Oscars 2014: 10 Underdogs Who Might Get Surprise Nominations

5. Best Foreign Language Film & Best Cinematography €“ The Grandmaster

Wong Kar Wai's opulent Ip-Man biopic didn't exactly take audiences or critics by storm as it rolled out across the world, but it's had a modest and consistent string of compliments to the extent that it's remained in the Best Foreign Language film race, even making it down to the final shortlist of 9 films. While it's reasonable to expect that The Grandmaster will be one of the 4 films chopped from the list tomorrow when it's facing off against dramatic heavyweights like The Hunt and The Broken Circle Breakdown, the fact that the film has made it this far is an indication that it has its share of fans in the Academy, and considering how well-known the film is compared to many of its competitors, its populist appeal just might make it scrape into the final five. A few critics groups were savvy enough to mark the film out for its gorgeous cinematography also, and though this is going to be a tough sell with Gravity, 12 Years A Slave, Prisoners and Nebraska being considered virtual locks, it could reasonably bump out the likes of Captain Phillips, Her, and Rush to steal the coveted fifth slot.