Here are the nominees for Best Picture:

American Sniper

Birdman

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Who Should Win: I’m trying not to let my opinion be corrupted now by reading other people’s thoughts and go back to my gut when I saw each film myself.  Most ambitious concept? Boyhood. Most important? Selma. Best all around craft in front of and behind the camera? The Theory of Everything.  Most fun to we actor types? Birdman.  The most ‘traditionally Best Picture-y’ film of the bunch is ‘The Theory of Everything’ so let’s go there.

Who I’m Cheering For: My brutally honest opinion is I’m cheering for Selma.

Who Will Win: Years without a runaway Best Picture open the door for dark horses. As they have with the guilds, Boyhood and Birdman split their votes down the middle, leaving the door open for American Sniper to win.

Enjoy the show!