Not everyone (myself included) was enamored with last year’s selection of “Argo” for best motion picture of the year. While there was nothing horrible about the safe, formulaic crowd-pleaser, there also was nothing about it that gave me that best picture tingle. This year should be better though, boasting a more competitive field of nominees and one picture in particular that I feel truly merits the film world’s top honour.

And the Nominees are…

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club 

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years a Slave 

The Wolf of Wall Street

Steve McQueen’s gut wrenching historical drama ’12 Years a Slave’ should win the Oscar although we are having a lively debate in house about this. Powered by Chiwetel Ejiofor’s breathtaking performance, there wasn’t a movie in 2013 that was harder to watch or more worth watching. Of course, that doesn’t make the film a sure bet winner. Just as ‘Lincoln’, another brutal exposition of slavery, was usurped by ‘Argo’ last year,  ’12 Years a Slave’ could suffer the same fate at the hands of David O. Russell’s 70’s brilliant revival con-flick ‘American Hustle’.

The Academy could decide to go an entirely different route and award the Best Picture to Alfonso’s Cuaron’s ‘Gravity’. This would be almost entirely based on the technological achievements of the film, an immersive experience that truly has to be felt to be believed. I wouldn’t be disappointed if they decided to go this route and I think if it had been a year with a less spectacular line up of Best film nominees, “Gravity” would get the nod. My bias is with ’12 Years a Slave’ which is simply too well made, too well acted and too powerful not be recognized as the top contender.

Who will win: 12 Years a Slave

Who should win: 12 Years a Slave

Who could win: American Hustle, Gravity

Who got left out: No one – While there are perhaps at least a film or two I would swap (e.g. ‘Inside Llewyn Davis’ for ‘Captain Phillips’), the number of nominees are already too high. Including 9 nominees dilutes the distinction of being an “Academy Award Nominee for Best Picture”

– Marshall Jeske