Like sands through the hourglass, another year has passed and it’s time for Hollywood to bestow upon one another the most important awards in the world. Make no mistake – the Academy Award, known colloquially as the “Oscar” is more important that any award ever given from one man to another. More important that the Pulitzer Prize for Literature, or the Nobel Peace Prize, the Oscar remains the most coveted little gold man on earth.
Tonight we reflect on those who will win Oscars tonight, and those who should win Oscars (but will not because the world is unfair).
We will look at the most critical categories: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Original Screenplay. As for the other awards, meh.
Best Picture:
American Sniper
Clint Eastwood, Robert Lorenz, Andrew Lazar, Bradley Cooper and Peter Morgan
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher and James W. Skotchdopole
Boyhood
Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson, Scott Rudin, Steven Rales and Jeremy Dawson
The Imitation Game
Nora Grossman, Ido Ostrowsky and Teddy Schwarzman
Selma
Christian Colson, Oprah Winfrey, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner
The Theory of Everything
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce and Anthony McCarten
Whiplash
Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook and David Lancaster
WILL WIN: BIRDMAN
SHOULD WIN: BIRDMAN
I have seen all of the best picture candidates save for The Theory of Everything and Selma. I just re-watched Birdman last night, and the film is much more nuanced and complicated than any of the other nominees. Although I thoroughly enjoyed American Sniper, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, and Whiplash, none of those films feel like the Best Picture of the year. I also must say that I am in the minority of people who loathed Boyhood.
ACTOR – in a Leading Role
Steve Carell
Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper
American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch
The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Eddie Redmayne
The Theory of Everything
WILL WIN: MICHAEL KEATON
SHOULD WIN: MICHAEL KEATON
Michael Keaton’s performance in Birdman is amazing and multilayered. Keaton has a history of great performances, including my personal favorites – Beetlejuice and Multiplicity. It’s his time after putting in those dues!
ACTRESS – in a Leading Role
Marion Cotillard
Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones
The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore
Still Alice
Rosamund Pike
Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon
Wild
WILL WIN: JULIANNE MOORE
SHOULD WIN: JULIANNE MOORE
Another actor who deserves the Oscar for her body of work is Julianne Moore. Her performance in Still Alice is heartbreaking, honest, and necessary. Julianne Moore is a treasure we are lucky to have.
ACTOR – in a Supporting Role
Robert Duvall
The Judge
Ethan Hawke
Boyhood
Edward Norton
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Mark Ruffalo
Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons
Whiplash
WILL WIN: J.K. SIMMONS
SHOULD WIN: J.K. SIMMONS
J.K. Simmons was terrifying in Whiplash. Simmons’ turn as a music teacher at a Julliard-level music school shows the terrifying stakes faced by his students on a daily basis. Simmons’ abusive treatment of Miles Teller’s character is not meant to be taken lightly; this is a character whose rage will live on in film for decades to come.
ACTRESS – in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette
Boyhood
Laura Dern
Wild
Keira Knightley
The Imitation Game
Emma Stone
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Meryl Streep
Into the Woods
WILL WIN: PATRICIA ARQUETTE
SHOULD WIN: PATRICIA ARQUETTE
Although I was not partial to Boyhood, I can easily say that Patricia Arquette will win this award. She deserves the Oscar not only for her body of work, but also for the effort of filming the same film for a period of twelve years. Ms. Arquette also delivered the most critical line of the film: “I was just expecting more”.
DIRECTING
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Alejandro G. Iñárritu
Boyhood
Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher
Bennett Miller
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Wes Anderson
The Imitation Game
Morten Tyldum
WILL WIN: RICHARD LINKLATER
SHOULD WIN: ALEJANDRO G. INARRITU
I believe that Linklater will win for Boyhood due to the achievement of the film being shot over the course of twelve years. I think Inarritu should win for the amazing performances he culled from his actors in Birdman, not to mention the multilayered aspects of the film.
WRITING – Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper
Written by Jason Hall
The Imitation Game
Written by Graham Moore
Inherent Vice
Written for the screen by Paul Thomas Anderson
The Theory of Everything
Screenplay by Anthony McCarten
Whiplash
Written by Damien Chazelle
WILL WIN: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON FOR INHERENT VICE
SHOULD WIN: PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON FOR INHERENT VICE
P.T. Anderson is a god who walks among men. There is no one like him working in film today, nor will there ever be again. All hail P.T. Anderson.
WRITING – Original Screenplay
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Written by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr. & Armando Bo
Boyhood
Written by Richard Linklater
Foxcatcher
Written by E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Screenplay by Wes Anderson; Story by Wes Anderson & Hugo Guinness
Nightcrawler
Written by Dan Gilroy
WILL WIN: WES ANDERSON FOR THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
SHOULD WIN: ALEJANDRO INARITTU, ET AL for BIRDMAN
I think that Wes Anderson will win for best original screenplay because he doe snot have a chance at winning for Best Picture or Directing. If I had to choose a screenplay based purely on craft, I would choose Birdman.
Fixed Air 
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