3:31 pm: Hey folks! Come on and check back at 8 pm for the start of this nonsense. Now, last year I somehow went 20 for 24 on categories. There's no way I'm hitting that this year, there are a ton of really insane things that could go a number of different ways. Hopefully I've addressed a lot of that stuff in my reviews of each major category these past few weeks. You can check out my thoughts on acting, screenwriting, director, and Best Picture. Stay tuned for more managed insight all night!
8:35 pm: You can't really get more charming than NPH and Anna Kendrick. And that background was actually really cool and 3D looking. Let's do that in a movie sometime.
8:44 pm:
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Predicted Winner: J.K. Simmons
Actual Winner: J.K. Simmons
That rushing or dragging scene is the only moment that 99% of this country know from Whiplash. Still, it's a good moment. No surprises here, folks as JK finally nabs a very well-deserved Oscar for both this great film, his great role, and a lifetime of funny yelling at people.
Accuracy: 1/1
8:50 pm: Maroon 5 playing a track from Begin Again. So....bathroom break? They're getting dangerously close to the half-hour mark with only having presented one award. Why does anyone watch this ceremony? Just read all the winners when it's over.
8:57 pm:
Best Costume Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner
Predicted Winner: Into the Woods
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
This is actually a sure sign that The Grand Budapest Hotel is going to clean up a ridiculous amount of awards. I was headed more towards the Academy's trend of honoring dumb historical-ish musicals, but the crowd loves this chick and it's apparently her fourth Oscar. I could have probably expected this the way Grand Budapest has been raging lately, but whatever.
Accuracy: 1/2
9:00 pm:
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
This was an amazing category where I actually loved all three Makeup nominees, and I sort of think that Guardians actually deserved this, because it was amazing, but that old-ass Tilda Swinton is actually super-convincing. Grand Budapest is so set to win every single one of these, which is amazing.
Accuracy: 2/3
9:03 pm: Doogie Howser's intro jokes are solid.
9:10 pm:
Best Foreign Language Film
Leviathan
Ida
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales
Predicted Winner: Ida
Actual Winner: Ida
This isn't a huge surprise, but I wouldn't have been shocked if Leviathan had had a little upset. That apparently wasn't to be. Ida actually seems pretty broadly liked and by the end of the Oscar Race it seemed to grow in notoriety far more than anything else offered here. Touching, smart guy, whoever this director is. Now play him off. Louder. LOUDER!
Accuracy: 3/4
9:18: This is just a terrible reminder that The LEGO Movie wasn't nominated for Best Animated Film...This is also the most extravagant Oscar performance ever.
9:25 pm:
Best Short Film, Live Action
"Aya"
"Boogaloo and Graham"
"Butter Lamp"
"Parvaneh"
"The Phone Call"
Predicted Winner: "The Phone Call"
Actual Winner: "The Phone Call"
Fuck yeah! I love nailing these categories. Mostly because it helps my average a ton. I have no idea what this is about, even when they were showing clips just now my eyes were down on the keyboard typing the category. I also dig these guys completely not giving a shit about the music playing them off. Why not? This is their moment!
Accuracy: 4/5
9:28 pm
Best Documentary, Short Subject
"Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
"Joanna"
"Our Curse"
"The Reaper"
"White Earth"
Predicted Winner: "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
Actual Winner: "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
Tight. What the fuck is "The Reaper" about? That looked nuts. I dig this series of phone-call centric nominees winning the short subject categories.
Accuracy: 5/6
9:46 pm:
Best Sound Mixing
American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: Whiplash
Wow, very cool. I didn't totally think that Interstellar could pull this off, lately it just didn't seem like a popular choice. I might have thought American Sniper or Birdman would be the one to upset it though, but this is a cool award for Whiplash. It's getting some good attention, maybe my call for it for screenplay isn't totally nuts.
