2013 Critics' Choice Nominations

The 18th Annual Critics' Choice Awards announced their nominations today. Although headlines all across the internet world will talk about how Steven Spielberg's Lincoln garnered a record-setting 13 nominations, allow me to clarify the gray area to this "achievement". In recent years (this one included), the Broadcast Film Critics Association has added more and more categories to the event, making Lincoln's 13 nominations a gaudy, yet somewhat less impressive, honor.

Following Lincoln with 11 nominations of its own was Tom Hooper's Christmas release Les Miserables, and rounding out the top three was David O. Russell's comedy Silver Linings Playbook (9 nominations). Here's a list of the finalists in the six major categories:

Best Picture

Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Miserables, Life of Pi,

Lincoln, The Master, Moonrise Kingdom, Silver Linings Playbook and Zero Dark Thirty

Best Director

Ben Affleck - Argo, Kathryn Bigelow - Zero Dark Thirty, Tom Hooper - Les Miserables, Ang Lee - Life of Pi, David O. Russell - Silver Linings Playbook and Steven Spielberg - Lincoln

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook, Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln, John Hawkes - The Sessions, Hugh Jackman - Les Miserables, Joaquin Phoenix - The Master and Denzel Washington - Flight

Best Actress

Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty, Marion Cotillard - Rust and Bone, Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook, Emmanuelle Riva - Amour, Quvenzhane Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild and Naomi Watts - The Impossible

Best Supporting Actor

Alan Arkin - Argo, Javier Bardem - Skyfall, Robert De Niro - Silver Linings Playbook, Philip Seymour Hoffman - The Master, Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln and Matthew McConaughey - Magic Mike

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams - The Master, Judi Dench - Skyfall, Ann Dowd - Compliance, Sally Field - Lincoln, Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables and Helen Hunt - The Sessions