If you had told me a month ago that my Oscar predictions would look anything like this, I probably would have advised you to go do a little more research. “Argo” poised for the Best Picture win sans a Best Director nod? Unthinkable. Emmanuelle Riva and Naomi Watts as viable Best Actress contenders against youthful powerhouses like Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain? You’re pulling my leg.

Where everyone else spent most of last January debating which team would be victorious at Super Bowl XLVII, I was busy trying to predict which movies would win big at the 85th annual Academy Awards. In many respects, the Oscars feel like a sporting event as nominees tirelessly campaign to win and award analyzers place bets on which horse will cross the finish line.

A previous Oscar winner for her 2007 documentary short, “Freeheld,” director Cynthia Wade is back in the race this month for her new film, “Mondays at Racine.”

Unless you’re a movie critic or a die-hard aficionado, you probably haven’t seen all 9 of this year’s Oscar nominees for Best Picture. The good news is you still have time before the winners are announced, thanks to AMC Theatre’s Best Picture Showcase on Feb. 16 and 23.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — It's a few days before the Golden Globes, and the Beverly Hilton International Ballroom is having a little work done.

The Oscar season is customarily kicked off by the Academy President and a random star solemnly announcing the nominees in a drab ceremony. The Academy decided to shake up tradition this year however, in one of the most cheerful Oscar mornings we’ve ever had.

If you’re anything like me, you were up at 6 a.m. this morning hitting refresh on your browser, waiting for the Oscar nominations’ webcast to finally get started.

Complete list of 85th Annual Academy Award nominations announced today:

In the eight years I’ve taken on the regular duty of reviewing movies, 2012 just might have been the best.

There’s always that one person — whether an ignorant friend or snarky online commenter — who bemoans what a weak year it’s been for film. To those naysayers I reply, “Well, you just haven’t seen enough movies.”

‘Argo’

A movie about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis probably doesn't sound like it would be a laugh riot — or should be — but that's just one of the many ways in which "Argo" is a glorious, gripping surprise.

It’s an absolute marvel how Ben Affleck has managed to turn his career around in recent years. After being the laughingstock of the film community for a while, Affleck reestablished himself as a great talent through his directorial outings in “Gone Baby, Gone” and “The Town.” In “Argo,” Affleck not only proves that he’s a gifted filmmaker, but one of the most intelligent creative minds of this generation.

As more than 10,000 people flock to Harkins Shea 14 in Scottsdale this weekend for the Scottsdale Film Festival, founder Amy Ettinger will be breathing a well-deserved sigh of relief.

With fall thrust upon us, October looks like a promising month for some unforgettable cinema, with a pretty diverse yet impressive list of independent films on its roster.

The B-list rules Hollywood’s fall and holiday movie season: Bond, Bella and Bilbo.