Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar, neither did Cary Grant, or Alfred Hitchcock, the list goes on. But that doesn't take away from Oscar Night, not for me anyway. I take the Oscars as a celebration of the year of films, and I enjoy seeing who wins and what they say. It will always be important to me, no matter how little the snarky modern media dismisses the entire process.

This year, I feel especially excited, because personal favorites of mine are all over these lists. Let's take a look at who I think SHOULD win, and who WILL win Sunday night.

I am convinced the Academy is now trolling the public with their Meryl Streep nominations. Streep has been nominated 17 times in her career, and I feel like the last half dozen, aside from her win for The Iron Lady, haven't been necessary. I was glad to see Laura Dern recognized for her heartfelt supporting performance alongside Reese Witherspoon, and Emma Stone is much deserved. Knightley feels like filler to me, and the frontrunner is, deservedly, Arquette. She delivers a performance that is untouchable, mature, and rich in depth and emotion. And, if the awards season to this point is any indication, Arquette will run away with this statue.

I don't see an undeserving nominee on this list, except maybe Duvall, although his performance does elevate the otherwise standard The Judge. If J.K. Simmons weren't nominated, I could see any of the other actors winning the Oscar. But Simmons is there, and his electric performance in Whiplash is deserving of frontrunner status. Much like Arquette, Simmons has this thing locked up.

There is a wealth of wonderful performances this year in the Best Actress category, but it is already apparent that Julianne Moore is taking this home. I never saw Cotillard's performance, and many haven't, but both Witherspoon and Rosamund Pike are spot on in their roles. Of those two, Pike absolutely deserves to win Best Actress for her multi-layered, brilliant performance in Gone Girl. The film is nothing without her. Alas, this is Moore's year, and she deserves the award perhaps for her fantastic career and four previous nominations, which the Academy is want to do. 

I have been a cult fan of Michael Keaton for twenty years, and I'm not the only one in this fan club. Keaton absolutely deserves this award for an emotional and challenging performance in Birdman. It would make my night, because it would finally validate Keaton to the world as the great actor I always knew he was. But now, during awards season, there is a creepy, crawly outlier who seems to be stealing the spotlight from Keaton. His name is Eddie Redmayne, who took home the SAG Award over Keaton. Here's to hoping that is an anomaly. I believe it is, and I believe the likeability of Keaton the man will push him across the finish line. 

I wonder what a director like Bennett Miller thinks, having gotten a nomination for his stolid direction of Foxcatcher, only to see the film he directed shut out of the Best Picture category. Weird. The race really comes down to two director, Iñárritu, whose camera works magic with Birdman, and Linklater, whose patience and will drove him to finish Boyhood after twelve years. I am torn on this, but I think Linklater and his film, despite the predictable negative publicity that always follows frontrunners this time of year, will take home the big prizes.

I love that Whiplash got a nomination, it's a great film. But it doesn't stand a chance. This race comes down to the same directors with the best chance to win Best Director. I absolutely love Birdman, and it is a great film. However, Boyhood is a timeless instant classic, something which transcends filmmaking, and touches the core of every person on the planet. If they allow it. Boyhood should win, and it most certainly will.