The ToZ 2014 Oscar 'Hopes'

The final ballots for the 86th Oscars were submitted yesterday at 5pm PST. I did all I could do to promote my favorite performances and films in a desperate, but completely failed attempt to sway voters. So now that this awards season is almost over, I can now post my Oscar Hopes.

I am poor at this prediction business because I truly follow my heart and gut. I ignore stats, and frontrunner talk, and in all honesty, I think it's more fun (for me at least) and good karma, to post my ballot as I would like (aka, hope) to see transpire on Oscar night. After participating in discussions exclusively at Awards Daily in the past two months about this upcoming event, I sense what's going to happen, but I prefer my ideas, of course. While quite a few of my selections are in line with common predictions, there are a handful of Oscar winner picks that may be based on grand delusions or crazy wishful thinking. But you know what... all nominees are valid nominees in the running and anything can happen. Anything!

So without further adieu, here are my 2014 Oscar Hopes -

Best Picture:
12 Years a Slave

Directing:
Steve McQueen - 12YAS
(alt. Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity)

Production Design:
The Great Gatsby

Actor in a Leading Role:
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street

Actor in a Supporting Role:
Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave

Actress in a Leading Role:
Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Actress in a Supporting Role:
Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave

Animated Feature Film:
Frozen

Cinematography:
Gravity

Costume Design:
The Great Gatsby

Documentary Feature:
The Act of Killing

Film Editing:
Gravity

Foreign Language Film:
The Hunt - Denmark

Makeup and Hairstyling:
Dallas Buyers Club

Original Score:
Gravity

Original Song:
Let it Go - Frozen
(alt. The Moon Song - Her)

Sound Editing:
Gravity

Sound Mixing:
Gravity

Visual Effects:
Gravity

Adapted Screenplay:
John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave

Original Screenplay:
Her