These predictions get harder and harder to make not so much based on what I've seen of the movies, but more on how much I've read from other prognosticators. The last couple of months have left me bone-dry for reading material on the topic of awards season. I used to read a lot of the buzz, which provides a sense for what people in Hollywood are talking about. You see the ebbs and flows of popularity and the ways in which smaller films creep up from behind to overtake some studio film. I don't have a sense of any of that this year, so I'm winging it.
Of the roughly 13 films from which I believe the 5 - 10 Best Picture nominees will come, I have yet to see two of them.
I've got my eyes on about 25 films that are in the running for acting awards. I haven't seen 9 of them.
But here it goes anyway. My nominations for predictions to be announced tomorrow morning...
Best Picture
I'm going with a prediction of nine nominees this year.
Spotlight
The Revenant
Brooklyn
Inside Out
Carol
The Martian
Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Big Short
With outside chances for one of these to sneak in:
Room
Sicario
Straight Outta Compton