Predicting the Oscars

Awards season always tries to

keep us guessing, but here’s where our film critic stands as it approaches.

BEST PICTURE
Will Win: The Theory of Everything, Selma or The Imitation Game — each telling the kind of tale Oscar loves.
Should Win: Despite Interstellar’s oddly mixed reviews, it’s a tremendous cinematic experience.
Possible: Birdman, Boyhood, Gone Girl, Into the Woods, Unbroken.

BEST ACTOR
Will Win: Birdman’s Michael Keaton, revelatory in an ideal role.
Should Win: Mr. Turner’s Timothy Spall: not eye-catching, but solidly best.
Possible: Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game; David Oyelowo, Selma; Steve Carell, Foxcatcher; Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything.

BEST DIRECTOR
Will Win: Boyhood’s Richard Linklater or Birdman’s Alejandro Gonzalez Iñárritu, helming the year’s most unique films.
Should Win: Mr. Turner’s Mike Leigh for fantastic, character-based storytelling or Whiplash’s Damien Chazelle for a stirring sophomore feature that promises more to come.

BEST ACTRESS
Will Win: Still Alice will make four-time nominee Julianne Moore a winner.
Should Win: Marion Cotillard, understated in Two Days, One Night or Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl’s appealing psycho.
Possible: Reese Witherspoon for Wild or Felicity Jones for The Theory of
Everything.

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE PICTURE
Will Win: It’ll be Poland’s beautiful Holocaust tale Ida versus the unbridled fun of Argentina’s Wild Tales.
Should Win: Russia’s moody Leviathan
Possible: Canada’s Mommy, Turkey’s Winter Sleep, Beligum’s One Night.

By Jonathan Roche