Accuracy: 5/7
9:48 pm:
Best Sound Editing
American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: American Sniper
This is totally not a surprise, and I'm more surprised that Sniper didn't win both of these. Whiplash really is that perfect mixing win, though, because it's such a music film that isn't really a musical. Sniper is so visceral and as it turns out, more popular than anything else here. I wonder if Interstellar will falter over visual effects.
Accuracy: 5/8
9:51 pm:
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Predicted Winner: Patricia Arquette
Actual Winner: Patricia Arquette
I love these digs at like, Oprah and Streep. I don't think they are used to people making fun of them. Nice shot of Bruce Dern in the crowd. As for Arquette's win, that's a no brainer. Glad Arquette chose a little stump platform there, although I honestly had tuned out because of how boring the beginning of her speech was and how expected the win was. I want to write something like "fuck yeah, wage equality" but home come that keeps coming out as sounding sarcastic? It's really important!
Accuracy: 6/9
10:00 pm: Hey, look at that, another perfectly timed bathroom break. Thank you for saving "Glory" for the end. I should stop drinking.
10:03
Best Visual Effects
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: Interstellar
Yay! This sort of reminds me of how 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) also won for this category, which is of course, the only Oscar Stan Kubrick ever won. Very fitting for Interstellar. More visual effects projects need to aid our understanding of the universe.
Accuracy: 7/10
10:07 pm:
Best Short Film, Animated
"The Bigger Picture"
"The Dam Keeper"
"Feast"
"Me and My Moulton"
"A Single Life"
Predicted Winner: "Feast"
Actual Winner: "Feast"
Aww, "Feast" looks so cute! I correctly called all of the short subject awards, by the way, no big deal. I really want to watch "Feast" now, it looks awesome.
Accuracy: 8/11
10:09 pm:
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Predicted Winner: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Actual Winner: Big Hero 6
Okay, I really like how much NPH is addressing the snubs. He's doing an excellent job, but I wonder if any of that will rub the Academy the wrong way. Probably not. This is a bit of a surprise over How to Train Your Dragon 2, which had fallen into the default pic after everyone virtually assumed The LEGO Movie would be a lock. Don't worry, years from now everyone will remember The LEGO Movie over both of these as the superior work. Fuck, everyone does now! Unfortunately, I now need to win out to match my prediction accuracy from last year! That sucks and isn't going to happen...
Accuracy: 8/12
10:18 pm: The president of AMPAS is a middle-aged black woman? How the hell wasn't DuVernay nominated?
10:21 pm:
Best Production Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
No surprise here at all. Grand Budapest's production is the best part of a very good movie. I now totes expect Grand Budapest to win the most awards at this ceremony without winning Best Picture. Or maybe it will! Staaaayy tuned!!
Accuracy: 9/13
10:25 pm:
Best Cinematography
Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida
Predicted Winner: Lubezki
Actual Winner: Lubezki
So Lubezki is officially the hottest cinematographer out there. Two wins in two years. Now I just sort of wonder if the single-take gimmick will get stale...no, it'll probably be out there more than ever. It's a telling trait that that could happen and it'll all look like crap because talent at the height of Lubezki is rare.
Accuracy: 10/14
10:43 pm:
Film Editing
American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Boyhood
Actual Winner: Whiplash
Holy shit, is Whiplash becoming a thing? Damn my screenplay prediction looks awesome right now. I wish I had been a little more adventurous. Boyhood has only won for Supporting Actress and Birdman has only won for cinematography. Sit on that for a while. Definitely a cool win, but I officially can't do better than last year now. Crud.
Accuracy: 10/15
10:47 pm: Terrence Howard was blown away by...The Imitation Game to the point where he's rendered speechless when introducing it? And then he blows through Selma? I'm not racist for thinking that's off, right?
