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While there were several surprises when the list of nominees were announced – where are the nods for Fruitvale Station and All Is Lost? – there are plenty of the usual Hollywood heavyweights in contention this year (Hanks, Streep, Roberts, Scorsese). However, it’s the new names on the list that really excited and intrigue me this year: McConaughey, Leto, Nyong’o. So without further ado, here are my selections of who deserves Hollywood’s highest honor this year.

BEST PICTURE

American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
Her
Nebraska
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

Director Steve McQueen isn’t one to shy away from brutally intense subject matter, as evidenced by his two previous films (Hunger, Shame), so it was kismet when he came across Solomon Northrop’s 1853 memoir. The project became his passion, and once backing was acquired from Brad Pitt’s production company, he enlisted Chiwetel Ejiofor to star as the free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, as well as Michael Fassbender (who has starred in all of McQueen’s films thus far), Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson Paul Dano and Lupita Nyong’o. Having already been awarded a BAFTA and Golden Globe, 12 Years a Slave is not an easy film to watch for its explicit savagery, but as a brilliant adaptation of Northrop’s very real experience, it’s a necessary one.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Bruce Dern (Nebraska)
Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave)
Christian Bale (American Hustle)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club)

I admit that I used to think of Matthew McConaughey as a kooky actor who was just alright in rom-coms, but I am in total awe of him lately. He is absolutely stunning in “True Detective” and downright unrecognizable as Ron Woodroof in Dallas Buyers Club, having holed up indoors for six months to become paler and losing 47 pounds for the role. He has already won a SAG award and Golden Globe for his remarkable performance as the homophobic electrician/rodeo cowboy turned AIDS patient turned compassionate pharmaceutical drug dealer and crusader, and should make a place next to those trophies for this Oscar.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Amy Adams (American Hustle)
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine)
Judi Dench (Philomena)
Meryl Streep (August: Osage County)
Sandra Bullock (Gravity)

While all of the performances in this category were quite strong, its Blanchett’s portrayal of the New York socialite whose life is in a downward spiral that made the most impact on me. The actress magnificently runs through a gamut of emotions with a manic energy that is indicative of a Woody Allen-penned and -directed oeuvre as Jasmine navigates mental, social and economic crises and is forced to move in with her adopted sister in San Francisco. With a wonderful supporting cast of Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis C.K. and Bobby Cannavale, Blanchett truly shines. She took home the Oscar for Supporting Actress in 2004 (for The Aviator), and this is her year for a leading actress trophy. So far she has nabbed a BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG and multiple critics awards to prove it.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips)
Bradley Cooper (American Hustle)
Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club)
Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Michael Fassbender (12 Years a Slave)

Jared Leto should have been nominated for his powerful performance in Requiem for a Dream 14 years ago, but the academy rights that wrong by recognizing his phenomenal work in Dallas Buyers Club. While admitting to not even reading the script when it was initially sent to him, Leto eventually emerged from his four-year acting hiatus, lost of 30 pounds and transformed into the transgender character of Rayon opposite Matthew McConaughey’s Ron. The Screen Actors Guild, Hollywood Foreign Press and numerous critics associations have already awarded his stellar performance, and he’s a clear shoe-in for the Oscar.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle)
Julia Roberts (August: Osage County)
June Squibb (Nebraska)
Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave)
Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine)

Last year’s Best Actress Jennifer Lawrence is still America’s sweetheart, but Lupita Nyong’o is the It Girl of this awards season. The Mexican born, Kenyan actress honed her chops in several stage productions at Yale before landing her breakout role as Solomon Northrup’s fellow slave on the Epps plantation, Patsey, in 12 Years a Slave. Nyong’o gives a a searing performance as the much-abused that has been awarded by virtually every critics group and organization (save the BAFTAs and Golden Globes).

DIRECTING

Alexander Payne (Nebraska)
Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity)
David O. Russell (American Hustle)
Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street)
Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave)

Alfonso Cuarón has yet to take a misstep since releasing his first feature in the states; Y Tu Mamá También, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men are some of my favorite movies, and I can’t wait for the March 10 premiere of “Believe,” the sci-fi fantasy series he created and is producing with J.J. Abrams. Gravity is his first foray into the realm of outer space, having written the screenplay with his son Jonás. Cuarón pulls an amazing performance out of Sandra Bullock, and more importantly, achieves the eeriness and wonderment of the setting to the satisfaction of this sci-fi geek.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

Bruno Delbonnel (Inside Llewyn Davis)
Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity)
Phedon Papamichael (Nebraska)
Philippe Le Sourd (The Grandmaster)
Roger A. Deakins (Prisoners)

Astronauts summersaulting against a pitch-black backdrop dotted with stars and a glowing planet Earth; nauseating sequences of Ryan free-falling through space; claustrophobic shots within the shuttle and within her helmet – there is no doubt that Gravity gets this one.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

The Croods
Despicable Me 2
Ernest & Celestine
Frozen
The Wind Rises

I am a big Hayao Miyazaki fan, and 2001’s Spirited Away, which he wrote and directed, was the first anime film to win an Academy Award. However, there is no denying the juggernaut that is Frozen. It’s been well over three months since the animated musical was released, and there were still people lined up to get into a sing-along screening happening at my local cinema last weekend.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

The Broken Circle Breakdown
The Great Beauty
The Hunt
The Missing Picture
Omar

Unfortunately Blue Is the Warmest Color was ineligible for this year’s race, or it would have been my unquestionable prediction. Albeit, Mads Mikkelsen gives a powerful performance in The Hunt and the sweet, intense and tragic romantic relationship in The Broken Circle Breakdown is enthralling (plus, there’s bluegrass music!), while The Missing Picture and Omar are deeply moving political pictures. I give this one to Paulo Sorrentino’s homage to Federico Fellini, though. The Great Beauty is, well, beautiful.

