2015 Oscar Predictions

Here is your best bet at winning your Oscar poll tomorrow. Don't hate me if a few upsets happen...I'm rooting for a few! Also, I've included my colorfully coded ballot below.

Best Picture: Birdman
Best Director: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
    Should win: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Adapted Screenplay: Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
    Should win: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Best Film Editing: Sandra Adair, Boyhood
    Should win:  Tom Cross, Whiplash
Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
    I hope this year's cinematography race reveals the many choices a DP makes and how much a film relies on the framing of shots. Lubiezki's fluid, seemingly single take shows that the camera's movement is just as important as what is being shot by the camera, as in Dick Pope's just as worthy and breathtaking Mr. Turner.
Best Foreign Language Film: Ida
    Still rooting for Xavier Dolan's Mommy to be a write-in. This deep, witty, and well-constructed film cements Dolan in my Top 5 directors of all time and should be viewed by all.
Best Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2
    Should win: Big Hero 6
Best Documentary: Citizenfour
Best Production Design: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Makeup & Hairstyling: The Grand Budapest Hotel
   The race is determined by: Tilda Swinton's transformation, Steve Carrell's nose, or Zoe Saldana's green skin.
Best Costume Design: Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
    Should win: Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods
Best Visual Effects: Interstellar
Best Sound Mixing: American Sniper
Best Sound Editing: Birdman
Best Original Score: Johann Johannson, The Theory of Everything
    Should win: Hans Zimmer, Interstellar OR The Grand Budapest Hotel, Alexandre Desplat
Best Original Song: "Glory," Selma (but only for John Legend. Common's rap verses are comparable to Pitbull's in "Timber.")
    Runner Up: "Everything Is Awesome," The Lego Movie (because it deserves a win somewhere and this song is infectious)
Best Live-Action Short: The Phone Call
Best Animated Short: Feast
Best Documentary Short: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1

Next up: Ranking all the 2015 feature film Oscar nominations (except 3)

Oscar Nominations 2014

OSCAR NOMS WERE JUST RELEASED!!!!!!! Here are all of my predictions (I ranked them from most possible to least) and I actually did decently well.

Best Picture

12 Years a Slave

Gravity

American Hustle

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

Dallas Buyers Club

Captain Phillips

The Wolf of Wall Street

Nebraska

Philomena

Best Director

Alfonso Cuaron

Steve McQueen

David O’Russell

Spike Jonze

Paul Greengrass

Martin Scorsese

Alexander Payne

Best Actor

Bruce Dern

Chiwetel Ejiofor

Matthew McConaughey

Leonardo DiCaprio

Tom Hanks

Christian Bale

Best Actress

Cate Blanchett

Sandra Bullock

Amy Adams

Meryl Streep

Judi Dench

Emma Thompson

Brie Larson

Best Supporting Actor

Jared Leto

Michael Fassbender

Barkhad Abdi

Bradley Cooper

Daniel Bruhl

Jonah Hill

Best Supporting Actress

Lupita Nyong’o

Jennifer Lawrence

Julia Roberts

June Squibb

Oprah Winfrey

Sally Hawkins

Original Screenplay

Blue Jasmine

Her

American Hustle

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Dallas Buyers Club

Adapted Screenplay

Before Midnight

12 Years a Slave

Philomena

The Wolf of Wall Street

Captain Phillips

Foreign Film

The Great Beauty

The Past

The Broken Circle Breakdown

The Hunt

Omar

The Missing Picture

Animated Film

The Wind Rises

Frozen

Despicable Me 2

Monsters University

The Croods

Ernest & Celestine

Big upset: Inside Llewyn Davis snubbed from Screenplay & Picture

Shocker: Wolf of Wall Street & Leonardo DiCaprio!!

Feelin Good: The Wind Rises-- I can't wait to see this masterpiece!

Meh: Nebraska for Picture & Payne for Director. Her & Spike Jonze should have definitely been nommed instead.
Really?!: Lone Survivor, The Croods, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, The Lone Ranger, and Jackass: Bad Grandpa. Just no. Never. No.

Here is the complete list released by the Academy:

http://oscar.go.com/nominees

Now only 45 days til Oscar Night so get watching!! I have a few of the documentary, foreign, and animated films to see but have seen all of the huge noms already! Which was your favorite this year??

Oscar Nominations 2012 Are Almost Here!

The excitement has been building with movie releases of late, and tomorrow you will find out which have made it to the final round. That's right, the Oscar nominations are released tomorrow morning at 5:38 AM (8:38 AM for those of us on the other side) and I cannot WAIT to hear (and see) Jennifer Lawrence as she walks out and announces the lists. This year's nominees won't be too surprising but hopefully there won't be too many snubs. Due to last year's unanticipated 10 Best Picture nominees, the rules have been changed so that between 5 and 10 movies can be nominated. Even though many deserve to be nominated, only the obvious nominees should be given the actual nod. So just like last year, you can check here tomorrow for the full list of nominees! And as an added bonus, I'll give you my list of nominee predictions.

2012 Nomination Predictions

Best Picture

The Tree of Life

The Artist

Hugo

The Descendants (don't understand this is getting so much award circuit hype)

Midnight in Paris (this will probably show up, but not a contender despite how much I loved it. Definitely a contender for Best Original Screenplay or a Best Ensemble award)

War Horse

Best Director

Martin Scorcese

Terrance Malick

Alexander Payne

Michel Hazanvicius

Steven Spielberg

Best Actor

Jean Dujardin

George Clooney

Gary Oldman

Michael Fassbender

Brad Pitt

Best Actress

Meryl Streep

Michelle Williams

Glenn Close

Rooney Mara

Tilda Swinton

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer

Kenneth Branagh

Best Supporting Actress

(I have yet to see The Help but I'm sure there will be 1 or 2 noms here)

Best Cinematography

The Tree of Life

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Hugo

Best Original Score

GWTDT

The Artist

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Best Adapted Screenplay

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Hugo

Best Original Screenplay

Young Adult

Midnight in Paris

The Artist

Best Foreign Film

A Separation

Pina

Best Animated Film

The Adventures of Tintin

Best Special Effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II

Super 8

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Best Animal (definitely a necessary addition this year)

Arthur, Jack Russell Terrier, Beginners

Uggie, Jack Russell Terrier, The Artist and Water for Elephants

Joey, Thoroughbred, War Horse

May the movie watching begin!

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Buff Smoothie, courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients

• 4 ounces plain, low-fat soy milk
• 4 ounces acai, grape, or pomegranate juice
• 4 ounces frozen banana
• 4 ounces frozen strawberries
• 4 ounces frozen blueberries
• 4 ounces frozen peaches

Directions

Combine the soy milk, juice, banana, strawberries, blueberries, and the peaches in the carafe of a blender. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 8 hours.

In the morning, or when the fruit is partially thawed, put the carafe on the base of the blender, start at the lowest speed and slowly accelerate to medium, until you achieve a vortex. Blend on medium for 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and blend for an additional minute. Serve immediately.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/buff-smoothie-recipe/index.html

I've never had to let my smoothie ingredients set overnight. Worth a try!