In anticipation of the Academy Awards, we polled our contributors to see who they thought should win the Oscar. Once we had our winners, we asked various writers to make the case for our selection in each category. We’re posting those essays this week, two a day, leading up to the big reveal of our picks for our best director and best picture on Friday. Here you’ll find links to all our picks.

Best Supporting Actor: J.K. Simmons, “WhiplashEssay by Matt Fagerholm

Best Supporting Actress: Patricia Arquette, “Boyhood“—Essay by Christy Lemire

Best Adapted Screenplay: “Inherent Vice” by Paul Thomas AndersonEssay by Patrick McGavin

Best Original Screenplay: “The Grand Budapest Hotel” by Wes AndersonEssay by Scout Tafoya

Best Animated Film: “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya”Essay by Peter Sobczynski

Best Foreign Language Film: “IdaEssay by Odie Henderson

Best Actor: Michael Keaton, “BirdmanEssay by Glenn Kenny

Best Actress: Marion Cotillard, “Two Days, One NightEssay by Sheila O’Malley

Best Director: Richard Linklater, “Boyhood”Essay by Susan Wloszczyna

Best Picture: “SelmaEssay by Matt Zoller Seitz

And Scout Tafoya and Olivia Collette produced a video essay about the Best Original Score of 2014: “The Grand Budapest Hotel” by Alexandre Desplat

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