The Oscars are knocking at our doors and the festive frenzy has spread all over our movie lists, with multiple answer questions haunting our dreams: Who will win the Best Picture this year? But what about Best Actor/ Actress? Director? Sunday night is drawing nearer and nearer and it is then when all our great expectations will be fulfilled… or shredded. Cinema-goers started listing and classifying and re-shaping movie titles even before the nominees were announced, with slight order changes every time they watched or re-watched a favorite (or not) picture.
This year, the Oscar nominees’ full-lists are intriguing, offering, debatable… and any other indecisive attributes you might add. More than in previous years, the 2015 Oscar winners are impossible to predict, with nominated titles being highly varied in themes, character background, performance, filming, but at the same time riveting – each one in its fashion. Dedicated to the festive movie context, I will furthermore present my list of predictions for 2015 Oscars (the first five categories).
NOTE: This is a list of predictions, choices are more or less subjective – read it if you wish, debate it if you may and change it if you please.
BEST PICTURE
A whirlpool of thoughts immerges and titles over titles keep dethroning each other from the winning position. If we were to consider previous wins (including BAFTA), Boyhood is already rejoicing. But does the title have what it takes in order to become the movie of the year? I personally doubt it. Richard Linklater may be a great nominee for best director category, but let’s not mix tomatoes with potatoes: the overall story is not fit for an Oscar Best Picture and I do hope that the load of prizes won so far is reason enough to pass the Oscar to another title. Like Birdman. Or The Imitation Game. Or Whiplash, for that matter. Birdman has been criticized as pretentious and overly symbolic and probably these multiple layers of interpretation and subtle meanings are the ones which will redirect the Oscar to another title. As sad as it may sound, Birdman is a good movie, probably too good for a Best Picture win. The Imitation Game, on the other hand, might have what it takes in order to leave the festivities as Best Picture recipient. Firstly, war stories are always a great catch in these circumstances and adding the troubled social status and sexual preferences of Alan Turing might turn The Imitation Game into a genuine win. Apart from these arguments, we must not forget that the movie managed to bring into focus a math genius, long lost and forgotten even by his own nation.If it were for me, I would pass the Oscar to Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel – because it is so witty and fun-fun, but unfortunately, my vote does not even count.
Winner: The Imitation Game
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
On one hand, I did not bet for Birdman as Best Picture because I consider it a better movie than what the award implies, but on the other hand, I consider Michael Keaton not good enough for a Best Actor win (not for his part in Birdman, anyway). If it were to me, I would reward Benedict Cumberbatch for his role as Alan Turing anytime, but I feel obliged to redo my Oscar math. If The Imitation Game is awarded Best Picture, Best Actor should go to Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. WWII genius versus living genius is quite a tough equation, but Redmayne’s portrayal does deserve a win.
Winner: Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Easiest choice: Julianne Moore as Alice Howland in Still Alice. Hmmm…what about Marion Cotillard? Maybe, or maybe not.
Winner: Julianne Moore – Still Alice
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Until now, most of the awards went to J.K. Simmons for his role as harsh conductor Fletcher in Whiplash and the majority of the Oscar predictions follow that direction. Fair enough, I must say, fair enough, Mr. Simmons, both your character and interpretation managed to create an ambiguous state in the eyes of the beholder. Initially, Fletcher has hatred written all over his forehead, but later on, a feeling of appreciation pitches in and the crowd of thoughts is eventually made to face a concert of gratefulness under the very harmful words ‘’Good Job’’. Nonetheless, in this category, a turn of events would be welcome, with Edward Norton totally deserving a win for his role as Mike in Birdman (where, I must say it, his character was way more well carried and colorful that the one of Michael Keaton).
Winner: Edward Norton – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
The Imitation Game is a good fit for any other Oscar category, but definitely not for this one. Keira Knightley’s portrayal of Joan Clarke was quite poor and unsatisfying, and not because Benedict Cumberbatch stole her thunder. Of all the other groups in which it was nominated, Boyhood is likely to leave as recipient of this category, due to Patricia Arquette aka Mom.
Winner: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood