Hey, we’re always the first to say that fretting (or worse, being totally outraged) over the Oscar nominations is a fool’s game. It is what it is, and the idea of judging art like sports is pretty strange. Still, it’s a game we like to play nonetheless, and we’ve already listed our snubs and surprises regarding this morning’s Academy Award nods. But what if we got to pick the nominees?
Overall, the 2015 Oscar nominations are not bad all in terms of quality picks. That said, there are some different choices we would’ve made. But in doing this exercise, we’re not just going for pure wish-list choices that would’ve never had a chance in hell of being nominated (even if "Under The Skin" topped our list of the Best Films Of 2014, it was never going to land with Academy voters). These are more plausible, "within reason" choices given the narrative of the awards season in 2014 and how the guilds voted this year. So yeah, it’s a bit of compromise: given the field (much smaller than our taste), how about these substitute picks.
Anyhow, in our perfect world, the Academy Award nominations would have looked like this (note a few are extremely difficult choices, but with only five picks…)
Best Picture
“Birdman”
“Boyhood”
“Selma”
“The Theory of Everything”
“The Imitation Game”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Whiplash”
Replaced: “Nightcrawler”
Replaced: “Foxcatcher”
Removed: “American Sniper”
Actress in a Leading Role
Julianne Moore, “Still Alice”
Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything”
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”
Marion Cotillard, “Two Days One Night”
Actor in a Leading Role
Michael Keaton, “Birdman”
Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher”
Replaced: David Oyelowo, “Selma”
Replaced: Jake Gyllenhaal, “Nightcrawler”
Removed: Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game”
Removed: Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
Directing
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher”
Replaced: Ava DuVernay, “Selma”
Removed: Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood”
Emma Stone, “Birdman”
Keira Knightley, “The Imitation Game”
Replaced: Rene Russo, “Nightcrawler”
Replaced: Jessica Chastain, “A Most Violent Year”
Removed: Meryl Streep, “Into the Woods”
Removed: Laura Dern, “Wild”
Actor in a Supporting Role
J.K. Simmons, “Whiplash”
Edward Norton, “Birdman”
Ethan Hawke, “Boyhood”
Mark Ruffalo, “Foxcatcher”
Replaced: Tom Wilkinson, “Selma”
Removed: Robert Duvall, “The Judge”
Foreign Language Film
“Ida”
“Leviathan”
“Wild Tales”
“Timbuktu”
Replaced: “Force Majeure”
Removed: “Tangerines”
Writing – Adapted Screenplay
Graham Moore, “The Imitation Game”
Damien Chazelle, “Whiplash”
Paul Thomas Anderson, “Inherent Vice”
Replaced: Gillian Flynn, “Gone Girl”
Replaced: Paul Webb, “Selma”
Removed: Jason Hall, “American Sniper”
Removed: Anthony McCarten, “The Theory of Everything”
Writing – Original Screenplay
Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris and Armando Bo, “Birdman”
Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”
Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Dan Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”
E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, “Foxcatcher”
Cinematography
Emmanuel Lubezki, “Birdman”
Dick Pope, “Mr. Turner”
Lukasz Zal and Ryszard Lynzewski, “Ida”
Replaced: Bradford Young, “Selma”
Replaced: Robert Eslwit, “Inherent Vice”
Removed: Robert D. Yeoman, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Removed: Roger Deakins, “Unbroken”
Music – Original Score
Hans Zimmer, “Interstellar”
Alexandre Desplat, “The Imitation Game”
Alexandre Desplat, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Replaced: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “Gone Girl”
Replaced: Micha Levi, “Under The Skin"
Removed: Johann Johannsson, “The Theory of Everything”
Removed: Gary Yershon, “Mr Turner”
Costume Design
Colleen Atwood, “Into the Woods”
Milena Canonero, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Jacqueline Durran, “Mr. Turner”
Mark Bridges, “Inherent Vice”
Replaced: Anushia Nieradzik, “Belle”
Removed: Anna B. Sheppard, “Maleficent”
Film Editing
Sandra Adair, “Boyhood”
Tom Cross, “Whiplash”
Joel Cox and Gary Roach, “American Sniper”
Barney Pilling, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
Replaced: John Gilroy, “Nightcrawler”
Removed: William Goldenberg, “The Imitation Game”
Production Design
“Into the Woods”
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Interstellar”
“Mr. Turner”
Replaced: “Inherent Vice”
Removed: “The Imitation Game”
Animated Feature Film
“Big Hero 6”
“The Boxtrolls”
“The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”
“Song of the Sea”
Replaced: “The Lego Movie”
Removed: “How to Train Your Dragon 2”
*Most tech categories that we don’t really have issue with, or can live with enough are not reflected on this list, but you can see the real 2014 Oscar nominations here.
