http://nypost.com/2015/02/21/our-critics-predict-the-big-oscar-winners-and-surprises/Our critics predict the big Oscar winners — and surprises
By Kyle Smith and Lou Lumenick
February 21, 2015 | 6:22pm
Bradley Cooper, Julianne Moore and Michael Keaton are up for big wins at the 2015 Academy Awards. Photo: Keith Bernstein/Warner Bros; Linda Kallerus/Sony Pictures Classics; Atsushi Nishijima/Twentieth Century Fox
Lou’s Picks:
Best Picture
√ “American Sniper”
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”
Lou’s pick: The stats say that “Birdman,” with awards from the actors, directors and producers guilds, is a lock. So why is it supposedly in a dead heat with critics’ darling “Boyhood”?
I believe attempts to slime “American Sniper” as right-wing propaganda — and its ginormous post-nomination Oscar bounce — have given it the momentum to surpass its gimmicky rivals.
Best Actor
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
√ Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Lou’s pick: While Oscar newbies Keaton and Redmayne have been slugging it out on the awards circuit, three-time nominee Cooper has been working hard to promote the performance of his career (while also starring in “The Elephant Man” on Broadway).
Appearances on “60 Minutes” and the “Saturday Night Live” 40th anniversary special two days before voting closed will put him over the top.
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”
Lou’s pick: You can bet the mortgage that the much-nominated Moore will finally win for playing an Alzheimer’s patient. The nomination is the award for the other four women.
Best Supporting Actress
√ Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Laura Dern, “Wild”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Lou’s pick: Arquette — who has swept a long series of awards — holds her overlong movie together as a troubled single mom. No serious competition here.
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
√ J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Lou’s pick: Simmons delivers an Oscar-friendly tour de force as an abusive (and possibly closeted) music teacher. Like Arquette, he’s owned this award since their movies both premiered at Sundance 2014.
Best Director
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
√ Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Lou’s pick: The super-predictive Directors Guild award says it goes to Iñárritu. But I wouldn’t exactly be shocked if the academy feels guilty enough to give it to Linklater.
Best Animated Feature
√ “Big Hero 6″
“The Boxtrolls”
“How to Train Your Dragon 2″
“Song of the Sea”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
Lou’s pick: I’d love to see Laika studio win for “The Boxtrolls,” but let’s get real — Disney (producer of “Big Hero 6”) is coming off “Frozen,’’ and it’s unlikely most voters have even seen most of the other nominees.
Best Costume Design
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Inherent Vice”
“Into the Woods”
“Maleficent”
√ “Mr. Turner”
Lou’s pick: This would be a good place for the academy to atone for snubbing “Mr. Turner” and its wonderful lead performance.
Kyle’s Picks:
Best Picture
“American Sniper”
“Birdman”
√ “Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”
Kyle’s pick: “Boyhood.” It’s got heart and soul. “Birdman” is a somewhat chilly display of artifice.
Best Actor
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
√ Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Kyle’s pick: Keaton wasn’t nearly as good as Redmayne but has a great story. He was in “Batman,” get it?
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”
Kyle’s pick: Moore. I have early-onset memory loss about the other four performances.
Best Supporting Actress
√ Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Laura Dern, “Wild”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Kyle’s pick: Arquette gets the vote of everyone with a mom.
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
√ J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Kyle’s pick: If he doesn’t win, I’ll throw a chair at my TV to honor him.
Best Director
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
√ Alejandro González Iñárritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Kyle’s pick: Directors love look-at-me directors, and “Birdman” was technically dazzling.
Best Animated Feature
“Big Hero 6″
”The Boxtrolls”
√ “How To Train Your Dragon 2″
“Song of the Sea”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
Kyle’s pick: No idea. “Dragon”?
Best Costume Design
√ “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Inherent Vice”
“Into the Woods”
“Maleficent”
“Mr. Turner”
Kyle’s pick: “Grand Budapest” wins this and a lobby full of other tech awards.
