The Oscars 2015 - My thoughts, predictions and problems

The Oscars 2015 - The 87th Academy Awards 

This years nominations, like every year has been discussed to death and will undoubtedly be discussed for 3 days after the fateful night and be forgotten by almost everyone. The year in question has been a special one for me, I have seen in 2014, more films in the cinema than I have ever done before in my life and was the ‘prime mover’ for this blog.  Granted, some were seen at the beginning of 2015 and some haven’t been seen through various reasons like release date or showing times/availability, but if I could see it, 99% of the time I did.
These are going to be my picks for some of the awards, and are influenced by predictions but also my opinion. If I haven’t seen the movie, I’ll still say whether what I've heard is good or not.

Best Picture

American Sniper
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

These are all good at the least, if I had to rank them it’d be: 2,8,4,6,3,7,1,5 (if I had numbered them down from the top.)
The ranking gives away what I think deserves and has a strong chance of winning, Birdman. It should win for the simple fact that it is cinema at its finest, sensational performances from a stellar cast with amazing direction and a story that is fitting for all this.  I think Boyhood has a strong chance too, with The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game and Whiplash all having a chance.

In my opinion, Nightcrawler, starring Jake Gyllenhaal should have got a nomination as well but the way this category works must have meant it just didn’t get enough votes, but was still a brilliant picture.

Actor in a leading role –

Steve Carell - Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper - American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

Michael Keaton should win, most impressive and immersive and this is still a tight category, it’s realistically between Keaton and Redmayne but again my opinion is in Birdman’s favour. Selma’s David Oyelowo should replace Cumberbatch or Cooper and again this could have Jake Gyllenhaal but it was a good year.
Actress in a leading role –

Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore - Still Alice
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon – Wild

I'm afraid to say I haven’t yet seen Julianne Moore in Still Alice yet because it hasn’t been released yet and wasn’t able to catch Marion Cotillard in her film when it was showing. I think Julianne Moore will win from the praise and predictions but if I were to go on whom I have seen, my winner is Rosamund Pike. She is chilling, sexy and the ultimate definition of a femme fatale.

Actor in a supporting role –

Robert Duvall - The Judge
Ethan Hawke - Boyhood
Edward Norton - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons – Whiplash

Every single man on this list, performed well in his respective film but J.K Simmons will win. No one else comes close in my opinion. 

Actress in a supporting role –

Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Laura Dern - Wild
Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game
Emma Stone - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Meryl Streep - Into the Woods

I didn’t bother watching Into the Woods but from what I hear, Streep’s performance is good but the nomination was given for the sake of it being Meryl Streep. However, Patricia Arquette in Boyhood was rare and real.

I'm going to fire off some others that I think will win or who in my opinion deserve to win, from what I've seen.

THE LEGO MOVIE SHOULD BE WINNING BEST ANIMATED FILM BUT WASN’T EVEN NOMINATED…
Birdman for Cinematography
The Grand Budapest Hotel for Costume
It’ll be tight but I think Alejandro G. Iñárritu directed the better movie in Birdman but Richard Linklater made a more ‘special’ film with Boyhood. Too close, although I want Iñárritu. (THE REVENANT)
Lost Stars from Begin Again for Original Song but wouldn’t mind Everything is Awesome from The Lego Movie
Feast for short film… It was the only one I've seen but blew me away
And finally Dawn of the Planet of the Apes for Visual Effects

Cheers













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