On Sunday, film’s most prestigious awards will be handed out to a number of deserving films from the past year for the 87th Academy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris (maybe making a play for the first-ever hosting EGOT). A few of the Academy’s picks made our own best-of 2014 list, while others (puzzingly) didn’t even get a nod. This year’s ceremony, more than most others in recent past, carries with it a sizable hangover of controversy. On Oscar night, it’s guaranteed that not a single filmmaker of color will take home an Oscar in any of the major categories. Other familiar Academy themes are prevalent in the noms, including films about filmmaking, Wars, biopics about conflicted geniuses (male ones), and period films. Still, there’s a wide range of innovative, impressive movies being celebrated and there’s definitely one Best Song performance we’re really looking forward to.
Here, we posit our own picks for who will take home Oscar tomorrow night.
BEST PICTURE
American Sniper
Birdman
Boyhood
The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Imitation Game
Selma
The Theory of Everything
Whiplash
What Should Win: Boyhood or Birdman
What Will Win: Boyhood
BEST DIRECTOR
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
Bennett Miller, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Morten Tyldum, The Imitation Game
Who Should Win: Alejandro González Iñárritu or Richard Linklater
Who Will Win: Richard Linklater, Boyhood
BEST ACTOR in a leading role
Steve Carell, Foxcatcher
Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
Michael Keaton, Birdman
Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
Who Should Win: Michael Keaton or Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Who Will Win: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything
BEST ACTRESS in a leading role
Marion Cotillard, Two Days, One Night
Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
Julianne Moore, Still Alice
Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
Reese Witherspoon, Wild
Who Should Win: Marion Cotillard, Julianne Moore, or Rosamund Pike
Who Will Win: Julianne Moore
BEST ACTOR in a supporting role
Robert Duvall, The Judge
Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
Edward Norton, Birdman
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
J. K. Simmons, Whiplash
Who Should Win: Edward Norton, Mark Ruffalo, or J.K. Simmons
Who Will Win: J.K. Simmons
BEST ACTRESS in a supporting role
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Laura Dern, Wild
Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
Emma Stone, Birdman
Meryl Streep, Into The Woods
Who Should Win: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
Who Will Win: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
BEST WRITING adapted screenplay
Jason Hall, American Sniper
Graham Moore, The Imitation Game
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice
Anthony McCarten, The Theory of Everything
Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
Who Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson or Damien Chazelle
Who Will Win: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
BEST WRITING original screenplay
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr, and Armando Bo, Birdman
Richard Linklater, Boyhood
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, Foxcatcher
Wes Anderson, story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
Who Should Win: Everyone
Who Will Win: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Jr, and Armando Bo, Birdman
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Big Hero 6
The Boxtrolls
How To Train Your Dragon 2
Song of the Sea
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
What Should Win: The Lego Movie
What Will Win: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya or Big Hero 6
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
Robert Yeoman, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lenczewski, Ida
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner
Roger Deakins, Unbroken
Who Should Win: All of ’em.
Who Will Win: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Mark Bridges, Inherent Vice
Colleen Atwood, Into The Woods
Anna B. Sheppard and Jane Cliver, Maleficent
Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner
Who Should Win: Milena Canonero, The Grand Budapest Hotel or Mark Bridges, Inherent Vice
Who Will Win: Jacqueline Durran, Mr. Turner
http://youtu.be/WeGaacZwhvQ
BEST DOCUMENTARY feature
CitzenFour
Finding Vivian Maier
Last Days in Vietnam
The Salt of the Earth
Virunga
What Should Win: All of ’em.
