by Joyless Staff
This Sunday marks the 87th Academy Awards, an event so hyped that it's hard for even the least involved cinephile to ignore. (As noted in the New York Times this past weekend, 43 million Americans watched the Oscars last year—seven times the number of people that saw Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave.) Below are our forecasts for who will win, who should win, and who should have been nominated. Notably underrepresented this year are Selma, Gone Girl, Inherent Vice, and Under the Skin, making for a monochromatic group of acting nominees and an all-male set of directorial and screenwriting nominees—a problem endemic in both Hollywood and the Academy. If there can be any silver lining, it is that Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater, two filmmakers who have previously only been nominated for screenwriting awards, may be taking home more well-deserved Oscars than they can carry.
This Sunday marks the 87th Academy Awards, an event so hyped that it's hard for even the least involved cinephile to ignore. (As noted in the New York Times this past weekend, 43 million Americans watched the Oscars last year—seven times the number of people that saw Best Picture winner 12 Years a Slave.) Below are our forecasts for who will win, who should win, and who should have been nominated. Notably underrepresented this year are Selma, Gone Girl, Inherent Vice, and Under the Skin, making for a monochromatic group of acting nominees and an all-male set of directorial and screenwriting nominees—a problem endemic in both Hollywood and the Academy. If there can be any silver lining, it is that Wes Anderson and Richard Linklater, two filmmakers who have previously only been nominated for screenwriting awards, may be taking home more well-deserved Oscars than they can carry.
Best Picture
Nominees: American Sniper; Boyhood; Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); The Grand Budapest Hotel; The Imitation Game; Selma; The Theory of Everything; Whiplash
Awards season is usually bookended by the last summer action blockbuster and the first back-of-the-shelf January flop, but this year two of the frontrunners for Best Picture are already out on DVD. It's no surprise that Boyhood, the 12-years-in-the-making film about memory and growing up, should garner some awards-circuit praise, but the fact that The Grand Budapest Hotel (released way back in March) got a nomination is both unusual and impressive. Maybe the Academy will finally start to give awards to the best films instead of the best marketed ones.
The field of competitors was expanded in 2009 to a possible ten films, which makes this year's eight nominations all the stranger, with notable exclusions of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice. Still, the ten-film system seems to only exist to allow more DVDs to be sold with the phrase "nominated for an Academy Award" stamped on the back, since most of the nominated films have no chance of winning the golden statuette. Typical Academy fodder The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything are unlikely winners in a year this stacked with legitimate, interesting work, and Whiplash is just as unlikely, since it is director Damien Chazelle's first feature of note. (Too many Academy voters seem to see these awards as cumulative appreciation for a career-worth of work.) Selma and American Sniper may both be deemed too political to compete, and Selma's complete lack of nominations in other categories foreshadows that unfortunate outcome.
While Birdman is a superbly-acted and beautifully choreographed film and Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel is the distillation of everything good in his filmic canon, the awards season winds are blowing toward the most deserving offering. Each of these three contenders could win Best Picture in another year, but here only one of them can take it home, and Boyhood is one of the most poignant, interesting films of the century. Still, the wackiest outcome would be seeing Anderson's crew take the stage at the end of the night. If it doesn't happen this year—pitted against one of the most competitive core of nominees in recent memory—we can look forward to the eventuality of Wes Anderson and his grizzled entourage unicycling their way up to the podium to deliver an incomprehensible speech. --Jeremy Meckler
Nominees: American Sniper; Boyhood; Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); The Grand Budapest Hotel; The Imitation Game; Selma; The Theory of Everything; Whiplash
Awards season is usually bookended by the last summer action blockbuster and the first back-of-the-shelf January flop, but this year two of the frontrunners for Best Picture are already out on DVD. It's no surprise that Boyhood, the 12-years-in-the-making film about memory and growing up, should garner some awards-circuit praise, but the fact that The Grand Budapest Hotel (released way back in March) got a nomination is both unusual and impressive. Maybe the Academy will finally start to give awards to the best films instead of the best marketed ones.
The field of competitors was expanded in 2009 to a possible ten films, which makes this year's eight nominations all the stranger, with notable exclusions of Gone Girl and Inherent Vice. Still, the ten-film system seems to only exist to allow more DVDs to be sold with the phrase "nominated for an Academy Award" stamped on the back, since most of the nominated films have no chance of winning the golden statuette. Typical Academy fodder The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything are unlikely winners in a year this stacked with legitimate, interesting work, and Whiplash is just as unlikely, since it is director Damien Chazelle's first feature of note. (Too many Academy voters seem to see these awards as cumulative appreciation for a career-worth of work.) Selma and American Sniper may both be deemed too political to compete, and Selma's complete lack of nominations in other categories foreshadows that unfortunate outcome.
