Gazette columnist Sara Foss makes her Oscar contest selections

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

Who will win Best Actor at this year's Academy Awards? The favorites are Eddie Redmayne, left, for "The Theory of Everything," and Bradley Cooper, right, for "American Sniper."

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This marks the sixth year The Gazette has sponsored a contest in which readers try to outguess my Oscar predictions.

The contest ballot has been available online and in the newspaper; voting closed Friday. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to a downtown Schenectady restaurant and two movie tickets.

Last year, I achieved a first: I picked every single winner (we still had a contest winner — picked at random from readers with a perfect score).

This year, I doubt I’ll achieve perfection. I have my favorites, but upsets are possible, especially in the Best Picture and Best Director categories. Anyway, here goes:

Best Picture

Will Win: “Birdman”

I still can’t believe I’m picking “Birdman” to win. I liked “Birdman” fine, but I can think of at least four best picture nominees I liked better. My guess is that “Birdman” resonates with Oscar voters because they tend to like films about show business, and “Birdman” is about a middle-age actor attempting to make a comeback on the New York stage.

It’s also technically accomplished and marvelously acted, although it might be the least thought-provoking of all the best picture nominees.

Should Win: “Boyhood.” My favorite of all the best picture nominees, although I also really enjoyed “Selma,” “American Sniper” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

Best Actor

Will Win: Eddie Redmayne — “The Theory of Everything.”

Redmayne is quite good as British physicist Stephen Hawking, and has picked up most of the major acting awards for 2014.

Should Win: Bradley Cooper — “American Sniper.”

Cooper gives the best performance of his career as Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Audiences love this film, and Cooper is a big part of the reason why.

Best Actress

Will Win: Julianne Moore — “Still Alice.”

Should Win: I confess: I haven’t had a chance to see “Still Alice” yet. I’ll probably watch it Sunday before the ceremony. So I can’t really say whether Moore’s performance was the best of 2014. I can say that Moore is a fantastic actress, and she deserves to be honored by the Academy.

For what it’s worth, I thought all of the other best actress nominees were very good, particularly Marion Cotillard in “Two Days, One Night” and Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl.”

Supporting Actor

Will Win: J.K. Simmons — “Whiplash.”

Should Win: I have no problem with J.K. Simmons winning for his impressive work playing a psychopathic music instructor. However, I would love to see Edward Norton win for his hilarious yet touching performance in “Birdman.”

Supporting Actress

Will Win: Patricia Arquette — “Boyhood.”

“Boyhood” is a unique moviegoing experience that runs the emotional gamut. The entire cast is excellent, but Arquette is the standout.

Should Win: Arquette.

Best Directing

Will Win: Richard Linklater — “Boyhood.”

This pick is a bit risky. Normally, I would expect the Academy to honor the filmmaker who helmed the Best Picture. But sometimes voters split on Best Director and Best Picture, and my feeling (and hope) is that this will be one of those years.

Should Win: Linklater.

Original Screenplay

Will Win: Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”

“The Grand Budapest Hotel” is the sort of film that’s too quirky to win in the major categories, but could garner a lesser prize.

Should Win: Anderson and Guinness.

Adapted Screenplay

Will Win: Damien Chazelle — “Whiplash.”

The pre-Oscar buzz suggests “Whiplash” has emerged as the favorite in this category. And that’s fine. “Whiplash” is an interesting little film that deserves a larger audience.

Should Win: Paul Thomas Anderson — “Inherent Vice.”

I really liked “Inherent Vice,” a weird, wild, sometimes brilliant adaptation of a Thomas Pynchon novel. I also feel that anyone with the guts to adapt a Pynchon novel deserves some kind of special prize.

Animated Feature

Will Win: All signs point to “How To Train Your Dragon 2.”

Should Win: I haven’t seen “How To Train Your Dragon 2,” although I’m a big fan of the first “How To Train Your Dragon” movie. I will say that the two best animated film nominees that I have seen, “Big Hero 6” and “The Boxtrolls,” are excellent.

Tiebreaker

Which Film Will Win the Most Oscars?

“Birdman” will win the big prize, as well as a handful of smaller technical categories, giving it the edge.

Reach Gazette columnist Sara Foss at [email protected] or 395-3193. Opinions expressed here are her own and not necessarily the newspaper’s. Her blog is at www.dailygazette.com/weblogs/foss.