10:50 pm:
Best Documentary Feature
CITIZENFOUR
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt in the Earth
Virunga
Predicted Winner: CITIZENFOUR
Actual Winner: CITIZENFOUR
I was almost thinking the Academy would shy away from this and stick with Virunga or something, but hopefully this win brings attention to a film that brings attention to the nuance of Eddie Snowden instead of the blind labeling of him as an American traitor. It's a pretty amazing film and speech here, considering the right wing backlash. Yay Hollywood! I mean, that NPH joke sums up the reductive nature of the National Attitude towards him and simultaneously negates that speech. Kind of a jackass move. I wonder if he teed up a possible joke for every nominee or just counted on CITIZENFOUR winning.
Accuracy: 11/16
10:59 pm: It's got to be kind of tough to come up with two different presentations for both the Grammys and the Oscars within a few weeks of each other. I think this is a little more epic, but either way I want to see John Legend's wife cry again when they win. Nice standing o and shot of Oyelowo crying. Then a shot of Chris pine crying?! Why is Chris Pine crying?! Did they just scan the crowd for anyone crying? I hope so.
11:06 pm:
Best Song
"Everything is Awesome" from The LEGO Movie (written by Shawn Patterson)
"Glory" from Selma (written by Common and John Legend)
"Grateful" from Beyond the Lights
"I’m Not Gonna Miss You" from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
"Lost Stars" from Begin Again (written by Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood)
Predicted Winner: "Glory"
Actual Winner: "Glory"
Ha! I actually like that little bit between Travolta and Adele Dazeem and the tacit acknowledgment that Travolta can't pronounce anyone's names. Did Common and Legend even have time to make it back to their seats? For a film that hardly got any nominations, this crowd is loving Selma. Common rules, by the way. I've actually never liked him as an actor, but he's the man and a sublime wordsmith. And again, Chris Pine is down with the brothers! First one up to clap!
Accuracy: 12/17
11:16 pm: What the fuck? Why is Lady GaGa singing us Sound of Music tunes?
11:21 pm: Damn, Julie Andrews looks good.
11:22 pm:
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
Johann Johannsson, The Theory of Everything
Gary Yershon, Mr. Turner
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
Predicted Winner: The Theory of Everything
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
I told you! Grand Budapest is winning everything! It's crazy! This virtually means that The Theory of Everything will go home with no awards, unless that Eddie Redmayne buzz as of late pulls through and he dethrones Keaton. There is some chance in the Adapted Screenplay category, but Whiplash seems like much more the darling right now. This is awesome how that turned out.
Accuracy: 12/18
11:30 pm:
Best Original Screenplay
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, Foxcatcher
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: Birdman
Crap. I'm starting to slip hard. How did Grand Budapest miss this? More importantly, is this a sign that Birdman will upset Boyhood. I'm not thinking about that. It's nice to see Eddie Murphy making peace with some national institutions he hasn't really gotten along with lately, namely the Academy and Saturday Night Live.
Accuracy: 12/19
11:33 pm:
Best Adapted Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Jason Hall, American Sniper
Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Predicted Winner: Whiplash
Actual Winner: The Imitation Game
Whiplash would have actually been a really weird win, considering it was based on a short film that Damien Chazelle made. Graham Moore was the more conventionally expected winner, so fuck me for going out on a limb. I really thought the night was trending towards Whiplash, too. I now haven't predicted a winner right in the past three categories. This speech is actually really emotional and probably more relevant and immediate than any of the other politically charged messages of this night (of which there's been lots. That's a good thing).
Accuracy: 12/20
11:41 pm:
Best Director
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Predicted Winner: Linklater
Actual Winner: Iñárritu
Wow, so this is really really swinging Birdman's way, which is shit for all my predictions. Iñárritu becomes a rare single-night double Oscar winner. He could become a three-way winner with a Best Picture, which would be a few shades of impeccable. I was looking so solid there for a while. This sucks. Help me, Julianne Moore. Actually, at this rate, Keaton may also pull through for Birdman after all.
