With just a few weeks to go the SU News Staff has decided to make its predictions for the 86th Academy Awards® (which will air live on ABC on Oscar Sunday, March 2, 2014), for the following categories:

• Best Motion Picture
• Best Original Screenplay
• Best Adapted Screenplay

So, first, what awards have been given out thus far and what does that data tell us?

Just over the weekend at the 67th annual British Academy of Film and Television Arts, the results were:

• Best Picture, GRAVITY
• Best Original Script, AMERICAN HUSTLE (Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell)
• Best Adapted Script, PHILOMENA (Steve Coogan, Jeff Pope)

Obviously, these results need to be weighted with the fact that it's a British award show.

Next, The Critic's Choice Awards went to:

• Best Picture, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
• Best Original Script, HER (Spike Jonze)
• Best Adapted Script, 12 YEARS A SLAVE (John Ridley)

The 71st Golden Globe Awards went to:

• Best Picture, 12 YEARS A SLAVE
• Best Script, HER (Spike Jonze) No adapted category.

The 66th Annual DGA Awards went to:

• Best Feature Film, GRAVITY (Alfonso Cuarón)

Finally, the WGA Awards went to:

• Best Original Script, HER (Spike Jonze)
• Best Adapted Script, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (Billy Ray)

So the Tally:

• Best Motion Picture: GRAVITY 2, 12 YEARS A SLAVE 2
• Best Original Screenplay: HER 2, AMERICAN HUSTLE 1
• Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 YEARS A SLAVE, CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, PHILOMENA 

So the data tells us it is anyone's race for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, but for Best Original Screenplay there is a decided winner!? Therefore, using some of the data, but also a little of our hearts and a tad of our minds, we are proud to offer:

SU's 2014 Oscar Predictions:

• Best Motion Picture: 12 YEARS A SLAVE
• Best Original Screenplay: HER
• Best Adapted Screenplay: 12 YEARS A SLAVE