COSTUME DESIGN

Catherine Martin (The Great Gatsby)
Michael O’Connor (The Invisible Woman)
Michael Wilkinson (American Hustle)
Patricia Norris (12 Years a Slave)
William Chang Suk Ping (The Grandmaster)

I am such a sucker for the fashion of the 1920s that I’ve been a flapper for Halloween more times than I can count, and I’ve absolutely loved the work Catherine Martin has done in her husband Baz Luhrmann’s previous films like Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge!. But this time, I’m going to tap Michael Wilkinson as winner for taking 1970s pantsuits, sequins and polyester to a whole new level of glam.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

The Act of Killing
Cutie and the Boxer
Dirty Wars
The Square
20 Feet from Stardom

This is always a hard category to choose just one favorite from since the subjects are so varied. I’m going to go with my heart on this one, though, and lean towards my deep love for music with 20 feet from Stardom. The film tells the story of backup singers like Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill and Táta Vega, among others, who have vocally supported artists such as Tina Turner, Michael Jackson, Sting and the Rolling Stones.

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

CaveDigger
Facing Fear
Karama Has No Walls
The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall

Just like the last category, it’s hard to determine the best of five incredibly diverse films. Again I am going with my heart in selecting the story of Alice Herz Sommer. The London concert pianist was the oldest living survivor of the Holocaust. Sadly, she passed away on Feb. 23 at age 110, but at least the world can learn her incredibly inspiring story and hear her plucky playing in The Lady in Number 6.

FILM EDITING

American Hustle
Captain Phillips
Dallas Buyers Club
Gravity
12 Years a Slave

Most of the technical awards are going to go to Gravity, and this one is no exception.

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Dallas Buyers Club
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa
The Lone Ranger

I’m not sure why the hair (Bradley Cooper’s perm! )and makeup for American Hustle were ignored, but Robin Matthews and Adruitha Lee certainly deserve a trophy for their hand in creating the characters of Dallas Buyers Club. The fact that Matthews had a budget of only $250 for the entire film is completely insane.

MUSIC – ORIGINAL SCORE

The Book Thief
Gravity
Her
Philomena
Saving Mr. Banks

Even though the legendary John Williams is nominated for The Book Thief, and Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks) and Alexandre Desplat (Philomena) consistently do great work, it’s Gravity‘s Steven Price who will come away with the trophy.

MUSIC – ORIGINAL SONG

“Happy” by Pharrell Williams (Despicable Me 2)
“Let It Go” by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (Frozen)
“The Moon Song” by Karen O (Her)
“Ordinary Love” by U2 (Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom)

While Karen O is my favorite contemporary rock frontwoman, Pharrell Williams’ tune is constantly on the radio and U2 are U2, Idina Menzel’s pipes are a force to be reckoned with. I get the good chills – the mark of a truly blockbuster song – whenever I listen to “Let It Go.” I really can’t wait to see all of the nominees perform on Sunday.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

American Hustle
Gravity
The Great Gatsby
Her
12 Years a Slave

Catherine Martin and Beverly Dunn did a spot-on job with the production design and set decoration for Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald tale that is so special to me. The vibrant colors and textures the utilize successfully represent the lavish excess of Gatsby’s parties on West Egg.

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

Feral
Get a Horse!
Mr. Hublot
Possessions
Room on the Broom

While I love the Disney throwback Get a Horse!, it’s impossible to not be utterly captivated by the mechanical, steampunk world of Mr. Hublot.

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

Aquel No Era Yo (That Wasn’t Me)
Avant Que De Tout Perdre (Just Before Losing Everything)
Helium
Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa? (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?)
The Voorman Problem

Who doesn’t love Martin Freeman? The Hobbit and “Sherlock” star is fabulous in everything he is part of, and The Voorman Problem is no exception. In the short, he plays a prison psychiatrist sent to examine a prisoner (Tom Hollander) who believes he is a god.

SOUND EDITING

All Is Lost
Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Lone Survivor

How many of us really know what it sounds like out there in space? Well, the correct answer is that there is actually no sound in space. Gravity‘s sound team had to create all of the sounds that the astronauts head in their suits and space vehicles to be in balance with the vacancy that would naturally exist in space.

SOUND MIXING

Captain Phillips
Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Inside Llewyn Davis
Lone Survivor

It’s notable that all of the musical performances in the Coen brothers’ film were recorded live (save for “The Auld Triangle,” which was lip-synced). In a category that is supposed to acknowledge the blending of sounds that were recorded on set, this one should take home the Oscar.

VISUAL EFFECTS

Gravity
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Iron Man 3
The Lone Ranger
Star Trek Into Darkness

It took more than three years for British special effects company Framestore to create most of Gravity’s visual effects since they make up over three-quarters of the film’s running time. The time and effort paid off, though. The visuals are just as much a star of the movie as Sandra Bullock is.

WRITING – ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

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

Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope did a fantastic job translating Martin Sixsmith’s The Lost Child of Philomena Lee: A Mother, Her Son and a Fifty-Year Search to the big screen. Their script makes you laugh, get angry and cry throughout Philomena’s journey.

WRITING – ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

American Hustle
Blue Jasmine
Dallas Buyers Club
Her
Nebraska

This was the one category where I didn’t even hesitate a millisecond before selecting a choice. Spike Jonze’s incredible sci-fi/romantic drama is one of the most incredible and unique stories to emerge from film in the past few years, perhaps even a decade. What’s funny is that he also wrote Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa from this year as well.

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