Accuracy: 12/21
11:48 pm
Best Actor
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Predicted Winner: Michael Keaton
Actual Winner: Eddie Redmayne
I like how they played the same scene to showcase both Keaton and Stone's performances. That film has so many good outlets for these great actors. Anyway, this win is unbelievable. The kid is obviously excited, which is cool, but it's still more a totally bait-y role than a totally immortal, career-defining / honouring role like Keaton's was, so it's kind of an all-around bummer. Also my prediction totals are truly terrible now.
Accuracy: 12/22
11:54 pm
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
Predicted Winner: Julianne Moore
Actual Winner: Julianne Moore
I haven't seen Wild, what the hell was that cornea donation scene? Anyway, thank yo, Julianne Moore for being a great easy pick that makes me seem less stupid. How the hell was I 20/24 last year. I'm just going to keep reminding you of that to demonstrate that I don't totally suck at this.
Accuracy: 13/23
12:03:
Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Boyhood
Actual Winner: Birdman
Was that a little Barney magic with those predictions? Cool. Not as fun as selfies or pizza, but cool. Sean Penn, lighten up, Michelle Obama did this last year. These little vignettes for each nominee are really cool. Iñárritu wraps it up and completes a stunning trifecta of Best Screenplay, Director, and Picture. Consolation for Mike Keaton I guess. Damn you Birdman for completely wrecking my picks, I thought you were totally fizzled out although in October I thought you were a lock and also my personal pick for Best Film of the Year.
Final Total Ultimate Accuracy: 13/24
Not the worst year I've had, above .500 but waaaay worse than I thought I'd do, honestly. Not many of these were totally in the dark, but it ended up being the Birdman and Grand Budapest show, which I had figured to some extent but not this significantly. So these winners will immediately be canonized, and I think a lot of them will be pretty significant and well-remembered down the line. Until next year, folks - it's been real!
8:35 pm: You can't really get more charming than NPH and Anna Kendrick. And that background was actually really cool and 3D looking. Let's do that in a movie sometime.
8:44 pm:
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Predicted Winner: J.K. Simmons
Actual Winner: J.K. Simmons
That rushing or dragging scene is the only moment that 99% of this country know from Whiplash. Still, it's a good moment. No surprises here, folks as JK finally nabs a very well-deserved Oscar for both this great film, his great role, and a lifetime of funny yelling at people.
Accuracy: 1/1
8:50 pm: Maroon 5 playing a track from Begin Again. So....bathroom break? They're getting dangerously close to the half-hour mark with only having presented one award. Why does anyone watch this ceremony? Just read all the winners when it's over.
8:57 pm:
Best Costume Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Inherent Vice
Into the Woods
Maleficent
Mr. Turner
Predicted Winner: Into the Woods
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
This is actually a sure sign that The Grand Budapest Hotel is going to clean up a ridiculous amount of awards. I was headed more towards the Academy's trend of honoring dumb historical-ish musicals, but the crowd loves this chick and it's apparently her fourth Oscar. I could have probably expected this the way Grand Budapest has been raging lately, but whatever.
Accuracy: 1/2
9:00 pm:
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Guardians of the Galaxy
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
This was an amazing category where I actually loved all three Makeup nominees, and I sort of think that Guardians actually deserved this, because it was amazing, but that old-ass Tilda Swinton is actually super-convincing. Grand Budapest is so set to win every single one of these, which is amazing.
Accuracy: 2/3
9:03 pm: Doogie Howser's intro jokes are solid.
9:10 pm:
Best Foreign Language Film
Leviathan
Ida
Tangerines
Timbuktu
Wild Tales
Predicted Winner: Ida
Actual Winner: Ida
This isn't a huge surprise, but I wouldn't have been shocked if Leviathan had had a little upset. That apparently wasn't to be. Ida actually seems pretty broadly liked and by the end of the Oscar Race it seemed to grow in notoriety far more than anything else offered here. Touching, smart guy, whoever this director is. Now play him off. Louder. LOUDER!
