Oscars 2015 – Who Will Win, Who Should Win – Best Picture?
The 87th Academy Awards are almost upon us with the lavish ceremony taking TONIGHT. For the past few months people have been feverishly trying to figure out who will win what, who will lose out and most importantly what will Jennifer Lawrence do?
So, here at HeadStuff we decided to ask our esteemed film writers to weigh in on the great debate and give their predictions of who should win, and who will win on film’s most important night of the year.
So far we have given our predictions on Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor and Actress, and Best Director. Now it’s time for the all important… Best Picture.
Best Picture
The Nominees:
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
Graham Connors:
Who Will Win – “There are always films in the final shake up for Best Picture that really don’t deserve the nomination – for me American Sniper and The Imitation Game fall into that category. Neither are bad films, they just don’t deserve to the best film of the year. Whiplash is remarkable, but it’s not going to win (JK Simmons better take home Best Supporting Actor though or there is going to be war!!) All the rest are pure Oscar gold and any of them could take home the little bald fella. My money is on Boyhood winning.” Who Should Win – “I had the casting vote I would give it to The Grand Budapest Hotel. I am biased towards Wes Anderson but The Grand Budapest Hotel really is one of the most satisfying films I have ever seen, it’s beautiful to look at, it’s fun, each performance is pitch perfect, production design, editing, music, the list goes on. Yet Boyhood has so much heart that it is hard to ignore its Oscar credentials, it is an innovative piece of cinema that took 12 years to make. It really is a special film and I am sure that this will sway the hearts of the Academy.”
Ged Murray:
Who Will Win – “Selma as it’s got all the stuff at the centre of the Oscar bait venn diagram. It has the added advantage of being very good.” Who Should Win – “Boyhood because it’s amazing, tender, frightening and funny.”
Niamh Mongey:
Who Will Win – “Boyhood. The concept is amazing, Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke are brilliant.” Who Should Win – “The Grand Budapest Hotel for the the wonderful quirks, the magic, the beauty.”
Paddy O’Leary:
Who Will Win – Realistically Richard Linklater’s Boyhood will pick up the award. The critically praised Boyhood has already picked up the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama and I am betting it will go one further at the Oscars. Who Should Win – I would love to see Wes Anderson pick up the award for the wonderfully quirky and aesthetically beautiful Grand Budapest Hotel. Anderson is an illusionist behind the camera and his complete oeuvre will be one to enjoy for generations to come, he will however not win it.
Fergal Casey:
Who Will Win – “Birdman will win, not for its undoubted quality, sadly, but because Keaton’s meta-textual comeback appeals to Academy sentimentality.” Who Should Win – “Boyhood should win because it’s an unprecedented feat of film-making that achieves the long narrative scope of a novel”
