Opinion: Taylor’s Oscar Predictions 2015
Taylor Owens gives us her Oscar predictions for the star-studded award show which is airing this Sunday at 8 p.m on ABC.
courtesy of Rachel Jackson's flickr obtained via creativecommons.org
The most important awards show of the season, the Academy Awards, will air this Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC. You’ve seen the movies, you’ve formed opinions and now it’s time to make some predictions.
Here are the winners based on my predictions for the five major categories:
Best Picture- “Birdman”
Nominees: “American Sniper,” “Birdman,” “Boyhood,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The Imitation Game,” “Selma,” “The Theory of Everything” and “Whiplash”
While there has been much buzz about a number of films this year, you can expect “Birdman” to come out on top. So far, it has won 138 awards, including the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay and the Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. “Boyhood” was a favorite early on and “American Sniper” was a box-office hit, but the writing and talented cast of this dark and quirky film has that little something extra.
Best Actor- Michael Keaton
Nominees: Steve Carell (“Foxcatcher”), Bradley Cooper (“American Sniper”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Imitation Game”), Michael Keaton (“Birdman”) and Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”)
This category is a tough one. Eddie Redmayne has received rave reviews (and a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award) for his role as Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything,” and Bradley Cooper has been nominated for either Best Actor or Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for the past three years. Either of these talented men could take home the prize, but it’s Michael Keaton who will have that honor. He was a clear frontrunner early on, and while this seems to have slipped a bit, he has still taken home numerous awards for his performance as Riggan. This category will be one to watch.
3. Best Actress- Julianne Moore
Nominees: Marion Cotillard (“Two Days, One Night”), Rosamund Pike (“Gone Girl”), Felicity Jones (“The Theory of Everything”), Reese Witherspoon (“Wild”) and Julianne Moore (“Still Alice”)
Julianne Moore has become a standout actress in recent years, appearing in both television and movies in comedic and dramatic roles. In “Still Alice,” Moore plays a 50-year-old women diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s disease. Her performance is riveting and raw. Moore has been the clear winner all awards season, and while the other actresses are talented, she is expected to be the clear winner.
4. Best Actor in a Supporting Role- J.K. Simmons
Nominees: Robert Duvall (“The Judge”), Ethan Hawke (“Boyhood”), Edward Norton (“Birdman”), Mark Ruffalo (“Foxcatcher”) and J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”)
You may have recently seen J.K. Simmons from that Farmer’s Insurance commercial, but his performance as Terence Fletcher in “Whiplash” is receiving widespread critical acclaim. Simmons is another who has been having a successful awards season, and that should continue with an award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Academy Awards.
5. Best Actress in a Supporting Role- Patricia Arquette
Nominees: Patricia Arquette (“Boyhood”), Laura Dern (“Wild”), Kiera Knightly (“The Imitation Game”), Emma Stone (“Birdman”) and Meryl Streep (“Into the Woods”)
It’s hard not to pick Meryl Streep to win every award, but the fact is she hasn’t been the name on everyone’s lips with role as the Witch in “Into the Woods.” She’s always talented, that’s a given, but Patricia Arquette seems to be the favorite this year. The novelty of “Boyhood” hasn’t proven to be much of a success in awards season, but Arquette has been a standout, winning a Screen Actors Guild Award and Golden Globe for her performance. It is likely to be a repeat this Sunday.
To see a list of all of the Academy Awards nominees, check out the official website. Don’t forget to tune in on Sunday night at 8 p.m. to see who leaves with an Oscar.
Edited by Jessica Carr
Arts and culture editor, Taylor Owens, recognized her passion for writing at a young age. As an avid talk show fan, Owens found journalism to be the perfect way to combine her love for interviewing and writing. She is now a sophomore at the University of Tennessee majoring in journalism and electronic media. When she isn’t writing for the Tennessee Journalist, Owens is most likely catching up on the latest reality television show.