Accuracy: 3/4
9:18: This is just a terrible reminder that The LEGO Movie wasn't nominated for Best Animated Film...This is also the most extravagant Oscar performance ever.
9:25 pm:
Best Short Film, Live Action
"Aya"
"Boogaloo and Graham"
"Butter Lamp"
"Parvaneh"
"The Phone Call"
Predicted Winner: "The Phone Call"
Actual Winner: "The Phone Call"
Fuck yeah! I love nailing these categories. Mostly because it helps my average a ton. I have no idea what this is about, even when they were showing clips just now my eyes were down on the keyboard typing the category. I also dig these guys completely not giving a shit about the music playing them off. Why not? This is their moment!
Accuracy: 4/5
9:28 pm
Best Documentary, Short Subject
"Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
"Joanna"
"Our Curse"
"The Reaper"
"White Earth"
Predicted Winner: "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
Actual Winner: "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"
Tight. What the fuck is "The Reaper" about? That looked nuts. I dig this series of phone-call centric nominees winning the short subject categories.
Accuracy: 5/6
9:46 pm:
Best Sound Mixing
American Sniper
Birdman
Interstellar
Unbroken
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: Whiplash
Wow, very cool. I didn't totally think that Interstellar could pull this off, lately it just didn't seem like a popular choice. I might have thought American Sniper or Birdman would be the one to upset it though, but this is a cool award for Whiplash. It's getting some good attention, maybe my call for it for screenplay isn't totally nuts.
Accuracy: 5/7
9:48 pm:
Best Sound Editing
American Sniper
Birdman
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Interstellar
Unbroken
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: American Sniper
This is totally not a surprise, and I'm more surprised that Sniper didn't win both of these. Whiplash really is that perfect mixing win, though, because it's such a music film that isn't really a musical. Sniper is so visceral and as it turns out, more popular than anything else here. I wonder if Interstellar will falter over visual effects.
Accuracy: 5/8
9:51 pm:
Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Predicted Winner: Patricia Arquette
Actual Winner: Patricia Arquette
I love these digs at like, Oprah and Streep. I don't think they are used to people making fun of them. Nice shot of Bruce Dern in the crowd. As for Arquette's win, that's a no brainer. Glad Arquette chose a little stump platform there, although I honestly had tuned out because of how boring the beginning of her speech was and how expected the win was. I want to write something like "fuck yeah, wage equality" but home come that keeps coming out as sounding sarcastic? It's really important!
Accuracy: 6/9
10:00 pm: Hey, look at that, another perfectly timed bathroom break. Thank you for saving "Glory" for the end. I should stop drinking.
10:03
Best Visual Effects
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Guardians of the Galaxy
Interstellar
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Predicted Winner: Interstellar
Actual Winner: Interstellar
Yay! This sort of reminds me of how 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) also won for this category, which is of course, the only Oscar Stan Kubrick ever won. Very fitting for Interstellar. More visual effects projects need to aid our understanding of the universe.
Accuracy: 7/10
10:07 pm:
Best Short Film, Animated
"The Bigger Picture"
"The Dam Keeper"
"Feast"
"Me and My Moulton"
"A Single Life"
Predicted Winner: "Feast"
Actual Winner: "Feast"
Aww, "Feast" looks so cute! I correctly called all of the short subject awards, by the way, no big deal. I really want to watch "Feast" now, it looks awesome.
Accuracy: 8/11
10:09 pm:
Best Animated Feature
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya
Predicted Winner: How to Train Your Dragon 2
Actual Winner: Big Hero 6
Okay, I really like how much NPH is addressing the snubs. He's doing an excellent job, but I wonder if any of that will rub the Academy the wrong way. Probably not. This is a bit of a surprise over How to Train Your Dragon 2, which had fallen into the default pic after everyone virtually assumed The LEGO Movie would be a lock. Don't worry, years from now everyone will remember The LEGO Movie over both of these as the superior work. Fuck, everyone does now! Unfortunately, I now need to win out to match my prediction accuracy from last year! That sucks and isn't going to happen...
