Friday, February 20, 2015

Predictions for 87th Annual Academy Awards


With less than two days to go before the 87th annual Academy Awards, it's time to slip on my Nostradamus hat (OK, I don't have one... let's pretend) and pony up my predictions for this year's (technically last year's) best movies. My track record is pretty good (49-6 over the last half-decade, including 10-1 last year.) Turns out, Her did win Best Original Screenplay: Go figure. Without further adieu, let the guessing begin...

Best Picture: Boyhood. Birdman or Boyhood. Boyhood or Birdman. Take your pick, but Boyhood seems like a safer choice. Either way, it's bound to be close.

Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything. Could/should be Michael Keaton; but leave it to the Academy to choose someone portraying a physical handicap.

Best Actress; Julianne MooreStill Alice. Evidently, the fifth time's the charm. Close to a slam dunk.

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. SimmonsWhiplash. Another slam dunk. Truth be told, he'd win Best Actor (if eligible.)

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia ArquetteBoyhood. Loved her in True Romance, but that was two decades ago. I prefer Emma Stone; but what do I know?

Best Director: Richard LinklaterBoyhood. Here we go again: Turns out I'm hitching my wagon to a movie I didn't even enjoy. I'd prefer to see Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel) or Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman) win: Fingers crossed for an upset.

Best Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2. Me no care.

Best Cinematography: Birdman. Even Boyhood can't win this one. Early congrats to Emmanuel "Chivo" Lubezki, who won for Gravity last year.

Best Foreign Language Film: Ida. This one's a true toss-up; but I'm going with the black & white Polish drama over Leviathan or Wild Tales by a nose.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Whiplash. British faves The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything could win; but our #3 movie of the year deserves it more.

Best Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel. Birdman has just as good a chance, and this is the one category I got wrong last year. Should be interesting.