While Birdman is a superbly-acted and beautifully choreographed film and Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel is the distillation of everything good in his filmic canon, the awards season winds are blowing toward the most deserving offering. Each of these three contenders could win Best Picture in another year, but here only one of them can take it home, and Boyhood is one of the most poignant, interesting films of the century. Still, the wackiest outcome would be seeing Anderson's crew take the stage at the end of the night. If it doesn't happen this year—pitted against one of the most competitive core of nominees in recent memory—we can look forward to the eventuality of Wes Anderson and his grizzled entourage unicycling their way up to the podium to deliver an incomprehensible speech. --Jeremy Meckler
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Birdman | Boyhood | Gone Girl |
| Matt Levine | Boyhood | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Under the Skin |
| Jeremy Meckler | Boyhood | Boyhood | Gone Girl |
| Michael Montag | American Sniper | Boyhood | The Immigrant |
| Lee Purvey | Boyhood | Boyhood | Foxcatcher |
| Kathie Smith | Boyhood | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Under the Skin |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Boyhood | Selma | Inherent Vice |
| Eliza Summerlin | Boyhood | Birdman | Under the Skin |
| Peter Valelly | Boyhood | Boyhood | Inherent Vice |
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Nominees: 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
While he has toed the line of drama on several previous occasions (Little Miss Sunshine, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), longtime Apatow affiliate and network comedy darling Steve Carell's real introduction to the fancy business of "serious acting" came in this year's Foxcatcher--and quite the introduction it was. Carrell's chilling transformation into John du Pont, a lonely, manipulative millionaire whose sponsorship of several elite American wrestlers enters a spiral of paranoia and violence, helped make Foxcatcher the most emotionally riveting film of the year. Unfortunately, "chilling" isn't exactly what Academy voters typically go for, so expect Eddie Redmayne's inspirational turn as Stephen Hawking to get the Oscar nod. In The Theory of Everything, Redmayne performs Hawking’s gradual physical decline due to motor neuron disease with a painful meticulousness. More impressive still is the sustained gravity and emotional nuance Redmayne is able to communicate during the final chapters of this staged near-paralysis. Bradley Cooper and Michael Keaton's effective performances in otherwise underwhelming films could make either one an acceptable spoiler, leaving Benedict Cumberbatch’s work in The Imitation Game as by far the weakest in the five-man field (and about which, the less said the better). --Lee Purvey
Nominees: 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
While he has toed the line of drama on several previous occasions (Little Miss Sunshine, The 40-Year-Old Virgin), longtime Apatow affiliate and network comedy darling Steve Carell's real introduction to the fancy business of "serious acting" came in this year's Foxcatcher--and quite the introduction it was. Carrell's chilling transformation into John du Pont, a lonely, manipulative millionaire whose sponsorship of several elite American wrestlers enters a spiral of paranoia and violence, helped make Foxcatcher the most emotionally riveting film of the year. Unfortunately, "chilling" isn't exactly what Academy voters typically go for, so expect Eddie Redmayne's inspirational turn as Stephen Hawking to get the Oscar nod. In The Theory of Everything, Redmayne performs Hawking’s gradual physical decline due to motor neuron disease with a painful meticulousness. More impressive still is the sustained gravity and emotional nuance Redmayne is able to communicate during the final chapters of this staged near-paralysis. Bradley Cooper and Michael Keaton's effective performances in otherwise underwhelming films could make either one an acceptable spoiler, leaving Benedict Cumberbatch’s work in The Imitation Game as by far the weakest in the five-man field (and about which, the less said the better). --Lee Purvey
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Eddie Redmayne | Eddie Redmayne | David Oyewolo, Selma; Ben Affleck, Gone Girl |
| Matt Levine | Michael Keaton | Michael Keaton | Jake Gyllenhall, Nightcrawler |
| Jeremy Meckler | Eddie Redmayne | Michael Keaton | Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice |
| Michael Montag | Michael Keaton | Michael Keaton | Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice; Joaquin Phoenix, The Immigrant |
| Lee Purvey | Eddie Redmayne | Steve Carell | Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel |
| Kathie Smith | Michael Keaton | Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Michael Keaton | Michael Keaton | Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice |
| Eliza Summerlin | Eddie Redmayne | Steve Carell | Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner |
| Peter Valelly | Steve Carell | Michael Keaton | Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel |
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nominees: Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night; Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything; Julianne Moore, Still Alice; Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl; Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Considering almost every Best Actress award to date has gone to Julianne Moore for Still Alice (the Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA, National Board of Review, etc.), there’s little reason to think that will change on Oscar night—especially since it would function as an unofficial honorary Oscar to Moore, who has never won the award. Too bad the film itself is as bland as Moore’s performance is powerful. Every other film in this category fares better, relying heavily on their lead actress’ performance in different ways. While Two Days, One Night observes its protagonist with resolute focus, so much of the movie’s power depends on ensemble acting that Cotillard’s subtle performance might be too selfless for the Academy. Similarly, as Jane Hawking in The Theory of Everything, Felicity Jones shares the screen with Best Actor contender Eddie Redmayne, and although Jones makes Jane Hawking a strong, unique character (arguably as compelling as Stephen Hawking himself), the Oscars usually gravitate towards the showier performances.
