Happy New Year and My OSCAR Nominations 2015 Predictions

 It's that time again... we have turned the page to a new year, and that means it's awards season! The Golden Globes are January 11, and the OSCAR nominations are announced on January 15.  The following are my predictions based upon the films I have seen, the things I have read, and past years experience.  Like I said last year, I admit I have not seen all the films yet, so some of this is based only on other information I have read about these films.  If I had to rank the movies I have seen so far in a list of my top 5 films of 2015, they would be as follows:

1. Birdman
2. Whiplash
3. The Imitation Game
4. Foxcatcher
5. The Grand Budapest Hotel 

 

My Predictions:

BEST PICTURE: "Birdman," "Boyhood," "Foxcatcher," "The Imitation Game", "Gone Girl", "Selma," "The Theory of Everything", "Whiplash," "Unbroken," "Nightcrawler" - This is assuming a list of 10.  I would take "Unbroken" off the list first.

BEST DIRECTOR: A.G. Iñárritu ("Birdman"), Richard Linklater ("Boyhood"), Wes Anderson ("The Grand Budapest Hotel") , David Fincher (“Gone Girl"),  Ava DuVernay ("Selma")

BEST ACTOR: Michael Keaton ("Birdman"), Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Imitation Game"), David Oyelowo ("Selma"), Steve Carell ("Foxcatcher"), Eddie Redmayne  ("The Theory of Everything") - I am adding 2 alternates to this list: Bill Murray ("St. Vincent), Miles Teller ("Whiplash")

BEST ACTRESS: Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”),  Rosamund Pike ("Gone Girl"),  Reese Witherspoon ("Wild"),  Marion Cotillard ("Two Days, One Night"),  Felicity Jones ("The Theory of Everything")

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:  JK Simmons ("Whiplash"),  Edward Norton ("Birdman"), Mark Ruffalo (“Foxcatcher”),  Robert Duvall ("The Judge"),  Ethan Hawke ("Boyhood") - I have a personal wish addition: Andy Serkis ("Dawn of the Planet of the Apes") - it is about time he got some recognition for the digital characters he has brought to life.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:  Patricia Arquette ("Boyhood"),  Laura Dern ("Wild"),  Meryl Streep ("Into the Woods"),  Emma Stone, (“Birdman”),  Tilda Swinton (“Snowpiercer”)

One additional Prediction, I will go out on the limb early and predict both a nomination and a WIN for Emmanuel Lubezki (“Birdman”) for Cinematography.  He was the winner of this category last year for "Gravity"  If you haven't seen "Birdman" yet,  GO!

Of all the films I saw in 2014, the one not on this list that has stayed in my head the most is "Under the Skin" with Scarlett Johansson. It was disturbing and fascinating.  It was also the only movie that I went to that people walked out during.  I think it's a "love it or hate it" experience. Not sure I "love it", but I am glad I saw it.

Do you agree?  Leave comments...