Accuracy: 8/12
10:18 pm: The president of AMPAS is a middle-aged black woman? How the hell wasn't DuVernay nominated?
10:21 pm:
Best Production Design
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Interstellar
Into the Woods
Mr. Turner
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
No surprise here at all. Grand Budapest's production is the best part of a very good movie. I now totes expect Grand Budapest to win the most awards at this ceremony without winning Best Picture. Or maybe it will! Staaaayy tuned!!
Accuracy: 9/13
10:25 pm:
Best Cinematography
Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida
Predicted Winner: Lubezki
Actual Winner: Lubezki
So Lubezki is officially the hottest cinematographer out there. Two wins in two years. Now I just sort of wonder if the single-take gimmick will get stale...no, it'll probably be out there more than ever. It's a telling trait that that could happen and it'll all look like crap because talent at the height of Lubezki is rare.
Accuracy: 10/14
10:43 pm:
Film Editing
American Sniper
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Boyhood
Actual Winner: Whiplash
Holy shit, is Whiplash becoming a thing? Damn my screenplay prediction looks awesome right now. I wish I had been a little more adventurous. Boyhood has only won for Supporting Actress and Birdman has only won for cinematography. Sit on that for a while. Definitely a cool win, but I officially can't do better than last year now. Crud.
Accuracy: 10/15
10:47 pm: Terrence Howard was blown away by...The Imitation Game to the point where he's rendered speechless when introducing it? And then he blows through Selma? I'm not racist for thinking that's off, right?
10:50 pm:
Best Documentary Feature
CITIZENFOUR
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt in the Earth
Virunga
Predicted Winner: CITIZENFOUR
Actual Winner: CITIZENFOUR
I was almost thinking the Academy would shy away from this and stick with Virunga or something, but hopefully this win brings attention to a film that brings attention to the nuance of Eddie Snowden instead of the blind labeling of him as an American traitor. It's a pretty amazing film and speech here, considering the right wing backlash. Yay Hollywood! I mean, that NPH joke sums up the reductive nature of the National Attitude towards him and simultaneously negates that speech. Kind of a jackass move. I wonder if he teed up a possible joke for every nominee or just counted on CITIZENFOUR winning.
Accuracy: 11/16
10:59 pm: It's got to be kind of tough to come up with two different presentations for both the Grammys and the Oscars within a few weeks of each other. I think this is a little more epic, but either way I want to see John Legend's wife cry again when they win. Nice standing o and shot of Oyelowo crying. Then a shot of Chris pine crying?! Why is Chris Pine crying?! Did they just scan the crowd for anyone crying? I hope so.
11:06 pm:
Best Song
"Everything is Awesome" from The LEGO Movie (written by Shawn Patterson)
"Glory" from Selma (written by Common and John Legend)
"Grateful" from Beyond the Lights
"I’m Not Gonna Miss You" from Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me
"Lost Stars" from Begin Again (written by Gregg Alexander, Danielle Brisebois, Nick Lashley and Nick Southwood)
Predicted Winner: "Glory"
Actual Winner: "Glory"
Ha! I actually like that little bit between Travolta and Adele Dazeem and the tacit acknowledgment that Travolta can't pronounce anyone's names. Did Common and Legend even have time to make it back to their seats? For a film that hardly got any nominations, this crowd is loving Selma. Common rules, by the way. I've actually never liked him as an actor, but he's the man and a sublime wordsmith. And again, Chris Pine is down with the brothers! First one up to clap!
Accuracy: 12/17
11:16 pm: What the fuck? Why is Lady GaGa singing us Sound of Music tunes?
11:21 pm: Damn, Julie Andrews looks good.
