This story first appeared in the Jan. 24 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Critics Choice Awards: January 16, Barker Hangar, Santa Monica

Founded in 1995, the Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics group in the U.S., representing more than 250 television, radio and online critics. And in recent years, its Critics' Choice Awards, which will be broadcast live on The CW, has proved to be a good barometer of which direction the awards season winds are blowing: Last year, the critics bestowed best picture honors on Argo and gave a big thumbs-up to that movie's director, Ben Affleck, both of which contributed to the growing momentum for the film that culminated on Oscar night. Will the Critics' Choice Awards this year be so prescient? It's hard to say, given a race that still doesn't favor one dominant frontrunner. 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle are the leading contenders here, with 13 nominations each, but Gravity, Her, Nebraska and The Wolf of Wall Street all have passionate constituencies.

PHOTOS: Critics Choice Movie Awards Arrivals

Picture: 12 YEARS A SLAVE

The movie has been well reviewed, is socially relevant and tied American Hustle for most nominations.

Actor: MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY, Dallas Buyers Club

Critics have cheered his career transformation and liked the movie enough to give it a best pic nom.

Supporting actor: JARED LETO, Dallas Buyers Club

He has won just about every critics group that has voted to date, so the die appears cast.

Director: ALFONSO CUARON, Gravity

A longtime critics' favorite, he oversaw the most ballsy production of the year.

Original screenplay: ERIC WARREN SINGER, DAVID O. RUSSELL, American Hustle

Don't count out Spike Jonze's Her, but the critics really liked this film and gave it multiple noms.

Adapted screenplay: TERENCE WINTER, The Wolf of Wall Street

The movie has been divisive, but the critics won't let it go home empty-handed.

Actress: CATE BLANCHETT, Blue Jasmine

This has been the critics' favorite performance of the year since it was unveiled this summer.

STORY: Screenwriters Choice Awards Nominees Include 'Blue Jasmine,' 'Her,' '12 Years a Slave'

Supporting actress: LUPITA NYONG'O, 12 Years a Slave

Critics championed this star-making performance long before the film even hit theaters.

Ensemble: AMERICAN HUSTLE

Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper received individual noms as well, so this is the perfect opportunity to reward them all as a group.

Animated feature: FROZEN

This charming musical love story, a big box-office hit, harkens back to Disney's glory days.

Young actor/actress: ADELE EXARCHOPOULOS, Blue Is the Warmest Color

Cinematography: EMMANUEL LUBEZKI, Gravity

Art direction: CATHERINE MARTIN, BEVERLEY DUNN, The Great Gatsby

Editing; ALFONSO CUARON, MARK SANGER, Gravity

Costume design: CATHERINE MARTIN, The Great Gatsby

VIDEO: 'The Great Gatsby' Stars on the Costumes and Fashion

Hair and makeup: AMERICAN HUSTLE

Visual effects: GRAVITY

Action movie: RUSH

Actor in an action movie: MARK WAHLBERG, Lone Survivor

Actress in an action movie: SANDRA BULLOCK, Gravity

Comedy: AMERICAN HUSTLE

Actor in a comedy: LEONARDO DICAPRIO, The Wolf of Wall Street

Actress in a comedy: AMY ADAMS, American Hustle

Sci-fi/horror movie: GRAVITY

Foreign-language film: BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR

Documentary: STORIES WE TELL

Song: "Let It Go," ROBERT LOPEZ, KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ, Frozen

Score: STEVEN PRICE, Gravity