EDITORIAL: Final 2016 Awards Tracker and Oscar Reactions

The conclusion of last night's 88th Academy Awards closes the book on my fifth consecutive year of this website's "Awards Tracker" feature page. Last night, I correctly predicted 16 of the 24 winners, tied with last year for my lowest total. That makes me want to work this even better next year. My advance prognostication starts tomorrow with my editorial of the "17 Films to Watch for the 2017 Oscars." The full-on new 2017 Awards Tracker will return in November. To conclude the awards season with a final update of the Awards Tracker data, here are the finishing tallies, Oscar winners, and my reactions to the winners and losers.

BEST MOTION PICTURE

OSCAR REACTION: Hell yes! The win for "Spotlight" was my fist pump of the night. It's perfection and it deserved to win. This was a very close race with "The Revenant" surging as the Vegas favorite and late awards winner. I called it in November when I saw the film and I'm glad that prognostication held.

FINAL WINNERS:

28- "Spotlight" (GIFA, LA, Boston, DC, NYO, IND, DFW, DET, LV, PHX, PCC, SE, STL, VAN, SF, NC, OK, NSFC, DEN, CO, EDA, IA, NEV, CC, HOU, Satellite, Spirit, Oscar)

15- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (NBR, BO, Chicago, FL, KC, Online, SD, IF, VV, UT, AUS, GA, London, SEA, TFA)

3- "The Martian" (HFA, Globe, NT)

2- "The Revenant" (Globe, BAFTA)

2- "Carol" (NY, TOR)

1- "The Big Short" (PGA)

1- "Carol" (GAL)

1- "Inside Out" (DUB)

1- "Room" (TIFF)

1- "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" (Sundance)

1- "Dheepan" (Cannes)

1- "The Assassin" (SS)

1- "Creed" (BF)

1- "Straight Outta Compton" (AA)

1- "Youth" (EFA)

BEST DIRECTOR

OSCAR REACTION: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu continued his late surge sweeping the later awards and riding them all the way to the Oscar, his second in a row as Best Director. Personally, I would have given this award to Richard Linklater ("Boyhood") last year and George Miller this year.

FINAL WINNERS:

27- George Miller for "Mad Max: Fury Road" (LA, DC, BO, IND, Chicago, DFW, FL, KC, Online, PCC, SD, SE, VAN, VV, UT, SF, BF, NC, OK, AUS, DEN, GA, CC, London, SEA, TFA, Oscar)

8- Tom McCarthy for "Spotlight" (NYO, LV, STL, CO, EDA, IA, Satellite, Spirit)

6- Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for "The Revenant" (DFW, Globe, NEV, HOU, DGA, BAFTA)

5- Todd Haynes for "Carol" (NY, Boston, TOR, NSFC, GAL)

3- Ridley Scott for "The Martian" (NBR, PHX, NT)

1- Adam McKay for "The Big Short" (HFA)

1- Ryan Coogler for "Creed" (AA)

1- Tom Hooper for "The Danish Girl" (HFA)

1- Paolo Sorrentino for "Youth" (EFA)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

OSCAR REACTIONS: DiCaprio's win a foregone conclusion and the moment didn't disappoint. We can all rant that he's been better in other films, but an Oscar is an Oscar. He's been due too long. Speaking of too long, is it me or was he granted way more speech time than anyone else? There was no attempt to cut him off. That ought to feed the #OscarSoWhite dislike the elitist types that Leo represents.

