EARLY BEST PICTURE PREDICTIONS 2013 PART 2!

School is rearing its head again, but I don't mind because that means it's time for ridiculously early Best Picture predictions, in which, on September 1, I take a slightly more educated stab in the dark then my previous attempt on April 25. Despite not knowing if the number will be from five to ten, I always plan for the most and guess ten.

THE RETURNING NOMINEES:

• Fruitvale Station (after seeing this movie and being floored by it a nomination is certain)
• The Wolf of Wall Street (now that the trailer's been released it seems like an even safer bet)
• The Monuments Men
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Captain Phillips
• August: Osage County

Right now, "Fruitvale" and "August" seem the only for-sure films to earn a slot, with "Fruitvale's" timely themes and "August's" powerhouse female performances. But these next four movies have nearly the same buzz, three of which I can confirm I've seen, and all of them I wouldn't mind winning. 

THE NEW PREDICTIONS:

• Mud (the Southern drama that has huge Oscar buzz around it, especially for its lead)
• Blue Jasmine (Blanchett has been getting raves and rightfully so, but anyone of the headlining cast Allen assembled could also snag a supporting nod; original screenplay is certain)
• Lee Daniels' The Butler (I didn't love this piece of Oscar bait as much as I have the latter two films, but Whitaker and Winfrey are sensational, and Daniels certainly has history with the Academy with "Precious")
• 12 Years a Slave (I can't believe I forgot this one in April! After seeing the trailer for this in "The Butler," a slew of noms is guaranteed for this sure to be engrossing tale of a freeman captured unjustly)

The biggest stretch of all of these is "Mud," which might have squandered a little bit of its potential by being released much earlier than the rest. But I think intelligent Academy viewers will see the masterful storytelling and keen direction of Jeff Nichols and slap it on the list.