Best Visual Effects
2. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
3. Guardians of the Galaxy
4. The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies
5. Godzilla
Interstellar has all but fallen out of the Oscar race, but Best Visual Effects is the category where it’s virtually a lock to be nominated. Weta Digital could have as many as three nominations with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, and Godzilla, and Guardians of the Galaxy is another strong candidate.
Dream nominee: Edge of Tomorrow didn’t make the Best Visual Effects shortlist, but it should have. The visual effects were stunning.
Best Animated Short Film
The shorts are far too difficult to predict, especially in the nomination stage, but Feast (Disney’s short that played in front of Big Hero 6) will almost certainly get a nomination.
Best Film Editing
2. Douglas Crise, Birdman
3. Kirk Baxter, Gone Girl
4. William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
5. Tom Cross, Whiplash
The film with the most accolades and nominations for editing this awards season is Boyhood, and it’s a lock to pick up an Oscar nomination too. Rightly so. Editing together footage from 12 years and having it appear seamless is a highly unusual feat, as is the editing in Birdman that makes the film look like it was filmed in one continuous shot. David Fincher’s last two films have won the Oscar, so Gone Girl should pick up a nomination. William Goldenberg won the Oscar two years ago for Argo and did similarly strong work with The Imitation Game. Whiplash has been getting recognition for its editing and could take the fifth spot, though American Sniper, Selma, and Nightcrawler are equally possible candidates.
Dream nominee: Edge of Tomorrow was easily one of the best edited films of the year. The cuts were well placed and used to maximum effect.
Best Cinematography
2. Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
3. Robert D. Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
4. Roger Deakins, Unbroken
5. Hoyte Van Hoytema, Interstellar
Last year Emmanuel Lubezki won the Best Cinematography Oscar for his inventive work in Gravity, and it’s likely he’ll back that up with possibly even more inventive work in Birdman. The cinematography in Mr. Turner and The Grand Budapest Hotel have rightly been praised, and it’s probable that Dick Pope and Robert D. Yeoman will pick up nominations. Roger Deakins has been nominated 11 times and has never won, and it’s very likely he’ll at least get nominated again for Unbroken. Interstellar hasn’t been getting the nominations it’s needed, even in this category, but Hoyte Van Hoytema is quickly becoming the next big name in cinematography. Interstellar will have to beat out The Theory of Everything, The Imitation Game, Selma, Ida, and American Sniper, all strong and likely candidates.
Dream nominee: It’s highly unlikely to receive a nomination, but Seamus McGarvey’s Godzilla cinematography was some of the most stunning of the year. There more visuals that stick in my head from that film than any other from the year.
Best Original Score
2. Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
3. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, Gone Girl
4. Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
5. Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
With The Imitation Game, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Unbroken, Alexandre Desplat has a chance to be nominated for three different scores this year. It’s probable that he will only take two of the spots, and Unbroken is the most likely to be left off as it’s the film that will almost certainly not be nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Johann Johannsson is probably the frontrunner right now for his work on The Theory of Everything. Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross will probably pick up another nomination for Gone Girl, but they’ll have a hard time winning this time around. Hans Zimmer’s work on Interstellar might be the best work of his career and should pick him up a nomination.
Dream nominee: John Powell’s How to Train Your Dragon 2 score is even better than its predecessor, and he could have won the Oscar for that score. It’ll be a shame if he’s not nominated this time.
Best Original Song
2. “Lost Stars,” Begin Again
3. “Everything is Awesome,” The Lego Movie
4. “Mercy Is,” Noah
5. “Big Eyes,” Big Eyes
“Glory” from Selma, “Lost Stars” from Begin Again, and “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie are three very safe bets. “Mercy Is” from Noah should join them, but the final spot is very much up for grabs. For “Big Eyes” from Big Eyes to get the Best Original Song Oscar nomination it will need to hold off “I’m Not Gonna Miss You” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me, “Yellow Flicker Beat” from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, “Ryan’s Song” or “Split the Difference” from Boyhood (which could give Ethan Hawke a second nomination if The Academy is falling hard for the film), “Miracles” from Unbroken, and “Opportunity” from Annie.
Dream nominee: Though I’m more than happy with those five nominees, I’ll turn again to How to Train Your Dragon 2 with “For the Dancing and the Dreaming,” composed by John Powell and Jónsi, and performed by Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, and Mary Jane Wells. It’s one of the most touching songs of the year.
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