Speaking of "showier," my initial hunch for the category this year was that Rosamund Pike, as the shapeshifting Amazing Amy in Gone Girl, would steal the award. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but it’s undeniably impressive how Pike recalibrates Amy to whatever suits David Fincher’s zigzagging mystery—the character might be a cypher but she’s hypnotic to watch. Even more dynamic, though (probably because she’s approached more compassionately), is Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed in Wild. In what has to be the performance of her career, Witherspoon explores her character’s lowest depths and highest moments of self-discovery with remarkable dexterity, exuding a volatile toughness along with the sense of humor we've come to expect from the actress. --Matt Levine
Nominees: Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night; Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything; Julianne Moore, Still Alice; Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl; Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Considering almost every Best Actress award to date has gone to Julianne Moore for Still Alice (the Golden Globe, SAG, BAFTA, National Board of Review, etc.), there’s little reason to think that will change on Oscar night—especially since it would function as an unofficial honorary Oscar to Moore, who has never won the award. Too bad the film itself is as bland as Moore’s performance is powerful. Every other film in this category fares better, relying heavily on their lead actress’ performance in different ways. While Two Days, One Night observes its protagonist with resolute focus, so much of the movie’s power depends on ensemble acting that Cotillard’s subtle performance might be too selfless for the Academy. Similarly, as Jane Hawking in The Theory of Everything, Felicity Jones shares the screen with Best Actor contender Eddie Redmayne, and although Jones makes Jane Hawking a strong, unique character (arguably as compelling as Stephen Hawking himself), the Oscars usually gravitate towards the showier performances.
Speaking of "showier," my initial hunch for the category this year was that Rosamund Pike, as the shapeshifting Amazing Amy in Gone Girl, would steal the award. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but it’s undeniably impressive how Pike recalibrates Amy to whatever suits David Fincher’s zigzagging mystery—the character might be a cypher but she’s hypnotic to watch. Even more dynamic, though (probably because she’s approached more compassionately), is Reese Witherspoon as Cheryl Strayed in Wild. In what has to be the performance of her career, Witherspoon explores her character’s lowest depths and highest moments of self-discovery with remarkable dexterity, exuding a volatile toughness along with the sense of humor we've come to expect from the actress. --Matt Levine
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Julianne Moore | Rosamund Pike | Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin |
| Matt Levine | Julianne Moore | Reese Witherspoon | Tilda Swinton, Only Lovers Left Alive |
| Jeremy Meckler | Julianne Moore | Rosamund Pike | Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin |
| Michael Montag | Julianne Moore | Marion Cotillard | Agata Trzebuchowska, Ida |
| Lee Purvey | Julianne Moore | Julianne Moore | Scarlett Johansson, Under the Skin |
| Kathie Smith | Julianne Moore | Marion Cotillard | Jenny Slate, Obvious Child; Stacy Martin, Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Julianne Moore | Marion Cotillard | Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant |
| Eliza Summerlin | Julianne Moore | Julianne Moore | Scarlett Johannson, Under the Skin |
| Peter Valelly | Reese Witherspoon | Rosamund Pike | Essie Davis, The Babadook |
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominees: Robert Duvall, The Judge; Ethan Hawke, Boyhood; Edward Norton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher; J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
It seems this time around that the Best Supporting Actor category acts as a consolation prize for actors not lucky enough to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. The two strongest nominees—Ethan Hawke for Boyhood and J.K. Simmons for Whiplash—are certainly leads and frequently steal the spotlight of their films. Hawke brings comic relief, depth, and uncertainty to a character who is confused about how to best be a father to his kids. Simmons drives Whiplash as the maniacal music instructor who illustrates the allure and danger of perfection. It’s also telling that the “lead” for both these films (Ellar Coltrane for Boyhood, Miles Teller for Whiplash) didn’t receive a nomination for Best Actor. Though Edward Norton, the egotistical, explosive (literally) supporting actor of Birdman, and Mark Ruffalo, the successful, even-keeled big brother in Foxcatcher, both contribute solid performances, their chances at an Oscar are diminished by the inclusion of Simmons and Hawke, who belong in the Best Actor category. The Academy will probably rain a lot of love on the Boyhood enterprise, so expect a win for Hawke. Also, we are all still scratching our heads at Robert Duvall’s nomination for The Judge. Does anyone even remember that movie? --Eliza Summerlin
Nominees: Robert Duvall, The Judge; Ethan Hawke, Boyhood; Edward Norton, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher; J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
