87th Annual Academy Award Nominations and Predictions

It's that time of year again.   I went 7 for 8 last year in major categories and 17 out of 23 overall.

I look to do better this year, but it's a tough group.

Best Picture

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

Prediction:  Boyhood.   Won Golden Globe and Critics' Choice awards already.    The groundbreaking film was shot by Richard Linklater over 12 years.    You don't see that everyday in a feature film.     Expect an editing award as well.

Best Director:

Alejandro G. Inarritu for Birdman
Richard Linklater for Boyhood
Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game

Prediction:   Linklater.    His film is groundbreaking.    Directing it took perserverance and patience.   He will be rewarded for that.    This should be the first director/picture win since 2011's The Artist.

Best Actor

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

Prediction:  Keaton.    Redmayne's performance is certainly more physically challenging and Oscar voters tend to like that.    Keaton, however, has picked up a Golden Globe and Critics' Choice award already.    It's a comeback of sorts for him and a marriage of the right actor with the right role. 

Best Actress

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

Prediction:  Moore.    Still Alice isn't in wide release yet, but it's a story of a woman fighting early Alzheimer's.    Moore has four previous nominations and a long, storied career in various types of films.    I think it's hers to lose.

Best Supporting Actor

Robert Duvall in The Judge
Ethan Hawke in Boyhood
Edward Norton in Birdman
Mark Ruffalo in Foxcather
JK Simmons in Whiplash

Prediction:   Simmons.    He has racked up numerous awards already.   Simmons is a veteran character actor (you've seen him on Farmers Insurance commercials) who gets a chance to gain recognition.    Good story and he is a clear favorite.

Best Supporting Actress

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

Prediction:  Arquette.    Arquette has rolled through awards season and is a favorite here.    An acting win will boster Boyhood's hopes for Best Picture.    Streep's nomination is her 19th, adding to her own Oscar record.    She has been nominated twice since winning her third Oscar three years ago.

Best Original Screenplay

Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Nightcrawler

Prediction:   Birdman.    The key word is original.    The Grand Budapest Hotel is also original, but Birdman looks like the play here.

Best Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash

Prediction:   The Imitation Game.    Graham Moore's script may be the only Oscar win for the film which garnered numerous nominations.   

Overall, I'm figuring four Oscars for Boyhood, which should be enough to be the big winner of the evening.