Most movie addicts like me get very excited about the Annual Academy Awards ceremony each year. But in the interest of full disclosure, I confess to a hate/love relationship with the Oscars. It started long ago when the legendary Judy Garland lost the Best Actress award for A Star Is Born -- and became full-blown many years later when Paul Newman’s great performance in The Verdict failed to win the Best Actor Oscar. And every year there have been losses that make me angry.

Unfortunately, I fear the upcoming 87th Annual Academy Awards results may be no exception. In fact, I’m already disturbed by the lack of nominations for many of my favorite films and performances. Plus, all eight movies nominated for Best Picture focus on a male leading character. Why were films like Maleficent, Belle, The Face of Love, The Fault in Our Stars and The Wild missing in the Best Picture list of nominees? I know that’s water under the bridge now. We can only hope things will be better next year. (Are you listening, Academy members?)  

With that off my chest, I want to take a shot at predicting the winners in key categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress. So here goes –

BEST PICTURE:

Nominees: AMERICAN SNIPER, BIRDMAN, BOYHOOD, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, THE IMITATION GAME, SELMA, THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING, WHIPLASH.

My Prediction: BOYHOOD or BIRDMAN

My Preference: THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL or WHIPLASH

Comments: BOYHOOD has amassed remarkable critical acclaim, primarily because of writer/director Richard Linklater’s commitment to a 12-year long shooting schedule with the same actors involved. However, although this coming-of-age drama boasts fine performances, it offers very little plot. And BIRDMAN, winner of the Best Picture honors from the Directors Guild and the Producers Guild, comes across as too wildly out of control for me. For entertainment value, the gorgeous GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL and adrenalin-fueled WHIPLASH win hands down in my book. Sadly, the true Best Picture of 2014, NIGHTCRAWLER, wasn’t even nominated, which is almost a criminal offense.    

BEST DIRECTOR:

Nominees: Wes Anderson (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL), Alejandro G. Inarritu (BIRDMAN), Richard Linklater (BOYHOOD), Bennett Miller (FOXCATCHER), Morten Tyldum (THE IMITATION GAME)

My Prediction: Linklater or Inarritu

My Preference: Anderson

Comments: How did Bennett Miller get nominated even though his movie (FOXCATCHER) wasn’t in the Best Picture final eight films? And, if that can happen, why didn’t Dan Gilroy make the cut for his terrific work directing NIGHTCRAWLER? Inquiring minds want to know! Linklater and Inarritu are running head to head for this Oscar. I’ve already mentioned the enthusiastic support for Linklater and his film, but Inarritu won the Director’s Guild honor and his movie also took home the Producer’s Guild award, which are good predictors for this category.     

BEST ACTOR:  

Nominees: Steve Carell (FOXCATCHER), Bradley Cooper (AMERICAN SNIPER), Benedict Cumberbatch (THE IMITATION GAME), Michael Keaton (BIRDMAN), Eddie Redmayne (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING)

My Prediction:  Redmayne and Keaton (I always predict a tie in one category. Maybe this one will come true!)

My Preference: Redmayne

Comments: Redmayne’s remarkable physical transformation into Stephen Hawking is one of the best performances ever filmed, and Keaton’s portrayal of a has-been actor trying for a comeback resonates strongly with the showbiz culture. The spoiler here could be Cumberbatch, who has lots of support for his work as Alan Turing, the man who cracked the Enigma code for Britain and was later punished for being gay. (I hate to beat a dead horse, but why Jake Gyllenhaal wasn’t nominated for his mesmerizing performance in NIGHTCRAWLER remains a mystery to me.)     

BEST ACTRESS:

Nominees: Marion Cotillard (TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT), Felicity Jones (THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING), Julianne Moore (STILL ALICE), Rosamund Pike (GONE GIRL), Reese Witherspoon (WILD)

My Prediction: Moore

My Preference: Any of the above    

Comments: This is the most difficult category. Each nominee deserves to win! However, Moore has already won most of the big awards (Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, BAFTA, etc.) for her realistic portrayal of a linguistic professor with early-onset Alzheimer’s, and I think the Academy will also honor her work. It’s about time, because she’s received four previous Oscar nominations but went home empty handed. Witherspoon and Cotillard have already won Oscars. Jones and Pike have the talent and time to earn additional nominations in the future. 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Nominees: Robert Duvall (THE JUDGE), Ethan Hawke (BOYHOOD), Edward Norton (BIRDMAN), Mark Ruffalo (FOXCATCHER), J.K. Simmons (WHIPLASH)

My Prediction: Simmons

My Preference: Simmons

Comments:  Simmons may be the only sure-thing bet at the 87th Annual Academy Awards. Although the other supporting nominees delivered excellent performances, none match the ultra-intense Simmons as an abusive mentor/instructor in the musical thriller WHIPLASH.         

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Nominees: Patricia Arquette (BOYHOOD), Laura Dern (WILD), Keira Knightley (THE IMITATION GAME), Emma Stone (BIRDMAN), Meryl Streep (INTO THE WOODS)

My Prediction: Arquette

My Preference: Dern

Comments: If this category were Best Overacting by a Supporting Actress, I would predict Streep to win. Playing a manipulative fairy-tale witch, this veteran Oscar nominee/winner (18 nominations, including 3 wins) went too far over the top in INTO THE WOODS. But she’s so well regarded by the Academy that another Oscar might come her way again this year. However, I think Arquette will take home the golden statuette for making the mom -- faults and all -- in BOYHOOD seem so real. But Dern was even better as a mother in WILD. She practically became the mom everyone would love to have as their own.            

The 87th Annual Academy Awards will be televised by ABC on Sunday, February 22. Check your local TV schedule for the correct time. Actor Neil Patrick Harris hosts the event, so even if your favorites don’t win, the show should be fun to watch.