FINAL WINNERS:

25- Leonardo DiCaprio for "The Revenant" (Boston, DC, Chicago, DFW, KC, LV, PHX, SD, STL, UT, OK, Globe, DEN, CO, EDA, GA, NT, NEV, CC, GAL, SEA, TFA, SAG, BAFTA, Satellite)

9- Michael Fassbender for "Steve Jobs" (LA, Online, PCC, VAN, NC, DUB, AUS, IA, HOU)

5- Paul Dano for "Love and Mercy" (GIFA, Boston, NYO, FL, SF)

3- Michael B. Jordan for "Creed" (BO, BF, NSFC)

2- Will Smith for "Concussion" (AA, HFA)

2- Michael Caine for "Youth" (DET, EFA)

1- Abraham Attah for "Beasts of No Nation" (Spirit)

1- Tom Hardy for "Legend" (TOR)

1- Bryan Cranston for "Trumbo" (SD)

1- Michael Keaton for "Spotlight" (NY)

1- Matt Damon for "The Martian" (NBR)

1- Tom Courtenay for "45 Year" (London)

1- Geza Rohrig for "Son of Saul" (VV)

1- Eddie Redmayne for "The Danish Girl" (WF)

1- Christian Bale for "The Big Short" (CC)

1- Jacob Tremblay for "Room" (IND)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

OSCAR REACTION: Yes! Yes! Yes! A deserving winner to a deserving film and performance, arguably the best of any size or gender of everyone last year. Brie Larson was phenomenal on every level. Her win was in little doubt, but stranger things and crazier swerves have happened at the Oscars. Just as Sylvester Stallone..

FINAL WINNERS:

31- Brie Larson for "Room" (NBR, NYO, IND, Chicago, DFW, FL, LV, PHX, PCC, SD, SE, STL, VAN, UT, BF, OK, AUS, Globe, DEN, CO, GA, IA, NT, NEV, CC, HOU, TFA, SAG, BAFTA, Spirit, Oscar)

7- Charlotte Rampling for "45 Years" (LA, Boston, VV, NSFC, EDA, EFA, London)

7- Saoirse Ronan for "Brooklyn" (NY, DC, BO, DET, SF, NC, Satellite)

2- Cate Blanchett for "Carol" (Online, GAL)

2- Carey Mulligan for "Suffragette" (WF, HFA)

1- Nina Hoss for "Phoenix" (TOR, SEA)

1- Rooney Mara for "Carol" (Cannes)

1- Charlize Theron for "Mad Max: Fury Road" (KC)

1- Amy Schumer for "Trainwreck" (CC)

1- Teyonah Parris for "Chi-Raq" (AA)

1- Bel Powley for "Diary of a Teenage Girl" (GIFA)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

OSCAR REACTION: The data certainly shows how close this category was between Sylvester Stallone and Mark Rylance. Neither won the SAG Award, so you had to prognosticate this one with momentum and all of that was in Stallone's corner. Nostalgia, recognition, and public sentiment were all on his side compared to the very quiet Mark Rylance. Stallone's loss will leave a bad taste in many mouths, mine included. If he had to lose, it should have been to Mark Ruffalo.

FINAL WINNERS:

14- Sylvester Stallone for "Creed" (NBR, BO, LV, PCC, SE, STL, UT, BF, OK, AUS, Globe, DEN, GA, CC)

11- Mark Rylance for "Bridge of Spies" (NY, Boston, NYO, PHX, STL, VAN, VV, NSFC, London. BAFTA, Oscar)

5- Idris Elba for "Beasts of No Nation" (DC, NT, TFA, SAG, Spirit)

4- Benicio del Toro for "Sicario" (Chicago, HFA, CO, SEA)

3- Mark Ruffalo for "Spotlight" (IND, NC, IA)

3- Michael Shannon for "99 Homes" (LA, KC, SF)

2- Tom Hardy for "The Revenant" (NEV, HOU)

2- Paul Dano for "Love and Mercy" (DFW, EDA)

2- Oscar Isaac for "Ex Machina" (FL, Online)

1- Christian Bale for "The Big Short" (Satellite)

1- Michael Keaton for "Spotlight" (OK)

1- Liev Schreiber for "Spotlight" (DET)

1- Tom Noonan for "Anomalisa" (SD)

1- Jason Mitchell for "Straight Outta Compton" (AA)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

OSCAR REACTION: Some were calling for a late Kate Winslet upset with her being an Academy favorite, but there was little doubt steering anything away from Vikander. She could have won this award outright for two films, let alone "The Danish Girl." In any other year, this would be Rooney Mara.