What Will Win: Virunga
BEST DOCUMENTARY short subject
Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
Joanna
Our Curse
The Reaper (La Parka)
White Earth
What Should Win: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
What Will Win: Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1
BEST FILM EDITING
Joel Cox and Gary D. Roach, American Sniper
Sandra Adair, Boyhood
Barney Piling, The Grand Budapest hotel
William Goldenberg, The Imitation Game
Tom Cross, Whiplash
Who Should Win: Barney Piling, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Sandra Adair, Boyhood, or Tom Cross, Whiplash
Who Will Win: Sandra Adair, Boyhood
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ida (Poland)
Leviathan (Russia)
Tangerines (Estonia)
Timbuktu (Mauritania)
Wild Tales (Argentina)
What Should Win: Ida
What Will Win: Leviathan
BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
Bill Corso and Dennis Liddiard, Foxcatcher
Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy
What Should Win: Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy
What Will Win: Elizabeth Yianni-Georgiou and David White, Guardians of the Galaxy
BEST MUSIC original score
Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alexandre Desplat, The Imitation Game
Hans Zimmer, Interstellar
Gary Yershon, Mr. Turner
Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything
What Should Win: Alexandre Desplat, The Grand Budapest Hotel or Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything
What Will Win: Jóhann Jóhannsson, The Theory of Everything
BEST MUSIC original song
“Everything Is Awesome,” from The Lego Movie
music and lyric by Shawn Patterson
“Glory,” from Selma
music and lyric by John Stephens and Lonnie Lynn
“Grateful,” from Beyond The Lights
music and lyric by Diane Warren
“I’m Not Gonna Miss You,” from Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me
music and lyric by Glen Campbell and Julian Raymond
“Lost Stars,” from Begin Again
music and lyric by Gregg Alexander and Danielle Brisebois
What Should Win: “Glory,” from Selma
What Will Win: “Glory,” from Selma
BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Adam Stockhausen (production design); Anna Pinnock (set decoration), The Grand Budapest Hotel
Maria Djurkovic (production design); Tatiana Macdonald (set decoration), The Imitation Game
Nathan Crowley (production design); Gary Fettis (set decoration), Interstellar
Dennis Gassner (production design); Anna Pinnock (set decoration), Into the Woods
Suzie Davies (production design); Charlotte Watts (set decoration), Mr. Turner
Who Should Win: Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel
Who Will Win: Adam Stockhausen and Anna Pinnock, The Grand Budapest Hotel
BEST SHORT FILM animated
The Bigger Picture
The Dam Keeper
Feast
Me and My Moulton
A Single Life
What Should Win: Feast
What Will Win: Open field.
BEST SHORT FILM live action
Aya
Boogaloo and Graham
Butter Lamp (La Lampe au Beurre de Yak)
Parvaneh
The Phone Call
What Should Win: Butter Lamp
What Will Win: Open field.
BEST SOUND EDITING
Alan Robert Murray and Bob Asmun, American Sniper
Martin Hernández and Aaron Glascock, Birdman
Brent Burge and Jason Canovas, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Richard King, Interstellar
Becky Sullivan and Andrew DeCristofaro, Unbroken
Who Should Win: Martin Hernández and Aaron Glascock, Birdman
Who Will Win: Alan Robert Murray and Bob Asmun, American Sniper
BEST SOUND MIXING
John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, and Walt Martin, American Sniper
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and Thomas Varga, Birdman
Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker, and Mark Weingarten, Interstellar
Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and David Lee, Unbroken
Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley, Whiplash
Who Should Win: Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley, Whiplash or Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño, and Thomas Varga, Birdman
Who Will Win: Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins, and Thomas Curley, Whiplash
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Bryan Grill, and Dan Sudick, Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, and Erik Winquist, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Stephane Ceretti, Nicolas Aithadi, Jonathan Fawkner, and Paul Corbould, Guardians of the Galaxy
Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, and Scott Fisher, Interstellar
Richard Stammers, Lou Pecora, Tim Crosbie, and Cameron Waldbauer, X-Men: Days of Future Past
What Should Win: Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter, and Scott Fisher, Interstellar
What Will Win: Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, Daniel Barrett, and Erik Winquist, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
The 87th Academy Awards will air on this Sunday, February 21 on ABC at 7 p.m. EST.