Gold Rush Gang 2016 Oscar Predictions: BEST PICTURE (August)

A stirring trailer for Netflix‘s Beasts of No Nation has put the film smack into the top 5 of the new Best Picture chart from the Gold Rush Gang. Although the film has long been high on our lists (none higher than Kenneth Polischuk’s though), the announcement of the film’s October release date and its appearance at both the Toronto and Venice film festivals have really made it a major contender this season. It just barely eeks out that one-point victory over The Revenant, which is seeing a lot of support drop this month. Quite an interesting comparison to the most recent Forum Oscar Poll Results, which place the Leonardo DiCaprio starrer at #1. Granted, the voting ability and procedure is very different between the two groups. The forums are allowed a single vote per month whereas the Gold Rush Gang can change theirs until they’re locked in by month’s end. This often results in slightly more current predictions.

Joy still commands the #1 spot and The Danish Girl sees a big boost, most likely from its upcoming festival appearances at both Toronto and Venice and those unofficial posters that surfaced this weekend. Suffragette holds strong at #3 and Carol falters a bit in point totals but still tying for that #3 slot.

Two films to watch out for in the next few months are Our Brand Is Crisis from Warner Brothers and Son of Saul from Sony Pictures Classics. Crisis was just given an October 30th release date and even though the studio has yet to produce so much as a production still (much less a trailer) for a film that’s coming out in less than three months it feels like this is going to be Warner’s #1. Does that mean they don’t have faith in Black Mass or In the Heart of the Sea? Son of Saul, the Grand Prix winner at this year’s Cannes Film Festival also looks to possibly be moving into SPC’s #1 slot. The film is Hungary’s official selection for the Foreign Language Film Oscar, a nomination it’s all but sure to capture. The film has December 18th release date.

Both Bridge of Spies and The Hateful Eight take hits this month, with the latter falling out of the top 10 entirely. Youth holds onto top 10 status and by our estimates will be Fox Searchlight’s #1 in the Oscar race this year unless Brooklyn surprises. But with a fresh new poster and trailer appearing this last month not being enough to boost it above #15 it doesn’t look good. Then, maybe A Bigger Splash will make a splash into the race after its festival run this fall.

Don’t forget, you can always get up to the minute Oscar predictions from the Gold Rush Gang on our 2016 Oscar Prediction Charts:

BEST DIRECTOR
BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
BEST FILM EDITING
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BEST SOUND EDITING
BEST SOUND MIXING
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS