The New Year has arrived-and film fans around the world are now only just two weeks away from Oscar nominations.

Voting for the qualified films are now underway and here are the top contenders for Academy Award nods this year:

Guardians of the Galaxy

It's rare for science fiction, much less big screen comic book adaptations to make it on the Oscar roster, but Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy may just make the cut this year. Previous films in similar genres include Lord of the Rings, Avatar and District 9, which all earned their respective nominations.

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Big Eyes

Tim Burton's latest offering may have been a box office flop, but the director's Margaret Keane biopic about the evolution of feminism combined with his signature visual quirks, plus star power of an A-list cast such as Oscar nominee Amy Adams and winner Christoph Waltz may actually grab Oscar attention.

Inherent Vice

A 2014 comedy-drama caper directed by Paul Thomas Anderson is running strong  for this year's awards show. Featuring an ensemble cast of A-list actors, a strong technical backend and a story that has all the makings of a cult hit, it could be a shoo-in for a nod this year. 

Love is strange

Ira Sachs paints an endearing portrait of a couple, played by John Lithgow and Alfred Molina. The directors expertise in human storytelling retells the tale of a couple who was finally allowed to marry 39 years after being together. A festival favorite, it's likely to get at least a Best Original Screenplay nomination for its writers.

 Into the Woods

Christmas Day opener, Into the Woods joins the ranks of fantasy big screen hits for potential Oscar recognition. The film has garnered reasonably positive reviews, both from critics and audiences and has received numerous Golden Globe nods. It's likely that its star, Meryl Streep will earn her 19^th nomination for this film.

Wild

Reese Witherspoon's Wild received great responses when it was screened at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals and may just do well enough to pull several Oscar nods this year. Speculations are going with Best Picture, Director, Actress for Witherspoon and Supporting Actress for Laura Dern-possibly be more.

Interstellar

Christopher Nolan's sci-fi offering was wildly buzzed, a massive box office hit, received critical acclaim and audience appreciation. Is it enough to get on Oscar's radar? Maybe. While factors do contribute to the film being a success, it seems to fall short on previous Nolan helmed big screen creations.

Foxcatcher

Buzz surrounding this movie was great-Steve Carell's transformation contributed to it, Bennett Miller's expert direction, a nod for matinee idol actor Channing Tatum's turn as a serious actor. The film has earned a Golden Globe nod for Best Picture making an Academy Award nod more possible.

American Sniper

Bradley Cooper's American Sniper proved to polarize opinions for movie-goers and critics, but everyone seems to agree that this might be director Clint Eastwood's best work yet; which might lead to the film gaining a surprise nomination for the upcoming Academy Awards.

Unbroken

Angeleina Jolie's sophomore directorial effort, Unbroken, may be one of the worst-reviewed Best Picture nominees, if it does end up getting nominated. But with an A-list star at the helm of the film, it's likely that the film might get some recognition from the Academy.

Gone Girl

Gone Girl is arguably one of the best films of 2014, but it seems to draw polarizing opinions from members of the Academy. Nevertheless, the movie may get Oscar recognition if only for its impressive music.

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson's latest fantastical dreamscape climbs at the top of Oscar nominee hopefuls. A success at the Golden Globes with four nominations, it's not unlikely that this film will make it onto the list of this year's Oscar nominees.

The Theory of Everything

A shoo-in for the Academy Awards, if there ever was one. Blessed with an impressive performance from its star, the Stephen biopic is essentially, a lock for nominations from the Oscar award giving committee.

Selma

A drama of civil rights told through Ava DuVernay's biopic, the film is well acted and perfectly crafted. The movie has been questioned for historical accuracy however, but it has been cited as this year's most stirring film. 

TagsOscar nominations, 2015, Academy Awards