2016 Oscar Predictions (continued)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki – The Revenant
All five nominees did excellent work, but make it three Oscars in a row for the Mexican wunderkind, and for three very different films. Maybe one day Deakins will finally get one of these...
My Non-Existent Vote: John Seale – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST EDITING
Margaret Sixel – Mad Max: Fury Road
ACE Eddie winner Sixel should win, and deservedly so, for easily the best edited film of the year. It's a two-hour chase scene that feels like an epic poem. (The Big Short was also well done.)
My Non-Existent Vote: Sixel

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Colin Gibson and Lisa Thompson – Mad Max: Fury Road
Their achievement is especially impressive when you consider most of the sets in the film were mobile. I don't really think any of the other films offer much competition.
My Non-Existent Vote: Gibson and Thompson

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Paco Delgado – The Danish Girl
This is perhaps the toughest category to pick of the night—there's Sandy Powell's two noms, as well as two Best Picture nominees. But I'm going with The Danish Girl in an upset.
My Non-Existent Vote: Sandy Powell – Carol

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Lesley Vanderwalt, Elka Wardega, and Damian Martin – Mad Max: Fury Road
The War Boys are shiny and chrome, the Oscar is shiny and chrome(ish). It just makes too much sense, especially with only two other nominees, one of which no one has seen.
My Non-Existent Vote: Vanderwalt, Wardega, and Martin

BEST SCORE
Ennio Morricone – The Hateful Eight
One of cinema's most influential composers will finally earn a competitive Oscar, nine years after his honorary award and 15 years after his last nomination. (Sicario's score was incredible as well.)
My Non-Existent Vote: Morricone

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Lady Gaga and Diane Warren – "'Til It Happens to You" (from The Hunting Ground)
With a win, Lady Gaga would be halfway to an EGOT (missing an Emmy and a Tony). The only other nominee I heard was awful (the Spectre song). Furious 7 was robbed, yo!
My Non-Existent Vote: Abstain

BEST SOUND MIXING
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, Randy Thom, and Chris Duesterdiek – The Revenant
This pick is more about the narrative surrounding the film (shot on location, in natural light, etc.) than the technical achievement itself. I think that's what the voters will go for.
My Non-Existent Vote: Chris Jenkins, Gregg Rudloff, and Ben Osmo – Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST SOUND EDITING
Mark A. Mangini and David White – Mad Max: Fury Road
Believe it or not, the Doof Warrior was actually playing guitar *for real* (which is more an achievement for the above award, but whatever). Regardless, props to the foley team on Mad Max.
My Non-Existent Vote: Mangini and White

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Chris Corbould, Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, and Neal Scanlan – Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Mad Max (with a lot of practical effects) and The Revenant (with literally one major VFX scene) are contenders, but, I'm going with Star Wars, and I think voters will too (dat Jakku chase scene doe).
My Non-Existent Vote: Corbould, Guyett, Kavanagh, and Scanlan

BEST ANIMATED FILM 
Inside Out – Pete Docter and Jonas Rivera
One of the easier calls of the night, and a deserving winner—high concept, executed well, and it pulled all the right heartstrings. The only other nominee I saw was the overrated Anomalisa.
My Non-Existent Vote: Inside Out

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Son of Saul – László Nemes (Hungary)
I haven't seen any of the nominees (although they all sound interesting), but this is the consensus favorite—I haven't seen anyone pick another film in this category. So that's what I'm going with.
My Non-Existent Vote: Abstain

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Amy – Asif Kapadia and James Gay-Rees
Again, I haven't seen any of the nominees, because I'm the rare White Person who doesn't like documentaries. I hear Cartel Land and The Look of Silence are excellent, but this is the favorite.
My Non-Existent Vote: Abstain

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Body Team 12 – David Darg and Bryn Mooser
Once more, I haven't seen the nominees, but this one is the favorite according to many prognosticators. There's a Holocaust one and a sick kid one going against it though, so who knows.
My Non-Existent Vote: Abstain

BEST ANIMATED SHORT
World of Tomorrow – Don Hertzfeldt
I've seen all the nominees here, and World of Tomorrow is by far the best—crudely animated, but it's darkly humorous and deeply philosophical. As usual, Pixar is a contender (but it was just meh).
My Non-Existent Vote: World of Tomorrow

BEST LIVE ACTION SHORT
Day One – Henry Hughes
This is another one of the toughest categories, mostly because the nominees are all underwhelming. The German and Kosovar entries are the best, but this trite, histrionic US entry could easily win.
My Non-Existent Vote: Everything Will Be Okay – Patrick Vollrath (Germany)