BEST PICTURE
Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
Interstellar
Into the Woods
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Falling off: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Rising star: American Sniper
The skinny: Boyhood and Gone Girl are the only of these nominees to actually be released yet, but I’d still say they’re sure things. Everything else? Wait and see.
BEST DIRECTOR
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
P.T. Anderson, Inherent Vice
Christopher Nolan, Interstellar
Angelina Jolie, Unbroken
Falling off: None
Rising star: David Fincher, Gone Girl
The skinny: See above. One of the other Best Picture nominees is going to have to make a huge splash to break into the pack.
BEST ACTOR
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Falling off: None
Rising star: David Oyelowo, Selma
The skinny: As much as I love Joaquin, who’s missed out on several well-deserved nominations already, wouldn’t it be great to see five first-timers? It probably won’t happen, but I can dream, can’t I?
BEST ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Big Eyes
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Meryl Streep, Into the Woods
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Falling off: Jessica Chastain
Rising star: Julianne Moore, Still Alice
The skinny: Still Alice must make a huge impact with well-timed premieres and screener delivery if Julianne Moore has a shot. Sadly, Jessica Chastain deserves to be here the most and The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby’s actual disappearing act means she’ll probably be absent from the final five.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Inherent Vice
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash
Channing Tatum, Foxcatcher
Falling off: Albert Brooks, Robert Duvall
Rising star: Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
The skinny: J.K. Simmons has the most buzz but that’s because, again, only Whiplash has made it to theaters thus far. Also, I would love to see two actors get nominated for comedy, because one is usually a rarity in and of itself.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Shohreh Aghdashloo, Rosewater
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Katherine Waterston, Inherent Vice
Falling off: Felicity Jones (moved to lead)
Rising star: Emma Stone, Birdman
The skinny: As always in this category, your guess is as good as mine.
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Gone Girl
The Imitation Game
Inherent Vice
The Theory of Everything
Unbroken
Falling off: Men, Women & Children
Rising star: Rosewater
The skinny: Gone Girl, Inherent Vice and Unbroken are locks. With little competition in this category, I’d say everything else has a fair shot.
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Birdman
Boyhood
Foxcatcher
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Interstellar
Falling off: None
Rising star: Whiplash
The skinny: Geez, what a group. Interstellar is the only one in danger, but it seems more profound than Inception, so it’s probably safe still.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The LEGO Movie
Falling off: None
Rising star: Song of the Sea
The skinny: GKIDS always has to have a nominee mentioned as a contender (even if it’s not), so here’s your moment Song of the Sea!