Last year I managed to correctly predict all of the main 8 categories (Best film/ director/ actor/ actress/ supporting actor/ supporting actress/ director/ adapted screenplay/ original screenplay) and I didn’t commit it to anything like this so I have no record of my wonderful powers of prediction, I felt like that octopus at the last world cup. So I’m going to attempt to replicate the feat this year, presumably with much less success.

What better place to start than with the big one? Best Film. I’ve seen quite a few of the films on the list and for me, and pretty much everyone whose seen the film, theres pretty much only one winner, 12 Years a Slave. A truly wonderful film it manages to stand head and shoulder above any of the other films on this nominees list, even one of that quality. Surely even the Oscars can’t overlook 12 Years, and should dutifully reward it with victory in the best picture category.

As well as best film, I’m also expecting 12 Years a Slave to win the Best Adapted Screenplay award. Although the Academy might want to vary it, which could see a close fight between the Wolf of Wall Street and Captain Phillips, I’m rather hoping they don’t and 12 Years can take home another award.

Best Original Screenplay might be a bit harder to call with Blue Jasmine, Dallas Buyers Club and American Hustle all up for this. Personally I think American Hustle will just win this, although DBC will probably push it very very close. After having missed out on the Oscar in this category last year for Silver Linings Playbook I really do think that this will just be David O. Russell’s year.

The Best Director category has such wonderful talent in it, Martin Scorsese whose films are consistently up for awards, David O. Russell up for his third best director award in a row and Steve McQueen who is clearly one of the up and coming directors around with 12 Years following on from his success with Hunger and Shame. But for me, and I think probably for the Academy as well, it has to be Alfonso Cuarón for his work on Gravity. Anyone whose seen this will understand just how important his direction was in making this film the spectacle it is.

Best Actor is again jam packed full of talent. Despite the huge internet support for Leonardo DiCaprio to win an Oscar I still don’t think it’s his year, although he is excellent and really carries the Wolf of Wall Street with his performance. It’s really hard to call who they will go for between Matthew McConaughey and Chiwetel Ejiofor. In my mind it’s clear that they should go for Ejiofor, and I’m not just biased because of his appearance in Serenity, but since when did the Oscars go with what they should do? I am going to stick with Ejiofor though, just because I’m stubbornly determined for 12 Years to win as many awards as possible.

I believe that the Best Actress should go to Sandra Bullock for her role in Gravity, a sentence I never thought I’d utter as I never thought there’d be a Sandra Bullock film that I wanted to see. However I don’t think it will go to her. I also think that two of cinema’s more experienced actresses, Judi Dench and Meryl Streep will also miss out. Instead I think Cate Blanchett will win for Blue Jasmine. Now this one has really torn me. I’m don’t really think I want to see Woody Allen’s film winning anything in light of the recent accusations against him, but then again I do love Galadriel, sorry Cate, and clearly having just won the BAFTA she has to be the firm favourite.

Next is best supporting Actress, and I’m really sorry to Jennifer Lawrence, but as much as I love her, I have to back Lupita Nyong’o for this one. A revelation as slave Patsey in 12 Years a Slave, she has to be the stand out candidate in this field. Come on Lupita (Sorry again Jen).

Finally Best Supporting Actor, and I left this until last because for me this is the hardest category to call. Michael Fassbender would be the obvious suggestion given my huge support for 12 Years a Slave. Jared Leto puts in a great performance as a transgender woman in Dallas Buyers Club. Jonah Hill has continued to show people that, shock of all shocks, he can actually act with his second nomination following one for Moneyball. Barkhad Abdi, much like Lupita in the best supporting actress category has been a revelation in his first film. Bradley Cooper is also very good American Hustle. For me I’m gonna have to go with Barkhad, to put in such a great performance in your debut film should really be recognised, and I hope it will be.

I know I said that was finally but I’m also gonna throw in my favourites for the best animated film and foreign language film. For animated film it has to be Frozen, disney’s best film (not including Pixar) for about 20 years. Go and watch it. In the foreign language category it has to be the Hunt. Actually a film that cam out in 2012, it was released later in the US making eligible for this years Oscars. And I really hope it wins, I’ll watch anything with Mads Mikkelsen and all of you should too.

Anyway that’s my predictions. To be honest I’ve mostly gone with who I want to win. And here’s to hoping I can recreate my wonderful performance last year and get them all correct.