Moore Oscar Predictions

Well ya know Happy New Year and stuff.

Okay let's get to this. The 2016 Oscar nominations will be announced tomorrow morning. Here are my predictions for who will receive the honor (and who I wish had the slightest chance). 

The Best Supporting Actor category is set in stone at this point, but there's also more possible dark horses here than any other category.
Mark Rylance - Bridge of Spies, Sylvester Stallone - Creed, Idris Elba - Beasts of No Nation, Mark Ruffalo - Spotlight, and Christian Bale - The Big Short
Dark horses: Benicio del Toro - Sicario, Michael Keaton - Spotlight, Michael Shannon - 99 Homes, Jacob Tramblay - Room
Shoulda been, won't happen: Paul Dano - Love & Mercy, Oscar Isaac - Ex Machina

The Best Supporting Actress category is kinda up in the air. Both Rooney Mara and Alicia Vikander are being touted for this category for Carol and The Danish Girl respectively even though their roles are definitely Lead Actress material. However Vikander is also getting steam for her incredible turn in Ex Machina. But we'll see. Here's what I think.
Kate Winslet - Steve Jobs, Jennifer Jason Leigh - The Hateful Eight, Rooney Mara - Carol, Rachel McAdams - Spotlight, Alicia Vikander - Ex Machina
Dark horses: Helen Mirren - Trumbo, Jane Fonda - Youth (the Academy loves their elders)
Shoulda been, won't happen: Elizabeth Banks - Love & Mercy

The Best Actor category is the only category with a definite front-runner, and that's Dicaprio. Der.
Leonardo Dicaprio - The Revenant, Michael Fassbender - Steve Jobs, Eddie Redmayne - The Danish Girl, Bryan Cranston - Trumbo, Matt Damon - The Martian
Dark horses: Johnny Depp - Black Mass, Will Smith - Concussion 

As with Supporting, the Best Actress category all depends on where Mara and Vikander are placed. 
Cate Blanchett - Carol, Brie Larson - Room, Saoirse Ronan - Brooklyn, Alicia Vikander - The Danish Girl, Charlotte Rampling - 45 Years
Dark horse: Jennifer Lawrence - Joy
Shoulda been, won't happen: Charlize Theron - Mad Max: Fury Road

The Best Director category has quite a few viable options.
Alejandro G. Iñárritu - The Revenant, Ridley Scott - The Martian, Adam McKay - The Big Short, Tom McCarthy - Spotlight, George Miller - Mad Max: Fury Road
Dark horses: Todd Haynes - Carol, Steven Spielberg - Bridge of Spies (never underestimate the Academy's love for The Beard)

The Best Picture category forever changed when they shifted their possible nominees to between 5-10. I believe there's going to be 8 this year, but who knows.
Spotlight, The Big Short, The Revenant, The Martian, Mad Max: Fury Road, Carol, Brooklyn, Bridge of Spies
Dark horses: Room, Straight Outta Compton

So there you have it. There's about 12 hours until the nominations are released. Let's see who gets what! And don't forget to tune in for the Oscars, airing Sunday, February 28th at 7:00pm on ABC.