It seems this time around that the Best Supporting Actor category acts as a consolation prize for actors not lucky enough to be nominated for a Best Actor Oscar. The two strongest nominees—Ethan Hawke for Boyhood and J.K. Simmons for Whiplash—are certainly leads and frequently steal the spotlight of their films. Hawke brings comic relief, depth, and uncertainty to a character who is confused about how to best be a father to his kids. Simmons drives Whiplash as the maniacal music instructor who illustrates the allure and danger of perfection. It’s also telling that the “lead” for both these films (Ellar Coltrane for Boyhood, Miles Teller for Whiplash) didn’t receive a nomination for Best Actor. Though Edward Norton, the egotistical, explosive (literally) supporting actor of Birdman, and Mark Ruffalo, the successful, even-keeled big brother in Foxcatcher, both contribute solid performances, their chances at an Oscar are diminished by the inclusion of Simmons and Hawke, who belong in the Best Actor category. The Academy will probably rain a lot of love on the Boyhood enterprise, so expect a win for Hawke. Also, we are all still scratching our heads at Robert Duvall’s nomination for The Judge. Does anyone even remember that movie? --Eliza Summerlin
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | J.K. Simmons | J.K. Simmons | Riz Ahmed, Nightcrawler |
| Matt Levine | J.K. Simmons | Ethan Hawke | Jeremy Renner, The Immigrant |
| Jeremy Meckler | J.K. Simmons | Edward Norton | Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice |
| Michael Montag | J.K. Simmons | Edward Norton | Jeremy Renner, The Immigrant |
| Lee Purvey | J.K. Simmons | Ethan Hawke | Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher |
| Kathie Smith | J.K. Simmons | J.K. Simmons | Alfred Molina, Love is Strange |
| Geoffrey Stueven | J.K. Simmons | Ethan Hawke | Bill Hader, The Skeleton Twins |
| Eliza Summerlin | Ethan Hawke | J.K. Simmons |
| Peter Valelly | Edward Norton | Ethan Hawke |
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Nominees: 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
This one isn’t even close, nor should it be. As Olivia, the maternal anti-hero of Richard Linklater’s groundbreaking Boyhood, Patricia Arquette delivers the performance of her life and the performance of the year. Through economic woes and failed marriages, Arquette’s flawed but resilient character bends but never breaks under the weight of single parenthood and domestic violence. Olivia is brilliantly written by Linklater but, over the course of a dozen years, unforgettably brought to life by an actress whose real life struggles mirrored her character’s. In the feel-good story of this awards season, Arquette’s Oscar will replace on her mantle the only other honor of her nearly 30-year-long career: a CableACE award for a 1991 TV mini-series.
Aside from rookie nominee Emma Stone (now the second star of Superbad to be Oscar-nominated), the other women in this category are familiar to Academy voters. Laura Dern’s brief turn in Wild--which to me was less heartrending than her turn in last summer’s The Fault in Our Stars--earned her a nod for the first time since 1992, with Keira Knightley also grinning for gold for the second time (2006). And then there’s Meryl. (Yawn.) For the nineteenth time. --Daniel Getahun
Nominees: 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
This one isn’t even close, nor should it be. As Olivia, the maternal anti-hero of Richard Linklater’s groundbreaking Boyhood, Patricia Arquette delivers the performance of her life and the performance of the year. Through economic woes and failed marriages, Arquette’s flawed but resilient character bends but never breaks under the weight of single parenthood and domestic violence. Olivia is brilliantly written by Linklater but, over the course of a dozen years, unforgettably brought to life by an actress whose real life struggles mirrored her character’s. In the feel-good story of this awards season, Arquette’s Oscar will replace on her mantle the only other honor of her nearly 30-year-long career: a CableACE award for a 1991 TV mini-series.
Aside from rookie nominee Emma Stone (now the second star of Superbad to be Oscar-nominated), the other women in this category are familiar to Academy voters. Laura Dern’s brief turn in Wild--which to me was less heartrending than her turn in last summer’s The Fault in Our Stars--earned her a nod for the first time since 1992, with Keira Knightley also grinning for gold for the second time (2006). And then there’s Meryl. (Yawn.) For the nineteenth time. --Daniel Getahun
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year |
| Matt Levine | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Marie Brassard, Vic + Flo Saw a Bear |
| Jeremy Meckler | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Naomi Watts, Birdman |
| Michael Montag | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Jessica Lange, In Secret |
| Lee Purvey | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Katherine Waterson, Inherent Vice |
| Kathie Smith | Patricia Arquette | Laura Dern | Uma Thurman, Nymphomaniac Vol. 1 |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Marion Bailey, Mr. Turner |
| Eliza Summerlin | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer |
| Peter Valelly | Patricia Arquette | Patricia Arquette | Rene Russo, Nightcrawler |
Best Animated Feature
Nominees: Big Hero 6; The Boxtrolls; How to Train Your Dragon 2; Song of the Sea; The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The great animation house Studio Ghibli has long been seen as synonymous with the director Hayao Miyazaki, at least in the eyes of the Academy. Ghibli’s three previous nominations in this category have all gone to Miyazaki-directed features: Spirited Away (the winner in 2003), Howl’s Moving Castle, and The Wind Rises. But with Miyazaki’s recent retirement leading the studio into a hopefully temporary production halt, it’s important to remember the great work being done there by other filmmakers. The overlooked Secret World of Arrietty and From Up on Poppy Hill, concerned with the vulnerabilities of the natural world and history, respectively, honored Miyazaki’s long-standing thematic concerns and vision while being shepherded by other directors, and now The Tale of the Princess Kaguya--by Isao Takahata, another indisputable auteur--is the studio’s most significant achievement since the film that won it the Oscar a dozen years ago. So the nomination is very welcome, but Kaguya will likely lose out to one of the other nominees, possibly Big Hero 6, the Disney feature with Japanese lineage. Trusted names like Laika (The Boxtrolls), Cartoon Saloon (Song of the Sea), and DreamWorks (How To Train Your Dragon 2) round out the nominees, making the absence of The Lego Movie, widely expected to crash the party, a bit less surprising. --Geoffrey Stueven
