In pictures: Oscar best picture contenders
- Published
12 Years a Slave, from British director Steve McQueen, recounts the true story of a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. Solomon Northup is played by British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor (right), who has been Oscar-nominated for his performance alongside co-stars Michael Fassbender (left) and Lupita Nyong'o (centre).
American Hustle is a crime caper set in the 1970s in which a con artist and his glamorous, wily girlfriend are forced to work on a job for the FBI. Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams (pictured) are in the running for acting Oscars, as are co-stars Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper.
Captain Phillips stars Tom Hanks in the titular role as a seafarer who is taken hostage by Somali pirates. The film centres on the stand-off between Phillips and the Somali ring leader. Hanks was passed over for a best actor nomination, though co-star Barkhad Abdi was shortlisted for best supporting actor.
Dallas Buyers Club is the story of a fast-living rodeo cowboy (Matthew McConaughey) given weeks to live in the 1980s after an HIV diagnosis. He subsequently goes to great lengths to find treatment and makes an ally in transsexual Rayon (Jared Leto, pictured). Both actors have secured nominations for their performances.
-(2).gif.webp)
Gravity is about two astronauts facing calamity in outer space. It features a host of special effects created in London, qualifying it as a British feature. It is largely a two-hander between Hollywood megastars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney.
Set in Los Angeles in the near future, Her is about a man who writes love letters for a living (Joaquin Phoenix, right) and falls for his female-voiced computer operating system. Co-star Amy Adams, seen here, also appears in another best film contender, American Hustle.
Nebraska is shot in black and white and tells of a father and son who take a road trip on the trail of a dubious lottery win. Bruce Dern (left) is up for best actor for his performance, 35 years on from his last Oscar nomination for Coming Home.
Philomena tells the true story of a woman who is looking for the son she was forced to give up as a teenager in Ireland. A tragi-comic performance from Dame Judi Dench has landed her a best actress nomination, while producer Steve Coogan, who plays reporter Martin Sixsmith, is also nominated for best adapted screenplay.
Best actor nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (pictured) is the star of Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street. He plays Jordan Belfort, who thrives on the excesses that his career as a stockbroker affords. Scorsese and DiCaprio's co-star Jonah Hill also receive Oscar nominations.