We have been pretty diligent in seeing the nominated films this year, even down to buying the live and animated shorts from Netflix. So, these are what I want to win this year - not who I think will or should, just the basic, which performance I enjoyed the most .
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
Laura Dern - Wild *
Keria Knightley - The Imitation Game
Emma Stone - Birdman
Meryl Streep - Into the Woods
* Did not see WILD, ( it does have a great soundtrack that I have been listening to ) and the smart money is on Patricia Arquette for her 12 Years as an underpaid actor, but I want Meryl to make some Oscar history with Into the Woods - just the one I enjoyed the most.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall - The Judge **
Ethan Hawke - Boyhood
Edwawrd Norton - Birdman
Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher
J.K.Simmons - Whiplash
** I did not see The Judge, but was in and out of the room as Neil watched it last night, seemed a pretty straight forward Robert Duvall performance. Most likely to win is JK Simmons in his gruff and tumble music teacher abusive guy. I am in camp Mark Ruffalo, the actor that sticks most in my mind - and all the cute to boot, which goes in his favor.
As good a time as any to say that as time has gone on - BOYHOOD is just souring for me. At best a mediocrefilm with one hell of a gimmick, but that is not enough to elevate it to OSCAR stature, I hope it walks away with nothing.. but:
BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard - Two Days , One Night *
Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore - Still Alice
Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon - Wild *
No one has seen Marion Cotillard in this , I think, French film - a waste of a space in this category and again did not see Wild. But, this is or should be as much of a shoe in as any race this year. Julianne Moore was just outstanding in her role.
BEST ACTOR
Steve Carell - Foxcather
Bradley Cooper - American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton - Birdman
Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything
By far the strongest of the groups all of them Oscar worthy in a lesser year. Some think the two Brits will cancel each other out leading to an upset, but I am going to go with Eddie Redmayne as Stepehen Hawkins - just an amazing physical performance, which the Academy usually likes, and I did as well. But, will not be upset at all if Michael Keaton wins he was fantastic in Birdman.
BEST LIVE SHORT
( just because we watched them all )
Aya
Boogaloo and Grah
Butter Lamp
Parvaneh
The Phone Call
I really enjoy these short films and watch them often on the youtube. Not really sure how you get nominated for this , there seem to be so many out there, but I hope that Parvaneh, from Isreal wins this, sort of a slightly creepy ( but totally not ) film about .. sort of nothing, but so much could have happened. Butter Lamp is VERY funny in an ironic sort of 2015 way and most folks think that The Phone Call , which is very good, will win.
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
The Bigger Picture
The Damn Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life
I can't remember which is which in these animated films - some of the animation was so new as to be shocking, and I would really like to see more, very much some mixed media sort of things that was just wonderful to watch. HERE is a little behind the scenes at all of them . I went with The Bigger Picture just because it was a style and concept that I had never seen before
BEST DIRECTOR
Alejandro G Inarritu - Birdman
Richard Linklater - Boyhood
Bennet Miller - Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum - The Imiation Game
The whole world wants to heap praises on Richard Linklater for his 12 year " epic " - see above. I hope it goes to BIRDMAN, which was so innovative .
BEST SONG
Everything is Awesome - Lego Movie
Glory - Selma
Grateful - Beyond the Lights
I'm Not Gonna Miss You - Glen Campbell - I'll Be Me
Lost Stars - Begin Again
Not one I usually care about and I don't think the Academy wants it to be a themed Oscar this year, but this Glen Campbell song is HEARTBREAKING. Most folks think this will be a nod to Selma here
BEST MOVIE
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
I saw all the nominated movies this year, and as you can see am doing a total cop out on my pic, but I will be happy if either of these win, really leaning towards Birdman. Selma should have been a much better movie than it turned out to be, it was so very flawed as a film - which is totally the directors fault, but it as stuck with me.
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