And the 2015 Oscar goes to...

Let's talk movies, because I'm in that mood. Oscar predictions?

• Writing (Original): Nightcrawler
• Writing (Adapted): The Theory of Everything
• Visual Effects: Interstellar 
• Sound Mixing: Whiplash
• Sound Editing: Interstellar
• Production Design: Grand Budapest
• Music (Song): Glory from Selma
• Music (Score): Imitation Game
• Makeup: Foxcatcher
• Film Editing: Whiplash
• Directing: Boyhood
• Costume Design: Inherent Vice
• Cinematography: (Without a doubt, it's...) Birdman
• Best Animated Feature: Boxtrolls
• Best Supporting Actress: Emma Stone, Birdman
• Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
• Best Actress: Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
• Best Actor: Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
• Best Picture: Birdman

And damn the person who nominated American Sniper for best picture instead of Nightcrawler! What a mistake!

Damn the person who didn't nominate The Lego Movie for anything! Maybe Shawn Patterson will win the song award and induce chronic embarrassment in all concerned. The presence of American Sniper in any of these awards is testament to the crappy backstage rigging that goes on with the Oscars, it's nowhere near good enough to be in the nominations for best movie of the year. Nightcrawler was probably the year's best, or The Imitation Game, but I don't think either will be showered with awards.

I'd like to see Cumberbatch get the Actors gong, just because, well, Cumberbatch, but I think you may be right about Steve Carrell, he's been threatening some proper peer credibility for some time now. Anyhoo, the important ones for me are writing and cinematography as they are the most vital ingredients in a good movie and I cannot personally argue with your choices. I have a feeling that Emmanuel Lubezki for Birdman will get passed over for Robert Yeoman, they do love their sweeping vistas and extreme close ups in the Oscars, but Lubezki's work was technically brilliant and well deserving.

In fact it seems weird to see Grand Budapest Hotel in the running, I could have sworn that movie was much older and should have been in last years awards, but that film has "give me all the awards" written over it even though it was a lazy and meandering effort - almost like Wes Anderson was doing a parody of himself.

Here here!

I have to admit that I haven't seen enough of the nominees to make informed decisions. Having 2 small kids (ages 9 and just under 5) really cuts down how much I get to see.

The only best picture nominee I"ve seen any of is Grand Budapest, and I only got to see about 1/2 - my wife started feeling sick that night, and we didn't get a chance to finish it before it was due back at the library. Imitation Game is on my list for eventually, but it's probably going to have to wait on the library.

In Animated Feature, I've seen HttYD2, my wife took the kids to see Big Hero 6 at the early end of Christmas Break while I still had to work. I've seen the fury that the Lego Movie didn't get nominated, but I can't compare it to the remainder of the nominees. Even had it been nominated, I'd likely pick HttYD2 over it.

I tend to like some of the "techie" awards - Costumes, Score, Special Effects. (I don't know enough about make-up outside prosthetics to have informed opinions in that category.) Based only on trailers, I pick Into the Woods for Costumes, with Grand Budapest as my runner-up. I haven't seen enough of any of this year's Score nominees to form an opinion. Special Effects is a tough call for me, but I think that I pick Days of Future Past (with the caveat that I haven't seen either Guardians of the Galaxy or the Planet of the Apes installment).

Let me just say that the cinematography of Birdman was the toppest of notches I have seen in a long time. I loved that film and everything about it.

Whiplash should win everything.

Whiplash was probably one of the best movies of the winter. Upon further thought, I think either Whiplash or Birdman will take best picture. I had to watch them all a second time before I realized this.

Heh, I just watched The Imitation Game again and I'm actually surprised that niether Mark Strong or matthew Goode are up for Best Supporting Actor. It's easy for their impact to get lost behind Cumberbatch's central performance, but both gave really strong performances. I was also reminded at how tragically poor Keira Kneightly is at anything other than mooning with her eyes. I mean, how is it possible for an English actress to fail to put on a convincing English accent?