Our 2015 Oscar Predictions
The 87th Academy Awards are this Sunday, officially wrapping up award season for 2015. Neil Patrick Harris will host this year’s show, and hopefully deliver the same type of enthusiasm and enjoyment from his previous hosting gigs at the 2013 Emmys and Tonys. Red carpet coverage starts at 7:00pm and show time is 8:30 p.m. ETon ABC. If you want seven hours of pre-Oscar festivities, E! Network will start its Countdown to the Red Carpet at 1:30 p.m. For full list of nominees, a print off ballot and the winners, visit Oscars.org, the official site of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.
Best Picture:
Nominees:
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Winner: Boyhood or Birdman? Boyhood. This years Oscars presents one of the most uncertain Best Picture races we’ve seen in years. Both movies have won at previous award shows, both are beloved by critics, and either one could easily win the nights biggest award. Boyhood tells the story of a family over the span of 12 years through the eyes of the youngest son. It took that long to film it and is a cinematic masterpiece. My vote is for Boyhood.
Director:
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Winner: Usually best director and best picture go hand in hand, but the last two years there’s been a split and it could easily happen again. Richard Linklater won the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Critics Choice award so all bets are on him, but Alejandro G. Iñárritu could easily win this award. Boyhood took 12 years to make and Birdman looks like it was filmed in one shot – so we’ll have to wait and see which feat the Academy deems worthy of the award.
Actor:
Nominees:
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Winner: Eddie Redmayne. Although it’s a toss up between Michael Keaton and Eddie Redmayne, Eddie won the SAG award and it’s been over a decade since the last time the SAG winner didn’t win the Oscar in this category. It is worth noting that all five of the nominees are worthy of the Oscar, so here’s to hoping for a Bradley Cooper upset.
Actress:
Nominees:
Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Winner: Even though it would be great to see Reese Witherspoon win this award, it is likely going to Julianne Moore for Still Alice. Her performance as a woman with early onset Alzheimer’s has garnered critical acclaim.
If anyone else wins this award, it would be an upset.
Supporting Actor:
Nominees:
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Winner: When it comes to winning awards, almost nothing is guaranteed, but J.K. Simmons has taken this award at every other award show and joins Julianne Moore and Patricia Arquette in the “We would be shocked if they lost” category.
Supporting Actress:
Nominees:
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Winner:
Patricia Arquette has won this award at all the previous award shows and will most likely win it at the Oscars. But do I secretly hope that Meryl wins every year for whatever she’s nominated for? Yep.
