(Note: All of my predictions on who will win will be highlighted in green.)
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of the Princess Kayuga
Well that was quick. Already out the gate and we have our first major snub on our hands. How was The LEGO Movie not nominated for this category? The film was a thoughtful, heartwarming tale that involved LEGO Construction Toys and the animation was nothing short of amazing. Everyone I know who had made predictions put this not only as the favorite to get nominated, but to win as well. Now that this film got criminally snubbed, How to Train Your Dragon 2 seems like the surefire winner, as that film was a wonderful animated film that raised the stakes while also expanding its world built in the first one.
Best Original Screenplay
Boyhood
Birdman
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler
This category I was pleasantly surprised by, as all the nominees are strong contenders. Nightcrawler was the biggest surprise, as I thought it was one of last year's most criminally underrated films. The script is crackling with so much energy and wit, which is backed by a strong turn by Jake Gyllenhaall, that it deserves to be nominated. I was also sadly disappointed that Selma did not receive a nomination in this category, as it was an absolutely powerful script filled with emotion and inspiration.
However, my pick for this category has to be The Grand Budapest Hotel. The script for that film was so delightfully charming and quirky, and having such an original idea on a classic genre (screwball capers), that it must be praised for its unique and fresh take. The dialogue is so fast and witty that it garners some big laughs out of the crowd watching it. The film leaves you feeling rather happy and content, and leaves on a poignant note rather than a sad one. It's one of the more unique scripts in recent memory.
Best Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
As I am one person, I am not able to see every Oscar nominated movie. I try to, but prior commitments stand in my way (Theory of Everything and Imitation Game will be seen this week). I have seen American Sniper and while that was an rather amazing story with Chris Kyle's life. I also thought that Inherent Vice was not only a rather entertaining and hilarious script, but it was filled with a lot of good twists as well. While I would like Inherent Vice to win the award, I have a gut feeling that Whiplash will take home the top prize that night, as the film's script is said to be the odds on favorite due to its intensity and powerhouse performances.
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette-Boyhood
Laura Dern-Wild
Keira Knightley-The Imitation Game
Emma Stone-Birdman
Meryl Streep-Into The Woods
This is a tough category, as all of the actresses are equally fantastic in their performances. However, I believe that Patricia Arquette will go home with the Oscar. Her performance as Mason's mother felt so....natural. It didn't feel like you were watching an actor perform. You were watching a person take care of her children, which is an amazing feat. On the other nominees, I am pleasantly surprised to see Emma Stone up here for Birdman, as I thought her performance was rather excellent as Riggan's bitter daughter. If she won, I would have no qualms with it. Meryl Streep though....honestly, I'm surprised to see her on here. I would have thought that Carmen Ejogo would have scored the nomination.
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall-The Judge
Ethan Hawke-Boyhood
Edward Norton-Birdman
Mark Ruffalo-Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons-Whiplash
There's no doubt about this one: Simmons will walk home with the statue come Oscar night. His intense, supposedly almost downright scary performance as the perfectionist music teacher is earning him the best raves of his career. I'm ecstatic that Duvall got a nomination, as he was absolutely fantastic in what ended up being yet another criminally underrated film from 2014. If he ends up being the dark horse in this race, I would have no qualms with it. I'm also glad to see Ruffalo and Norton get some love, as they were each great in their respective performances, especially Norton, who basically satirized every Method actor out there. But something tells me Simmons is going home with the Oscar.
Best Actress
Marion Cotillard-Two Days, One Night
Julianne Moore-Simply Alice
Felicity Jones-The Theory of Everything
Rosamund Pike-Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon-Wild
I am genuinely pleased that Pike got a nomination for her turn in Gone Girl, as her performance was all kinds of creepy and terrifying. I hope she picks up the trophy on that Sunday, but Felicity Jones might come in and become the favorite to win the award. On the side of the other nominees, I'm happy that Marion Cotillard got an award. Even though I had currently never heard of the film she was in until yesterday, but she is a wonderful actress and I'm glad she was nominated. The dark horse of the race? Julianne Moore, who is earning raves for her performance in Still Alice as the titular character diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She may swoop in and win the Oscar.
