This Sunday is the Academy Awards aka my favorite day of the year. Not only is a night to celebrate filmmaking excellence, it’s a night to watch Neil Patrick Harris be the amazing host we all know he is. (I love you, NPH!)

This year seems to be a close race for many of the categories. I know my choices aren’t always the winners, but granted I’m not an old white man which makes up the majority of the Oscar voters. But I do want to go through my personal picks for the major categories and my reasoning behind them.

Best Actor: Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

Now, my real winner would be David Oyelowo because no performance was as strong as his in Selma. Alas, the Academy didn’t recognize it. Of the nominated performances, I absolutely loved Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing. His performance was a powerful portrayal of a complicated man. Cumberbatch plays the role with such sincerity and subtlety that I was completely enraptured the entire film. It could have been easy for him to play it close to his Sherlock character, but there was a deeper sadness here that made his performance simply stunning.

Best Actress:  Reese Witherspoon - Wild

To be fair, I haven’t seen all of the performances of the actress nominated. I have a feeling from what I’ve read I would probably lean towards Julianne Moore in Still Alice had I seen it. With that being said, I do think Reese Witherspoon gave a solid showing of her talent in Wild. Known for her sweetness, this was a role that seemed outside of her typical wheelhouse. It was nice to see her stretch herself as an actress and give a heartfelt performance about a woman finding herself through drugs, affairs, and ultimately one very long hike.

Best Supporting Actor: Ethan Hawke - Boyhood

I’m 100% biased when it comes to Boyhood. With it’s incredibly creative premise and gut-wrenching performances, I’m in love with it all. I’ve always been a fan of Ethan Hawke even during his bad movie choices. Luckily, whenever he teams up with Richard Linklater, magic happens. Hawke is particularly engaging as a father trying to figure out how to be a good dad after a divorce. He often fails, but he learns from it and grows as a person. Hawke is wonderful in this role and it will probably be my favorite of his for many years to come.

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

Easily her best performance to date, Patricia Arquette really anchors Boyhood. Yes, the son is the main character (and he’s phenomenal), but without the actions of Arquette the movie would not move forward. Whether it’s having bad boyfriends, going back to school, or just trying to deal with the troubles of raising two kids on her own, Arquette brings life and truth to the story. She changes a lot throughout the film and I’m happy to see a role that depicts a real life woman as she changes as she ages.

Best Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu - Birdman

This category is a tough one for me because of my deep love for Boyhood. Despite how unique and compelling Boyhood is, I cannot discredit the amazing directing in Birdman. Filmed to look like one continuous flowing shot, the artistry of the film was stunning. Timing was key and under Iñárritu’s direction, it feels flawless. Yes, it’s chaotic and manic and strange and makes you feel like you’re on drugs, but it’s also moving and funny and important.

Best Animated Feature: Big Hero 6

GUYS. This movie was SO FREAKING GOOD. Full of humor, tragedy, awesome female scientists and nerdy male scientists, a super genius kid, and just about the cutest robot since Wall-E, this movie had me from the start. Visually, it’s absolutely stunning. Animation has gotten so good that it blows my mind. But it doesn’t end with the visuals. With a story that had me tearing up in the theater because I was overcome with emotions, it is a movie that has the ability to convey deep truths. It was perfect.

Best PIcture: Boyhood

Surprise, surprise. Right? Ha. I’m obsessed and I don’t care who knows it. I don’t often use the word masterpiece when describing films, but I’m not afraid to use it now. Boyhood truly is a masterpiece of cinema history. I have no doubt that film schools will be teaching about this film for the rest of time. It is completely unique and so special. Watching a family change and grow as years pass is not an uncommon story. Boyhood takes it to a new level of authenticity, one that leaves you thinking about your own life. I was moved so deeply even though my own personal experiences have virtually nothing in common. Identity is a huge part of the human experience and watching Mason figure out his own identity speaks to the deepest part of ourselves. Each of us must become our own person and the journey is often difficult, beautiful, strange, and completely our own. No film captures this as well as Boyhood.

So…what do you think? What are your favorite movies of the nominations?

-Angela

5. The Imitation Game (Weinstein)

Directed by Morten Tyldum

Written by Graham Moore

Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Mark Strong