FINAL WINNERS:

23- Alicia Vikander for "Ex Machina/The Danish Girl" (LA, DC, Chicago, DET, KC, PHX, PCC, SE, STL, TOR, VAN, NC, OK, AUS, DEN, CO, GA, NEV, CC, TFA, SAG, Satellite, Oscar)

8- Kristen Stewart for "Clouds of Sils Maria" (Cesar, NY, Boston, BO, FL, VV, NSFC, EDA)

4- Kate Winslet for "Steve Jobs" (Globe, IA, London, BAFTA)

3- Rooney Mara for "Carol" (DFW, Online, HOU)

3- Jennifer Jason Leigh for "The Hateful Eight" (NBR, SD, NT)

3- Mya Taylor for "Tangerine" (SF, SEA, Spirit)

2- Tessa Thompson for "Creed" (AA, BF)

1- Elizabeth Banks for "Love and Mercy" (LV)

1- Greta Gerwig for "Mistress America" (IND)

1- Rose Byrne for "Spy" (UT)

1- Jane Fonda for "Youth" (HFA)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

OSCAR REACTION: This was one of the no-doubt locks and the right film won. This was the right place to honor "Spotlight" and its excellent creative energy as an original work, culling so many facets, facts, and points of view together. Brilliant stuff!

FINAL WINNERS:

33- Tom McCarthy and Josh Singer for "Spotlight" (GIFA, Boston, LA, BO, IND, Chicago, DFW, DET, FL, KC, LV, Online, PHX, PCC, SE, STL, VV, NC, OK, HFA, NSFC, DEN, CO, EDA, NEV, CC, HOU, London, WGA, BAFTA, Satellite, Spirit, Oscar)

5- Pete Docter, Meg LaFauve, and Josh Cooley for "Inside Out" (DC, UT, AUS, GA, TFA)

1- Alex Garland for "Ex Machina" (SEA)

1- Quentin Tarantino for "The Hateful Eight" (NBR)

1- Oren Movermann and Michael Alan Lerner for "Love and Mercy" (SF)

1- Charlie Kaufman for "Anomalisa"

1- Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi for "What We Do in Shadows" (SD)

1- Jonathan Herman and Andrea Berloff for "Straight Outta Compton" (BF)

1- Rick Famuyiwa for "Dope" (AA)

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

OSCAR REACTION: In a loaded category where all five nominees would have made deserving winners, the most popular film won. It's hard to argue "The Big Short" and it's accomplishment to turn something polarizing into a streamlined comedy. Sure, I'd love "Room," but I can't argue.

FINAL WINNERS:

14- Adam McKay and Charles Randolph for "The Big Short" (Chicago, FL, KC, PHX, NC, OK, DEN. CO, GA, CC, WGA, BAFTA, USC, Oscar)

8- Emma Donaghue for "Room" (DC, IND, SD, SE, AUS, NEV, TFA, Spirit)

6- Drew Goddard for "The Martian" (NBR, LV, STL, UT, BF, NEV)

5- Phyllis Nagy for "Carol" (NY, Online, EDA, GAL, SEA)

2- Aaron Sorkin for "Steve Jobs" (Globe, Satellite)

1- Nick Hornby for "Brooklyn" (SF)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE, ANIMATED SHORT FILM, AND LIVE ACTION SHORT

OSCAR REACTIONS: You could have bet your house on "Inside Out," but after that, it was throwing darts at the dartboard for animated short and live action short. Good for "Bear Story" and "Stutterer."

