Recently, I gave you my early Oscar Best Picture picks. Here are my early thoughts on some other key categories:

BEST DIRECTOR

• Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
• Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
• David O. Russell, American Hustle
• Martin Scorsese, The Wolf of Wall Street
• Joel & Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis

(You will note I think the Coens squeak in, but still find myself unsure about the film as a Best Pic nominee.)

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Woody Allen, Blue Jasmine
• Bob Nelson, Nebraska
• Spike Jonze, Her
• Joel & Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
• David O. Russell and Eric Singer, American Hustle

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke & Richard Linklater, Before Midnight
• John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave
• Terence Winter, The Wolf of Wall Street
• Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope, Philomena
• Ghalia Lacroix and Abdellatif Kechiche, Blue Is The Warmest Color

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• Blackfish
• 20 Feet from Stardom
• Tim’s Vermeer
• Stories We Tell
• The Square

(I feel “The Act of Killing” will sadly be ignored.)