Wednesday, December 3, 2014

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

12 comments:

  1. I hope Boyhood does well, the best picture line-up looks weaker this year than last year. I've heard The Theory of Everything is not that great except the performances, and Alex Withrow gave The Imitation Game a D. Unbroken looked like a front runner for best picture but it only has 55% on rotten tom, so I have my doubts it will win now. Why are Foxcatcher and Interstellar falling out of the best picture race?

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    1. It's starting to look like Boyhood might be the Best Picture winner, but The Imitation Game is right in the Academy's sweet spot. Unbroken will probably get nominated (maybe not Jolie), despite some of the negative response. Foxcatcher seems to be almost forgotten, especially by critics lately. It might be lucky to land an acting nom or two and a makeup nom. Interstellar depends on enough passion votes to make the cut. I could see it getting in, but I think it will just miss.

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  2. I just really, REALLY want Jake Gyllenhaal in there for Nightcrawler!

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    Replies
    1. I don't see that happening, but it'd be awesome if it did!

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  3. Looking good. I think I'm going to hold off on any more predictions until my final predictions. I have so much on my plate right now, and I want to make sure I keep the Awards Tally page up to date.

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    1. I've no idea my final ones will look in a few weeks, but I can't wait to see where the awards season goes, especially now that Cotillard is in the mix. And I'd love to see Interstellar make the Best Picture lineup.

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  4. I'm glad Amy Adams seems to be falling by the wayside. Now if only Meryl Streep would do the same. Nothing against them, although I'm not a fan of Adams, but there HAS to be other talented and worthy actresses out there to compete and who would give the awards a sense of freshness.

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    Replies
    1. Marion Cotillard would be a nice option, even if she already has an Oscar.

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  5. This isn't my favorite year for movies, but I'm rooting for Whiplash and Birdman nevertheless.

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    Replies
    1. Birdman is everything, and I'm dying to see Whiplash!

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  6. SELMA somehow slipped by me, though I had been waiting for a film about MLK. I LOVE David Oyelowo, glad to see him as a contender here, I hope that'll happen in the Oscar race. He's super talented, right up there w/ another talented Black Brit Chiwetel Ejiofor!

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    Replies
    1. I wasn't sure if Selma would register or not, but it looks like it will get several nominations.

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