Here are my annual Oscar predictions for this year’s Academy Awards in the top categories, featuring the movie nominations from 2013. The winners of the 86th Academy Awards will be announced on March 2nd, 2014. “And the Oscar Goes To …”

Best Motion Picture

1. 12 Years A Slave
2. American Hustle
3. Captain Phillips
4. Dallas Buyers Club 
   
5. Gravity
6. Her
7. Nebraska
8. Philomena
9. The Wolf of Wall Street

• My Prediction: 12 Years a Slave
• Strong Second Choice: Gravity
• Surprise Omission: Inside Llewyn Davis

Best Achievement In Directing

1. Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
2. Steve McQueen, 12 Years A Slave
3. Alexander Payne, Nebraska
4. David O. Russell, American Hustle
   
5. Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street

• My Prediction: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
• Strong Second Choice: Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
• Surprise Omission: Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

1. Christian Bale, American Hustle
2. Bruce Dern, Nebraska
3. Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
4. Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
5. Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street

• My Prediction: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
• Strong Second Choice: Bruce Dern, Nebraska
• Surprise Omissions: Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips / Robert Redford, All Is Lost

Lead Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

1. Amy Adams, American Hustle
2. Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
   
3. Judi Dench, Philomena
4. Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
   
5. Sandra Bullock, Gravity

• My Prediction: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
• Strong Second Choice: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
• Surprise Omission: Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

1. Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips
2. Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
3. Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
4. Jonah Hill, The Wolf of Wall Street
5. Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

• My Prediction: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
• Strong Second Choice: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
• Surprise Omission: Daniel Brühl for Rush

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

1. Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
2. Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
3. Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
4. Julia Roberts, August: Osage County
5. June Squibb, Nebraska

• My Prediction: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave
• Strong Second Choice: Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
• Surprise Omission: Oprah Winfrey, The Butler

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published

1. Before Midnight, written by Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke
2. Captain Phillips, screenplay by Billy Ray
3. Philomena, screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
4. 12 Years a Slave, screenplay by John Ridley
5. The Wolf of Wall Street, screenplay by Terence Winter

• My Prediction: 12 Years a Slave, screenplay by John Ridley
• Strong Second Choice: Philomena, screenplay by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope
• Surprise Omission: The Spectacular Now, screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen

1. American Hustle, written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
2. Blue Jasmine, written by Woody Allen
3. Dallas Buyers Club, written by Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack
4. Her, written by Spike Jonze
5. Nebraska, written by Bob Nelson

• My Prediction: American Hustle, written by Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
• Strong Second Choice: Her, written by Spike Jonze
• Surprise Omission: Inside Llewyn Davis, written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Best Animated Feature Film

1. The Croods
2. Despicable Me 2
3. Ernest & Celestine
4. Frozen
5. The Wind Rises

• My Prediction: Frozen
• Strong Second Choice: Frozen
• Surprise Omission: Monsters University

Best Foreign Language Film

1. The Broken Circle Breakdown (Belgium)
2. The Great Beauty (Italy)
3. The Hunt (Denmark)
4. The Missing Picture (Cambodia)
5. Omar (Palestine)

• My Prediction: The Great Beauty (Italy)
• Strong Second Choice: The Hunt (Denmark)
• Surprise Omission: Many great foreign films were not eligible. Each country is only allowed one submission for consideration.

Best Documentary, Feature

1. The Act of Killing
2. Cutie and the Boxer
3. Dirty Wars
4. The Square
5. 20 Feet from Stardom

• My Prediction: The Act of Killing
• Strong Second Choice: 20 Feet from Stardom
• Surprise Omission: Stories We Tell

 Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song

1. Happy from Despicable Me 2
2. Let It Go from Frozen
3. The Moon Song from Her
4. Ordinary Love from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

• My Prediction: Let It Go
• Strong Second Choice: The Moon Song
• Surprise Omission: Young and Beautiful from The Great Gatsby