FINAL ANIMATED FEATURE WINNERS:

40- "Inside Out" (NBR, NY, Boston, DC, NYO, BO, Chicago, DFW, FL, LV, Online, PHX, PCC, SE, STL, VV, WF, UT, BF, NC, OK, HFA, AUS, Globe, DEN, CO, EDA, GA, IA, NT, NEV, CC, HOU, PGA, SEA, TFA, Annie, BAFTA, Satellite, Oscar)

5- "Anomalisa" (Boston, LA, IND, SD, SF)

1- "The Peanuts Movie" (AA)

1- "Shaun the Sheep: The Movie" (TOR)

1- "Song of the Sea" (EFA)

FINAL ANIMATED SHORT WINNERS:

1- "Bear Story" (Oscar)

1- "World of Tomorrow" (Annie)

1- "Edmond" (BAFTA)

FINAL LIVE ACTION SHORT WINNERS:

2- "Stutterer" (London, Oscar)

1- "Operator" (BAFTA)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE AND SHORT SUBJECT

OSCAR REACTIONS: The lock one and the random dartboard struck again in the smaller category. "Amy" was the heavy favorite, so that was the easy one. The short subject category went against data and betting favorites.

FINAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURE WINNERS:

31- "Amy" (NBR, LA, Boston, DC, NYO, BO, IND, Chicago, DFW, FL, PCC, SE, STL, VAN, VV, NC, HFA, NSFC, EDA, EFA, GA, IA, NT, NEV, CC, HOU, London, PGA, GAL, BAFTA, Oscar)

10- "The Look of Silence" (GIFA, Online, TOR, AUS, DEN, CO, IDA, SEA, Satellite, Spirit)

1- "Listen to Me Marlon" (SF)

1- "Cartel Land" (SD)

1- "He Named Me Malala" (PHX)

1- "What Happened, Miss Simone?" (BF)

1- "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief" (LV)

1- "In Jackson Heights" (NY)

1- "A Ballerina's Tale" (AA)

1- "The Hunting Ground" (UT)

1- "Queen of Ireland" (DUB)

FINAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT WINNERS:

1- "A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness," (Oscar)

1- "Last Day of Freedom" (IDA)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

OSCAR REACTION: From one heavy favorite to another, "Son of Saul" followed "Amy" as the sure-fire frontrunner turned Oscar winner. I'm missing out and need to see this film.

FINAL WINNERS:

24- "Son of Saul" (NBR, LA, DC, NYO, BO, IND, Chicago, DFW, PHX, SE, SF, OK, AUS, Globe, DEN, EDA, GA, NT, CC, HOU, GAL, SEA, Satellite, Spirit, Oscar)

3- "Phoenix" (TOR, NC, CO)

3- "Timbuktu" (NY, UT, NSFC)

3- "The Assassin" (FL, Online, VAN)

2- "Goodnight Mommy" (LV, STL)

2- "The Look of Silence" (Boston, London)

1- "Wild Tales" (BAFTA)

1- "Taxi" (SD)

1- "Youth" (PCC)

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

OSCAR REACTION: Someday veteran Roger Deakins needs to win, but we got a repeat and a dose of history with Emmanuel Lubezki winning this category for the third straight year, a feat that hasn't been accomplished in any category in decades. Lubezki had this award won with that huge long take opening scene during the Indian attack.

FINAL WINNERS:

14- Emmanuel Lubezki for "The Revenant" (DC, DFW, LV, PHX, STL, CO, NT, NEV, CC, HOU, TFA, ASC, BAFTA, Oscar)

13- John Seale for "Mad Max: Fury Road" (LA, NYO, BO, Chicago, FL, Online, SE, UT, SF, GA, GAL, SEA, Satellite)

7- Edward Lachman for "Carol" (NY, Boston, AUS, NSFC, EDA, London, Spirit)

1- Roger Deakins for "Sicario" (SD)

1- Janusz Kaminski for "Bridge of Spies" (HFA)

1- Martin Gschlacht for "Goodnight Mommy" (EFA)

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

OSCAR REACTION: The "Mad Max: Fury Road" parade arrived, just as expected, through many of the technical and artistic awards. Though I'm not a fan of the film itself, I couldn't argue with its wins through these categories. Just the design of the cars alone was enough to win here.

