Our Oscars Picks - 2015

Best Picture

Nominees

• American Sniper
• Birdman
• Boyhood
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Selma
• Whiplash
• The Theory of Everything

Jack Thinks:

This year has had some phenomenal movies, both in terms of story and big technical films. While I love both Selma and The Theory of Everything, I think that Birdman will pip Boyhood at the post, just for the sheer fact that it pokes fun at the industry.

Ed Thinks:

There seem to be two big contenders for this year's Best Picture, although The Grand Budapest Hotel could be an unexpected winner. Realistically though, it seems likely to be a close run between Birdman and Boyhood. Whilst Birdman was a fantastic film, my bet is on Boyhood taking the top prize. 

Saul Thinks:

Personally, I'm a big, fat fan of Birdman and Whiplash. The former being a powerhouse of ego and intent, and the latter being a surprise hit of perfect tension and stress. The remaining all stand as biopics in one way or another, with American Sniper being the only one I've seen, and it's insulting that it got nominated over something like Nightcrawler or Trans4mers. But in all seriousness, Sniper and Selma could take it on cultural importance.

Best Director

Nominees

• Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Alejandro González Iñárritu - Birdman
• Richard Linklater - Boyhood
• Bennett Miller - Foxcatcher
• Morten Tyldum - The Imitation Game

Ed Thinks:

Again, this is likely to be a very close two-man race between Iñárritu and Linklater. Anderson would also be deserving of the award, but I think the Academy might just hand it to Richard Linklater for his perseverance with Boyhood and his experience as a filmmaker (they look at additional factors like that).

Saul Thinks:

Though I haven't seen Budapest, I know what to expect from Wes Anderson, it works fine enough but is rarely amazing. I've not seen Boyhood but aside from the rather unique conceit of the film, I'd doubt there's anything amazing going on. Foxcatcher isn't coming out in Australia for a little while but I've heard nothing but good things about the way it's made. Personally, I'd of course go for Alejandro G. Iñárritu because every aspect of the direction worked for me, the film was a vision brought to life and told in a unique way.

Jack Thinks:

While we've got some big contenders like Anderson and Linklater (both have been making movies for the better part of two decades), I really feel as though Bennett Miller's super subtle approach to Foxcatcher will steal him the gold man.

Best Actor

Nominees

• Steve Carrell - Foxcatcher
• Bradley Cooper - American Sniper
• Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game
• Michael Keaton - Birdman
• Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

Saul Thinks:

Carrell and Redmayne are supposedly shockingly good, and Cumberbatch reliably so. Cooper put in a good performance, but certainly not Oscar-worthy, so to speak. His perfect handling of the minutiae of playing Kyle is apparent, but I kind of think he and Chris Pratt should have swapped roles only because of body types. Michael Keaton steals the show.

Jack Thinks:

This really should be a list of just three actors because I felt that both Carrell and Cooper were playing caricatures of the men that they were portraying. I love Benedict, but his performance may be too subtle for people to grasp. That leaves a terrifying choice between Redmayne and Keaton. On the one hand I have been in the shoes of Redmayne, but Keaton gives such an absorbing performance. With much difficult reluctance, I have to choose Michael Keaton. 

Ed Thinks:

All the candidates gave astounding performances here but the two standouts for me would be Redmayne and Keaton, though Carrell could take it for moving out of his comfort zone as an actor (and putting the audience out of their comfort zones too!). Redmayne's physical performance may be enough, but my guess is that the Academy will finally award Michael Keaton with the gold statue.

Best Actress

Nominees

• Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night
• Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything
• Julianne Moore - Still Alice
• Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl
• Reese Witherspoon - Wild

Jack Thinks:

I've heard excellent things about Marion Cotillard's performance in Two Days, One Night and the same goes for Julianne Moore who I absolutely adore. Witherspoon's previous Best Actress win was a lot more deserved and I don't think her Wild performance was on par with the other's shown here. Rosamund Pike was gloriously evil in Gone Girl and so against character which is what makes her performance so fantastic. But to me it is all about Felicity Jones' performance was so perfect and heart-breaking (and I'm sure emotionally draining), that I have to give my choice to her.

Ed Thinks:

Rosamund Pike gave a career-topping performance in Gone Girl and is very deserving of the award. Felicity Jones is also a strong contender for her powerful depiction of Jane Wilde Hawking in The Theory of Everything. But I think there's no doubt that Julianne Moore will win based on her eloquent and heartbreaking performance in Still Alice.

Saul Thinks:

Rosamund Pike to me is a joy, she's enjoyable in crap (Die Another Day, Doom), was brilliant in one of my favourites of the last few years (The World's End), but in Gone Girl she is captivating beyond measure. But as I said in my review of Still Alice, Julianne Moore plays her role with such totality and she has always been a favourite of mine anyway. I honestly couldn't pick between the two, but will be happy either way.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees

• Robert Duvall - The Judge
• Ethan Hawke - Boyhood
• Edward Norton - Birdman
• Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher
• J.K. Simmons - Whiplash

Ed Thinks:

Before I got the chance to see Whiplash, my eyes were on Ethan Hawke for Best Supporting. It's true that Norton's role in Birdman was one of his best, and both Ruffalo and Duvall gave strong portrayals. But now it seems to me like there's no competition for J.K. Simmons and his fiery performance in Whiplash. Though you never really know with the Academy.

Saul Thinks:

Either Norton's egomaniac or Simmons'...

Jack Thinks:

I spoke at great lengths for my admiration of Ruffalo's great performance and the choices he made with it were among the best in Foxcatcher. Despite Ethan Hawke giving a stunning performance in Boyhood, I am going to have to go with Edward Norton, because he has been nominated twice before for giving amazing performances, and while this is no American History X, his performance in Birdman says something about the industry.

Best Supporting Actress

Nominees

• Patricia Arquette - Boyhood
• Laura Dern - Wild
• Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone - Birdman
• Meryl Streep - Into The Woods

Jack Thinks:

Patricia Arquette is definitely my pick for this category. I found that all the actresses played passive characters in their respective films and therefore they put in performances that served their means. Arquette plays a strong and real character that I know many people can relate to. Emma Stone may come close, but she didn't do enough in my eyes.

Ed Thinks:

Nobody deserves this as much as Patricia Arquette for her tough and honest depiction of an often single mother in Boyhood. I'm not quite sure why Streep was nominated for this one and whilst Stone was a charismatic stoner, all my money (if I was betting) would be on Patricia Arquette.

Best Original Screenplay

Nominees

• Alejandro G. Inarritu - Birdman
• Richard Linklater - Boyhood
• E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman - Foxcatcher
• Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness - The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Dan Gilroy - Nightcrawler

Jack Thinks:

This one is definitely black and white for me. Birdman and Boyhood were both movies that emphasised the style in which they were made, as well as The Grand Budapest Hotel, which focuses more on Wes Anderson's quirks and visuals. I find it strange that Foxcatcher is in the Best Original category because it is a true story and as such I'm disregarding it. Dan Gilroy's Nightcrawler is the best choice because (and bold claim here) it would have been great without Gyllenhaal's performance.

Ed Thinks:

This is a tough one, Iñárritu's script had clashing egos and inner monologues, Gilroy's had clever dialogue, but I'd say that Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness would be the most deserving for the quirky and inventive world they created with the Grand Budapest script.