The 2014 Academy Awards occurred last month on Sunday, March 2 and the following is a short synopsis and review of each film that was nominated for the Best Picture Award.

12 Years A Slave
Following the true tale of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man who was stolen from Washington D.C and sold into slavery for 12 years in Louisiana in 1841, this film ruthlessly displays the trials of American slavery through the eyes of a slave.

Director Steve Mcqueen’s unflinching portrayal and electrifying realness made some viewers uncomfortable, as this authenticity makes relentless violence and visual brutality a necessity.

However, though the film is not an easy watch (nor should it be), Ejiofor and fellow castmates such as Lupita Nyong’o (winner of Best Supporting Actress for her role of Patsey), Michael Fassbender (nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role of Epps), and Benedict Cumberbatch (generating buzz for his role of Ford) captivate their audience in an unwavering dedication to the piece.

American Hustle
Set in the late 1970’s, this crime centered comedy-drama directed by David O. Russell loosely follows the basis of the FBI ABSCAM operation.

Christian Bale plays con artist Irving Rosenfeld who, with the help of his partner and lover Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams), is forced to undertake an elaborate undercover operation on corrupt politicians and mafia members after being caught by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper).

Jennifer Lawrence adds flair and comedy to the piece as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, Irving (Christian)’s wife.

The film does a fantastic job of incorporating realistic drama and suspense with 70’s style and humor, all intermingled with costume designer Michael Wilkinson’s uniquely modern take on wardrobe.

Captain Phillips
Directed by Paul Greengrass, the thriller depicts the true story of Captain Richard Phillips, whose US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama was the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years, done so by Somali pirates in 2009.

Tom Hanks took on the role of the Captain himself, while Minnesota-born Barkhad Abdi was cast as pirate Muse in his first-ever acting role, even earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Dallas Buyers Club
Capturing the grotesque physicalities of the AIDS epidemic, DBC, directed by Jean Marc Vallée, follows the partially true story of Ron Woodruff, a homophobic cowboy with AIDS who smuggles medication to fellow sufferers with the help of the transgender Rayon, creating the “Dallas Buyers Club.”

Woodruff is played by Matthew McConaughey, who lost over 30 pounds for the role that escalated him past his romantic comedy barriers and is assisted by Jared Leto (Rayon). The men took home the Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor; something that has not been done for a film since 2003.

The film claims to be “inspired by real events”, yet it has been known that Woodruff was not truly a homophobe and was bisexual, negating many points of the film.

Gravity
Medical engineer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) are left stranded and adrift in space after a cloud of debris hits their shuttle during a routine spacewalk.

Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity is a cinematic masterpiece and special effect ingenuity, winning the film seven Oscars, including that of Best Directing.

Her
Set in 2025, Her was written and directed by Spike Jonze and stars Joaquin Phoenix as Theodore Twombly, a recently divorced writer who finds an odd, inspiring, and innovative relationship with the artificial intelligence, Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), in his new operating system.

Nebraska
Filmed in black and white and directed by Alexander Payne, the plot centers around alcoholic Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) and his estranged son David Grant (Will Forte) as the prior drags the latter on a trip from Montana to Nebraska in order to claim a million dollar sweepstakes prize he believes he has won.

The film is impressive for both its leading men, as it made Dern (78) one of the oldest actors nominated for an Oscar and escalated Forte’s career past his comedic typecast.

However, the men were not the only highlights of the film, as June Squibb added comedy and warmth to the piece in her role of Woody’s wife, Kate.

Philomena
Another nominee based on a true story, this poignant drama directed by Steven Frears addressed the tale of Philomena Lee, an uninformed teen who found herself pregnant in 1952 and sent to a convent to give birth to her son, who, due to her strong Catholic faith, she gives up the right to see after adoption.

Fast forward half a century and she (played by Judi Dench, nominated for Best Actress) is confronted by former BBC reporter Martin Sixsmith (Steve Coogan) who takes her on a wild ride tinged with dry humor in a quest to find her lost son Anthony.

The Wolf of Wall Street
Filled with outlandish visuals and obscenities, TWWS is definitely not appropriate for all ages.

However, the performance by Leonardo Dicaprio of Jordan Belfort, a New York stockbroker who runs fraudulent firm Stratton Oakmont and experiences extreme wealth and turbulence makes the film worth seeing.

Jonah Hill as Belfort’s business partner Donnie Azoff adds a sense of idiotic charm that keeps the audience on his toes.

Although each of the aforementioned films deserve immeasurable praise, not all are appropriate for all ages.

Both 12 Years a Slave and Dallas Buyers Club have physical horrors that make the films hard to watch for any individual, but especially those of younger audiences.

Each film also had its moments of profanity, so a viewer should be aware of this. However, Wolf of Wall Street went above and beyond, using the f-word 506 times. Her also has points of sexual language, so they are both movies that students should definitely consider well before viewing.

As for my personal opinion, 12 Years a Slave absolutely deserved its spot as the winner of Best Picture. It was simultaneously cinematically beautiful and horrifying while maintaining a truthful approach that contained some of the best acting in Hollywood seen in years.

Each of the nine films were drastically different and yet similar in their portrayals of past and future, and each deserve a viewing, whether in theaters or in the comfort of one’s own home.