Article by Marcus Siu

It’s a bird, it’s a plane…it’s “Birdman” versus “Boyhood”… for Best Picture!

Michael Keaton as “Riggan” in BIRDMAN. Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Copyright © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox.

Alejandro González Iñárritu’s, “Birdman” will most likely take home tonight’s Oscar for Best Picture, and edge out Richard Linklater’s 12 years in the making masterpiece, “Boyhood”.

“Birdman” was nominated for nine Academy Awards including original screenplay, director, three acting categories, and more importantly, the “sight and sound” categories; cinematography and sound. Being nominated in all of these categories pretty much sums up a Best Picture compared to the categories that “Boyhood” was nominated for.

“Boyhood” was nominated for six awards, but none of them are really considered  in the  production category.  However, it was nominated for film editing, and it should win just for its intensive twelve years worth of film editing.

“Boyhood” will be remembered as a film masterpiece that cannot be compared to any other traditional film.  Linklater has completely redefined cinema out of the box.

Interestingly, besides competing in the Best Picture category, Iñárritu and Linklater will be competing in two other categories; Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.  I predict each will receive one.  Linklater will probably receive Best Director and Iñárritu will probably receive the Best Original Screenplay.

Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything. Photo Credit: Liam Daniel/Focus Features

Even with the amazing performances by all of the acting nominees this year, the acting categories will be very predictable this year. It will go to Eddie Redmayne, who plays Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything”, Julianne Moore, who is fighting against Alzheimer’s in “Still Alice”, J.K. Simmons, the abusive music professor in“Whiplash”, and Patricia Arquette, for her portrayal of Mason’s mother in “Boyhood”.

Julianne Moore as Alice
Photo by Linda Kallerus, Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Here are the rest of my predictions for the remaining categories.

Best Motion Picture of the Year – Birdman (2014): Alejandro González Iñárritu, John Lesher, James W. Skotchdopole
Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role – Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything (2014)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role – Julianne Moore for Still Alice (2014)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – J.K. Simmons for Whiplash (2014)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Patricia Arquette for Boyhood (2014/I)
Best Achievement in Directing – Richard Linklater for Boyhood (2014/I)
Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen – Birdman (2014): Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris,Armando Bo
Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published – The Imitation Game (2014): Graham Moore
Best Animated Feature Film of the Year – How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
Best Foreign Language Film of the Year – Ida (2013): Pawel Pawlikowski
Best Achievement in Cinematography – Birdman (2014): Emmanuel Lubezki
Best Achievement in Editing – Boyhood (2014/I): Sandra Adair
Best Achievement in Production Design – The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014): Milena Canonero
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling – Foxcatcher (2014): Bill Corso, Dennis Liddiard
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Score – The Theory of Everything (2014): Jóhann Jóhannsson
Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song – Selma (2014): Common, John Legend(Glory)
Best Achievement in Sound Mixing – Whiplash (2014): Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, Thomas Curley
Best Achievement in Sound Editing – American Sniper (2014): Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman
Best Achievement in Visual Effects – Interstellar (2014): Paul J. Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, Scott R. Fisher
Best Documentary, Feature – Finding Vivian Maier (2013): John Maloof, Charlie Siskel
Best Documentary, Short Subject – Joanna (2013/I): Aneta Kopacz
Best Short Film, Animated – A Single Life (2014): Joris Oprins
Best Short Film, Live Action – Boogaloo and Graham (2014): Michael Lennox, Ronan Blaney