The lone straggler of the awards season, the Motion Picture Sound Editors seem unconcerned with Oscar season as twice now (for nominations and awards) they’ve waited until after voting was closed. This makes it more difficult for prognosticators to see their thinking, but we suspect the narrative of the guild awards may continue here with a proxy battle between Mad Max: Fury Road and The Revenant.

MOTION PICTURE SOUND EDITORS AWARDS

Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects and Foley in a Feature Film

Ant-Man
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road (Wesley, RU:Thomas)
The Martian (Peter)
The Revenant (Thomas, RU:Peter)
Sicario
Southpaw
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: Although the Cinema Audio Society award going to The Revenant might seem like a harbinger, I steadfastly refuse to believe this group won’t get the complexities of the other nominees, especially Mad Max.
Peter J. Patrick: No commentary provided.
Tripp Burton: Was not available by deadline.
Thomas LaTourette: Having won at the CAS, it seems likely that The Revenant will succeed here over Mad Max.

Best Sound Editing: Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Film

Bridge of Spies (Peter)
Mad Max: Fury Road (RU:Thomas)
The Martian
The Revenant (Wesley, Thomas)
Room
Sicario (RU:Peter)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (RU:Wesley)
Straight Outta Compton

Wesley Lovell: This is a tougher call and I think this is where The Revenant could win its victory.
Peter J. Patrick: No commentary provided.
Tripp Burton: Was not available by deadline.
Thomas LaTourette: Again, this now looks like it will go to The Revenant rather than Mad Max.

Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue, ADR and Music in an Animation Feature Film

Anomalisa (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
The Good Dinosaur
Hotel Transylvania 2
Inside Out (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Minions (RU:Peter)
The Peanuts Movie
Shaun The Sheep Movie

Wesley Lovell: Why vote against the leader of all other prizes for animation this year?
Thomas LaTourette: Inside Out has won most awards associated with animated films, and I see no reason that that won’t happen here too.

Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue, ADR and Music in a Feature Documentary

A Faster Horse
Amy (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Best of Enemies
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck
Racing Extinction (RU:Thomas)
The Wrecking Crew
What Happened to Miss Simone? (RU:Peter)
Winter On Fire: Ukraine’s Fight For Freedom (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: This might be the one time where Amy isn’t truly the leader, but we have no way of knowing since some of these nominees aren’t very widely seen.
Thomas LaTourette: Being a movie about music, it makes sense that Amy will win.

Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR in a Feature Foreign Language Film

Dias De Gracia (RU:Thomas)
Northmen – A Viking Saga (RU:Wesley)
Son Of Saul (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Unfreedom (RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Son of Saul is the only title most voters will likely recognize on this list.
Thomas LaTourette: Son of Saul is the one film on the list I have heard of, so I will go with it.

Best Sound Editing: Music in a Feature Film

Creed (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Jupiter Ascending
Jurassic World
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian (Peter)
The Revenant (RU:Wesley)
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Wesley, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: For music editing, I’m thinking Star Wars: The Force Awakens has a terrific opportunity to pick up an award, though The Revenant could also nab this one.

Best Sound Editing: Music in a Musical Feature Film

Love & Mercy (Peter, RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Pitch Perfect 2
Straight Outta Compton (Wesley, Thomas, RU:Peter)
Wesley Lovell: Straight Outta Compton and Love & Mercy both have studio time on display and feature pivotal music acts. While I think Love & Mercy could eke out a victory for Brian Wilson’s unique musical inspirations, Straight Outta Compton seems to be a film more of the moment.