2015 Academy Awards Discussion

[Eraserhead]

I've really been slacking when it comes to watching stuff this year. That said I'm happy about all of the love for Birdman and Grand Budapest Hotel but disturbed by the lack of nominations for Inherent Vice and especially Nightcrawler.

I haven't even watched Boyhood yet though which apparently is a lock to win BP. Sad. Oh well.

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I'm cool with Birdman winning. Great movie.

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I enjoyed Argo and The Artist but Birdman is far superior to those films.

I still need to see Boyhood. I suppose I really should try to watch it before Feb. 22.

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Come on guys. Cameron is just awful.

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The lack of a good film about the Peoples Temple that isn't pure exploration schlock about Jonestown is indeed sad.

So true.

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When was the last time a Best Picture race was this competitive this late in the game?

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Eh, I don't know guys, I seem to recall The King's Speech and 12 Years a Slave being heavy favorites by this point.

That said, I agree that the race is leaning toward Birdman.

I wish we still had an Oscar pool at my job. I used to make bank off of that.

[Eraserhead]

Here are my final predictions (because I know you've all been waiting for these):

Best Picture: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne
Best Actress: Julianne Moore
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette
Best Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Best Cinematography: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Best Costume Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Director: Alejandro G. Inarritu for Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Best Documentary Feature: CitizenFour
Best Documentary Short Subject: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Best Film Editing: Boyhood
Best Foreign Language Film: Ida
Best Makeup and Hairstyling: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Score: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Original Song: "Glory" by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
Best Production Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Animated Short Film: Feast
Best Live Action Short Film: The Phone Call
Best Sound Editing: Interstellar
Best Sound Mixing: Whiplash
Best Visual Effects: Interstellar
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Imitation Game
Best Original Screenplay: The Grand Budapest Hotel

[Eraserhead]

I honestly have to say that this looks like a really good crop of movies, and it's been a while since I've been able to say that. Looks like they've assembled a lot of good, absorbing contemporary dramas here, and I'll probably get around to watching most of them at some point this year.

Birdman, The Theory of Everything, and The Imitation Game look at this point like the most interesting to me. My choice never wins, ever, so I'll guess Sniper wins best picture or one of the others.

There's no way in hell that American Sniper will win Best Picture. It'll be lucky to win anything (if it does it'll be in one of the technical categories). Best Picture is gonna go to either Birdman or Boyhood but if there is a dark horse to watch in that race, it's probably The Grand Budapest Hotel IMO.

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I got 20/24 right on my predictions. These things are just so damn predictable for the most part.

I wish Keaton had won (even though I predicted Redmayne).

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2007 was definitely a good year for movies.