And the nominees for “best picture” are . . .

By Amelia Hill
Online Editor

As February sets in, movie gurus from around the world get antsy for the Oscars. For those film fanatics, it’s like Super Bowl—only with wine and conversation of renowned actors, directors, and screenwriters.

The 85th annual Academy Awards, hosted by Seth Macfarlane, will be held on Sun, Feb. 24.

Nine films were nominated for “best picture” this year.

And the nominees are . . .

Amour

French for “love,” Amour is a narrative focusing on Georges (Jean-Louis Trinignant) and Anne (Emmanualle Riva), an elderly couple now in their eighties. One day, Anne has a stroke—testing the couple’s love for one another. This romantic drama has a running time of 127 minutes and a PG-13 rating.

Argo

In 1979, Iranian revolutionaries invaded the American embassy in Iran, taking several Americans hostage—six escape. Tony Mendez, exfiltration expert, devises a plan to create a pseudo Canadian film project to smuggle Americans back to their homeland. Directed by Ben Affleck, Argo dramatizes the 1980 joint CIA-Canadian secret operation to rescue the six American fugitives from Iran. This film has a running time of 120 minutes and an R rating.

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Met with both her hot-tempered father’s declining health and melting ice-caps that flood, the “bathtub,” her Louisiana bayou community, six-year-old Hushpuppy (Quvenzhané Wallis) must learn how to be courageous, forgiving, and loving. This indie film has a running time of 93 minutes and a PG-13 rating.

Django Unchained

With the help of a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), Django (Jamie Foxx), a freed slave embarks on a journey to rescue his beloved from, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), a ruthless plantation owner. This western, directed by Quentin Tarantino, has a running time of 165 minutes and an R rating.

Life of Pi

Based on best-selling novel by Yann Martel, Life of Pi portrays the magical adventure of Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma), the son of a zoo keeper. His family, along with their animals, move from India to Canada—not everyone makes it. After a shipwreck, Pi finds himself adrift a 26-foot lifeboat with a 450-pound Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The movie has a running time of 127 minutes and a PG rating.

Lincoln

Taking place after the emancipation proclamation, President Lincoln (Daniel Day Lewis) struggles with continuing havoc on the battlefield, fighting with many inside his own cabinet on the decision to ban slavery. Lincoln must race against time in this film, directed by Steven Spielberg. Lincoln is rated PG-13 with a running time of 150 minutes.

Les Misérables

Set in early 19th-century France, the story follows ex-convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) in his quest for redemption after serving 20 years in prison for having stolen a loaf of bread for his famished relatives. Deciding to break his parole, Valjean starts his life anew as mayor, though relentlessly being hunted by police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). Valjean later vows to care for Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), the orphaned daughter of Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a factory worker and the story’s emotional apex, changing his life evermore. The movie musical has a running time of 157 minutes and a PG-13 rating.

Silver Linings Playbook

After his minimum eight-month court ordered stint, former teacher Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) moves in with his parents at their Philly home. Because of the incident, his ex-wife, Nikki, files a restraining order. Wanting to reconcile with Nikki, Pat finds it to be much more difficult when he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). Silver Linings Playbook has a running time of 122 minutes and an R rating.

Zero Dark Thirty

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty depicts the 10-year hunt for Osama bin Laden, al-Qaueda terrorist leader. For years, Maya (Jessica Chastain), a CIA operative, is single-minded in her hot pursuit of leads. In 2011, a U.S. Navy SEAL team is sent tokill Bin Laden—only Maya is confident of Bin Laden’s location. This film has a running time of 157 minutes and an R rating.

And the Oscar goes to . . .