December Oscar Predictions

Selma is a serious contender after all.

With the award season just beginning, several things have changed since last month's predictions. Early word on Unbroken has been hesitant to crown it the winner, and it looks as if Boyhood and The Imitation Game might be duking it out for the win. Meanwhile, Selma and Whiplash have gained momentum, especially the former film. American Sniper remains an option, and Interstellar and Foxcatcher are quickly falling out of Best Picture contention. Gone Girl even seems like a stretch now, but I've kept it in for the moment.

BEST PICTURE:

Birdman
Boyhood

Gone Girl

The Imitation Game
Selma

The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Whiplash

Changes: Replaced American Sniper, Foxcatcher and Interstellar with Selma and Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR:

Ava DuVernay, Selma
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Birdman

Angelina Jolie, Unbroken

Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game

Changes: Replaced Nolan with DuVernay

BEST ACTOR:

Steve Carell, Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman

David Oyelowo, Selma
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

Changes: Replaced Spall with Oyelowo

BEST ACTRESS:

Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl

Hilary Swank, The Homesman
Reese Witherspoon, Wild

Changes: Replaced Adams with Swank

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

Tom Wilkinson, Selma

Changes: None

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year

Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

Changes: None

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY:

Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Wild

Changes: Replaced American Sniper with Wild

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY:

Birdman

Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Selma
Whiplash

Changes: Replaced A Most Violent Year and Mr. Turner with The Grand Budapest Hotel and Selma

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN:

Big Eyes

The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Into the Woods

Mr. Turner

Changes: None

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:

Birdman
Mr. Turner

Selma
The Theory of Everything

Unbroken

Changes: Replaced Gone Girl and Interstellar with Selma and The Theory of Everything

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

Exodus: Gods and Kings

The Grand Budapest Hotel
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner

Changes: None

BEST FILM EDITING:

Birdman
Boyhood
The Imitation Game

Selma

Unbroken

Changes: Replace Interstellar with Selma

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

Gone Girl
The Imitation Game

Interstellar
The Theory of Everything

Unbroken

Changes: None

BEST ORIGINAL SONG:

"Everything is Awesome" from The LEGO Movie
"Glory" from Selma

"The Last Goodbye" from The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
"Lost Stars" from Begin Again
"Mercy Is" from Noah

Changes: Replaced Beyond the Lights with Selma

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING:

Foxcatcher

Guardians of the Galaxy
Into the Woods

Changes: None

BEST SOUND MIXING:

American Sniper
Fury

Interstellar

Into the Woods
Unbroken

Changes: Replaced Godzilla with American Sniper

BEST SOUND EDITING:

American Sniper
Fury

Godzilla

Interstellar

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Changes: Replaced The Hobbit with American Sniper

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Godzilla
Guardians of the Galaxy

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

Interstellar

Changes: None

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM:

Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The LEGO Movie
Song of the Sea

Changes: Replaced The Tale of Princess Kaguya with Song of the Sea

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM:

Ida (Poland)

Leviathan (Russia)
Mommy (Canada)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)

Changes: Replaced Two Days, One Night (Belgium) with Timbuktu

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM:

The Case Against 8

Citizenfour

Life Itself

The Overnighters

Virunga

Changes: Added this category