Oscar Time: Predicting Best Picture - No longer a race between just 'Gravity' and '12 Years A Slave'

Tomorrow, the Oscar nominations will be announced in Los Angeles, meaning Hollywood has to set the alarms really early. Everyone has to be up at 5:30 a.m., while those on the East Coast gets to see them at a more manageable 8:30. Having looked at all four of the acting categories already, it is now time to look at the big one - Best Picture.

This originally looked to be a race between Gravity and 12 Years A Slave, but that is no longer the case. After its win at the Golden Globes on Sunday, American Hustle has emerged as a real contender for the prize. Other films like Her, Captain Phillips, Dallas Buyers Club, Saving Mr. Banks and The Wolf of Wall Street all have shots at securing nominations.

It should be noted that the Academy has special rules for its most prized Oscar. The field can include as little as five nominees now, but no more than ten. Films that get the most votes for Best Picture will be nominated. However, if a film only gets 5 percent or less of the vote, it is automatically cut from the category.

This lack of a finite number of nominees adds a bit of drama, but since these rules have been put in, the Academy has not nominated less than nine films for the award.

So, let’s take a look at the possible nominees. You can check out our predictions for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress.

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Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron
Gravity is the only film in the Top 10 box office hits of 2013 that will get nominated for Best Picture. Cuaron’s visually stunning masterpiece won critics and audiences over, but it didn’t do so well when the critics decided to vote. The movie also lost out at the Golden Globes for Best Picture - Drama to 12 Years A Slave.

Still, don’t expect Gravity to go home empty handed. Cuaron has a real shot at Best Director and I’m predicting that the Best Director doesn’t go to the man who made the Best Picture. It happened last year by default, since Argo’s Ben Affleck wasn’t even nominated and could happen again.

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12 Years A Slave, Steve McQueen
12 Years A Slave might not dominate Oscar night, but like the Golden Globes, it still is a real threat for Best Picture. It will get nominated and can still win. If writer John Ridley wins for his adapted screenplay, then McQueen’s film will really win Best Picture.

American Hustle, David O. Russell

Her, Spike Jonze

Spike Jonze’s Her is probably one of the most divisive films in the running, but there has to be some voters in the Academy who like this touching romance between a man and his computer. I hope so, since it turned out to be one of my favorites of the year.

Jonze’s Globes win for his screenplay though should elevate his chances in that category.

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The Wolf of Wall Street, Martin Scorsese

Never, ever count Martin Scorsese out. Sure, there was that infamous heckling incident at an Academy screening, but Scorsese’s legendary status can overcome something like that. I’m not saying it’s going to win, but it will get a nomination.

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Captain Phillips, Paul Greengrass

Any film that features an acclaimed performance from Tom Hanks has a chance at the Oscars. Captain Phillips has been earning praise as an intense thriller from Paul Greengrass, who is likely to get nominated for Best Director. There’s no way this film doesn’t get nominated.

Other potential nominees include Alexander Payne’s Nebraska, The Coen Brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, John Lee Hancock’s Saving Mr. Banks, Stephen Frears’ Philomena and Jean-Marc Vallée’s Dallas Buyers Club.

image: Sony