Oscar Predictions 2015

Awards season comes to an end in a few days with the biggest night for movies at the 87^th annual Academy Awards. Many are calling this year, the most unpredictable year for the Oscars, and I must agree, there is no clear front-runner. It all comes to two very distinctively unique films; it’s the battle of the bees, Boyhood vs. Birdman.

So far, Boyhood has swept the season, winning right about every critic’s award there is, as well as top honours (Best Picture & Best Director) from the Golden Globes and the BAFTA awards. Most people will probably have their money on Boyhood, with most predicting it’ll end its sweep with a slam-dunk at the Oscars.

On one hand, there is Boyhood, a film that took 12 years in the making, with Richard Linklater filming only one week per year throughout a span of a little over a decade.  On the other hand, you have Birdman, which is distinguished for its continuous long-take shooting style. If you think about it, this year’s Oscars is also a battle of gimmicks. The way I see it, one took patience, the other took sheer talent. I believe the Academy will recognise this as well, which is why I’m going against the tide this year, predicting a big night for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s Birdman.  

Best Motion Picture

Will Win: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Could Win: Boyhood

Best Directing

Will Win: Alejandro G. Inarritu
Could Win: Richard Linklater

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Will Win: Eddie Redmayne
Could Win: Michael Keaton

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Will Win: Jullianne Moore

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Will Win: J.K. Simmons

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Will Win: Patricia Arquette

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock.

Best Animated Feature Film

Will Win: How to Train Your Dragon 2

Could Win: Song of the Sea

Best Cinematography

Will Win: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock.

Best Costume Design

Will Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Could Win: Into the Woods

Best Documentary Feature

Will Win: CitizenFour

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock. 

Best Documentary Short

Will Win: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

Could Win: Our Curse

Best Film Editing

Will Win: Boyhood

Could Win: Whiplash

Best Foreign Language Film

Will Win:Ida

Could Win: Wild Tales

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Will Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Could Win: Guardians of the Galaxy

Best Original Score 

Will Win: The Theory of Everything

Could Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Best Original Song

Will Win: Selma

Could Win: The Lego Movie

Best Production Design

Will Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Could Win: No one; it’s a lock.

Best Animated Short Film

Will Win: The Dam Keeper

Could Win: Feast

Best Live Action Short Film

Will Win: The Phone Call

Could Win: The race is wide-open race.

Best Sound Editing

Will Win: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Could Win: American Sniper

Best Sound Mixing

Will Win: Whiplash

Could Win: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Best Visual Effects

Will Win: Interstellar

Could Win: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Best Adapted Screenplay

Will Win: The Imitation Game

Could Win: Whiplash

Best Original Screenplay

Will Win: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Could Win: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)