FINAL WINNERS:

14- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (LA, DC, Chicago, PHX, STL, HFA, GA, CC, GAL, SEA, TFA, ADG, BAFTA, Oscar)

3- "Brooklyn" (LV, SD, NEV)

2- "Carol" (FL, SF)

1- "Bridge of Spies" (Satellite)

1- "The Revenant" (ADG)

1- "The Martian" (ADG)

BEST FILM EDITING

OSCAR REACTION: The data wins again and the "Mad Max: Fury Road" juggernaut netted another deserved award for its technical and artistic savvy.

FINAL WINNERS:

18- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (Boston, DC, BO, Chicago, LV, Online, PHX, SD, STL, SF, CO, EDA, CC, SEA, TFA, ACE, BAFTA, Oscar)

2- "The Big Short" (LA, ACE)

1- "Spotlight" (Spirit)

1- "Sicario" (Satellite)

1- "Inside Out" (ACE)

1- "Amy" (ACE)

1- "Black Mass" (HFA)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

OSCAR REACTION: Though the data show that the favorite won, it's still rare that a fantasy film every gets the credibility to win high-end artistic awards like this one. Bravo, "Mad Max: Fury Road!"

FINAL WINNERS:

7- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (LV, PHX, CC, SEA, BAFTA, CDG, Oscar)

1- "The Danish Girl" (CDG)

1- "Beasts of No Nation" (CDG)

1- "Cinderella" (HFA)

1- "Crimson Peak" (TFA)

1- "The Assassin" (Satellite)

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIR-STYLING

OSCAR REACTION: This was a no-doubter as soon as the scant three nominees were announced. The sheer volume of "Mad Max: Fury Road" beat "The Revenant."

FINAL WINNERS:

8- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (HFA, CC, SEA, TFA, BAFTA, MHG-twice, Oscar)

1- "Furious 7" (MHG)

1- "Pitch Perfect" (MHG)

1- "Cinderella" (MHG)

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

OSCAR REACTION: "Ex Machina" winning was a legitimate surprise and a big victory for what stands as the micro-budgeted little guy. I guarantee you, no one but the winners themselves and their immediate family members had them winning in their Oscar pools (myself included).

FINAL WINNERS:

8- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (FL, LV, PHX, STL, DEN, CC, SEA, TFA)

2- "Ex Machina" (NEV, Oscar)

2- "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (VES, BAFTA)

2- "The Walk" (SD, Satellite)

1- "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (Annie)

1- "The Good Dinosaur" (VES)

1- "Jurassic World" (HFA)

FINAL OSCAR NOMINEES: "Ex Machina," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Martian," "The Revenant," and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"

BEST SOUND EDITING AND BEST SOUND MIXING

OSCAR REACTIONS: I was surprised that the "Mad Max: Fury Road" sweep carried over to these two sound categories. I saw the wealth being spread to "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" or "The Revenant." This was quite the haul for "Mad Max: Fury Road."

FINAL WINNERS:

6- "Mad Max: Fury Road" (SD, SEA, TFA (twice), Oscar (twice)

2- "The Revenant" (BAFTA, CAS)

1- "The Martian" (Satellite)

1- "Bridge of Spies" (HFA)

1- "Inside Out" (CAS)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

OSCAR REACTION: Even if I don't think "The Hateful Eight" was anywhere near the best work of Ennio Morricone, it was a minor musical crime that he had never won an Oscar. He was winning this award no matter what and it's hard to be mad. I like greatness respecting greatness with Morricone acknowledging Williams, his fellow nominee.