Nominees: Big Hero 6; The Boxtrolls; How to Train Your Dragon 2; Song of the Sea; The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
The great animation house Studio Ghibli has long been seen as synonymous with the director Hayao Miyazaki, at least in the eyes of the Academy. Ghibli’s three previous nominations in this category have all gone to Miyazaki-directed features: Spirited Away (the winner in 2003), Howl’s Moving Castle, and The Wind Rises. But with Miyazaki’s recent retirement leading the studio into a hopefully temporary production halt, it’s important to remember the great work being done there by other filmmakers. The overlooked Secret World of Arrietty and From Up on Poppy Hill, concerned with the vulnerabilities of the natural world and history, respectively, honored Miyazaki’s long-standing thematic concerns and vision while being shepherded by other directors, and now The Tale of the Princess Kaguya--by Isao Takahata, another indisputable auteur--is the studio’s most significant achievement since the film that won it the Oscar a dozen years ago. So the nomination is very welcome, but Kaguya will likely lose out to one of the other nominees, possibly Big Hero 6, the Disney feature with Japanese lineage. Trusted names like Laika (The Boxtrolls), Cartoon Saloon (Song of the Sea), and DreamWorks (How To Train Your Dragon 2) round out the nominees, making the absence of The Lego Movie, widely expected to crash the party, a bit less surprising. --Geoffrey Stueven
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | The Lego Movie |
| Jeremy Meckler | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | The Tale of Princess Kayuga | The Lego Movie |
| Michael Montag | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | How to Train Your Dragon 2 |
| Kathie Smith | How to Train Your Dragon 2 | The Tale of Princess Kayuga | Rocks in My Pocket |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Big Hero 6 | The Tale of Princess Kayuga |
| Eliza Summerlin | The Boxtrolls | Song of the Sea | The Lego Movie |
| Peter Valelly | Big Hero 6 | Big Hero 6 | The Lego Movie |
Best Cinematography
Nominees: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida; Dick Pope, Mr. Turner; Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Had the Academy nominated Robert Elswit’s psychedelic cinematography for Inherent Vice in Unbroken’s stead they would have selected the year’s most visually striking film--which is not a knock against Roger Deakins, who may in fact be the most deserving of the award with twelve nominations under his belt. The expansive, sun-kissed imagery he concocted for Unbroken is certainly something to behold, but it’s not his finest work, which to my mind is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. But seeing as the Academy has now cheated him out of eleven awards, he seems the most likely to win. While Lubezki’s roving, eavesdropping camerawork in Birdman certainly merits a nomination (and is also the picture’s greatest virtue), it’d be quite a surprise if he won two years in a row. The remaining nominees brought an astonishing visual distinction to their respective works: Yeoman’s stylized compositions in The Grand Budapest Hotel evoked the shimmering artifice of classical Hollywood, nicely complimenting the multiple period settings of the film. On the opposite side of the visual spectrum is Ida, with its off-centered framing and blustery lyricism. It’s a picture in which every image is imbued with an ashy poetry. Finally, there’s Pope’s elegant and appropriately painterly visual style for Mr. Turner. A pity each one of these DPs can’t walk away with an award.
--Michael Montag
Nominees: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida; Dick Pope, Mr. Turner; Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Had the Academy nominated Robert Elswit’s psychedelic cinematography for Inherent Vice in Unbroken’s stead they would have selected the year’s most visually striking film--which is not a knock against Roger Deakins, who may in fact be the most deserving of the award with twelve nominations under his belt. The expansive, sun-kissed imagery he concocted for Unbroken is certainly something to behold, but it’s not his finest work, which to my mind is The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. But seeing as the Academy has now cheated him out of eleven awards, he seems the most likely to win. While Lubezki’s roving, eavesdropping camerawork in Birdman certainly merits a nomination (and is also the picture’s greatest virtue), it’d be quite a surprise if he won two years in a row. The remaining nominees brought an astonishing visual distinction to their respective works: Yeoman’s stylized compositions in The Grand Budapest Hotel evoked the shimmering artifice of classical Hollywood, nicely complimenting the multiple period settings of the film. On the opposite side of the visual spectrum is Ida, with its off-centered framing and blustery lyricism. It’s a picture in which every image is imbued with an ashy poetry. Finally, there’s Pope’s elegant and appropriately painterly visual style for Mr. Turner. A pity each one of these DPs can’t walk away with an award.
