More techs today, as the below the line branches weigh in and I make my final predictions. Most of these categories is where I believe The Grand Budapest Hotel is going to clean up, so let's get to it.
HAIRSTYLING & MAKEUP
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Foxcatcher
So, I kinda doubt Foxcatcher for this, because seriously, it's just the one false nose, right? Guardians and Budapest have more makeup due to their larger casts, and therefore a better chance. I'm going to go with Budapest because it seems to be favored as the tech heavy nominee of this year's Best Picture contenders, ala Hugo and Life of Pi. Expect them to mark it down for many awards.
Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Guardians of the Galaxy
ORIGINAL SCORE
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Interstellar
- The Imitation Game
- The Theory of Everything
- Mr. Turner
This one's iffy- I think Budapest again, but the composer, Alexandre Desplat actually has two scores in the mix, having done The Imitation Game as well, and he's overdue with eight nominations overall now (not that voters necessarily know that- I'm sure that's an Oscar geek stat). Theory of Everything won the Golden Globe for this, so that one has a chance as well. I still think Grand Budapest, but it's probably a tight race with the other two.
Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: The Theory of Everything
Dark Horse: The Imitation Game
ORIGINAL SONG
- "Lost Stars" (Begin Again)
- "Glory" (Selma)
- "Grateful" (Beyond the Lights)
- "Everything is Awesome" (The Lego Movie)
- "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" (Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me)
Ugh. This category pisses me off. Selma's winning this, but not because it's the best song in the bunch (it isn't), but because of the controversy surrounding the snubbing of the film in Actor and Director, as well as any other tech nominations. They have to give it something, and this is the only place they can. Which sucks for the actual best song in the category (cough, Lost Stars, cough), and any of the others who might have stood a chance.
Winner: "Glory"
Alternate: "Everything is Awesome" (also due to The Lego Movie's snub in animated feature)
COSTUME DESIGN
- Mr. Turner
- Into the Woods
- Inherent Vice
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Maleficent
Chalk up another win for Budapest- costumes can sometimes go to the biggest, fanciest, most outlandish designs, no matter if the movie is a heavy Picture contender or not, which would speak well for Into the Woods' chances, but I do believe Budapest will run the table with these awards, as it did at the Bafta's.
Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Into the Woods
PRODUCTION DESIGN
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- The Imitation Game
- Mr. Turner
- Into the Woods
- Interstellar
You got it, The Grand Budapest Hotel. This particular one is the most surefire win of the night, actually. If you saw the movie you'd know what I'm talking about. It took long enough, but a Wes Anderson movie will finally win for the incredible production design that inhabits all of his films.
Winner: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Alternate: Interstellar (although I almost don't even know what to pick for second place here, since it doesn't really matter)
CINEMATOGRAPHY
- Mr. Turner
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Ida
- Birdman
- Unbroken
This is one tech that will go to something else though- Birdman is the heavy favorite, due to the one take illusion pulled off by DP Emanuel Lubezki. It will make him a back to back winner in the category, after taking it for Gravity last year.
Winner: Birdman
Alternate: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Dark Horse: Ida (Sometimes black and white images can really pull people in).
