The whole awards season seen from our point of view, the avid fans, the compulsive watchers, the dedicated trackers, can be something of an anti-climax when we get to this time of year. We’ve come a long way since it kicked off – haven’t we? Critics awards, done. Guild awards, done. Movies, seen. Of course, there is a whole lot more that goes on. I have been following the race, right up to the Oscars, for twenty-five years. By the time you are just waiting for the ceremony to arrive, you know for the most part what is going to happen. And you can be exhausted by it. Especially the intensity of the coverage today. And we long for surprises, we long not to know, even though that is what we strive to discover the whole time. To that end then, we are at least hoping for a jolly good show. And as tiring and political and frustrating a journey this might be, I somehow enjoy it every single year. And look forward to the next. Madness.
This year then. A film industry problem goes deeper than the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, but there is little diversity this year with the Best Picture nominees. There is a white man who wants to be a black bird, a very famous black man, we have a growing boy, a lobby boy, two very clever men, a white boy being shouted at by a white man, and a man who shoots other men, women and children. Oh come one, don’t scream at me for being controversial. If that was the Oscar host saying that you would laugh your heads off. Anyway, Neil Patrick Harris will also be keeping a close eye on proceedings, including not leaving any box cutters in harm’s reach. Okay, how about Snow White Mason and the Seven Dwarfs: Doc King, Grumpy Fletcher, Happy Gustave, Sleepy Kyle, Bashful Turing, Sneezy Hawking, and Dopey Riggan. Better? Laughing now?
Jennifer Aniston, Channing Tatum, and David Oyelowo will be there to present, all without any pressure of being nominees (ouch). I am hoping, too, that on the red carpet Chris Pratt is asked what he is wearing, even though it is clearly Emmet Brickowoski. As a result of some of their choices, Scarlett Johansson is expected to lure some of the male members of the Academy away into a black nothingness, and they may never be seen again. Sienna Miller is going to be there too, attempting to call nominee Bradley Cooper on the telephone every time he is occupied or needed. After last year’s performance I am not certain, but I think John Travolta is back to possibly announce the winner of Bust Oregano Screensaver. Reese Witherspoon will be there too, obviously she will be walking to the ceremony. Oprah Winfrey has also been asked to attend, though a punch around the head may be in store for any red carpet officials with heavy hands. And I believe Chris Evans is seated right at the back of the theatre, which he can’t be pleased about, so I fully expect him to fight his way to the front.
So here are my Oscar predictions, for what it is all worth. I love writing, and I love movies, but that does not make me an expert. I will try to curb my bitterness towards the fact there are a few who most definitely will not be winning an Oscar on Sunday night (Jessica Chastain; Steve James; Gillian Flynn). I will also not be delving deep into who I think may be a last-minute or more unexpected winners (Virunga; Wild Tales; The Tale of the Princess Kaguya). I am also not going to bore you too much by divulging my own personal preferences (Rosamund Pike; Paul Thomas Anderson; Lukasz Zal & Ryszard Lenczewski). As a bonus, though, I am guessing the order they hand the bald guys out (forgive me if that schedule has already been published).
Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Costume Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Sound Editing: Interstellar
Sound Mixing: Interstellar
Supporting Actor: J K Simmons, Whiplash
Visual Effects: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Makeup & Hairstyling: Guardians of the Galaxy
Live Action Short: The Phone Call
Animated Short Film: Feast
Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Documentary Short: Chrisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Documentary Feature: Citizenfour
Foreign Language Film: Ida
Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Film Editing: Boyhood
Adapted Screenplay: Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Picture: Birdman
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Boyhood was my favorite movie of the year, but I really like what Iñárritu did with the direction of Birdman. Then, Grand Budapest Hotel wins Original Screenplay, and all 3 become big winners.
I switched to Big Hero 6 for Animated Film because I read people saying the Oscars don't award sequels in that category. IDK.
Sound SHOULD go to Interstellar, but I predict American Sniper and Whiplash will take those.
Guardians of the Galaxy for Makeup is a great pick. I just feel they'll sway over to Grand Budapest Hotel because it's got more nominations and might win the most of the evening.
That just leaves Ida for your pick and Leviathan for mine. I pick Leviathan as a stab in the dark pick. I have no real sense for who's gonna win that.
Here are my predictions for the Oscars.
Best Picture – Birdman
Best Director – Alejandro González Iñárritu – Birdman
Best Actor – Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
Best Actress – Julianne Moore – Still Alice
Best Supporting Actor – J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress – Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
Best Original Screenplay – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Adapted Screenplay – The Imitation Game
Best Animated Film – Big Hero 6
Best Foreign Language Film – Leviathan
Best Documentary Film – Citizenfour
Best Film Editing – Boyhood
Best Cinematography – Birdman
Best Visual Effects – Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Best Production Design – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Costume Design – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Makeup and Hairstyling – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Sound Editing – American Sniper
Best Sound Mixing – Whiplash
Best Music – Original Score – The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Music – Original Song – Selma – Glory
Best Live Action Short Film – Boogaloo and Graham
Best Animated Short Film – Feast
Best Documentary Short Film – Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Yeah there are so many little reasons to sway you this way or that. If you think about it enough and read too much you could never make your choices and end up stir crazy. Interstellar could pull a Matrix and really win big. Doubtful. We shall see.
That is so true. That's why it's best to have predictions done now, and relax the rest of the week.
Interstellar could surprise with a few wins for sure. The Matrix was still better IMO.
I must say these are quite interesting picks. Going to be interesting to see what happens. The only 2 categories I am dreading are picture and director which I hope goes to Boyhood. Birdman would be far from a bad win but Boyhood it should be.
You already know my predictions of course.
Whiplash in editing can happen. Interstellar for both sound editing and mixing? Well I had that very initially in the race. I hope Dawn wins VFX.
To be honest I have stepped well away from the Oscar predicting stuff on the internet the last week or so. And I have been thinking clearly. That does not, of course, mean I will get more right.
You have some brave predictions there, but I think Sniper is coming away with one or two. And a lot of people have gone gung ho over Original Score for Theory of Everything. We'll see on Sunday night. I'll post my predictions on Friday.
There are always a couple of awards wins that people miss, away from the consensus of what we read over the weeks. Win perhaps not based on form. So I tried to catch them. Plus they are what I genuinely feel could win. Look forward to your predictions.