Guide to the Oscars 2013

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Movie lovers everywhere tuned in last weekend to watch the Golden Globe Awards. If you’re like me, you probably hadn’t heard of half the stuff nominated for awards. Well, don’t make that same mistake with the Oscars this year. With the awards still more than a month out, this guide will give you plenty of time to catch up on the year’s best films.

By the way, were you wondering what the differences are between the Golden Globes and the Oscars are? I was too. Basically, the Oscars (or Academy Awards) only recognizes motion pictures and awards are distributed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association gives the Golden Globe Awards and they recognize all forms of media.

So without further ado, here are some of the nominees for awards

Best Picture

• Amour
• Life of Pi
• Argo
• Lincoln
• Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Django Unchained
• Zero Dark Thirty
• Les Miserables

So those are the best films of 2012—and one will rise above the rest. It looks like I need to get out more, because I’ve only seen two of those movies.

Animated Feature Film

• Brave
• Frankenweenie
• ParaNorman
• The Pirates! Band of Misfits
• Wreck-It Ralph

For those of you with families, watch the above movies sometime throughout the next month and have your kids vote on their favorite. It will be fun to watch the awards together to see which film wins!

Actor in a Leading Role

• Bradley Cooper – Silver Linings Playbook
• Jaoquin Pheonix – The Master
• Daniel Day-Lewis – Lincoln
• Denzel Washington – Flight
• Hugh Jackman – Les Miserables

Actress in a Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain – Zero Dark Thirty
• Quvenzhane Wallis – Beasts of the Southern Wild
• Jennifer Lawrence – Silver Linings Playbook
• Naomi Watts – The Impossible
• Emmanuelle Riva – Amour

While watching those movies, pay attention to those actors and actresses. Then you will be able to say that you like Bradley Cooper for reasons other than his good looks.

For the musically-inclined person…

Music – Original Score

• Anna Karenina
• Argo
• Life of Pi
• Lincoln
• Skyfall

Go here to check out all of the nominations for this years Academy Awards.

The awards are on Sunday, February 24, so there is ample time for you to catch up on 2012’s best films.  Do your homework and start renting movies! By the time the awards roll around you will know more than anyone in the room.

Comment below with your pick for this year’s winners.