87th Academy Awards Nominations Reaction

Tomorrow I’ll be posting my predictions for the Screen Actors’ Guild Awards, which is a big indicator for the Oscars. But today I’ll look at who was nominated and give my immediate, brief reactions. There were a few surprises, and a quite a bit of obvious choices.

The Grand Budapest (somewhat surprisingly) and Birdman (not so surprisingly) came away with the most nominations with nine each. Close behind was The Imitation Game with eight. At first I was shocked that Boyhood only came away with six nods, but then I realized that it was nominated for all of the major awards it was predicted to get nods in (film, director, both supporting roles, screenplay) and then got a final one in film editing, which I don’t predict.

Anyway, here are all of the major awards. As I just mentioned, I don’t talk about all awards – mostly the technical ones – because I’m not well versed enough.

Best Picture

• American Sniper
• Birdman
• Boyhood
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Selma
• The Theory of Everything
• Whiplash

American Sniper was a dark horse to get into the category, but I don’t expect it to cause much of a stir. There isn’t really much fatigue in this category like some recent years since Best picture expanded from allowing anywhere from five to ten nominees. Sad to see Foxcatcher left off when The Imitation Game and The Theory of Everything basically followed the same biopic formula. Doesn’t matter though; the category is still between Birdman, Boyhood, and The Grand Budapest.

Best Actor

• Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
• Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
• Michael Keaton, Birdman
• Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

No Gyllenhaal. No Oyelowo. There is Cooper, though. Looks like the Academy loves Sniper. I’m disappointed that there were some snubs; however, it didn’t really matter. For months I was certain it would be Redmayne. Now I’m leaning toward Keaton overtaking him.

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

No real upsets here. However, I am saddened that Jennifer Anniston didn’t get a nod here. Cotillard came in from a distance to take the final spot.

Best Supporting Actor

• Robert Duvall, The Judge
• Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
• Edward Norton, Birdman
• Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
• J.K. Simmons, Whiplash

This is precisely how this category was most likely going to shake out. Between Norton and Simmons. I personally would flip a coin between the two of them, but I’d bet on Simmons.

Best Supporting Actress

• Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
• Laura Dern, Wild
• Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone, Birdman
• Meryl Streep, Into the Woods

A few surprises, sure, but it doesn’t matter. Isn’t it sad that I’ve said that a few times now? That these awards are basically decided. Give it to Arquette.

Best Director

• Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
• Richard Linklater, Boyhood
• Bennet Miller, Foxcatcher
• Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Morten Tydlum, The Imitation Game

First, I need someone who knows more than me to explain how someone can be one of the best directors, but be left off of the Best Picture race? If Miller was at the top of the directing game, how did his film not stack up? Sad to see Ava DuVernay (Selma) left off. It’s between Linklater and González Iñárritu. But it’s pretty clear who it’s going to. No?

Best Adapted Screenplay

• American Sniper
• The Imitation Game
• Inherent Vice
• The Theory of Everything
• Whiplash

 

To be quite honest, I’m not sure about this category this year. I thought Gone Girl was beautifully adapted, and I expected it to get a nod. It goes to Whiplash if the voting is based off of the best film of an adapted screenplay. If it is based off of the closest adaptation to an original piece… well, then it still goes to Whiplash for me.

Best Original Screenplay

• Birdman
• Boyhood
• Foxcatcher
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Nightcrawler

 

Indicators show this category is between Boyhood, Birdman, and The Grand Budapest Hotel. The three heavyweights of this year’s nominees are all a tossup here.

Best Foreign Film

• Ida
• Leviathan
• Tangerines
• Timbuktu
• Wild Tales

I picked Ida for the Globe. The Globes picked Leviathan. I’ll say it’s between those two.

Best Documentary Feature

• Citzenfour
• Finding Vivian Maer
• Last Days in Vietnam
• Virunga
• Salt of the Earth

 

 

I’m assuming it’ll be Citizenfour. I’m not really up to date on this category, but I’ll tip my hat to that doc.

Best Animated Feature

• Big Hero 6
• The Boxtrolls
• How to Train Your Dragon 2
• Song of the Sea

No Lego Movie? Uh… I guess Dragon 2 then? I can’t believe Lego was left off. There will be blood.