Over the past few years, the academy has expanded the nomination list so that more movies can be nominated and viewers can be more engaged in the awards show on TV.  But this year the theory seems to have backfired, as virtually all the Oscar nominated movies, are not "hits" with fans.  More than normal.  This could be a problem holding a TV audience. 

This year I saw 160 movies, and reviewed them all. Here I will pick who I think will actually win the award in the six major categories.  I feel that this year many of the years best overall movies were snubbed from even the nominations list.  I will also give you my personal pick for whom I would choose.  So let's get started, with the 2015 Oscar Preview and Picks.

Best Picture

The Winner Will Be -  Boyhood.  Hollywood just loves this movie, and it has won a ton already on other awards shows.  Very interesting concept of filming over 12 years with the same cast, and everyone ages the same.  Yes this is quite good, but this is overrated and certainly too long at 2:45.  But this will be too tempting for the academy not to pick.  Will not be a memorable Oscar winner, and will fade badly over time.

My Pick Would Be - American Sniper.  Being honest this is the best movie from an 8 movie list that in my view does not include many of the years best movies.  From the list provided, this is the best overall movie. Well done and this resonated with fans in a way far more than just being a movie can.  It was the only one to really do so.  

Best Actor

The Winner Will Be - Bradley Cooper from American Sniper. This is the runaway best actor performance of the year.  This movie will be overlooked probably all night by the academy, but they will more than likely get this one right.  He is Hollywood's next great leading man, and this is his moment.  Although, Eddie Redmayne from The Theory Of Everything is a strong contender too.

My Pick Would Be - Bradley Cooper. The role size, the transformation into character, the performance, his star power. Simply the best of the year in this category. And not by a little.  Should be noted, Steve Carell from Foxcatcher is amazing, and it will be too bad his incredible performance is up against Cooper.

Best Actress

The Winner Will Be -  Felicity Jones from The Theory Of Everything.  This is a huge role, and she is sensational in it. Playing a character over the course of 30 years or so. She is brilliant, and this movie in general could be a real dark hourse for hauling in the hardware Sunday evening.

My Pick Would Be - Rosamund Pike from Gone Girl.  She was superb as the whacked out woman in a movie that fans loved.  This is a large role, maybe the biggest of the year for any actress. She delivered showing incredible versatility.  If not for this, maybe never for her. This is a career performance.

Best Supporting Actor

The Winner Will Be - Ed Norton for Birdman.  He was amazingly cast as the typical egomaniac live theater actor on Broadway.  He takes this movie from being interesting, and makes it an upper crust movie.  Without his performance, this is not near the movie it ended up being.

My Pick Would Be -  Ed Norton.  This is easily the winner here. Anything less would be a crime.  But, keep your eye on J.K. Simmons from Whiplash. Could be a sentimental choice for an actor in his only real chance to maybe ever win.

Best Supporting Actress

The Winner Will Be - Patricia Arquette for Boyhood.  This movie is going to win some awards, and this is one of them. She is solid in this role, but to me not Oscar worthy of even a nomination.  But this movie could be a rock rolling downhill all night long and win a bunch.

My Pick Would Be -  Keira Knightley for The Imitation Game.  This should be a slam dunk, but it won't be. She is sensational in this movie that to me, fell short of being what it could have been. This is one of the best performances from any actor in any movie this year. Too bad this will come and go without a win.

Best Director

The Winner Will Be - Richard Kinklater for Boyhood. Incredible concept and the direction of the same actors throughout their lives over a decade  - amazing. Really wonderful.

My Pick Would Be -  Alejandro G. Iñárritu for Birdman. Again, an amazing concept of the one continuous shot technique that to me trumps the above. You have never seen a movie shot quite like this.  That was the best feature of this movie. Revolutionary idea. 

There are the picks for The 2015 Oscars this Sunday.

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