For the second year in a row, I pat myself on the back for my Oscar predictions last week. I was right on four of the five major categories. I didn't make a guess on Best Director, but I was accurate in predicting the Academy would honor Julianne Moore for Best Actress ("Still Alice"), Eddie Redmayne for Best Actor ("The Theory of Everything"), and J.K. Simmons for Best Supporting Actor ("Whiplash"). Those were also the actors I was rooting for. I also successfully predicted Patricia Arquette would win Best Supporting Actress ("Boyhood"), even though I much preferred Keira Knightley in "The Imitation Game".

After the article went to print, it was already becoming clear that the pendulum had swung in the direction of "Birdman" for Best Picture over my prediction of "Boyhood". Nevertheless, I'm much happier about a win for "Birdman" -- which I enjoyed over "Boyhood". But as you may recall, last week I wrote: "I will pray for an upset and that "Whiplash" takes the top prize, but if the trends we've been seeing this award season hold true, the extremely overrated "Boyhood" may eke out a win, with "Birdman" the most likely spoiler.

List of winners at Sunday's 87th annual Academy Awards
Best picture: "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)."
Actor: Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything."
Actress: Julianne Moore, "Still Alice."
Supporting actor: J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash."
Supporting actress: Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood."
Directing: Alejandro G. Inarritu, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)."
Foreign language film: "Ida."
Adapted screenplay: Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game."
Original screenplay: Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Armando Bo, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)."
Animated feature film: "Big Hero 6."
Production design: "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
Cinematography: "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)."
Sound mixing: "Whiplash."
Sound editing: "American Sniper."
Original score: "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
Original song: "Glory" from "Selma."
Costume design: "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
Documentary feature: "Citizenfour."
Documentary (short subject): "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1."
Film editing: "Whiplash."
Makeup and hairstyling: "The Grand Budapest Hotel."
Animated short film: "Feast."
Live action short film: "The Phone Call."
Visual effects: "Interstellar."

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