The Oscars will be awarded on February 22nd.
Why not Mathew Mc for Interstellar for Best Acting. He did a tremendous job.
Really? No Jennifer Aniston? "Cake" was miles better than "Two Days One Night"
Tyler perry best supporting actor for gone girl surely?
What are you guys even doing reviewing films? Your removals are nuts. They also make no sense. This list really makes me question your taste and judgement. The production design and editing for The Imitation Game were excellent, they deserve nominations. And Grand Budapest should have a lot fewer nominations. It\’s not spectacular.
if steve carell was black you wouldn\’t dare replace him
Best picture, editing, directing, actress in a supporting role, original screenplay : "Boyhood"//Best actor : Michael Keaton// Best actress : Julianne Moore//Best original score : Desplat//Actor in a supporting role : J.K. SImmons//Best SFX : "Interstellar"// Production design : “The Grand Budapest Hotel” – we wish you a wonderful Oscar ceremony, full of unbearable suspens LOL!!
And once again, no love for PRIDE, DEAR WHITE PEOPLE,THE SKELETON TWINS or LOVE IS STRANGE.
I would add Riz Ahmed to the list of supporting actors.
This list needs more Gone Girl.
In Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound Designing and Best Sound Mixing.
And also, replacing The Grand Budapest Hotel with Selma on Best Cinematography? Don\’t make me laugh…
I agree on The Imitation Game being overrated, but Benedict was amazing as always, why do you love Steve so much? The only creepy thing about his performance was his nose.
What this list really proves is that everybody is working exactly where they should be in this world.
How you even considered removing The Grand Budapest from Cinematography I will never understand.
Totally agree with the comments above re: \’How to Train Your Dragon 2\’. Removing from the consideration a film that\’s already shown it can beat \’The Lego Movie\’ in open competition – and was even named as "the frontrunner for animated feature" on this site last year (\’DreamWorks\’ \’How to Train Your Dragon 2\’ Leads Animation Race\’, Anne Thompson, 13 June 2014) some months after \’The Lego Movie\’s debut, feels like sour grapes. Worse, I\’m finding that the online sense of entitlement among \’Lego\’ fans is robbing me of the pleasure I got from seeing it in the first place!
I agree with the inclusion of Nightcrawler in almost all categories. I agree with the removal of American Sniper and the overrated Imitation Game. But the one part that I strongly disagree with is the removal of ‘How to train your Dragon 2’. If anything, that is the best animation of the year. I thought this before the Globes.
Why do you want to remove Benedict Cumberbatch ? it\’s crazy, he is such amazing in this film !
This is so incredibly lame.
Replace Steve Carrell with Tom Hardy for Locke
I have no objection to replacing The Lego Movie in the animated feature category, but striking out How to Train Your Dragon 2 instead of, say, The Boxtrolls or the little-seen Song of the Sea seems more than a little perverse.
Replaced: “The Lego Movie”
Removed: “How to Train Your Dragon 2”
Are you kidding me? The LEGO Movie was forgettable at best and HTTYD2 was probably the best animated feature of the year. I didn\’t see Kaguya nor Song of the Sea, so that probably would change, but still, way better than the LEGO movie and, sadly, The Boxtrolls.
"Ryszard LENCZEWSKI" is the correct form (in cinematography ).
Ah, you guys are also ignoring Interstellar and Nolan brothers… At least one for best picture, director and original screeplay
Elizabeth Moss in "Listen up Phillip" instead of Meryl Streep. I see nothing special in her performance worthy a nom. I just don\’t understand why they don\’t give a chance to somebody else.. There are lots of female supporting roles deserving a mention..