--Michael Montag
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Birdman | Unbroken | Bradford Young, Selma |
| Matt Levine | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Daniel Landin, Under the Skin |
| Jeremy Meckler | Birdman | The Grand Budpest Hotel | Robert Elswit, Inherent Vice |
| Michael Montag | Unbroken | Ida | Robert Elswit, Inherent Vice |
| Lee Purvey | Birdman | Ida | Jeff Cronenweth, Gone Girl |
| Kathie Smith | Birdman | Mr. Turner | Darius Khondji, The Immigrant |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Birdman | Mr. Turner | Yorick Le Saux, Only Lovers Left Alive |
| Eliza Summerlin | Mr. Turner | Birdman | Lyle Vincent, A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night |
| Peter Valelly | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Daniel Landin, Under the Skin |
Best Director
Nominees: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Richard Linklater, Boyhood; Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher; Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
More often than not, Best Director and Best Picture go hand in hand, with 20 of the last 25 Best Director Oscars matching the film that won Best Picture that year. Perhaps this year's glut of interestingly structured work provides a dilemma. Could this be another year (the fourth in a row) in which the Academy splits between the quality of the work and the artistry of its production? Best Director is rife for an upset. The three main contenders are the same ones vying for Best Picture: Linklater, Iñárritu, and Anderson. All three demonstrate incredible vision and talent, and all three are nominated for Screenplay Oscars as well, so this category is really anyone's game. Whether it's Anderson's formally freewheeling adventure tale, Iñárritu's one-shot choreographed indictment of Broadway, or Linklater's personal, 12-year production is anyone's guess. What's for certain is that the winner will be a man, as the only woman with a shot in this category--Ava DuVernay for Selma--was not even nominated. --Jeremy Meckler
Nominees: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Richard Linklater, Boyhood; Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher; Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
More often than not, Best Director and Best Picture go hand in hand, with 20 of the last 25 Best Director Oscars matching the film that won Best Picture that year. Perhaps this year's glut of interestingly structured work provides a dilemma. Could this be another year (the fourth in a row) in which the Academy splits between the quality of the work and the artistry of its production? Best Director is rife for an upset. The three main contenders are the same ones vying for Best Picture: Linklater, Iñárritu, and Anderson. All three demonstrate incredible vision and talent, and all three are nominated for Screenplay Oscars as well, so this category is really anyone's game. Whether it's Anderson's formally freewheeling adventure tale, Iñárritu's one-shot choreographed indictment of Broadway, or Linklater's personal, 12-year production is anyone's guess. What's for certain is that the winner will be a man, as the only woman with a shot in this category--Ava DuVernay for Selma--was not even nominated. --Jeremy Meckler
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Richard Linklater | Richard Linklater | Ava DuVernay, Selma |
| Matt Levine | Richard Linklater | Wes Anderson | Kelly Reichardt, Night Moves |
| Jeremy Meckler | Richard Linklater | Richard Linklater | David Fincher, Gone Girl; Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin |
| Michael Montag | Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Wes Anderson | Clint Eastwood, American Sniper |
| Lee Purvey | Richard Linklater | Wes Anderson | David Fincher, Gone Girl |
| Kathie Smith | Richard Linklater | Richard Linklater | Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Richard Linklater | Richard Linklater | Ava DuVernay, Selma |
| Eliza Summerlin | Richard Linklater | Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Ava DuVernay, Selma |
| Peter Valelly | Alejandro G. Iñárritu | Richard Linklater | Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin |
Best Documentary Feature
Nominees: CitizenFour; Finding Vivian Maier; Last Days in Vietnam; The Salt of the Earth; Virunga
2014 may mark the year documentaries went back to the arthouse; the year’s highest-grossing docs were Disney’s Bears and Dinesh D’Souza’s America. Ironically, some of the best and most popular documentaries--The Overnighters, Rich Hill, Life Itself-- weren’t even nominated. I consider myself a doc enthusiast and even I’ve only seen three of the five nominees.
Two films showcase the work of photographers: renowned German filmmaker Wim Wenders celebrates the catalog of Sebastião Salgado in The Salt of the Earth, while Finding Vivian Meier explores not the photos but the enigmatic nature of the woman who shot them. Netflix’s dark horse Virunga is a gripping, can’t-make-this-stuff-up thriller about natural resource exploitation in a vulnerable African national park. My favorite, Last Days in Vietnam, offers what I described as “the rare trifecta of telling an untold story, offering probing insights for the present day, and entertaining in thrilling fashion.” So does Citizenfour, the likely winner about Edward Snowden marking the end of filmmaker Laura Poitras’ trilogy about life after 9/11 (of which I think The Oath is actually the most compelling). At times Snowden resembles a tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist, but the legitimacy of his evidence cannot be denied and its scope may never be fully known. --Daniel Getahun
Nominees: CitizenFour; Finding Vivian Maier; Last Days in Vietnam; The Salt of the Earth; Virunga
2014 may mark the year documentaries went back to the arthouse; the year’s highest-grossing docs were Disney’s Bears and Dinesh D’Souza’s America. Ironically, some of the best and most popular documentaries--The Overnighters, Rich Hill, Life Itself-- weren’t even nominated. I consider myself a doc enthusiast and even I’ve only seen three of the five nominees.
