By the time the big night rolls around, it always seems like Oscar season has taken an extra long time to wrap up. This year is no different, although the schedule has shifted a bit this year due to the Winter Olympics. Nonetheless, it's hard to mind a long deliberation time when the quality of content you are considering is this high.
This year in film has given us so much quality to celebrate, and literally several of the nominees would be worthy 'Best Pictures' in any given year, despite how it may seem if you are championing a singular selection. Personally, I can't imagine anything besting "Gravity"—a film that contributes more to the art and craft of cinema than any other title in recent years. However, it would be silly of me to discount "12 Years a Slave," "American Hustle" or "Her" as perfectly acceptable titles in the Oscar cannon, should they be bestowed the honor. They are all much better than "Argo," after all.
All three of us—Cameron, Christo and Lucy—have given you our personal picks, be they 'will win' predictions or 'should win'/'want to win'/'should be here instead' favorites. We've abstained from the Documentary and Animated Short categories, as none of us have seen any of these nominees.
Best Picture
"12 Years A Slave"
"American Hustle"
"Dallas Buyers Club"
"Her"
"Nebraska"
"Captain Phillips"
"The Wolf of Wall Street"
"Gravity"
"Philomena"
- Cameron — Will win: "Gravity" Should win: "Gravity"
- Christo — Will win: "12 Years a Slave" Should win: "Gravity"
- Lucy — Will win: "12 Years a Slave" Want to win: "Her"
Best Actor
Bruce Dern - "Nebraska"
Chiwetel Ejiofor - "12 Years A Slave"
Matthew McConaughey - "Dallas Buyers Club"
Christian Bale - "American Hustle"
Leonardo DiCaprio - "The Wolf of Wall Street"
- Cameron — Will win: Matthew McConaughey - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should be here: Oscar Isaac - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
- Christo — Will win: Matthew McConaughey - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should win: Leonardo DiCaprio - "The Wolf of Wall Street"
- Lucy — Will win: Matthew McConaughey - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should win: Leonard DiCaprio - "The Wolf of Wall Street"
Best Supporting Actor
Barkhad Abdi - "Captain Phillips"
Michael Fassbender - "12 Years A Slave"
Jared Leto - "Dallas Buyers Club"
Bradley Cooper - "American Hustle"
Jonah Hill - "The Wolf of Wall Street"
- Cameron — Will win: Jared Leto - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should be here: John Goodman - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
- Christo — Will win: Jared Leto - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should win: Michael Fassbender - "12 Years A Slave"
- Lucy — Will win: Jared Leto - "Dallas Buyers Club" Should be here: Paul Dano - "12 Years a Slave"
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine"
Sandra Bullock - "Gravity"
Judi Dench - "Philomena"
Meryl Streep - "August: Osage County"
Amy Adams - "American Hustle"
- Cameron — Will win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine" Should win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine"
- Christo — Will win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine" Should win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine"
- Lucy — Will win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine" Should win: Cate Blanchett - "Blue Jasmine"
Best Supporting Actress
Sally Hawkins - "Blue Jasmine"
Jennifer Lawrence - "American Hustle"
Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave"
Julia Roberts - "August: Osage County"
June Squibb - "Nebraska"
- Cameron — Will win: Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave" Should be here: Rhoda Griffis - "Congratulations!"
- Christo — Will win: Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave" Should win: Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave"
- Lucy — Will win: Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave" Should win: Lupita Nyong'o - "12 Years A Slave"
Best Animated Film
"The Croods"
"Despicable Me 2"
"Frozen"
"The Wind Rises"
"Ernest & Celestine"
- Cameron — Will win: "Frozen" Should win: I only saw "Despicable Me 2" and I don't want it to win.
- Christo — Will win: "Frozen" Should win: "Frozen"
- Lucy — Will win: "Frozen" Should win: "The Wind Rises"
Best Cinematography
"The Grandmaster"
"Gravity"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Nebraska"
"Prisoners"
- Cameron — Will win: "Gravity" Should win: "Gravity"
- Christo — Will win: "Gravity" Should win: "Gravity"
- Lucy — Will win: "Gravity" Should win: "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Best Costume Design
"American Hustle"
"The Grandmaster"
"The Great Gatsby"
"The Invisible Woman"
"12 Years a Slave"
- Cameron — Will win: "American Hustle" Should be here: "Man of Steel"
- Christo — Will win: "American Hustle" Should win: "American Hustle"
- Lucy — Will win: "American Hustle" Should be here: "Her"
Best Director
Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity"
Steve McQueen - "12 Years A Slave"
Alexander Payne - "Nebraska"
David O. Russell - "American Hustle"
Martin Scorsese - "The Wolf of Wall Street"
- Cameron — Will win: Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity" Should win: Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity"
- Christo — Will win: Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity" Should win: Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity"
- Lucy — Will win: Alfonso Cuarón - "Gravity" Want to win: Steve McQueen - "12 Years A Slave"
Best Documentary
"The Act of Killing"
"20 Feet from Stardom"
"Cutie and the Boxer"
"Dirty Wars"
"The Square"
- Cameron — Will win: "The Act of Killing" Should be here: "