And the Oscar Goes to…

If you want to win your Oscar betting pool, now's the time to place holds on the nominated films. On Sunday, March 2, the 86th Annual Academy Awards will be handed out to Hollywood's shining stars.

Captain Phillips is nominated for six awards including Best Picture. So I should probably see it. Tom Hanks plays the real-life captain who battled Somali pirates. Modern-day pirates? I'm in.

Cate Blanchett's performance as a socialite divorcee got her the nod for Actress in a Leading Role in Blue Jasmine. She'll probably win, because they don't call her The Great Cate for nothing. The movie is also up for Actress in a Supporting Role and Original Screenplay.

Okay, Baz Luhrmann's version of The Great Gatsby lacked credibility in the acting department, but it's visually stunning. While nominated for both Costume Design and Production Design, it'll be a sin if Catherine Martin doesn't win for the costumes.

It's fitting that Before Midnight is nominated for Adapted Screenplay, since the film series starring the fabulous Julie Delphy and Ethan Hawke centers around the couple's clever dialogue. In this one they're struggling with relationship and parenting issues, but it's still utterly romantic. If you haven't seen Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, be sure to watch them first. They'll make a great intellectual Valentine's Day marathon.

Here are some other nominated movies for your holds queue:

All Is Lost (Sound Editing)

The Croods (Animated Feature Film)

Dallas Buyers Club (Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Film Editing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Screenplay)

Despicable Me 2 (Animated Feature Film, Original Song)

The grandmaster (Cinematography, Costume Design)

Iron Man 3 (Visual Effects)

The Lone Ranger (Makeup and Hairstyling, Visual Effects)

Nebraska (Best Picture, Directing, Actor in a Leading Role, Actress in a Supporting Role, Cinematography, Original Screenplay)

Philomena (Best Picture, Actress in a Leading Role, Original Score, Adapted Screenplay)

Prisoners (Cinematography)