Two films showcase the work of photographers: renowned German filmmaker Wim Wenders celebrates the catalog of Sebastião Salgado in The Salt of the Earth, while Finding Vivian Meier explores not the photos but the enigmatic nature of the woman who shot them. Netflix’s dark horse Virunga is a gripping, can’t-make-this-stuff-up thriller about natural resource exploitation in a vulnerable African national park. My favorite, Last Days in Vietnam, offers what I described as “the rare trifecta of telling an untold story, offering probing insights for the present day, and entertaining in thrilling fashion.” So does Citizenfour, the likely winner about Edward Snowden marking the end of filmmaker Laura Poitras’ trilogy about life after 9/11 (of which I think The Oath is actually the most compelling). At times Snowden resembles a tinfoil hat-wearing conspiracy theorist, but the legitimacy of his evidence cannot be denied and its scope may never be fully known. --Daniel Getahun
| | WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Citizenfour | Last Days in Vietnam | Life Itself |
| Jeremy Meckler | Citizenfour | Life Itself |
| Michael Montag | Citizenfour | Last Days in Vietnam | |
| Kathie Smith | Citizenfour | Citizenfour | Life Itself |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Citizenfour | Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets |
| Eliza Summerlin | Virunga | Finding Vivian Meyer | National Gallery |
| Peter Valelly | Finding Vivian Meyer | Citizenfour | The Unknown Known |
Best Foreign Language Film
Nominees: Ida; Leviathan; Tangerines; Timbuktu; Wild Tales
To call the slate of Best Foreign Film nominees gloomy or bleak is to miss the point that the sum and parts easily eclipse the craft and storytelling offered in the highly politicized Best Picture category. That is not to say the Best Foreign Film doesn’t have its own politics, but in a year where the Philippines would offer up Norte, the End of History (which, of course, did not get nominated) and Russia Leviathan, the state sponsored submission process seems erratically bold. Even more surprising is the nominating committee’s decision to exclude two Eurocentric slam-dunks from the short list (in the form of Paula van der Oest’s riveting Accused from the Netherlands and Ruben Ostlund’s powerful Force Majeure from Sweden) for Zaza Urushadadze’s Tangerines from Estonia and Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu from Mauritania—two films packed with volatile sociopolitical context. To find the most worthy winner in this incredible batch of films would be impossible. The gravity of the aforementioned Leviathan, Tangerines and Timbuktu make them solid choices, as does the dark carnivalesque storytelling of Wild Tales. But with the tide generally turning towards Pawel Pawlikowski’s masterful Ida, I’m more than willing to accept the critical mass behind that win.
--Kathie Smith
Nominees: Ida; Leviathan; Tangerines; Timbuktu; Wild Tales
To call the slate of Best Foreign Film nominees gloomy or bleak is to miss the point that the sum and parts easily eclipse the craft and storytelling offered in the highly politicized Best Picture category. That is not to say the Best Foreign Film doesn’t have its own politics, but in a year where the Philippines would offer up Norte, the End of History (which, of course, did not get nominated) and Russia Leviathan, the state sponsored submission process seems erratically bold. Even more surprising is the nominating committee’s decision to exclude two Eurocentric slam-dunks from the short list (in the form of Paula van der Oest’s riveting Accused from the Netherlands and Ruben Ostlund’s powerful Force Majeure from Sweden) for Zaza Urushadadze’s Tangerines from Estonia and Abderrahmane Sissako’s Timbuktu from Mauritania—two films packed with volatile sociopolitical context. To find the most worthy winner in this incredible batch of films would be impossible. The gravity of the aforementioned Leviathan, Tangerines and Timbuktu make them solid choices, as does the dark carnivalesque storytelling of Wild Tales. But with the tide generally turning towards Pawel Pawlikowski’s masterful Ida, I’m more than willing to accept the critical mass behind that win.
