Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

X = Winner

BEST PICTURE
"12 Years a Slave"
"Ain't Them Bodies Saints"
"Before Midnight"
X - "Inside Llewyn Davis"
"Upstream Color"

BEST ACTOR
Chiwetel Ejiofor in "12 Years a Slave"
Oscar Isaac in "Inside Llewyn Davis"
X - Matthew McConaughey in "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford in "All Is Lost"
Isaiah Washington in "Blue Caprice"

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett in "Blue Jasmine"
Scarlett Johansson in "Don Jon"
X - Brie Larson in "Short Term 12"
Amy Seimetz in "Upstream Color"
Shailene Woodley in "The Spectacular Now"

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ACTOR
Dane DeHaan in Kill Your Darlings
Kathryn Hahn in Afternoon Delight
X - Michael B. Jordan in "Fruitvale Station"
Lupita Nyong'o in "12 Years a Slave"
Robin Weigert in "Concussion"

BEST BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR
X - Ryan Coogler for "Fruitvale Station"
Adam Leon for "Gimme the Loot"
Alexandre Moors for "Blue Caprice"
Stacie Passon for "Concussion"
Amy Seimetz for "Sun Don't Shine"

BEST DOCUMENTARY
X - "The Act of Killing"
"The Crash Reel"
"First Cousin Once Removed"
"Let the Fire Burn"
"Our Nixon"

Since when is 12 Years a Slave considered an "independent." The same issues that plague the Spirit Awards now plague this one. True independents are often pushed out by "indies" from the major studios' specialty arms. And do we count them if they are distributed by those arms or produced by them? It's all a hopeless mess that won't ever be fixed.

Yes, but they also focus only on independent films...how many independent films yet to come out haven't had festival screenings? For that matter, how many independent films cone out without festival appearances?

Yet, there isn't a single non-festival film on this list that releases in the next two months. Every year, I wonder why we even bother to cover them. They are relatively pointless and there's no guarantee they've actually seen anything. Matter of fact, it's highly unlikely they have by this point in the year.

Nope.

From their website:

Films must be scheduled for a theatrical and/or digital platform release during calendar year 2013 (Midnight January 1 – 11:59 pm December 31). Films will only be considered in the year in which they first meet the release criteria. By the submission deadline, films must have a confirmed 2013 release date and booking.

Isn't there eligibility period exclusive of November/December releases? And this early, I wonder if anyone really cares, considering a number of late-year releases aren't even eligible yet.

Having added categories for actor and actress, and having gotten rid of the "Best Film Not Playing at a Theater Near You®" category, you might say the Gothams (first out of the gate) are heading down the same path the Independent Spirit Awards have gone.

Best Feature
"Ain't Them Bodies Saints"
"Before Midnight"
"Inside Llewyn Davis"
"12 Years a Slave"
"Upstream Color"

Best Documentary
"The Act of Killing"
"The Crash Reel"
"First Cousin Once Removed"
"Let the Fire Burn"
"Our Nixon"

Bingham Ray Award for Breakthrough Director
Ryan Coogler, "Fruitvale Station"
Stacie Passon, "Concussion"
Adam Leon, "Gimme the Loot"
Alexandre Moors, "Blue Caprice"
Amy Seimetz, "Sun Don't Shine"

Best Actor
Chiwetel Ejiofor, "12 Years a Slave"
Oscar Isaac, "Inside Llewyn Davis"
Matthew McConaughey, "Dallas Buyers Club"
Robert Redford, "All is Lost"
Isaiah Washington, "Blue Caprice"

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, "Blue Jasmine"
Scarlett Johansson, "Don Jon"
Brie Larson, "Short Term 12"
Amy Seimetz, "Upstream Color"
Shailene Woodley, "The Spectacular Now"

Best Breakthrough Actor
Dane DeHaan, "Kill Your Darlings"
Kathryn Hahn, "Afternoon Delight"
Michael B. Jordan, "Fruitvale Station"
Lupita Nyong'o, "12 Years a Slave"
Robin Weigert, "Concussion"