When you start to follow the Oscars more closely, the Academy Awards aren't really that hard to predict. There are enough precursor awards such as The Golden Globes, the SAGs, the National Board of Review, the PGAs, the DGAs----honestly, it's hard to keep track of it all at a certain point. Over the course of awards season, buzz begins to build on a movie or a performance and it eventually culminates with an Oscar win that everybody saw coming. But there are twenty-four categories, overall. With so many categories, there are bound to be a few nominations here and there that catch people completely off guard. Lately, the Academy has been known to thrown in a few curveballs. Last year, they gave Beasts of the Southern Wild and Amour a lot more love than people expected. In 2011, they gave Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close a Best Picture nomination. That movie had very mixed reviews and very little buzz overall, but it still managed to break through and get a few Oscar nods. This list covers both sides of the spectrum. The fun, unexpected nominations and the nominations that will make you scratch your head in confusion. Honestly, I would not have it any other way. After all, some people take these awards things a little too seriously. When it comes down to it, no voting body is ever going to have the same exact opinion as you. Why do we put so much emphasis on what's right and wrong? Let's just have some fun.
