Here are my annual predictions for some of the key categories, along with who I would choose from the shortlist where I have seen all of the nominees
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki, (Birdman)
Dick Pope, (Mr Turner)
Robert D Yeohttps://thefreeview.co.uk/wp-admin/edit.phpman, (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Ryszard Lenczewski and Łukasz Żal, (Ida)
Roger Deakins, (Unbroken)
Should win: Dick Pope, (Mr Turner)
Will win: Emmanuel Lubezki, (Birdman)
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)
Tangerines (Estonia)
This is a wide open category, renowned for springing a surprise. I haven’t seen enough of the nominees to offer an opinion as to who should win…
Will win: Leviathan (Russia)
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Big Hero 6
The Box Trolls
How To Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale Of Princess Kaguya
Will win: How To Train Your Dragon 2
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
CitizenFour, Praxis Films
Finding Vivian Maier, Ravine Pictures
The Salt of the Earth, Decia Films
Virunga, Grain Media
Last Days in Vietnam
Will win: CitizenFour
ORIGINAL SCORE
The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat
The Imitation Game, Alexandre Desplat
Interstellar, Hans Zimmer
Mr. Turner, Gary Yershon
The Theory of Everything, Jóhann Jóhannsson
Should win: Interstellar
Will win: The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat
ORIGINAL SONG
Everything is Awesome (The Lego Movie)
Glory (Selma)
Grateful (Beyond the Lights)
I’m not Gonna Miss You (Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me)
Lost Stars (Begin Again)
Should win: Lost Stars (Begin Again)
Will win: Glory (Selma)
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr, Armando Bo (Birdman)
Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Foxcatcher (E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman and Bennett Miller Screenplay)
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler)
Should win: Dan Gilroy (Nightcrawler)
Will win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Jason Hall (American Sniper)
Graham Moore (The Imitation Game)
Anthony McCarten (The Theory Of Everything)
Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice)
Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
Should win: Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice)
This is the most even of races with anyone other than Anderson in with a chance of winning
Will win: Damien Chazelle (Whiplash)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall (The Judge)
Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
Edward Norton (Birdman)
Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)
JK Simmons (Whiplash)
Should win: JK Simmons (Whiplash)
Will win: JK Simmons (Whiplash)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
Emma Stone (Birdman)
Meryl Streep (Into The Woods)
Laura Dern (Wild)
Should win: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
Will win: Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
BEST ACTOR
Steve Carell, (Foxcatcher)
Bradley Cooper, (American Sniper)
Benedict Cumberbatch, (The Imitation Game)
Michael Keaton, (Birdman)
Eddie Redmayne, (The Theory of Everything)
Should win: Benedict Cumberbatch, (The Imitation Game)
Will win: Michael Keaton, (Birdman)
BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night)
Felicity Jones (The Theory Of Everything)
Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
Should win: Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night) – though Still Alice has not been released here yet so I haven’t seen that
Will win: Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
DIRECTING
Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman)
Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher)
Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
Should win: Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Will win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman)
BEST PICTURE
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Should win: Boyhood
Will win: Boyhood
I will be posting my review of the ceremony next week…