By John Corrado

The nominations for the 86th Academy Awards were announced bright and early this morning by Chris Hemsworth and Cheryl Boone Isaacs.  There are nine films in the running for Best Picture, with American Hustle and Gravity leading the charge, picking up a total of ten nominations each.  The other expected frontrunner 12 Years a Slave isn’t far behind, with nine nominations.

The nine films in the running for Best Picture are American Hustle (10 noms), Captain Phillips (6), Dallas Buyers Club (6), Gravity (10), Her (5), Nebraska (6), Philomena (4), 12 Years a Slave (9) and The Wolf of Wall Street (5).  David O. Russell (American Hustle), Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity), Alexander Payne (Nebraska), Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave) and Martin Scorsese (The Wolf of Wall Street) are all in the running for Best Director.

I’m surprised by the lack of major recognition for Inside Llewyn Davis, and shocked that Emma Thompson wasn’t even nominated for Saving Mr. Banks.  This is such a strong year, that Tom Hanks, Joaquin Phoenix and Robert Redford all missed out on Best Actor nominations for Captain Phillips, Her and All is Lost.  I’m also surprised that Oprah Winfrey didn’t make the cut for Lee Daniels’ The Butler, and that Daniel Brühl wasn’t nominated for Rush.  Pixar was robbed out of a Best Animated Feature nomination for Monsters University, and I’m saddened that The Crash Reel and Stories We Tell didn’t make the cut for Best Documentary.

But many of these unfortunate snubs further illustrate just what an abundance of cinematic riches 2013 really was.  I’m happy with the nominees in most of the major categories, and love all the films in the running for Best Picture.  It’s clear at this point that American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years a Slave are the frontrunners, and right now any one of them could take home the award.  David O. Russell also managed to get an actor nominated in each of the four categories, a year after achieving the same feat with Silver Linings Playback.

There will be much more commentary on all of these nominations throughout the coming weeks, and the Oscars will be presented on March 2nd, at a ceremony hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.  Please see below for a complete list of nominees in all 24 categories.

Best Picture

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

Her

Nebraska

Philomena

12 Years A Slave

The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Actor

Christian Bale – American Hustle

Bruce Dern – Nebraska

Leonardo Dicaprio – The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor – 12 Years A Slave

Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club

Best Actress

Amy Adams – American Hustle

Cate Blacnhett – Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock – Gravity

Judi Dench – Philomena

Meryl Streep – August: Osage County

Best Supporting Actor

Barkhad Abdi – Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper – American Hustle

Micahel Fassbender – 12 Years A Slave

Jonah Hill – The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club

Best Supporting Actress

Sally Hawkins – Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence – American Hustle

Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years A Slave

Julia Roberts – August: Osage County

June Squibb – Nebraska

Best Director

David O. Russell – American Hustle

Alfonso Cuarón – Gravity

Alexander Payne – Nebraska

Steve McQueen – 12 Years A Slave

Martin Scorsese – The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Original Screenplay

American Hustle (Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell)

Blue Jasmine (Woody Allen)

Dallas Buyers Club (Craig Borten & Melisa Wallack)

Her (Spike Jonze)

Nebraska (Bob Nelson)

Best Adapted Screenplay

Before Midnight (Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke)

Captain Phillips (Billy Ray)

Philomena (Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope)

12 Years A Slave (John Ridley)

The Wolf of Wall Street (Terrence Winter)

Best Animated Feature

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Ernest & Celestine

Frozen

The Wind Rises

Best Foreign Language Film

The Broken Circle Breakdown

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Missing Picture

Omar

Best Documentary Feature

The Act Of Killing

Cutie And The Boxer

Dirty Wars

The Square

20 Feet From Stardom

Best Production Design

American Hustle

Gravity

The Great Gatsby

Her

12 Years A Slave

Best Cinematography

The Grandmaster

Gravity

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

Prisoners

Best Costume Design

American Hustle

The Grandmaster

The Great Gatsby

The Invisible Woman

12 Years A Slave

Best Editing

American Hustle

Captain Phillips

Dallas Buyers Club

Gravity

12 Years A Slave

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

Dallas Buyers Club

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

The Lone Ranger

Best Score

John Williams – The Book Thief

Steven Price – Gravity

William Butler and Owen Pallett – Her

Alexandre Desplat – Philomena

Thomas Newman – Saving Mr. Banks

Best Original Song

“Alone Yet Not Alone” – Alone Yet Not Alone

“Happy” – Despicable Me 2

“Let It Go” – Frozen

“The Moon Song” – Her

“Ordinary Love” – Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

Best Sound Editing

All is Lost

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug

Lone Survivor

Best Sound Mixing

Captain Phillips

Gravity

The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug

Inside Llewyn Davis

Lone Survivor

Best Visual Effects

Gravity

The Hobbit: Desolation Of Smaug

Iron Man 3

The Lone Ranger

Star Trek Into Darkness

Best Animated Short

Feral

Get A Horse

Mr. Hublot

Possessions

Room On The Broom

Best Documentary Short

Cavedigger

Facing Fear

Karama Has No Walls

The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Prison Terminal: The Last Days Of Private Jack Hall

Best Live Action Short

Aquel No Era Yo

Avant Que De Tout Perdre

Helium

Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa?

The Voorman Problem