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2015 Oscar Predictions For An 'Interesting Year'

You can hear KCBS Entertainment Editor Jan Wahl's movie reviews on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM Fridays at 8:53am & 4:53pm.

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- KCBS Entertainment Editor Jan Wahl offers up her predictions for the 87th Academy Awards.

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It's the 87th Academy Awards and it's been an interesting year from outstanding British films, outrageous visual feasts to movies that have caused controversy. Here are winners I'd like and who will likely win:

"Selma" is a terrific film—even despite the weird casting choice for LBJ. Ava DuVernay beautifully paced direction gives it an inspiring effect with fine acting from David Oyelowo and Carmen Ejogo. While none of them were nominated, it is for up Best Picture and I would love to see it win.

"Birdman" will most likely win Best Picture. It's an imaginative story about an over-the-hill action actor who's going mad while trying to produce a Broadway play—in other words, a story about Hollywood itself. I would prefer "Selma" or "The Imitation Game."

"Boyhood" is a movie that took 12 years to produce and since actors are always looking for job security, it's quite popular. Seriously, it's a film many tell me they like—especially those who came from divorced families while growing up. Personally, I found it tiresome, but it would be a fine win for Patricia Arquette for Best Supporting Actress.

The gifted Julianne Moore will win Best Actress for "Still Alice." But overall, this was an empty year for women. Let's have more stories with leading women next year.

And it's "Birdman" that will also fly home with Best Directing and Best Actor awards for Alejandro G. Iñárritu amd Michael Keaton respectively. It's a movie made for little money but has so much imagination. From extra-long takes to a lack of editing and story of madness, it looks like the year of "All About Eve" meets "Sunset Boulevard." The one possibility is Eddie Redmayne for Best Actor in "The Theory of Everything." I would say hats off to that choice, too.

This could also be a good time to rent or download "The Oscar" for your pre-Oscar party. It's a strange but fun movie from 1966. Stephen Boyd plays a demented actor who's obsessed with winning the little gold guy. This movie is so cheesy in that both Elke Summer and Jill St. John fight over him. Tony Bennett plays the agent, Hymie—no, he doesn't sing. The scene at the Oscar award ceremony with Frank Sinatra and Merle Oberon is unforgettably hysterical.

SEE NOW: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, SHE'S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE'S ANGRY, A MOST VIOLENT YEAR.

DVD: LIFE ITSELF, FRONT PAGE: INSIDE THE NEW YORK TIMES, ST. VINCENT

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