Academy Award Nominations Predictions!

Image courtesy of AMPAS

Ah, yes. With the turn of a new year comes a new slate of Oscar nominations. There was a good bunch of films released in 2013, but nothing compared to 2007 (in my opinion). Last year's was perfectly ecclectic; there was a foreign-language film ("Amour"), a musical ("Les Miserables"), an action movie ("Zero Dark Thirty") and plenty of drama that covered the gammit from historical epic to childhood survival.

The 2013 won't look anything like that.

Instead, there are no foreign films to highly consider, or any musicals. OK, if you want to include "Inside Llewyn Davis" as a musical, go ahead, but just because music plays an integral role in a film does not necessarily make it a musical. Instead we have dips into sci-fi ("Gravity" and "Her"), a deep historical drama ("12 Years a Slave"), comedic ensemble pieces ("American Hustle" and "Nebraska") and a sprinkling of moderately modern stories about pirates, corrupt greed and AIDS.

With 5-10 slots ready to be filled with best picture nominees, it's easier to say which films will definitely can in than the ones just may tip-toe in.

I think we could see one or two films collect double-digit nominations, maybe three depending on how the Academy is feeling. Expect big returns for "Gravity," "12 Years a Slave," and (maybe) "American Hustle." Though I don't predict it, there's a possibility "American" can get two more acting nods (actress and supp. actor).

Nominations are announced Jan. 16 at 8:38 EST.

BEST PICTURE
12 Years A Slave
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
The Wolf of Wall Street
(Dallas Buyers Club)


BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuarón, "Gravity"
Paul Greengrass, "Captain Phillips"
Steve McQueen, "12 Years a Slave"
Alexander Payne, "Nebraska"
David O. Russell, "American Hustle"

BEST ACTOR
Bruce Dern, "Nebraska"
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave,"
Tom Hanks, "Captain Phillips"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Forest Whitaker, "The Butler"

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock, "Gravity"
Judi Dench, "Philomena"
Meryl Streep, "August: Osage County"
Emma Thompson, "Saving Mr. Banks"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Barkhad Abdi, "Captain Phillips"
Daniel Bruhl, "Rush"
Michael Fassbender, "12 Years a Slave"
Will Forte, "Nebraska"
Jared Leto, "Dallas Buyers Club" 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Scarlett Johansson, "Her"
Jennifer Lawrence, "American Hustle"
Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
Julia Roberts, "August: Osage County"
June Squibb, "Nebraska"

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
American Hustle
Gravity
Her
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
12 Years a Slave
Before Midnight
Captain Phillips
Philomena
The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Despicable Me 2
Ernest and Celestine
Frozen
Monsters University
The Wind Rises

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Grandmaster
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
Omar
Two Lives


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
The Act of Killing
Blackfish
The Square
Stories We Tell
Which Way is the Front Line From Here?

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Inside Llewyn Davis
Nebraska
Prisoners

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
The Great Gatsby
Inside Llewyn Davis
Saving Mr. Banks

BEST EDITING
American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Rush
The Wolf of Wall Street

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING
American Hustle
The Great Gatsby
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
All is Lost
The Book Thief
Gravity
Her
Saving Mr. Banks

BEST ORIGINAL SONG
"Amen,"from "All is Lost"
"Last Mile Home," from "August: Osage County"
"Let it Go," from "Frozen"
"The Moon Song," from "Her"
"Young and Beautiful" from "The Great Gatsby"

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
12 Years a Slave
American Hustle
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

BEST SOUND EDITING
All is Lost
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Pacific Rim
Rush

BEST SOUND MIXING
12 Years a Slave
All is Lost
Captain Phillips
Gravity
Rush 

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Lone Ranger
Pacific Rim
Star Trek: Into Darkness