With the new year comes resolutions, big-time football games, and overall changes in our lives. Most importantly, however, it means Red Carpet season is upon us once again.
Award shows seem to be on television for multiple weekends, back-to-back, starting in January and lasting until the end of February. Originating nearly 90 years ago, the Oscars has been one of the most ancipated events of the year. Whether you’re looking forward to the incredible couture gowns and suits (like me) or you’re eager to see how the year’s host of the show does (this year, it’s Neil Patrick Harris) or even if you’re actually into watching the show for the awards (like my parents), this is the most honorable award show of them all. We forget to put into perspective the significance of winning such a prestigious award. For some of these actors and actresses, directors and screenwriters, winning an Academy Award is their dream for the new year, and will eventually bring about huge changes in their lives.
Before you sit down for four solid hours of awards after awards being passed out for movies you probably haven’t seen, expand your movie knowledge! Here are the nominees:
BEST PICTURE BEST DIRECTOR
American Sniper Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (Birdman)
Birdman Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Boyhood Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher)
The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
The Imitation Game Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game)
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
BEST ACTRESS BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard (Two Days, One Night) Patricia Arquetter (Boyhood)
Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything) Lauren Dern (Wild)
Julianne Moore (Still Alice) Emma Stone (Birdman)
Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl) Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
BEST ACTOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Steve Carrell (Foxcatcher) Robert Duvall (The Judge)
Bradley Cooper (American Sniper) Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
Benedict Cumberback (The Imitation Game) Edward Norton (Birdman)
Michael Keaton (Birdman) Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)
Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) J.K. Simmons (Whiplash)
Now that you have an idea of the key nominations, take a look at the list of who critics think will win as opposed to who I think will win! I mean, my reasoning is pretty tough to dispute…
BEST PICTURE
Critics’ Choice: Boyhood
My Choice: American Sniper (Because I love Bradley Cooper).
BEST DIRECTOR
Critics’ Choice: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu – Birdman
My Choice: Bennett Miller – Foxcatcher (Also Channing Tatum is in this movie!)
BEST ACTOR
Critics’ Choice: Michael Keaton – Birdman
My Choice: Bradley Cooper – American Sniper (Because Bradley Cooper. And it was a great and honorable movie.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Critics’ Choice: J.K. Simmons – Whiplash
My Choice: Mark Ruffalo – “Foxcatcher” (Ever seen 13 Going on 30? He should have won an Oscar for his role in that movie!)
BEST ACTRESS
Critics’ Choice: Julianne Moore – Still Alice
My Choice: Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl (Because her performance in this movie was simply marvelous. Trust me.)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Critics’ Choice: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood
My Choice: Emma Stone- Birdman (Also she has the best red carpet style.)
So now that you know a little more about the Oscars going into the awards show than you did last year, get some friends together to watch. Place some bets, and cheers to the winners. Enjoy!