11:22 pm:
Best Original Score
Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
Johann Johannsson, The Theory of Everything
Gary Yershon, Mr. Turner
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
Predicted Winner: The Theory of Everything
Actual Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
I told you! Grand Budapest is winning everything! It's crazy! This virtually means that The Theory of Everything will go home with no awards, unless that Eddie Redmayne buzz as of late pulls through and he dethrones Keaton. There is some chance in the Adapted Screenplay category, but Whiplash seems like much more the darling right now. This is awesome how that turned out.
Accuracy: 12/18
11:30 pm:
Best Original Screenplay
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Futterman and E. Max Frye, Foxcatcher
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Predicted Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Actual Winner: Birdman
Crap. I'm starting to slip hard. How did Grand Budapest miss this? More importantly, is this a sign that Birdman will upset Boyhood. I'm not thinking about that. It's nice to see Eddie Murphy making peace with some national institutions he hasn't really gotten along with lately, namely the Academy and Saturday Night Live.
Accuracy: 12/19
11:33 pm:
Best Adapted Screenplay
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Jason Hall, American Sniper
Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Predicted Winner: Whiplash
Actual Winner: The Imitation Game
Whiplash would have actually been a really weird win, considering it was based on a short film that Damien Chazelle made. Graham Moore was the more conventionally expected winner, so fuck me for going out on a limb. I really thought the night was trending towards Whiplash, too. I now haven't predicted a winner right in the past three categories. This speech is actually really emotional and probably more relevant and immediate than any of the other politically charged messages of this night (of which there's been lots. That's a good thing).
Accuracy: 12/20
11:41 pm:
Best Director
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Predicted Winner: Linklater
Actual Winner: Iñárritu
Wow, so this is really really swinging Birdman's way, which is shit for all my predictions. Iñárritu becomes a rare single-night double Oscar winner. He could become a three-way winner with a Best Picture, which would be a few shades of impeccable. I was looking so solid there for a while. This sucks. Help me, Julianne Moore. Actually, at this rate, Keaton may also pull through for Birdman after all.
Accuracy: 12/21
11:48 pm
Best Actor
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Predicted Winner: Michael Keaton
Actual Winner: Eddie Redmayne
I like how they played the same scene to showcase both Keaton and Stone's performances. That film has so many good outlets for these great actors. Anyway, this win is unbelievable. The kid is obviously excited, which is cool, but it's still more a totally bait-y role than a totally immortal, career-defining / honouring role like Keaton's was, so it's kind of an all-around bummer. Also my prediction totals are truly terrible now.
Accuracy: 12/22
11:54 pm
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
Predicted Winner: Julianne Moore
Actual Winner: Julianne Moore
I haven't seen Wild, what the hell was that cornea donation scene? Anyway, thank yo, Julianne Moore for being a great easy pick that makes me seem less stupid. How the hell was I 20/24 last year. I'm just going to keep reminding you of that to demonstrate that I don't totally suck at this.
Accuracy: 13/23
12:03:
Best Picture
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Predicted Winner: Boyhood
Actual Winner: Birdman
Was that a little Barney magic with those predictions? Cool. Not as fun as selfies or pizza, but cool. Sean Penn, lighten up, Michelle Obama did this last year. These little vignettes for each nominee are really cool. Iñárritu wraps it up and completes a stunning trifecta of Best Screenplay, Director, and Picture. Consolation for Mike Keaton I guess. Damn you Birdman for completely wrecking my picks, I thought you were totally fizzled out although in October I thought you were a lock and also my personal pick for Best Film of the Year.
Final Total Ultimate Accuracy: 13/24
Not the worst year I've had, above .500 but waaaay worse than I thought I'd do, honestly. Not many of these were totally in the dark, but it ended up being the Birdman and Grand Budapest show, which I had figured to some extent but not this significantly. So these winners will immediately be canonized, and I think a lot of them will be pretty significant and well-remembered down the line. Until next year, folks - it's been real!
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