10 Movies to Keep on Your Radar for the 2014 Oscars

Yup, you read the title of this post correctly. The 2014 Oscars. The 2013 Oscars may still be a few days away, but that doesn't mean we can't start talking about next year. These films aren't even out yet, so you'll have plenty of time to schedule viewings of the ten over the next 12 months.

This is the second year that I've put together this article, so before we get to the 2013 movies to watch, let's see how my 2012 predictions worked out. Of the ten films, seven received Oscar nominations, bringing in 30 nominations all together. The three films that didn't receive any nominations were The Dark Knight Rises, Gravity and The Great Gatsby. Those last two were delayed until 2013, so the verdict is still out on them. A combination of the Academy's general dislike of Christopher Nolan and the tragic theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., scuttled The Dark Knight Rises chances at Oscar glory.

Here's how last year's list turned out:
Brave: Received a nomination for Best Animated Feature.
The Dark Knight Rises: Received no nominations.
Django Unchained: Received nominations for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing.
Gravity: Delayed until 2013.
The Great Gatsby: Delayed until 2013.
The Hobbit: Received nominations for An Unexpected Journey: Best Makeup and Styling, Best Production Design, Best Visual Effects.
Lincoln: Received nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, Best Sound Mixing.
The Master: Received nominations for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress
The Sessions: Received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Zero Dark Thirty: Received nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing.

But enough talk about 2012. You came here to see what you should start marking on your calendar for 2013.

August: Osage County
No release date yet
IMDB synopsis: The Weston family overcomes certain differences when their alcoholic patriarch goes missing.

Two words: Meryl Streep. That's usually enough to propel a film into Oscar consideration, isn't it? Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor and Abigail Breslin also have roles in August: Osage County, as does Benedict Cumberbatch, who's about to see his career explode. In a kind-of-related note, don't be shocked to see JJ Abrams cast Cumberbatch in Star Wars: Episode VII. George Clooney is a producer on August: Osage County, so along with Gravity and Monuments Men, he has a hand in at least three films on this list.

The Butler
No release date yet
IMDB synopsis: A White House butler served eight American Presidents over the course of three decades.

I wanted to call The Butler Lee Daniels' follow-up to Precious, but he unfortunately directed The Paperboy between the two films. In addition to having a cast full of actors with Oscar history like Forest Whitaker, Robin Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Cuba Gooding Jr., Melissa Leo and Terrence Howard, The Butler was written by Danny Strong, the man behind the acclaimed HBO adaption of Game Change.

Diana
No release date yet
IMDB synopsis: The last two years of Princess Diana's life: her campaign against land mines and her relationship with surgeon Dr Hasnat Khan.

Naomi Watts as Princess Diana. If Streep could win an Oscar for playing one of Great Britain's most famous prime ministers, Watts should be able to get Oscar buzz for playing one of the country's most famous royals.

Gravity
In theaters Oct. 4, 2013
IMDB synopsis: Astronauts attempt to return to earth after debris crashes into their space shuttle, leaving them drifting alone in space.

Yes, I'm keeping Gravity on this list for 2013. Director Alfonso Cuaron is one of cinema's bests, but he has never received a Best Director nomination. If you've seen Children of Men, you know that this is a huge mistake. With Sandra Bullock and Clooney aboard, Gravity should finally lift off in 2013.

The Great Gatsby
In theaters May 10, 2013
IMDB synopsis: Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.

Like Gravity, The Great Gatsby remains on the list for this year. Baz Luhrmann's adaption of the classic American novel is on shakier ground, though, after the film was moved from prime Oscar calendar territory to the beginning of the summer movie session. I can't ignore a cast that features Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, though.

Malavita
In theaters Oct. 18, 2013
IMDB synopsis: The Manzoni family, a notorious mafia clan, is relocated to Normandy, France under the witness protection program, where fitting in soon becomes challenging as their old habits die hard.

I love the fact that Robert De Niro has returned to making real movies. Who knows how much of his career was wasted on those absurd Meet the Parents movies.

Monuments Men
In theaters Dec. 18
IMDB synopsis: In a race against time, a crew of art historians and museum curators unite to recover renown works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them.

Clooney again, but this time he's joined by Daniel Craig, Cate Blanchett, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Matt Damon and Juan Dujardin. Oh, and Clooney directs too. Amazingly, these three films aren't even the actor/director/producer's full body of work for 2013, as he's starring in Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof's mysterious Tomorrowland too.

Saving Mr. Banks
In theaters Dec. 20, 2013
IMDB synopsis: Author P.L. Travers travels from London to Hollywood as Walt Disney Pictures adapts her novel Mary Poppins for the big screen.

Tom Hanks as Walt Disney. If Daniel Day-Lewis wins the Oscar for Best Actor this weekend, Hanks will find himself out of the tie for the most Best Actor Oscars. Could Saving Mr. Banks be his chance to quickly match Day-Lewis' total?

Twelve Years a Slave
No release date yet
IMDB synopsis: A man living in New York during the mid-1800s is kidnapped and sold into slavery in the deep south.

While we saw plenty of Michael Fassbender in Shame, I think we only saw the beginning of what the actor and director Steve McQueen could do together. (I almost said "tip" instead of "beginning," but then I realized that would be an awkward pun.) Twelve Years a Slave also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti and ... oh ... Cumberbatch ... again.

The Wolf of Wall Street
No release date yet
IMDB synopsis: A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration.

Will 2013 be the year when DiCaprio finally wins Best Actor or will The Wolf of Wall Street and The Great Gatsby dilute his Oscar support, just as The Departed and Blood Diamond did in 2006? This will be the fifth collaboration between DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese.