BOLD predictions...

This year, Neil Patrick Harris takes the stage at the Academy Awards Ceremony to honor the best films and filmmaking of 2014. Here's a quick rundown of the categories close to my heart as well as my five bold predictions for the ceremony:

Best Picture: Birdman


Best Director: Alejandro Inarritu, Birdman


Best Actor: Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything


Best Actress: Julianne Moore, Still Alice


Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, Whiplash


Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, Boyhood


Best Original Screenplay: Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel


Best Adapted Screenplay: Damien Chazelle, Whiplash


Best Cinematography: Emmanuel Lubezki, Birdman


Best Animated Feature: How to Train Your Dragon 2


Best Visual Effects: Interstellar


Best Original Song: "Glory," Selma


Best Makeup & Hair: Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier,  The Grand Budapest Hotel


Best Costume Design: Colleen Atwood, Into the Woods


Best Production Design: Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration), The Grand Budapest Hotel


Best Film Editing: Sandra Adair, Boyhood


Best Sound Mixing: John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff and Walt Martin, American Sniper


Best Sound Editing: Alan Robert Murray and Bub Asman, American Sniper

BOLD predictions:

1.) The Grand Budapest Hotel will walk away with the most awards.

2.) Boyhood will only win two awards (Supporting Actress & Editing).

3.) This year, the Academy Awards ceremony will bring in the highest ratings in five years and NPH will be back to host at least three more times.

4.) A Christopher Nolan movie WILL NOT win either of the sound design categories.

5.) Birdman will win Best Picture and Director, but its leading star will get shut out.