9 Best Film Nominees. Only One Can Win. Which One

Though it didn’t start off too strong, 2013 turned out to be a great year for movies. As a result, it’s anyone’s guess which films might take home Oscar trophies at the ceremony on March 2nd.

Here is a look at the nine nominees for the most coveted award in filmmaking–the Oscar for Best Picture. Though they are all deserving in many ways, only one will win.

1. Gravity

Widely considered one of the frontrunners in this year’s Best Picture race, Gravity was the film that made the biggest splash with audiences when it was released last fall.

In spite of great performances by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney and masterpiece direction by Alfonso Cuaron, however, the film is more widely remembered for its groundbreaking visual effects.

Gravity may be one of the most technologically challenging films of all time, but that fact could work against it when considered by the older Academy voters.

The film may win big on the night like Argo did last year, or it could find itself beaten out for the top awards like Avatar was in 2010.

2. American Hustle

Lighter and more comedic than almost any of the other nominees,American Hustle is another film in major contention for the top Oscar prize.

The film oozes style and brings the audience along on a period-piece thrill ride that brings to mind past Oscar winners such as The Sting.

It’s also the only film with nominees in every acting category as well as being up for Best Director.

Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams are both among the frontrunners in their respective categories, and wins for them could indicate that Oscar Night is going in American Hustle’s favor.

3. 12 Years a Slave

Rounding out the three movies most likely to win Best Picture, 12 Years a Slave has been called the best movie ever made about American slavery.

Academy voters love films that tackle heavier subject matter like racism and oppression, and the movie has been praised by both viewers and critics.

On the other hand, audiences haven’t flocked to the film–in large part because of its dark subject matter.

Though the story features amazing performances and occasional rays of hope, it could be written off by voters who view it as too depressing.

4. Captain Phillips

One of the slightly more surprising Oscar nominees, Captain Phillips is based on the thrilling true story of a sea captain whose ship was attacked by Somali pirates.

The film was released early for the typical awards season, and it was overshadowed in many ways by some of the year’s later films.

Director Paul Greengrass and star Tom Hanks were both snubbed when it came to Oscar nominations, though Barkhad Abdi did receive a Best Supporting Actor nod for his role.

On the whole, while the film is unlikely to be too competitive at the awards, it will still be remembered as one of the year’s most exciting thrillers.

5. Dallas Buyers Club

Another nominee that took some people by surprise, Dallas Buyers Club has been hailed as star Matthew McConaughey’s best movie, and his co-star Jared Leto is almost a shoo-in for Best Supporting Actor.

The movie is a brave period piece about the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, and Oscar voters have proven that they love this sort of film in the past.

Almost as interesting as the film itself, however, is the story behind making it. The movie took 20 years to finally be made as studio after studio passed it by.

6. Her

Though the plot sounds absurd and a little funny when you first hear about it (a man falls in love with his mobile operating system), director Spike Jonze took a premise that could have been a disaster and turned it into a film filled with heart–one that strikes a little too close to home for many viewers in the smartphone era.

Unfortunately, most Academy members are older, so there’s a good chance many of them won’t really “get” this movie.

It also technically falls into the science-fiction genre, and no sci-fi flick has ever won Best Picture before.

7. Nebraska

A subtle dark comedy that feels more “real” than almost any other film in this category, Nebraska tells the story of a man who is convinced that he has won a lottery prize that he can claim if only he makes it to Lincoln.

Filmed in black and white, the film is something of an art-house picture, and many Academy voters might pass over it because it barely made a splash at the box office.

Still, the movie will be remembered as one of the best looks at America today in the way it addresses events that could easily happen in the Midwest.

8. Philomena

Though even some movie buffs found themselves baffled when Philomena was announced as a nominee, this profound little movie that blends the genres of romantic comedy and drama actually has a lot of the qualities that have helped films win in the past.

It deals with topics that are very relevant today, including adoption and antiquated church doctrine.

The movie was also produced by Harvey Weinstein–who is responsible for more Oscars than anyone else in the history of Hollywood–and stars Oscar-winner Judi Dench.

The film still isn’t a frontrunner, but it’s not to be ruled out.

9. The Wolf of Wall Street

Many people wondered whether the Academy was going to snub Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street after it got so much negative press for continuous sex, violence and more uses of “the f-word” than any other movie in history.

In the end, however, even the conservative Oscar panel couldn’t deny the prowess of this film, which features Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill in two of their best performances to date.

When you consider its relevant subject matter and entertaining plot, this movie could still easily be an Oscar contender.