As the Academy Awards approach, here are our best guesses at who will win, and who could potentially surprise us.
Best Picture
Who will win: “The Revenant”
Who should win: “Brooklyn”
Wild card: “The Big Short”
“The Revenant” and “The Big Short” have been winning all the big awards so far, but one of the best films of this year was “Brooklyn.” The story of Irish immigrant Eilis, and her struggles being abroad was the most engaging film of 2015. — Erin Yarnall
Best Actor 
Who will win: Leonardo DiCaprio
Who should win: Michael Fassbender
Wild card: Matt Damon
The race for this year’s Best Actor trophy is more momentous than any event in the Olympics, than man finally taking a step on the moon — it seems like everyone is waiting for Leo to finally win Best Actor, and with his role in “The Revenant” this year, he might just finally do it. — Erin Yarnall
Best Actress 
Who will win: Brie Larson
Who should win: Brie Larson
Wild card: Jennifer Lawrence
This one should be no contest. Brie Larson’s breakout performance in “Room” was the best performance by any actress this year. The only contender could be Jennifer Lawrence, who earned a Golden Globe for her performance in “Joy” and is beloved by the Academy. — Erin Yarnall
Best Supporting Actor 
Who will win: Sylvester Stallone
Who should win: Sylvester Stallone
Wild card: Mark Rylance
In what’s possibly the best addition to the esteemed boxing franchise, Stallone’s portrayal of Rocky Balboa in “Creed” manages to not only still capture the heart of the beloved character but also further explore a fresh arc as Rocky stays behind the ropes for the first time in 40 years. — Pat Mullane
Best Supporting Actress 
Who will win: Alicia Vikander
Who should win: Alicia Vikander
Wild card: Kate Winslet
Alicia Vikander is currently the frontrunner in what seems to be the most unpredictable acting category this year. Having been listed under the Best Actress category for the Golden Globes, she now competes under Best Supporting Actress at the Academy Awards and it’s more likely there that’ll she’ll take the statue. — Pat Mullane
Best Original Screenplay 
Who will win: “Spotlight”
Who should win: “Spotlight”
Wild card: “Inside Out”
The tight and densely researched script for “Spotlight” resulted in one of the best journalism films of the past 20 years. An old-school detective film about the non-flashy, yet important work behind the Boston Globe’s investigative reporting team and their discovery of systemic child sex abuse in the Catholic Church. — Pat Mullane
Best Adapted Screenplay 
Who will win: “The Big Short”
Who should win: “The Big Short”
Wild card: “Room”
For what’s arguably the best aspect of “The Big Short,” Charles Randolph’s and Adam McKay’s adaptation from the Michael Lewis book not only takes a laborious subject — the financial crisis — and make it comprehensible for the average unfamiliar audience, they do so in a smart, funny and engaging manner. — Pat Mullane
Best Director 
Who will win: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Who should win: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Wild card: George Miller
While George Miller incredibly and successfully rebooted his “Mad Max” franchise, Alejandro G. Inarritu made what sounds like the most difficult movie to ever make with “The Revenant,” as the director filmed chronologically, under insane weather conditions, but he was able to pull it off beautifully. — Erin Yarnall
Best Cinematography 
Who will win: “The Revenant”
Who should win: “The Revenant”
Wild card: “Sicario”
While it didn’t have the most engaging plot, (really how long can you watch someone writhe in pain), “The Revenant’s” cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki made the most beautiful film of 2015. But “Sicario,” the film about the Mexican cartel also featured incredible shots of the landscape. — Erin Yarnall
Photos courtesy of 20th CENTUY FOX, FOX SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES, TSG ENTERTAINMENT, PARAMOUNT PICTURES, UNIVERSAL PICTURES, A24 FILMS, METRO-GOLDWYN-MAYER PICTURES, WARNER BROS. PICTURES, WALT DISNEY STUDIOS MOTION PICTURES, FOCUS FEATURES, OPEN ROAD FILMS, LIONSGATE
