Oscar buzz cola and predictions

Oscar season is upon us!  What is Oscar season you ask?  It refers to the last few months of a year in which movie studios release their best bets at winning awards.  They do this for many reasons, but the two main ones that I'm aware of are a) to get the good movies in before the deadline of January 1st and b) to release them later in the year to keep them fresh in voters' minds.  This is the reason why there is usually a major lull in good movies from January to May (right before the summer blockbusters) and from August to the end of October.  Some have argued that there have been some great movies that were released during these lull times, but I counter that these are the exception and not the rule.  Also, it is important to understand that these buzz-worthy films are most often not big money makers.  The studios are kind of split-personalities in this regard: they make their money from summer blockbusters, but will distribute artsy, Oscar-ish films in the hope that they get some praise.  

So, which films were released near the end of the year to help their Oscar consideration?  Here's my list, but feel free to add to it in the comments section if you feel I omitted any.  I also included what category(s) it will be considered for and bold the ones that I think it will win. 

• Argo (Best Picture, Best Actor-Ben Aflek, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay)
• Lincoln (Best Picture, Best Actor-Daniel Day Lewis, Best Director, Best Score, Cinematography)
• Zero Dark Thirty (Best Picture, Best Director)
• Les Miserables (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor -Hugh Jackman, Best Supporting Actress-Anne Hathaway)
• Life of Pi (Best Director, Best Picture, Best Score, Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay)

There are others that will rank consideration, but I don't think that any film not listed above will be a contender for one of the big awards.  There are several societies that have voted or will vote their picks.  Overwhelmingly Zero Dark Thirty has taken the Best Picture award from these societies (i.e. New York Film Critics, Boston Film Critics, etc.).  The most important of these votes that will indicate Best Picture is the Director's Guild Awards.  They have consistently chosen the Best Picture winner for a very long time, even when others have scoffed at their choice (i.e. The King's Speech beating The Social Network a few years ago).  

So, those are a few of my early predictions.  They might change, they might not.  And they DO NOT reflect my views of what I think SHOULD get it, but what I think WILL get it.  I haven't seen Zero Dark Thirty or Les Miserables, so I can't judge yet!