Their picks. (My deletions.) My picks. Not all that different. Except where they are extremely different.
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An Oscar stands on the podium in front of a projection of an Oscar before the start of the 84th Academy Awards Nominations Announcement, January 24, 2012 at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. Martin Scorsese's lavish 3D adventure 'Hugo' won 11 Oscar nominations Tuesday, just ahead of hotly-tipped silent movie 'The Artist' with 10 nods for Hollywood's top awards. Tied for third were baseball movie 'Moneyball' starring Brad Pitt and veteran director Steven Spielberg's equine epic 'War Horse,' which each got six nods for the Academy Awards, to be presented next month. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)
An Oscar stands on the podium in front of a projection of an Oscar before the start of the 84th Academy Awards Nominations Announcement, January 24, 2012 at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California. Martin Scorsese's lavish 3D adventure 'Hugo' won 11 Oscar nominations Tuesday, just ahead of hotly-tipped silent movie 'The Artist' with 10 nods for Hollywood's top awards. Tied for third were baseball movie 'Moneyball' starring Brad Pitt and veteran director Steven Spielberg's equine epic 'War Horse,' which each got six nods for the Academy Awards, to be presented next month. AFP PHOTO / Robyn BECK (Photo credit should read ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images)

Their picks. (My deletions.) My picks. Not all that different. Except where they are extremely different.

PICTURE

American Hustle
(Captain Phillips)The Past
(Dallas Buyer's Club)Prisoners
(Gravity) Inside Llewyn Davis
Her
Nebraska
(Philomena)
12 Years a Slave
(The Wolf of Wall Street)

NOTE: Please note as I am crucified for not loving American Hustle quite as much as everyone else that I did pick it as one of only seven Best Pictures. Not nine like the indecisive Academy.

DIRECTOR

(David O. Russell)Joel and Ethan Coen
Alfonso Cuaron
Alexander Payne
Steve McQueen
(Martin Scorsese)Spike Jonze

NOTE: I was not the biggest Gravity fan, but I would vote for Cuaron as Director here.

ACTOR

(Christian Bale)Oscar Isaac
Bruce Dern
Leonardo DiCaprio
(Chiwetel Ojiofor) Michael B. Jordan
Matthew McConaughey

NOTE: Both of the omitted actors were tremendous. I just liked the other five better. Jordan's is the most overlooked performance of the year.

ACTRESS

(Amy Adams)Berenice Bejo
Cate Blanchett
(Sandra Bullock) Barbara Sukowa
Judi Dench
(Meryl Streep)Olivia Wilde

NOTE: Obviously, I have a thing for foreign women. But I did have an American actress on here. Just not any of the ones that actually got selected.

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Barkhad Abdi
(Bradley Cooper) Will Forte
Michael Fassbender
Jonah Hill
Jared Leto

NOTE: I have no problem with Cooper. I just didn't want to leave the right side totally blank.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Sally Hawkins
Jennifer Lawrence
Lupita Nyong-o
(Julia Roberts)Melissa McCarthy
June Squibb

NOTE: This is the annual plea for recognizing comedians. McCarthy will probably monopolize this for the next few years.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

(American Hustle)The Past
Blue Jasmine
(Dallas Buyer's Club)Prisoners
Her
Nebraska

NOTE: There were SO MANY good original screenplays this year. Kind of gratifying actually.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

(Before Midnight)Lee Daniels' The Butler
Captain Phillips
Philomena
12 Years a Slave
The Wolf of Wall Street

NOTE: There not so many good adapted screenplays. I would have been content just picking four.

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