I have to admit that, when I first looked at the just-released Phoenix Film Critics Nominations for 2014, I got really excited.  I saw The LEGO Movie listed among the nominees for best picture and I thought to myself, “Oh my God!  Could The LEGO Movie be set to be the fourth animated film to score a best picture nomination from the Academy!?”

Seriously, my inner movie trivia lover was so excited!

Then, of course, I remembered that critical recognition doesn’t necessarily translate into Oscar nominations.  And I was forced to admit that The LEGO Movie probably will not be nominated for best picture, though it definitely remains a front runner for best animated feature.

But, for a few moments there, I was truly an excited Oscar watcher.

Anyway, here are the Phoenix Film Critics Nominations!

(h/t to Awards Circuit)

BEST PICTURE/ TOP TEN FILMS OF 2014

• A Most Violent Year
• Birdman
• Boyhood
• Gone Girl
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Imitation Game
• The Lego Movie
• The Theory of Everything
• Whiplash

BEST DIRECTOR

• Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
• David Fincher, Gone Girl
• Alejandro G. Inarritu, Birdman
• Richard Linklater, Boyhood

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Bradley Cooper, American Sniper
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Imitation Game
• Brendon Gleeson, Calvary
• Tommy Lee Jones, The Homesman
• Michael Keaton, Birdman
• Eddie Redmayne, The Theory of Everything

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

• Amy Adams, Big Eyes
• Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything
• Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
• Hilary Swank, The Homesman
• Reese Witherspoon, Wild

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Ethan Hawke, Boyhood
• Logan Lerman, Fury
• Edward Norton, Birdman
• Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher
• J. K. Simmons, Whiplash

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Patricia Arquette, Boyhood
• Jessica Chastain, A Most Violent Year
• Carrie Coon, Gone Girl
• Keira Knightley, The Imitation Game
• Emma Stone, Birdman

BEST ENSMEBLE ACTING

• Birdman
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Into the Woods

BEST SCREENPLAY WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR THE SCREEN

• A Most Violent Year
• Birdman
• Boyhood
• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Whiplash

BEST SCREENPLAY ADAPTED FROM ANOTHER MEDIUM

• American Sniper
• Gone Girl
• The Imitation Game
• The Theory of Everything
• Wild

BEST LIVE ACTION FAMILY FILM

• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• Into the Woods
• Maleficent
• Muppets Most Wanted

BEST ANIMATED FILM

• Big Hero 6
• The Boxtrolls
• The Lego Movie
• How to Train Your Dragon 2

OVERLOOKED FILM OF THE YEAR

• Calvary
• Edge of Tomorrow
• Obvious Child
• The Skeleton Twins
• Snowpiercer

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

• Force Majeure
• IDA
• Mood Indigo
• The Raid 2

BEST DOCUMENTARY

• Citizenfour
• Glen Campbell: I’ll Be Me
• Jodorowsky’s Dune
• Life Itself
• Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon

BEST ORIGINAL SONG

• Everything is Awesome, The Lego Movie
• Immortals, Big Hero 6
• Lost Stars, Begin Again
• Miracles, Unbroken

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

• Birdman
• Gone Girl
• The Imitation Game
• Interstellar
• The Theory of Everything

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

• A Most Violent Year
• Birdman
• Interstellar
• Into the Woods
• The Theory of Everything
• Unbroken

BEST FILM EDITING

• Birdman
• Boyhood
• Gone Girl
• Interstellar
• Into the Woods

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• The Imitation Game
• Interstellar
• Snowpiercer

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• The Grand Budapest Hotel
• Inherent Vice
• Into the Woods
• Maleficent
• The Theory of Everything

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Edge of Tomorrow
• Guardians of the Galaxy
• The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
• Interstellar

BEST STUNTS

• Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
• Edge of Tomorrow
• John Wick
• Need for Speed
• The Raid 2

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE ON CAMERA

• Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
• Rosamund Pike, Gone Girl
• Jenny Slate, Obvious Child

BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE BEHIND THE CAMERA

• Damien Chazelle, Whiplash
• Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler
• Gillian Robespierre, Obvious Child
• Jon Stewart, Rosewater

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH – MALE

• Ellar Coltrane, Boyhood
• Daniel Huttlestone, Into the Woods
• Jaeden Lieberber, St. Vincent
• Ed Oxenbould, Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• Tony Revolori, The Grand Budapest Hotel

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUTH – FEMALE

• Lilla Crawford, Into the Woods
• Mackenzie Foy, Interstellar
• Sterling Jerins, And So It Goes