It's been a while, hasn't it? Anyway, these are going to be some incredibly premature predictions for what I believe will win the Oscar per category. I'm going to exclude nominations for Best Animated Short, Best Short Film, and both Documentary nominations, as I believe I don't have the knowledge to critically predict a winner without looking up bandwagons online.
I'm going to be very brief with what I believe will win. I won't go into detail of any of the winners, but I will add a subsequent "What About..?" category below and a personal choice for what I believe deserves what.
Disclaimer: I have not yet seen anything. I even have The Theory of Everything winning something, but I am yet to see it. Again, very premature predictions.
Nominations will be copy-pasted from http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2015/01/15/2015-oscar-nominations-complete-coverage/
Sound Mixing“American Sniper,” John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin
“Birdman,” Jon Taylor, Frank A Montano and Thomas Varga
“Interstellar,” Garry A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker and Mark Weingarten
“Unbroken,” Jon Taylor, Frank A Montano and David Lee
”Whiplash,” Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins and Thomas Curley
Predicted Winner: "Interstellar"
My Choice: "Birdman"
Sound Editing“American Sniper,” Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman
“Birdman,” Martin Hermandez and Aaron Glascock
“The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” Brent Burge and Jason Canovas
“Interstellar,” Richard King
“Unbroken,” Becky Sullivan and Andrew Decristofaro
Predicted Winner: "American Sniper"
What About...?: "Gone Girl"
My Choice: "Interstellar"
Visual Effects“Captain America: Winter Soldier,” Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill and Dan Sudick
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett and Erik Winquist
“Guardians of the Galaxy,” Stephanie Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner and Paul Corbould
“Interstellar,” Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher
“X-Men: Days of Future Past,” Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie and Cameron Waldbauer"
Predicted Winner: "Interstellar"
My Choice: "Interstellar"
Production Design“The Grand Budapest Hotel,” Production design: Adam Stockhausen, Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“The Imitation Game,” Production design: Maria Djurkovic, Set Decoration: Tatiana Macdonald
“Interstellar,” Production design: Nathan Crowley, Set Decoration: Gary Fettis
“Into the Woods,” Production design: Dennis Gassner, Set Decoration: Anna Pinnock
“Mr. Turner,” Production design: Suzie Davies, Set Decoration: Charlotte Watts
Predicted Winner: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
My Choice: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Music – Original Song“Everything Is Awesome” by Shawn Patterson, “The LEGO Movie”
“Glory” by Common and John Legend, “Selma”
“Grateful,” by Diana Warren, “Beyond the lights”
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond, “Glenn Campbell: I’ll Be Me”
“Lost Stars” by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois, “Begin Again”
Predicted Winner: "Glory" - Selma
My Choice: "Glory" - Selma
Music – Original ScoreAlexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Alexandre Desplat, “The Imitation Game”
Hans Zimmer, “Interstellar”
Gary Yershon, “Mr Turner”
Johann Johannsson, “The Theory of Everything”
Predicted Winner: "The Theory of Everything"
What About...?: "Gone Girl" - Seriously, Academy?
My Choice: Either of the Desplat films, but I will give Theory a chance once I watch it.
Makeup and HairstylingBill Corso and Dennis Liddiard, “Foxcatcher”
Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White “Guardians of the Galaxy”
Predicted Winner: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
My Choice: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Film EditingJoel Cox and Gary Roach, “American Sniper”
Sandra Adair, “Boyhood”
Barney Pilling, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
William Goldenberg, “The Imitation Game”
Tom Cross, “Whiplash”
Predicted Winner: "Boyhood"
What About...?: "Birdman"
My Choice: "Whiplash"
Costume DesignMilena Canonero, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Mark Bridges, “Inherent Vice”
Colleen Atwood, “Into the Woods”
Anna B. Sheppard, “Maleficent”
Jacqueline Durran, “Mr. Turner”
Predicted Winner: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
What About...?: "The Imitation Game"
My Choice: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
CinematographyEmmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”
Robert D. Yeoman, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lynzewski, “Ida”
Dick Pope, “Mr. Turner”
Roger Deakins, “Unbroken”
Predicted Winner: "Birdman"
My Choice: "Birdman" - good god, does this movie look gorgeous.
Animated Feature Film“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"
What About...?: "The Lego Movie" - plenty of articles about how badly the Academy screwed this one up.
My Choice: "How to Train Your Dragon 2"
Actress in a Supporting RolePatricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Laura Dern, “Wild”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Predicted Winner: Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
My Choice: Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Actor in a Supporting RoleRobert Duvall, “The Judge”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Predicted Winner: J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"
What About...?: Zach Galifianakis, "Birdman"
Writing – Original ScreenplayAlejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, “Foxcatcher”
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”
Predicted Winner: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, “Birdman”
What About...?: Paul Webb, "Selma"
My Choice: "Birdman" or "Boyhood"
Writing – Adapted ScreenplayJason Hall, “American Sniper”
Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Inherent Vice”
Anthony McCarten, “The Theory of Everything”
Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”
Predicted Winner: Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game"
What About...?: Gillian Flynn, "Gone Girl"
My Choice: Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"
Actress in a Leading RoleMarion 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, "Still Alice"
What About...?: Amy Adams, "Big Eyes"
My Choice: Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
Actor in a Leading RoleSteve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Predicted Winner: Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
What About...?: Miles Teller, "Whiplash"
My Choice: Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
DirectingAlejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Predicted Winner: Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"
What About...?: Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash"; David Fincher, "Gone Girl"; Ava DuVernay, "Selma" - so many better options and they chose "Foxcatcher"
Best Picture“American Sniper”
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“The Imitation Game”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“Whiplash”
Predicted Winner: "Boyhood"
What About...?: "Gone Girl"
My Choice: "Whiplash"
Yeah, Whiplash was my favorite movie of last year. Does that surprise anybody? It should and shouldn't. It was a fantastic film that had phenomenal performances by two stellar leading actors. Damien Chazelle simply crafted a masterpiece and I guarantee it is a film that will be looked upon decades ahead for it's brilliant craftsmanship.
Birdman and Boyhood are both fantastic movies, too, though. Although they are on par with Whiplash and are admittedly better films, I will feel a little pain when either of the two win Best Picture. However, I do have to understand that for as much countless love I have for Chazelle's masterpiece, I should not look down on the frontrunners as fantastic films on their own rights.
Happy Oscar Season!