Best Actor
Michael Keaton-Birdman
Steve Carell-Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch-The Imitation Game
Eddie Reymayne-The Theory of Everything
Bradley Cooper-American Sniper
Keaton has this one locked. As Riggan Thomson, he greatly pulls on his own life experience in the past to play this character and the result is one of the most honest and bitter performances I have ever seen. Keaton commands every second of the screen, making many parallels to when he was Batman. He's the sure fire favorite to win and my pick easily. I also would not be surprised if Eddie Reymayne came in and won for his accurate portrayal of Stephen Hawking, which has been getting raves and even nabbed him a Golden Globe. I am also VERY pleased to see Steve Carell on here, as his performance as John du Pont was creepy and rather reffective. I am massively disappointed in the noticeable and extreme lack of diversity within this race, however, as David Oyelowo was criminally snubbed for his amazing performance as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He deserved to be nominated and it's a shame that he was snubbed, as he deserved to join these actors.
Best Director
Wes Anderson-The Grand Budapest Hotel
Richard Linklater-Boyhood
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu-Birdman
Bennett Miller-Foxcatcher
Morten Tyldum- The Imitation Game
This one comes down to one of three choices: Anderson, Linklater, and Inarritu. My choice is Linklater because it is an amazing feat to see a film with an ambitious scope go off without a single hitch. However, Inarritu and Anderson both created unique and interesting stories that are sure to be remembered: one is about the price of fame and what it takes to reclaim it, the other is a bizarre and rather quirky take on comedy capers from the 50s or 60s. All three of these directors could take home the prize come Oscar night. However, it saddens me that another name I was hoping to be nominated was snubbed: Ava DuVernay for Selma. She crafted a powerful story that is important as well as relevant to our world today. It's a shame that she was also snubbed, as she deserved a nomination.
Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
This is a great list of nominees for Best Picture this year, and it's extremely hard to choose which will be the one to go home with the big prize. Will it be the story about the hotel concierge and his lobby boy on a madcap caper? Perhaps it's the story about the drummer pushed to his limits? Or maybe it'll be a biopic, maybe about one of the most ingenious minds in our lifetime, or about the man who inspired millions of African-Americans to have the most basic American rights. For me, the choice for who I think will win Best Picture will be the film that took 12 years to complete. Boyhood is an astounding film not just for the gimmick that it took 12 years to make (though it certainly helps), not just because it's a heartwarming coming of age tale, but because there are moments which everyone can relate to and it defies traditional filmmaking. Some people, at various points in their life, have had to deal with an abusive stepfather. Others have dealt with getting a bad hair cut. Others will remember their first love and how they handled it. Whatever the reason, Boyhood features moments that everyone can relate to. In addition, the film defies conventional filmmaking, as Richard Linklater makes a film that has little narrative structure and displays originality in its presentation. It is for these reasons that Boyhood is my pick for Best Picture.
THE REST OF THE NOMINEES!
Best Foreign Language Film
Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)
Tangerines (Estonia)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)
Best Documentary-Feature
Citizenfour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga
Best Documentary -Short Subject
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper (La Parka)
White Earth
Best Live-Action Short Film
Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp (La Lampe au beurre de yak)
Parvaneh
The Phone Call
Best Animated Short Film
The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
FeastMe and My Moulton
A Single Life
Best Original Score
The Grand Budapest Hotel- Alexandre Desplat
The Imitation Game-Alexandre Desplat
Interstellar-Hans Zimmer
Mr. Turner-Gary Yershon
The Theory of Everything-Johann Johnsson
Best Original Song
"Everything is Awesome!!"- from The Lego Movie- Tegan and Sara ft. The Lonely Island
"Glory"- from Selma-John Legend ft. Common
"Grateful"- from Beyond the Lights-Rita Ora
"I'm Not Gonna Miss You- from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me-Glen Campbell
"Lost Stars"-from Begin Again-Adam Levine
Best Sound Editing
American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken
Best Sound Mixing
American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash
Best Production Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
Best Cinematography
Birdman-Emanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel-Robert Yeoman
Ida-Lukasz Zal and Ryzard Lenczewski
Mr. Turner- Dick Pope (or is it Dick Poop?)
Unbroken-Roger Deakins
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Best Costume Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner
Best Film Editing
American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash
Best Visual Effects
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past
So what say you fellow film lovers? Any other snubs that you were disappointed by? Any films you were happy to see nominated? Sound off in the comments below! I'll be live tweeting reactions to some of the bigger awards shows on Twitter (the Razzies, the SAG Awards, and of course, the Oscars) so follow me @filmfan108! I, for one, can't wait to see what will happen when the Oscar Telecast airs February 22 on ABC!
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