Oscar season is well upon us and so are the Oscar nominations. It’s surprising how fast time just flies by. I would have posted this sooner, but I was at the gym getting my sweat on as I watched this year’s nominations announced on TV.
Here are my overall top favorite competing films: American Sniper, Birdman, Theory of Everything, Boyhood, The Imitation Game, and Foxcatcher. I was surprised that Unbroken was only nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. I seriously thought it would be nominated for more. Unfortunately, Angelina Jolie wasn’t nominated for Director; I think she totally should have been. And Jack O’ Connell, who played the late Louis Zamperini, should have been nominated for Best Actor, though the lineup in that category is extremely competitive this year. As a matter of fact, nearly every category this year is up for grabs.
It’s difficult trying to predict who will win the 2015 Oscars, and it’s especially difficult for categories such as Best Actor. I would like to see any one of the nominees win. It would be cool to see Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), as it’s rare to see him in such a challenging and serious role. His range as an actor is on full display. He deserves this win.
However, my gut says that Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) may take this one home. Usually the trend is that playing someone with a disability, especially in a quality film, tends to draw the most nods from voters. Of course, it also takes a quality actor to pull it off – Daniel Day Lewis in My Left Foot.
For some reason, the Academy lost my ballot in the mail. But highlighted in bold are my hopes for the win in each category. I was torn with many of these nominees, so sometimes I select multiple winners. Sue me. I also skipped some categories of films that I haven’t seen because let’s face it, who aside from the filmmakers’ family and stoner friends watches Best Live Action Short, anyway?
Oscar Nominations
Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Best Director
Alexandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Best Actor
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress
Marion Cotillard, Two Days One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Best Cinematography
Birdman – Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Robert Yeoman
Ida – Lukasz Zal & Ryszard Lenczewski
Mr. Turner – Dick Pope
Unbroken – Roger Deakin
Best Foreign Language Film (Sorry, no vote here. I LOVE foreign films and need to get around to watching these!)
Ida
Leviathan
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales
Best Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Best Original Screenplay
Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Best Original Score
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Mr. Turner
The Theory of Everything
Best Original Song
“Lost Stars,” Begin Again
“Everything is Awesome,” The LEGO Movie
“Glory,” Selma
“Grateful,” Beyond the Lights
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Best Documentary—Short
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper
White Earth
Best Film Editing
American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash
Best Production Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
Best Animated Short
The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life
Best Live Action Short
Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp
Parvaneh
The Phone Call
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 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
Best Documentary — Feature
Citizenfour
Finding Vivien Maier
Last Days of Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga
Best Costume Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner