Richard Linklater Wins Best Director at Indie Spirits!

Richard Linklater won for Best Director for “Boyhood” at the Indie Spirits and wasn’t there to except. Perhaps he knew that “Birdman” was going to win Best Picture, which it did. In a split vote that I predicted, except it was backwards. I saw “Boyhood” winning Best Picture and Alejandro G. Inarritu winning Best Director! Topsy Turvy-dom, as G. S. Gilbert would say.

And Michael Keaton won for Best Lead Male Actor with Eddie Redmayne not in this competition. Probably because “The Theory of Everything” was made for more money than the Indie Spirits low cut-off point. But then of course, what was “Imitation Game” doing there? That certainly LOOKED as though it had a higher budget than “Theory.”

But I’ll have you note that “Imitation Game” won NOTHING. Which is what I think is going to happen on Oscar night, which believe it or not, is tomorrow.

“Nightcrawler” won Best Screenplay and Best First Feature.

And OF COURSE, Julianne Moore won for Best Female Lead Actor. Or Best Actress. She is soooo locked down.

The Indie Spirits are NOT that predictive of the Oscars, but this year, um, perhaps they will be more than ever, because this year’s slate of Oscar nominees is soooo Indie. It’s really unbelievable. And great.