Overhyped, stale, out of step with cinemagoers, self-congratulatory and frequently ill-judged - but, truly, what celluloid junkie doesn't love themselves some Oscars all the same?
This year, girl on film is leaving the glamour of her sofa and PJs behind for a viewing party at Berlin's Film Cafe with fellow Oscar nerds.
With just a couple of hours to go (and a couple more caffeine boosts to be imbibed) before the ceremony kicks off, here are my predictions for the big 6...
The supporting categories, along with Best Actress, are largely considered to be done deals. Honestly, it would be a pretty significant upset if any one other than Patricia Arquette, JK Simmons and Julianne Moore take home the gold, and they'd all be well deserved (side note: Still Alice is yet to be released here, but c'mon, it's Julianne Moore)
The other categories are potentially harder to call. Best Picture and Director looks like a two-horse race between Birdman and Boyhood, and they could well be split as was the case last year with 12 Years a Slave and Gravity. However, given the amount of box office buzz American Sniper has been generating over the past couple of weeks in the States, it's not totally inconceivable that it could pull off the night's biggest upset/surprise. Ditto Bradley Cooper for Best Actor, although Michael Keaton and Eddie Redmayne remain favourites. It's the category I feel least confident predicting, though based on how much Oscar loves a personal struggle biopic, Redmayne has the edge.
For my money, Innarritu will take Best Director for Birdman - technically a very impressive film that somehow left me slightly cold. Boyhood to take Best Film - I enjoyed it a lot, though really, I'd prefer to see it go to either Grand Budapest Hotel, the most entertaining of the bunch for my money, or Selma, the most moving - and whose omission from the directing and acting categories really does baffle.
But that's just my two cents...
Popcorn at the ready!
