TheInSneider's Annual Last-Minute Oscar Nominations

This should sound familiar: T-minus 4 hours, so I'd better get these on the record quick! I haven't played The Alternate Game the last few years so I decided against it again this year despite the temptation with such a wide-open field. There are some categories that are really tough to call this year so I did offer some elementary analysis, though the trickiest question remains not which films will be nominated, but rather, how many. Thanks to all the bloggers I've enjoyed reading this awards season, including but certainly not limited to: Steve Pond, Scott Feinberg, Jeff Wells, Kris Tapley, Sasha Stone, Anne Thompson, Pete Hammond and the fine folks at The Playlist. I'd call this a work-in-progress but fortunately, we've run out of time and these will have to do. Good luck to all the contenders! And now, on to Phase Two...

BEST PICTURE

1. Spotlight

2. The Big Short

3. The Martian

4. The Revenant

5. Mad Max: Fury Road

6. Carol

7. Bridge of Spies

8. Straight Outta Compton

9. Brooklyn

BEST DIRECTOR

1. Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu, The Revenant

2. Ridley Scott, The Martian

3. Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

4. Adam McKay, The Big Short

5. George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

BEST ACTOR

1. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

2. Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

3. Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

4. Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

5. Matt Damon, The Martian

BEST ACTRESS

1. Brie Larson, Room

2. Cate Blanchett, Carol

3. Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

4. Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

5. Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

1. Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies

2. Sylvester Stallone, Creed

3. Christian Bale, The Big Short

4. Idris Elba, Beasts of No Nation

5. Jacob Tremblay, Room

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

1. Rooney Mara, Carol

2. Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

3. Helen Mirren, Trumbo

4. Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

5. Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

1. Spotlight

2. The Hateful Eight

3. Inside Out

4. Ex Machina

5. Bridge of Spies

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 

1. The Big Short

2. Steve Jobs

3. Room

4. Carol

5. Brooklyn