Shaun Lichti
Senior
Clovis, CA
“I am a producer and director of both commercial and art film, as well as someone who always wishes I had time to watch ‘just one more’ film.”
Best picture:
“The Imitation Game”
“Norwegian director Morten Tyldum’s strong visuals pair perfectly with a world class performance by Cumberbatch to make for a truly stellar film.”
Best director:
Richard Linklater for “Boyhood”
“The amount of dedication necessary to take an idea this unique from conception to completion (by way of a 12 year production schedule) is hard to even grasp.”
Actor in a leading role:
Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper”
“He threw himself totally and completely into the role, and the resulting performance reached out of the screen and straight to my heart.”
Actress in a leading role:
Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl”
“Rosamund takes what could have easily been a flat and dull portrayal of a relatively quiet woman and manages to bring intrigue to introversion.”
John Taylor
Senior
Portland, OR
“I am interested in art both emotional and intellectual, and crafted to excellence.”
Best Picture:
“Birdman”
“Rich in its cinematography, script, and performances, this film merits multiple revisits. It is both genius and quirky, leaving the viewer astonished.”
Best director:
Richard Linklater, for “Boyhood”
“With careful execution of his original concept, Linklater realistically depicts contemporary adolescence.”
Actress in a leading role:
Reese Witherspoon, in “Wild”
“Reese reveals heartbreak and resilience in her depiction of the suffering through and overcoming of pain. I cried.”
Actor in a leading role:
Michael Keaton, in “Birdman”
“A seasoned actor artfully delivers the role of his lifetime. A raw performance.”
Joshua Hamilton
Sophomore
Lubbock, TX
“I subscribe to the notion that the motion picture is first and foremost a visual medium; the contents of the frame are primary with everything else playing a supporting role.”
Best Picture:
“The Grand Budapest Hotel”
“Unquestionably the most cinematically legible and expressive film of this year’s Academy roster. Anderson works tightly within his distinct style to present the audience with a well-paced, finely constructed, and visually literate piece.”
Best Director:
Alejandro G. Iñárritu, for “Birdman”
“Iñárritu’s direction is noteworthy for its passion and boldness.”
Actor in a leading role:
Bradley Cooper, in “American Sniper”
“I was very familiar with Chris Kyle before his Hollywood treatment so I can say that Bradley Cooper did a remarkable job portraying him.”
Actress in a leading role:
N/A
“I simply do not have a strong enough opinion about any of the leading ladies to make a call.”
Kayla Stetzel
Sophomore
Fort Wayne
“Award show season is equivalent of my super bowl season. I favor more stylized, character driven plots with sharp cinematography.”
Best picture:
“Boyhood”
“Filmed intermittently over the 11 year period, from 2002 to 2013, to tell a coming of age story as it never has been told. Not only is this process a major innovation and a first in film, but “Boyhood”’s editing is done fluidly despite the major gaps in real time. The audience is able to watch a coming of age story as the cast actually comes of age, making the plotline palpable.”
Best director:
Richard Linklater, for “Boyhood”
“See above for further details.”
Actor in a leading role:
Eddie Redmayne, in “The Theory of Everything”
“His transformation into Stephen Hawking was true to life- and Redmayne has already swiped a BAFTA for this role.”
Actress in a leading role:
Julianne Moore for “Still Alice”
“She plays a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s, who is slowly slipping away from reality, with such finesse and poignancy.”