2015 Oscar predictions

 

By Allanah Wills

Film’s biggest night is just around the corner. Amherstburg-born filmmaker Gavin Michael Booth’s latest film The Scarehouse was filmed in Windsor and won “Best Feature” at the New York City Horror Film Festival. Booth breaks down his picks for who he thinks should take home the gold on Oscar night.

Best Picture

Nominees:  Birdman, Boyhood, American Sniper, Whiplash, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Selma, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything.

Gavin’s pick: Boyhood I saw the film and really enjoyed it. I’m excited that a small indie film is nominated. Sure it is simple in its storytelling but it is a really effective slice of life.  Obviously there is a massive focus on the marvel of how it was shot over 12 years.  I definitely think that plays into the accolades the film and the filmmakers are receiving.  I can’t imagine how complicated and daring that would be.

Possible Contender: Birdman A great technical marvel with the incredible one single-shot scenes that make the film feel as if it is a single-shot throughout.  Michael Keaton was fantastic.  It is the rare film where I walked out of it truly excited because I hadn’t seen anything quite like it before and the story kept me guessing the entire time instead of being able to predict what comes next.

Best Director

Nominees:  Richard Linklater for Boyhood, Bennett Miller for Foxcatcher, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for Birdman, Morten Tyldum for The Imitation Game, Wes Anderson for The Grand Budapest Hotel

Gavin’s pick: Richard Linklater – Boyhood.  How can he not?  Twelve years of patience, creativity and driving the train on that project for over 12 years.  That means the cast and crew trusted him fully for over a decade.  That is an important bond for cast, crew and director to have. He was able to throw a wild idea out there and have these people follow his lead.  That alone deserves the statue this year.

Best Actor

Nominees: Benedict Cumberbatch in The Imitation Game,  Bradley Cooper in American Sniper, Michael Keaton in Birdman, Steve Carrell in Foxcatcher, Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything

Gavin’s pick:  Michael Keaton – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) as Riggan Thomson. This role is perfectly timed in his career.  In many ways he IS Birdman; a film actor who walked away from a major franchise and never truly had another hit after that. He’s sad, lonely and slightly crazed after years of being beaten up by the press.  He was spot on perfect for the character.  The long-take technical achievement for Birdman also applies here.  The actors have to hit their marks with little to no forgiveness shooting in this style and there is such a range of intensity and physicality happening inside these shots.

Best Actress

Nominees: Rosamund Pike in Gone Girl, Felicity Jones in The Theory of Everything, Julianne Moore in Still Alice, Reese Witherspoon Wild, Marion Cotillard in Two Days, One Night.

Gavin’s pick: Felicity Jones – The Theory of Everything as Jane Wilde Hawking. Jones is already the favourite to win and I do love her work.  Admittedly I haven’t seen all of “The Theory of Everything” yet but what I have watched so far I think she is great in.

Possible Contender: Reese Witherspoon – Wild as Cheryl Strayed. Now, here I think Reese could take home her second Oscar.  Carrying a movie largely on your shoulders, many times being alone on screen in the story is an impressive undertaking.  The based on the true story angle never hurts in helping an audience to have their heart strings yanked out during this film.

Best Supporting Actor

Nominees: J.K. Simmons in Whiplash, Ethan Hawke in Boyhood, Edward Norton in Birdman, Robert Duvall in the Judge, Mark Ruffalo in Foxcatcher.

Gavin’s pick: J. K. Simmons – Whiplash as Terence Fletcher. The greatest this year.  Such a macho man with such deep regrets that brim up over the film.  I truly enjoyed Simmons in this film from start to finish.  His comedic, abrupt deliveries were at their best but the heart of his performance is the vulnerable moments and he nails it.

Best Supporting Actress

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

Gavin’s pick: Patricia Arquette – Boyhood as Olivia Evans. Next to “boy” in Boyhood, Patricia is the character with the largest commitment over the 12 year shooting schedule.  I think there is such added realism as she ages and brings the additional age and wisdom life brings you in regards to building her character.  I’m so curious to know her approach on this role. I completely bought into this woman who started with a raw deal and no matter what was always struggling just to hold it together and still be a good mother on top of it all.

 

The Academy Awards will air Feb. 22 on CTV at 7 p.m., just five days after The Scarehouse will be made available on DVD.