Oscars 2015 predictions: 'American Sniper' Best Picture, Michael Keaton Best Actor (see pics)

New Delhi: The most prestigious awards of the year, Academy Award is round the corner. Less than a month is left for the 87th award ceremony where the best performances of the year will be honoured and celebrated.This year comedian and actor Neil Patrick will host the ceremony where awards in 24 categories will be given to the most deserving recipients.Soon after the final nomination list was announced, guesses and speculations started flooding in. Usually, the winners of Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards are considered as the strongest contenders of Oscars, but in reality Academy has very different criteria than other awards.Here we are going to list our own winners of 87th Academy Awards. This list is based on the facts and traditions of The Oscars and the merit of the films. Here's the complete list of predicted winners:Best Picture- American SniperMany of you may not agree but ‘American Sniper' is the most probable choice for this year's Best Picture Awards. The film is without any doubt a great one but what makes it the top choice is its subject. Academy Awards have always promoted American culture, traditions and patriotism. Awards to ‘Argo' and ‘The Hurt Locker' and many in the past are strong proofs of this. The fact that ‘American Sniper' actually justifies USA's war in Iraq and promotes patriotism; it is the strongest contender in the category. Clint Eastwood's name could also work in its favour.Best Director- Alejandro González Iñárritu‘The Birdman' filmmaker is the best choice for the Best Director Award for all the reasons. The way he imagined the film and brought it alive is definitely award worthy. And also, the fact that American Sniper is to be awarded Best Picture, Best Director Award would go to ‘The Birdman'. Best Actor- Michael KeatonThe path-breaking performance of Michael Keaton deserves no less than an Oscar. Though Benedict Cumberbatch gives him tough competition but Keaton beats him with his ‘Birdman' performance. The fact ‘The Birdman' is the better film than ‘The Imitation Games' gives him an edge too. Eddie Redmayne who won the Best Actor in Drama at Golden Globes and SAG for ‘The Theory of Everything' will give him a very strong competition.Best Actress- Julianne MooreThere have been many films this year with strong female performances but the film that tops the list is definitely Julianne Moore's ‘Still Alice'. Felicity Jones, Amy Adams and Rosamund Pike were equally good but Julianne's role was much stronger than these actresses. Moore has already pocketed Golden Globes and SAG, and let's see if Academy becomes hers too. This is her fourth Oscars nominations and it would be really disappointing to see her lose this time again.Best Supporting Actor- J.K. SimmonsThere is no doubt that Simmons is a great actor but his best performance as an abusive music teacher Terence Fletcher in 'Whiplash' is on top of his best roles. The actor has already won Golden Globes and SAG because of a weak competition so Academy is just one step ahead.Best Supporting Actress- Patricia ArquetteThis is the tough one as the nominated performances are above par. Up until now, Patricia Arquette seems the natural choice because of her performance as a mother in Boyhood. The obvious choice is her but the jury sometimes surprises us with their unexpected choices. If she doesn't get it, Laura Dern is the second choice and no one else.Best Original Screenplay- The BirdmanI do not think that there could be any better choice for this than ‘The Birdman'. Alejandro González Iñárritu excelled at the screenplay, thinking the smallest details. The climax of it alone can win an Oscar for him.Best Adapted Screenplay- The Theory of EverythingI was really disappointed to see ‘Gone Girl' missing the nominations but there are other great adaptations this year. The Imitation Game was adapted beautifully but the loopholes in Alan Turing's story could actually work against it. The best choice for this category would be Stephen Hawking's biopic, ‘The Theory of Everything'.