I figure that, given the majority of the voting Academy is mature white men, that I should get to pick my own nominations. Sure, I could trust the Academy to do the ‘right’ thing, and maybe they will, but I just want to make sure that my feelings are clear. So…here are my personal picks for the top 5 categories.

BEST PICTURE
SPOTLIGHT
THE HATEFUL EIGHT
THE BIG SHORT
ANOMALISA
THE REVENANT

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
MARK RUFFALO for Infinitely Polar Bear
TOBEY MAGUIRE for Pawn Sacrifice
STEVE CARELL for The Big Short
JOHNNY DEPP for Black Mass
LEONARDO DICAPRIO for The Revenant

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
JENNIFER JASON LEIGH for The H8ful Eight
CHARLIZE THERON for Mad Max: Fury Road
BRIE LARSON for Room
ALICIA VIKANDER for The Danish Girl
EMILY BLUNT for Sicario

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
MARK RUFFALO for Spotlight
CHRISTIAN BALE for The Big Short
TOM HARDY for The Revenant
WALTON GOGGINS for The H8ful Eight
STANLEY TUCCI for Spotlight
*I want to give an honorary spot to RJ CYLER for Me, Earl & The Dying Girl, a young actor destined for greatness.

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
JENNIFER JASON LEIGH for Anomalisa
OLIVIA COOKE for Me, Earl & The Dying Girl
ISABELLA ROSSELLINI for Joy
JULIE WALTERS fro Brooklyn
KATE WINSLET for Steve Jobs

BEST DIRECTOR
QUENTIN TARANTINO for The H8ful Eight
TOM MCCARTHY for Spotlight
ADAM MCKAY for The Big Short
RIDLEY SCOTT for The Martian
ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU for The Revenant

My 2016 Oscar Nominations