AHEAD of the world’s most glamorous awards ceremony, held in Hollywood on Sunday, February 22, we look at the possible winners.
Best Picture
Nominees: American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, Whiplash
A strong offering this year has seen some critics’ choices for the award missing out completely, including Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi flick Interstellar, and Gone Girl.
My personal choice would be The Grand Budapest Hotel, but comedies don’t tend to fare well as the Oscars, especially in the Best Picture category.
I think American Sniper, with its back-slapping patriotism, will just about pip The Theory of Everything to the gong.
I can’t help but wonder if Stephen Hawking’s story, as well as Alan Turing’s in The Imitation Game might be a little too British for America’s biggest movie awards.
Best Actor
Nominees: Steve Carell (Foxcatcher), Bradley Cooper (American Sniper), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), Michael Keaton (Birdman), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
A surprise here were the snubs for Ralph Fiennes’ delightful performance in The Grand Budapest, and Matthew McConaughey’s solid showing in Interstellar.
I think Bradley Cooper may well be the favourite for this one, although I hope Michael Keaton is the one climbing onto the stage to utter his thank yous.
Keaton, who is perhaps best known for playing a superhero, plays a character best known for playing a superhero in the bizarre but brilliant Birdman.
And he does it superbly; proving once and for all casting is a major part of making a hit movie. I simply can’t imagine anybody else playing that role.
Best 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)
This is probably the toughest category for me. There’s no question that Julianne Moore was phenomenal in Still Alice, but it reminds me a little bit too much of Adam Sandley’s ‘comedy’ 50 First Dates.
Moore plays professor, Dr Alice Howard, who is diagnosed with early-onset dementia, in a role that landed her a fifth Oscar nomination, after Boogie Nights (1997), The End of the Affair (1999), Far From Heaven (2002), and The Hours (2002).
Although Moore is already well known for her dramatic roles, she may well have done enough to finally bag an Award.
If not her, it’ll be Felicity Jones.
Director
Nominees: Wes Anderson (Grand Budapest Hotel), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
It has never been done before, and it may never be done again. Richard Linklater’s foresight, originality and skill to shoot a film over 12 years, and then squash it into 2hr46m of character-driven, heart-warming, and relatable brilliance makes him the most deserving of this Oscar.
I really enjoyed Anderson’s Grand Budapest Hotel, and Inarritu’s Birdman, but the Academy judges surely won’t ignore the sheer brilliance of Linklater.
Best Supporting Actor
Nominees: Robert Duvall (The Judge), Ethan Hawke (Boyhood), Edward Norton (Birdman), Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher), JK Simmons (Whiplash).
Another hard one to call. Robert Duvall is an old favourite, Ethan Hawke banished memories of the dreadful Purge with an almost surprisingly warm fatherly performance in Boyhood, while Edward Norton is getting even better and better with age.
Ultimately, I think JK Simmons’ anxiety-inducing show in Whiplash will earn him the Oscar for Best Supporting Character.
The veteran thespian, who has proved his versatility in a variety of roles in more than 50 movies, gives a spine-tingling performance as the tough and demanding Fletcher in Whiplash.
Best Supporting Actress
Nominees: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game), Emma Stone (Birdman), Meryl Streep (Into The Woods), Laura Dern (Wild)
I can’t look past Emma Stone for this one. In a departure from her usual cutesy roles, Stone, playing the personal assistant and daughter of Riggan Thompson (Michael Keaton) is rough-round-the-edges, angry, and edgy.
Patricia Arquette (Boyhood) and Meryl Streep (Into The Woods) were surprise nominations, especially with Anne Hathaway ignored for her part in Interstellar, but Knightley (The Imitation Game) could be in the running too.
Cinematography
Nominees: Emmanuel Lubezki (Birdman), Dick Pope (Mr Turner), Robert D. Yeoman (Grand Budapest Hotel), Ryszard Lenczewski and Lukasz Zal (Ida), Roger Deakins (Unbroken).
With every single frame in Grand Budapest Hotel being near perfect, Robert D. Yeoman is a shoe-in.
Beautiful shot after beautiful shot - all expertly considered and executed by Yeoman - makes this choice the easiest.
Anybody who has seen this kitsch, quirky comedy will know exactly what I mean.
Costume Design
Nominees: Milena Canonero (Grand Budapest Hotel), Mark Bridges (Inherent Vice), Colleen Atwood (Into The Woods), Anna B. Shepherd (Maleficent), Jacqueline Durran (Mr Turner)
Grand Budapest Hotel.
Foreign Language Film
Nominees: Ida (Poland), Leviathan (Russia), Timbuktu (Mauritania), Wild Tales (Argentina), Tangerines (Estonia)
Ida.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXhCaVqB0x0
Makeup and Hairstyling
Nominees: Foxcatcher, Grand Budapest Hotel, Guardians of the Galaxy
Grand Budapest Hotel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AHPx2pac2Q
Original Score
Nominees: Grand Budapest Hotel, Interstellar, Mr Turner, The Theory of Everything, Imitation Game
Grand Budapest Hotel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKNvAzpCoFA&index=7&list=PL0YDyiv2-8i1mb7pXpuppCiTxtinyDbU9
Original Screenplay
Nominees: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr, Armando Bo (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman, Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Wes Anderson, Hugo Guinness (Grand Budapest Hotel), Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr, Armando Bo (Birdman).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc
Adapted Screenplay
Nominees: Jason Hall (American Sniper), Graham Moore (The Imitation Game), Anthony McCarten (The Theory of Everything), Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice), Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
Graham Moore (The Imitation Game).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2jRs4EAvWM
Animated Feature Film
Nominees: Big Hero 6, The Box Trolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, The Tale of Princess Kaguya
How to Train Your Dragon 2.
(But where was The Lego Movie?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUYiJE-bNbI
Documentary Feature
Nominees: CitizenFour (Praxis Films), Finding Vivian Maier (Ravine Pictures), The Salt of the Earth (Decia Films), Virunga (Grain Media), Last Days in Vietnam
Finding Vivan Maier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2o2nBhQ67Zc
Documentary (Short Subject)
Nominees: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1, Joanna, Our Curse, The Reaper, White Earth
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns5ua_t5Lm8
Film Editing
Nominees: American Sniper, Boyhood, Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Whiplash
Boyhood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPYTOtz0XEA
Original Song
Nominees: Everything is Awesome (The Lego Movie), Glory (Selma), Grateful (Beyond The Lights), I’m Not Gonna Miss You (Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me), Lost Stars (Begin Again).
Lost Stars (Begin Again).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyT-oGDnMqE
Production Design
Nominees: Grand Budapest Hotel, Imitation Game, Interstellar, Into The Woods, Mr Turner
Grand Budapest Hotel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYMfEKELveQ
Animated Short Film
Nominees: The Bigger Picture, The Dam Keeper, Feast, Me and my Moulten, A Single Life
The Dam Keeper.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTd3J1GFC5M
Live Action Short Film
Nominees: Aya, Boogaloo and Graham, Butter Lamp, Parvahneh, The Phone Call
Butter Lamp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3MD76xGXN4
Sound Editing
Nominees: American Sniper, Birdman, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, Interstellar, Unbroken
Interstellar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ye6ydvFQhRw
Sound Mixing
Nominees: American Sniper, Birdman, Interstellar, Unbroken, Whiplash
Whiplash.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHhfsu6P-vM
Visual Effects
Nominees: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Interstellar, X-Men: Days of Future Past
Interstellar.
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