--Kathie Smith
| WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | Ida | Leviathan |
| Jeremy Meckler | Ida | Norte: The End of History |
| Michael Montag | Ida | Ida | Winter Sleep |
| Kathie Smith | Ida | Ida | Norte, the End of History; Two Days, One Night; Winter Sleep |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Ida |
| Eliza Summerlin | Leviathan | Ida | Force Majeure |
| Peter Valelly | Ida | Ida | Stranger by the Lake |
Best Original Screenplay
Nominees: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Richard Linklater, Boyhood; E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher; Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
If Richard Linklater has the edge in nearly every other category, here is Wes Anderson's time to shine for the wacky story-within-a-story plot that contextualizes The Grand Budapest Hotel's scene-stealing central protagonist--a Victorian-era dandy philanderer living through the decay of European aristocratic authority. Anderson's script perfectly walks the line between his famous twee aesthetic and a gritty realist physicality that elevates this film above his earlier efforts. Other notable contenders here are Birdman and Boyhood, but this may be one of the few categories where voters decide that Boyhood has garnered enough acclaim. Notably, this is the only nomination for Nightcrawler, a film that almost certainly should have gotten Jake Gyllenhaal a nomination for best actor for his skin-crawling performance. --Jeremy Meckler
Nominees: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance); Richard Linklater, Boyhood; E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher; Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel; Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
If Richard Linklater has the edge in nearly every other category, here is Wes Anderson's time to shine for the wacky story-within-a-story plot that contextualizes The Grand Budapest Hotel's scene-stealing central protagonist--a Victorian-era dandy philanderer living through the decay of European aristocratic authority. Anderson's script perfectly walks the line between his famous twee aesthetic and a gritty realist physicality that elevates this film above his earlier efforts. Other notable contenders here are Birdman and Boyhood, but this may be one of the few categories where voters decide that Boyhood has garnered enough acclaim. Notably, this is the only nomination for Nightcrawler, a film that almost certainly should have gotten Jake Gyllenhaal a nomination for best actor for his skin-crawling performance. --Jeremy Meckler
| WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Boyhood | Paul Webb, Selma |
| Matt Levine | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive |
| Jeremy Meckler | The Grand Budapest Hotel | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Paul Webb, Selma |
| Michael Montag | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | James Gray and Ric Menello, The Immigrant |
| Lee Purvey | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Jonathan Nolan, Christopher Nolan, Interstellar |
| Kathie Smith | Birdman | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Gillian Robespierre, Karen Main, Elisabeth Holm, Obvious Child |
| Geoffrey Stueven | Birdman | Boyhood | Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias, Love is Strange |
| Eliza Summerlin | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Birdman | Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive |
| Peter Valelly | The Grand Budapest Hotel | The Grand Budapest Hotel | Stephen Beresford, Pride |
Best Adapted Screenplay
Nominees: Jason Hall, American Sniper; Graham Moore, The Imitation Game; Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice; Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything; Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
In a year where critics’ year-end lists and award nominations have been dominated by feats of visual or conceptual daring like Boyhood and Birdman, the screenplay categories feel like a bit of a side note. Indeed, three of the nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are dreary biopic fodder--the exact sort of work the Academy can’t resist honoring, unfortunately. Of those, American Sniper seems likely to lose to one of the historically weightier contenders, although I go back and forth on whether The Imitation Game or The Theory of Everything is the more likely victor.
It’s a shame, then, that Inherent Vice is unlikely to walk away with an award. Miraculously, Paul Thomas Anderson’s script captures the vertiginous, madcap quality of author Thomas Pynchon’s heretofore unadaptable prose. That itself is a worthy achievement, but Anderson also lends an undertow of pathos to the film’s loopy plotting, yielding an emotional resonance that many of the year’s most heralded features lacked. And of course, this category’s big upset is the Academy’s refusal to recognize Gone Girl: ignoring Gillian Flynn’s immaculately paced adaptation of her own novel is perhaps an even more glaring oversight than the film’s puzzling omission from technical categories like cinematography and score. --Peter Valelly
Nominees: Jason Hall, American Sniper; Graham Moore, The Imitation Game; Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice; Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything; Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
In a year where critics’ year-end lists and award nominations have been dominated by feats of visual or conceptual daring like Boyhood and Birdman, the screenplay categories feel like a bit of a side note. Indeed, three of the nominees for Best Adapted Screenplay are dreary biopic fodder--the exact sort of work the Academy can’t resist honoring, unfortunately. Of those, American Sniper seems likely to lose to one of the historically weightier contenders, although I go back and forth on whether The Imitation Game or The Theory of Everything is the more likely victor.
It’s a shame, then, that Inherent Vice is unlikely to walk away with an award. Miraculously, Paul Thomas Anderson’s script captures the vertiginous, madcap quality of author Thomas Pynchon’s heretofore unadaptable prose. That itself is a worthy achievement, but Anderson also lends an undertow of pathos to the film’s loopy plotting, yielding an emotional resonance that many of the year’s most heralded features lacked. And of course, this category’s big upset is the Academy’s refusal to recognize Gone Girl: ignoring Gillian Flynn’s immaculately paced adaptation of her own novel is perhaps an even more glaring oversight than the film’s puzzling omission from technical categories like cinematography and score. --Peter Valelly
| WILL WIN | SHOULD WIN | SNUBBED |
| Daniel Getahun | The Imitation Game | Whiplash | Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Fault in our Stars |
| Matt Levine | The Theory of Everything | Inherent Vice | Nick Hornby, Wild |
| Jeremy Meckler | Whiplash | Inherent Vice | Walter Campbell, Under the Skin |
| Michael Montag | Whiplash | Inherent Vice | Charlie Stratton, In Secret |
| Lee Purvey | Whiplash | Inherent Vice | Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl |
| Kathie Smith | The Imitation Game | Inherent Vice | Walter Campbell, Under the Skin |
| Geoffrey Stueven | The Imitation Game | Inherent Vice | Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Edge of Tomorrow |
| Eliza Summerlin | The Theory of Everything | Whiplash | Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl |
| Peter Valelly | The Theory of Everything | Inherent Vice | Gillian Flynn, Gone Girl |
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