My Oscar 2015 Predictions

Hey everyone, if you haven't heard yet the 2015 Oscar nominations were announced this morning.  There were definitely some things that surprised me as well as things that did not surprise me.  So for the past couple of weeks I have received many emails asking me what my Oscar predictions were and I wanted to wait until the nominations were announced until I did so (mainly because my actual choices for the categories would have never been nominated due to their story and content). However I can say that I am very pleased with the nominations even though for me they may not be my favorites.  For this blog I will post who I think will win and I will also post who I think should win. They may be the same or they may be different, once again it is just my opinion.  Also I will not be going into as much detail into some of the more technical categories, I will simply state my prediction.   This will be the first year that I actually make known to many people what my predictions are, but I was 100% correct last year in my predictions. Now this year, unlike last year, is completely different since there are no true front-runners in the main categories, so I could very well be wrong,  Anyways lets begin with my 2015 Oscar predictions.......

BEST PICTURE

American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Will Win/Should Win - Boyhood
This category is really hard for me because I love most of the films nominated.  This was a great year for movies and there is a reason why there is no true front-runner.  However, this film is a spectacle all on its own.  It took over 12 years to make as it follows a young boy growing up. What the cast and crew were able to do is simple amazing.  Now this film may not tackle hot-button issues as some of the other films nominated, but I believe the Academy will reward its cast and crew for doing something that no one has ever done before.

BEST DIRECTOR

Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Will Win/Should Win - Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Once again each of these directors are worthy in their own right, but the Academy will have to honor the director that was able to keep the same cast and crew together for over 12 years in order to make a single film.  Richard Linklater, definitely deserves this award and his vision is absolutely incredible.

BEST ACTOR

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Will Win - Michael Keaton, Birdman
Hollywood loves a comeback story and this year there is no greater comeback than Michael Keaton. This is Keaton's first Oscar nomination.  I think the reason many people love his performance so much is because it really is a reflection of how Hollywood is and in particular how Michael Keaton's career has been.  It shows just how hard it is to be an actor once your most popular role has come to an end.  No one exemplifies this more than Keaton and because of this the Academy will reward him for this self-awareness
Should Win - Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
All of the other actors in the category all provide wonderful performances and each one would be more than deserving to win this category.  They have all completely transformed themselves to fit the role that they have been asked to portray.  However I truly believe that no other actor in the category has changed themselves and their image more than Steve Carell in the eerie Foxcatcher.  From his prosthetic nose to his raspy voice, Steve Carell has completely taken away all of his comedic form in order to portray this role.  I personally believe that the Academy should honor that because it is an incredible feat for any actor, but for a comedic actor it is breathtaking.

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

Will Win - Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Julianne Moore is definitely the one to beat this year in the Best Actress category.  She has won every award and guild up to this point and I don't think that it will change when it comes to Oscar night. Julianne Moore has been nominated 4 times for an Oscar and has yet to win.  The Academy will finally want to reward her for her incredible life in Hollywood.  Though this may not be her best performance, the Academy will reward her for her career.
Should Win - Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Reese Witherspoon shines portraying Cheryl Strayed as she makes the 1,100 miles hike through the Pacific Crest Trail.  She portrays a woman struggling to find herself in this crazy world.  The Academy usually likes to award actors and actresses for carrying the weight of an entire film on their shoulders and Witherspoon does just as good as any in doing so.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Will Win/Should Win - J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
This is J.K. Simmons year.  His portrayal of an intense music professor is not only breathtaking, but is by far the best acting I have seen from any person this year.  He has won every award and guild up to this point and there is no denying that he completely deserves it.  Expect to see his name called on February 22.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Will Win - Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
All the women in this category give amazing performances, but all of Hollywood has been raving over Patricia Arquette's performance as a struggling mother in Boyhood.  All the actors give amazing performances in this film, but Patricia Arquette's stands out more than any.  She really captures what it is like to be a single mother.  She has won everything up to this point and there definitely is no end in sight.
Should Win - Laura Dern, Wild
Laura Dern gives a spectacular performance as Reese 'Witherspoon's mom in Wild.  What makes her job even more difficult is that all of her performance is done in flashbacks and there is not that much screen time for her.  However she makes the most of her time and truly creates a character that it is hard not to love.

