'Birdman', 'Boyhood' to battle it out at Oscars

'Birdman' and Richard Linklater's 'Boyhood' have emerged In one of the most fiercely contested years have emerged front-runners as the Academy rolls out the red carpet to honour the best in cinema this Sunday here. Both 'Birdman' and Wes Anderson's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' are leading the race this year with nine nods apiece, though the battle in the best picture, director and actor categories are up in the air. However, Julianne Moore, Patricia Arquette and J K Simmons seem certain to scoop the golden statuettes in the best actress, best supporting actress and actor categories, respectively. Fan favourite 'The Imitation Game', starring Benedict Cumberbatch as British World War II code-breaker Alan Turing, has eight nominations but it is staring at an uphill task as its competitors have an edge in the run up to the ceremony.