THE OSCARS

After last weekend's International Press Academy awards, we at Star Showbiz finally have enough data to talk about tomorrow's Academy Awards. We have seen much of our predictions for the Emmys come true, so the team will dare to put their movie knowledge to the test and make predictions for the major categories at the 88th Academy Awards. And the Oscar goes to...:

Best Supporting Actress: Alicia Vikander, who portrayed Gerda Wegener in "The Danish Girl", has roped in wins at the Screen Actors Guild, Critics' Choice and Chicago Film Critics Association awards. Trailing slightly behind her is Kate Winslet, a veteran performer who won the BAFTA, and the Golden Globe for her role in "Steve Jobs". Our pick: It's a legitimately interesting race and it will be either Winslet or Vikander, most likely the latter.

Best Supporting Actor: This category has confounded us. Typically, the Screen Actors Guild gives us the best look into the eventual winner. Idris Elba won the SAG award for his turn in "Beasts of No Nation" but was snubbed by the Academy for a nomination. Sylvester Stallone ("Creed") won at the Golden Globes and Critics' Choice awards but wasn't nominated for a SAG or BAFTA. Mark Rylance ("Bridge of Spies") pulled off a win at the BAFTAs and the New York Film Critics Circle. Our pick: This race is tight, and in the absence of a consensus, but an educated guess says Stallone.

Best Actress: Of the awards we track, Brie Larson, who anchored "Room," has won six of the seven prizes for which she was nominated, losing only at the Satellite Awards to Saoirse Ronan ("Brooklyn"). Our pick: It would be shocking if Larson lost.

Best Actor: Leo is undefeated. Of the awards we track, "The Revenant" star has won everything he was nominated for: the Golden Globe, the Screen Actors Guild, the BAFTA, the Critics' Choice award, the Satellite Award, and the Chicago Film Critics Association award. His closest rival is Fassbender, whose portrayal of Steve Jobs, won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association award. That's it. Our pick: Leo is right up there, but do be prepared for a let-down if history is to repeat itself.

Best Director: Even though George Miller ("Mad Max: Fury Road") led our tracking for the majority of the time, wins at the Directors Guild and the BAFTAs have made Alejandro G. Iñárritu a prohibitive favourite. Our pick: It looks like Iñárritu will win the first back-to-back directing Oscars since Joseph L. Mankiewicz's victories for 1949 and 1950.

Best Picture: This is a fun year to pick the best picture winner. "Room" and "Brooklyn," failed to gain much traction while "Bridge of Spies" and "The Martian," got few nominations. "Mad Max: Fury Road" won two awards from critics groups, and "The Big Short" had a burst in the middle, but couldn't maintain momentum. "Spotlight" won the Writers Guild Award for best original screenplay, the Critics' Choice and Satellite awards for best film, and most significantly the Screen Actors Guild's top prize, outstanding performance by a cast. "The Revenant," which bloomed late, scored the best drama at the Golden Globes, and massive wins at the Directors Guild and the BAFTAs. Our pick: It will most probably be "The Revenant", but "The Big Short" remains a strong contender.

Mohaiminul Islam