UPDATE: The contest entry deadline has been extended to 6:00 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 22, 2015.

Luke Staley regularly reviews film for Lancer Media.  In the past three years, his predictions have been more accurate than most.

Beautiful people of the universe. Ladies and gentlemen: It’s that time of year when the best in film is honored at the 2014 Academy Awards. On February 22, 2015 the Academy will be honoring the best movies released in the calendar year of 2014. It’s been a fantastic year for film, and I am looking forward to this year’s 87th Oscar ceremony hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

Here are my predictions for, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, and, of course, Best Picture.

CHALLENGE:  ANY LHS student can challenge Lukey Staley’s Oscar predictions.

Using this form, enter your predictions for who will take each statue in the top six Oscar categories.  The winner will be the highest number of accurate predictions. (If there is a tie, the winner will be determined at random.) The winner will receive a pair of movie tickets to Regal Cinemas, courtesy of Lancer Media.  If you think making the predictions in only sixcategories is too easy, email me (Luke Staley–[email protected]) your entire list in all 24 categories.  A downloadable form  is available from ABC.

Click here to submit your predictions

You must enter before midnight on February 21. Click here to see the official rules.

Best Actor Nominees

Bradley Cooper: American Sniper

Steve Carell: Foxcatcher

Benedict Cumberbatch: The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton: Birdman

Eddie Redmayne: The Theory of Everything

Who I predict will win:  Michael Keaton for Birdman

Who I think deserves to win win: Eddie Redmayne for The Theory of Everything

Best Actress Nominees

Marion Cotillard: Two Days, One Night

Felicity Jones: The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore: Still Alice

Rosamund Pike: Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon: Wild

Who I predict will win: Julianne Moore for Still Alice

Who I think deserves to win: Rosamund Pike for Gone Girl (But Julianne Moore was outstanding.)

Best Supporting Actor Nominees

J.K Simmons: Whiplash

Robert Duvall: The Judge

Edward Norton: Birdman

Mark Ruffalo: Foxcatcher  

Ethan Hawke: Boyhood

Who I predict will win J.K Simmons for Whiplash

Who I think deserves to win J.K Simmons for Whiplash

Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Laura Dern: Wild

Patricia Arquette: Boyhood

Keira Knightley: The Imitation Game

Emma Stone: Birdman

Meryl Streep: Into The Woods

Who I predict will win: Patricia Arquette for Boyhood

Who I think deserves to win: Patricia Arquette

Best Director Nominees

Alejandro Inarritu: Birdman

Richard Linklater: Boyhood

Bennett Miller: Foxcatcher

Wes Anderson: The Grand Budapest Hotel

Morten Tyldum: The Imitation Game

Who I predict will win: Alejandro Inarritu for Birdman or Richard Linklater for Boyhood…Honestly this is too close to predict.

Who I think deserves to win: I give the edge to Alejandro Inarritu for Birdman.

 Best Picture Nominees

 The Imitation Game

American Sniper

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Boyhood

Birdman

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

Who I predict will win: Birdman

Who I think deserves to win: Boyhood

Although I enjoyed Birdman more, Boyhood’s groundbreaking concept of being filmed over 12 years is film-making mastery.

Those are my picks, tune in at 7:00 p.m. eastern time for the 87th Oscars on Feb.22 on ABC, and see who wins.

Click here to submit your preditions

 Drawing Rules

Key points:

• Only one winer will be chosen.
• The contest starts Tuesday, February 17, 2015 and closes at 11:59 pm on Saturday, February 21.
• You must be a current LHS student to win.
• Only one entry per student.
• The drawing is sponsored by Lancer Media and is not endorsed by LHS, FCPS, or the Board of Education of Frederick County.

A downloadable PDF file of the official rules is available here.