FINAL WINNERS:

15- Ennio Morricone for "The Hateful Eight" (Chicago, LV, SD, STL, AUS, Globe, DEN, CO, EDA, GA, IA, CC, HOU, TFA, BAFTA)

4- Junkie XL for "Mad Max: Fury Road" (BO, IND, PCC, SEA)

3- Atticus Ross for "Love and Mercy" (Boston, NYO, FL)

2- Carter Burwell for "Carol" and "Anomalisa" (LA, Satellite)

1- John Williams for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (TFA)

1- Thomas Newman for "Bridge of Spies" (PHX)

1- Ryuichi Sakamoto and Alva Nota- "The Revenant" (DFW)

1- Johann Johannson for "Sicario" (DC)

1- Alexandre Desplat for "The Danish Girl" and "Suffragette" (HFA)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

OSCAR REACTION: This was quite the surprise. "Writing's on the Wall" was a very weakly-created James Bond song. Even with the LGBT diversity honored by Sam Smith winning, that message, song, and performance by Lady Gaga was something else. Yowzers!

FINAL WINNERS:

9- "See You Again" from "Furious 7" (AA, LV, PHX, HFA, DEN, GA, IA, CC, TFA)

2- "One Kind of Love" from "Love and Mercy" (Boston, HOU)

2- "Writing's on the Wall" from "Spectre" (STL, Globe)

1- "Til It Happens to You" from "The Hunting Ground" (Satellite)

1- "Grip" from "Creed" (SEA)

ACRONYM KEY FOR AWARD GROUPS

African-American Film Critics Association (AA), ACE Eddie Awards (ACE), Art Directors Guild Awards (ADG), Annie Awards (Annie), American Society of Cinematographers (ASC), Austin Film Critics Association (AUS), British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA), Black Film Critics Circle (BF), Boston Society of Film Critics (Boston), Boston Online Film Critics Associaion, (BO), Cannes Film Festival (Cannes), Cinema Audio Society (CAS), Costume Designers Guild (CDG), The Cesar Awards (Cesar), Chicago Film Critics Association (Chicago), Critics Choice Awards (CC), Central Ohio Film Critics Associations (CO), Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association (DC), Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association (DFW), Denver Film Critics Society (DEN), Detroit Film Critics Society (DET), Directors Guild of America (DGA) Awards (DGA), Dublin Film Critics Circle (DUB), Alliance of Women Film Journalists/EDA Awards (EDA), European Film Awards (EFA), Florida Film Critics Circle (FL), Georgia Film Critics Association (GA), Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association/Dorian Awards (GAL), Gotham Independent Film Awards (GIFA), Hollywood Foreign Press Association/Golden Globes (Globe), Hollywood Film Awards (HFA), Houston Film Critics Society (HOU), Iowa Film Critics Association (IA), Indiana Film Journalist Associations (IND), International Documentary Association (IDA), International Federation of Film Critics/FIPRESCI (IF), Kansas City Film Critics Circle (KC), Los Angeles Film Critics Association (LA), London Film Critics Circle (London), Las Vegas Film Critics Association/Sierra Winners (LV), Makeup and Hair-styling Guild (MHG), National Board of Review (NBR), North Carolina Film Critics Association (NC), National Society of Film Critics (NSFC), North Texas Film Critics Association (NT), Nevada Film Critics Society (NEV), New York Film Critics Circle (NY), New York Online Film Critics Association (NYO), Oklahoma Film Critics Circle (OK), Online Film Critics Association (Online), The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences/Academy Awards (Oscar), Producers Guild of America (PGA), Phoenix Critics Circle (PCC), Phoenix Film Critics Society (PHX), Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG), International Press Academy/Satellite Awards (Satellite), San Diego Film Critics Society (SD), San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SF), Southeastern Film Critics Association (SE), Seattle Film Critics Association (SEA), Independent Spirit Awards (Spirit), Sight & Sound Magazine/British Film Institute (SS), St. Louis Film Critics (STL), Sundance Film Festival (Sundance), The Film Art Awards (TFA), Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Toronto Film Critics Association (TOR), USC Libraries Scripter Award (USC), Utah Film Critics Association (UT), Vancouver Critics Circle (VAN), Visual Effects Society Awards (VES), Village Voice Film Critics Poll (VV), Writers Guild of America (WGA), Womens Film Critics Circle (WF)