You spelled Mica Levi\’s name wrong…
Please replace Life Itself with one of the nominated documentaries. It was the best documentary film I\’ve seen in years.
Agree with everything except removing Cumberbatch…
Agree with most of your replacements!
I like it overall, but why remove Cumberbatch when you could remove Steve Carell. Steve Carell was good, but his makeup contributed to performance. Benedict\’s performance was more natural and diverse.
Well, clearly, this is all about including "Selma", and not about having a real attempt at balancing things and including the snubs or underdogs. Otherwise, I would\’ve seen "Inherent Vice" or "Under the Skin" in more categories on this "hypothetical" nomination list. Let\’s not confuse "political correctness" with having films that were snubbed and that truly deserved a nomination. (That being said, I did agree with removing "American Sniper", "The Imitation Game" and "The Theory of Everything" from some of these categories).
Ummm…American Sniper deserved all those nominations.
HATERS.
So after trying to shove Jennifer Aniston\’s name onto the shortlists for months and months, now you leave it off your so-called "Perfect Oscar Nomination" list? Turncoats!!!
SELMA is an Original Screenplay, not Adapted.
Best Actress:
Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Felicity Jones, "Theory of Everything"
Marion Cotillard, "Two Days, One Night"
REPLACED Gugu Mbatha-Raw, "Beyond The Lights"
REPLACED Jennifer Aniston, "Cake"
REMOVED Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
REMOVED Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"
Best Supporting Actress:
Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Meryl Streep, "Into The Woods"
REPLACED Tilda Swinton, "Snowpiercer"
REPLACED Jessica Chastain, "A Most Violent Year"
REPLACED Rene Russo, "Nightcrawler"
REMOVED Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"
REMOVED Emma Stone, "Birdman"
REMOVED Laura Dern, "Wild"
Paul Webb\’s screenplay for Selma is Original, not Adapted
I don\’t understand how playlist staff collectively rank Under the Skin as the best movie of 2014 yet didnt replace one nomination with it. If I missed something please correct me.
We get it, you don\’t to be racist.
In a perfect world, shirt articles such as this one, that reek of entitlement, wouldn\’t be written. The Academy did get it right. Congratulations to all the nominees. Too bad for all the sore losers.
Both "Theory of Everything" and "The Imitation Game" are equally overrated. I\’d introduce "Gone Girl" in the best picture race and place David Fincher directing and Christopher and Jonathan Nolan in the original screenplay (Interstellar though flawed, still has ambition and scope).
Nice but I would remove Imitation Game\’s screenplay cos it was just so average. Actually didn\’t mind Theory\’s screenplay compared to that.
If you knew anything about movies at all you\’d know there\’s a third Gilroy brother who\’s an editor who\’s name is John and he edits all their movies. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0319673/
Lol, like a golden globe is supposed to be a ringing endorsement of anything?
Who the hell is JOHN Gilroy? There\’s a DAN Gilroy and even a Tony Gilroy. Also, you take away the score for Theory of Everything? Foolish! It even won the Golden Globe.
Why on earth did you replace Gary Yershon\’s outstanding score for Mr Turner? Were you even listening?! This was one of the best surprise nominations of the lot! Remove The Imitation Game, for crying out loud!
Replace Reese for Gugu please LOL!
Deakins rules, but that\’s his least interesting work in several years and especially when there was fierce competition that could have taken him out.
I feel like Gone Girl deserved a nod for editing, it was impeccably made
I agree with pretty much all of the choices, except… why would you remove "Tangerines" from best foreign film??
Removing Roger Deakins from is never the right move.
Replaced: Gugu Mbatha-Raw "Beyond the Lights."
Removed: Reese Witherspoon "Wild"
Another movie sadly overlooked was Tommy Lee Jones\’ "The Homesman," featuring great performances by Jones, Hillary Swank and even Meryl Streep in a small role. I know it\’s a bit of a downer, but hopefully serious movie fans will give it a chance.
Welllll somebody didn\’t like The Imitation Game! Personally, I thought it was a great film, definitely deserving of Actor, Directing, and Original Score. I think Carrell should have been replaced in the Best Actor category, if you were to take away anybody.