Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway each received nominations for their performances in "Les Miserables." (MCT Campus)The 2013 Academy Award Nominees were released today, and it's already clear which films made their mark on the silver screen.

Recent releases such as “Lincoln,” “Django Unchained” and “Les Miserables” all have taken a front seat to many of the awards, while other films such as “Silver Linings Playbook” gained nominations in multiple categories from Best Picture to Best Film Editing.

This year provided film aficionados with ample viewing possibilities, and the nomination list represents the variation in production.


“Les Miserables," based on Victor Hugo's novel, hit the mark with stunning performances by Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway — both nominees in this year’s awards. With their musical skills and acting expertise, the two are shoe-ins for wins. Jackman’s performance as Jean Valjean warrants the award for Best Actor, and Hathaway’s solo in “Les Miserables” puts her in front of the other nominees.

“Django Unchained” gained much recognition once it came out in theaters, and clearly Tarantino’s mad brilliance has succeeded once again. The film was nominated for five categories, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor and Best Original Screenplay.

Other films made minimal appearances on the list, but fans of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” will be pleased to see three nominations among the film greats. “Life of Pi” also took a place among film greats, with its nominations in Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects.

In the animated category, scary films such as “ParaNorman” and “Frankenweenie” took their place with “Brave” — the obvious winner among the more childish films.

Like every year, the Oscar nominations vary greatly and cross genres. But there are a few films that will bridge the gap between nominees and winners, and it’s clear which ones those are.

Still, there are a few films that viewers know will make the cut, and if “Les Miserables,” “Django Unchained” and “Silver Linings Playbook” miss out on the action, many fans and critics will be surprised because of their exceptional film production.