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

American Sniper, Jason Hall
The Imitation Game, Graham Moore
Inherent Vice, Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything, Anthony McCarten
Whiplash, Damien Chazelle

Will Win - The Imitation Game, Graham Moore
The Academy will not let this WWII film that deals with social issues go unrewarded.  This will be the film's best bet
Should Win - Whiplash, Damien Chazelle
This was by far one of my favorite movies of the year and maybe even all time.  I am still confused as to why it is in this category, but for whatever reason, it deserves the win.

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Birdman, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo
Boyhood, Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher, E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson and Hugo Guiness
Nightcrawler, Dan Gilroy

Will Win - Birdman, Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo
It won at the Golden Globes and I don't see it losing here.
Should Win - Nightcrawler, Dan Gilroy
One of the best social commentaries that I have seen in a very long time.  It got snubbed in all of the top categories, so I think it deserves a win here.

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Birdman, Emmanuel Lubezki
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Robert D. Yeoman
Ida, (Ryszard Lenczweski and Lukasz Zal
Mr. Turner, Dick Pope
Unbroken, Roger Deakins

Will Win - Birdman, Emmanuel Lubezki

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel, Milena Canonero
Inherent Vice, Mark Bridges
Into the Woods, Colleen Atwood
Mr. Turner, Jacqueline Durran
Maleficent, Anna B. Sheppard

Will Win - Into the Woods, Colleen Atwood

BEST FILM EDITING

American Sniper, Joel Cox and Gary Roach
Boyhood, Sandra Adair
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Barney Pilling
The Imitation Game, William Goldenberg
Whiplash, Tom Cross

Will Win - Boyhood, Sandra Adair

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy

Will Win - Guardians of the Galaxy

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Alexandre Desplat)
The Imitation Game (Alexandre Desplat)
Interstellar (Hans Zimmer)
Mr. Turner (Gary Yershon)
The Theory of Everything (Jóhann Jóhannsson)

Will Win - The Imitation Game (Alexandre Desplat)

BEST MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

“Lost Stars” from Begin Again
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
“Everything is Awesome” from The LEGO Movie
“Glory” from Selma
“Grateful” from Beyond the Lights

Will Win - "Glory" from Selma
Should Win - "Lost Stars" from Begin Again

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Adam Stockhausen; Anna Pinnock)
The Imitation Game (Maria Djurkovic; Tatiana Macdonald)
Interstellar (Nathan Crowley; Gary Fettis, Paul Healy)
Into the Woods (Dennis Gassner; Anna Pinnock)
Mr. Turner (Suzie Davies; Charlotte Watts)

Will Win - The Grand Budapest Hotel (Adam Stockhausen; Anna Pinnock)

BEST SOUND EDITING

American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken

Will Win - American Sniper

BEST SOUND MIXING

American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash

Will Win - American Sniper

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

Will Win - Interstellar

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of Princess Kaguya

Will Win - How to Train Your Dragon 2
This category opened wide up when The Lego Movie was not nominate, so expect the Academy to award the Golden Globes winner.
Should Win - Big Hero 6
This definitely is no Frozen, but Walt Disney Animation definitely did not disappoint with this film. By far my favorite animated film this year!!

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Wild Tales (Damián Szifrón; Argentina)
Tangerines (Zaza Urushadze; Estonia)
Timbuktu (Abderrahmane Sissako; Mauritania)
Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski; Poland)
Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev; Russia)

Will Win - Ida (Pawel Pawlikowski; Poland)

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

CITIZENFOUR
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga

Will Win - CITIZENFOUR

BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)

Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper
White Earth

Will Win - White Earth

BEST SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life

Will Win - Feast 

BEST SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp
Parvaneh
The Phone Call

Will Win - Aya

Well everyone there you go.  These are my predictions for the 2015 Oscars.  Be sure to watch February 22 on ABC to see who actually wins.
Thanks again for reading!! If you have any other questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!