscar goes to…

Brie is this year’s clear front-runner, and she did a great job portraying a conflicted yet dedicated mother on «Room«, but I must admit, she got overshodowed by the amazing Jacob Tremblay (who plays her son) and also by the other women in this category. Still, I think she’s the winner.

BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

Another tough category. These are five incredibly different and incredibly unforgettable perfomances. I think the lack of dialogue could screw Leo’s chances again this year, but his Oscar is long overdue and well deserved for this performance.

— And the Oscar goes to…

Looking back though, I was so impressed and I’d dare to say shocked by Eddie’s performance (I’d only seen him in a couple of films before).

He was so raw and fearless. These type of roles are career-defining and I’m sure it will be remembered as his best role in the future, so he’s my pick for Best Actor this year.

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What do you think? Do you agree with him? Have you seen some of those films?

I’ve just seen half of «Room» so far but I’d love to know your opinions! 

Remember, nominees will be formally announced on friday 15th!