Predictions for Academy Award Winners

Paulina Zuleta, Staff Writer

We all have different taste in films, but now is the time to put your favorite movies to the test. The 87th Academy Awards for the Oscars is nearly here. The list below gives an idea of who and what movies will win an award on Feb. 22.

Actor nominees:
Steve Carell in “Foxcatcher”
Bradley Cooper in “American Sniper”
Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Imitation Game”
Michael Keaton in “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne in “The Theory of Everything”

There will definitely be a three-way tie between the admirable men, Bradley Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne.

Cumberbatch is the arrogant genius, who kept to himself but worked continuously to win World War II.

Cooper had to gain 40 pounds to portray his character, which shows how committed he was to fulfill his duties as an actor.

Redmayne definitely had the hardest role out of the other two. He played the role of a man who was too disabled to take care of himself, but brilliant in making theories.

All the actors performed better than average, but it’s up to the Academy to determine who takes home the prize.

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

Felicity Jones will win this award hands down. She played the role of a disabled man’s wife. Jones’ emotions were very accurate in the movie. She showed audiences how frustrating and tiring it is to always be responsible. I was moved by her performance and felt empathy for her character throughout the movie.

Supporting Actress nominees:
Patricia Arquette in “Boyhood”
Laura Dern in “Wild”
Keira Knightley in “The Imitation Game”
Emma Stone in “Birdman”
Meryl Streep in “Into the Woods”

Meryl Streep has won numerous awards at the Oscars and it wouldn’t be a surprise if she wins again. Playing the role of the witch in “Into the Woods,” Streep owned the spotlight throughout the movie. She’s a brilliant actress. There were many A-list actors in the picture, but Streep kept the film rolling.

Costume Design nominees:
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Inherent Vice”
“Into the Woods”
“Maleficent”
“Mr. Turner”

All remakes of Walt Disney stories have been filmed to be more creative and accurate. It’s amazing how Disney continues to improve their fairy tales. The costumes in “Maleficent” replicate the beloved characters from the original film. This is clear in Angelina Jolie’s (Maleficent) costume. Although she was able to produce a villainous vibe with her acting skills alone, the costume added to Jolie’s already great performance.

Visual Effects nominees:
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”
“Guardians of the Galaxy”
“Interstellar”
“X-Men: Days of Future Past”

There are many great productions that have been nominated for this award. “Guardians of the Galaxy” had the best effects by featuring exclusive scenes of wars and fights. The film was different from the others because it presented a unique look into the future. Even though the movie was fictional, it was very realistic. ”Guardians of the Galaxy” was like another version of “Star Wars” but better suited for this generation.

Hopefully, my predictions are correct about the nominees, but just in case they’re not, tune into ABC on Sunday night at 7 p.m. to watch the winners get their Oscars.