Here are the must-see movies that are going to win Oscars in 2017

In the running:

"Arrival"
"Doctor Strange"
"Captain America: Civil War"
"The Jungle Book"
"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: When it comes to visual effects this year, there wasn't any movie in which the effects brought the movie to a higher level more than Marvel's "Doctor Strange."

In the running:

"13th"
"The Eagle Huntress"
"Gleason"
"I Am Not Your Negro"
"Life, Animated"
"O.J.: Made In America"
"Weiner"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: Ezra Edelman's "O.J.: Made in America" is a true treasure. Hopefully the Academy feels the same way.

In the running:

Roger Deakins, "Hail, Caesar!"
Greig Fraser, "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"
Stephane Fontaine, "Jackie"
James Laxton, "Moonlight"
Rodrigo Prieto, "Silence"
Linus Sandgren, "La La Land"
Bradford Young, "Arrival"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: You can honestly give the Oscar to anyone here. But with the beautiful coastal shots and intense scenes done with great skill, it has to go to Rodrigo Prieto for "Silence" — for now.

In the running:

"Finding Dory"
"Kubo and the Two Strings"
"Moana"
"Sausage Party"
"Zootopia"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: "Zootopia" is really great the more you watch it. The field is strong this year, but this should take the win.

In the running:

Jay Cocks, "Silence"
Luke Davies, "Lion"
Tom Ford, "Nocturnal Animals"
Eric Heisserer, "Arrival"
Barry Jenkins, Tarell McCraney, "Moonlight"
August Wilson, "Fences"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: I was really big on "Lion," but the movie isn't driving the conversation many were hoping for. It might be DOA in the home stretch. So that's got me thinking more about Eric Heisserer's "Arrival," which is also very worthy of the prize.

In the running:

Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"
Efthymis Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos, "The Lobster"

Kenneth Lonergan, "Manchester by the Sea"
Mike Mills, "20th Century Women"

Noah Oppenheim, "Jackie"

Taylor Sheridan, "Hell or High Water"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: It's still Taylor Sheridan for "Hell or High Water." The script is the best of the year.

In the running:

Viola Davis, "Fences"
Great Gerwig, "20th Century Women"
Naomie Harris, "Moonlight"
Nicole Kidman, "Lion"
Michelle Williams, "Manchester By the Sea"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: The performance by Greta Gerwig is outstanding. This is another category that can go to any nominee, but for right now, I'm with Greta.

In the running:

Mahershala Ali, "Moonlight"
Jeff Bridges, "Hell or High Water"
Hugh Grant, "Florence Foster Jenkins"
Dev Patel, "Lion"
Michael Shannon, "Nocturnal Animals"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: I'm still feeling good about Jeff Bridges, but don't sleep on Mahershala Ali for his moving turn in "Moonlight."

In the running:

Amy Adams, "Arrival"
Annette Bening, "20th Century Women"
Taraji P. Henson, "Hidden Figures"
Isabelle Huppert, "Elle"
Ruth Negga, "Loving"
Natalie Portman, "Jackie"
Emma Stone, "La La Land"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: Now I'm feeling it's Emma Stone. Honestly, it'll move back and forth until Oscar night between Stone and Natalie Portman. Either one is worthy of winning.

In the running:

Casey Affleck, "Manchester by the Sea"
Andrew Garfield, "Hacksaw Ridge"
Ryan Gosling, "La La Land"
Tom Hanks, "Sully"
Denzel Washington, "Fences"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: Sorry to be a broken record, but there's no other way around it — Casey Affleck gives the best performance of the year, and all the talk in this category is around him.

In the running:

Damien Chazelle, "La La Land"
Garth Davis, "Lion"
Barry Jenkins, "Moonlight"
Kenneth Lonergan, "Manchester by the Sea"
Martin Scorsese, "Silence"
Denis Villeneuve, "Arrival"
Denzel Washington, "Fences"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: It's still Damien Chazelle for "La La Land." It's a strong field this year, but Chazelle is up to the task.

In the running:

"Arrival"
"Fences"
"Hell or High Water"
"Jackie"
"La La Land"
"Lion"
"Manchester by the Sea"
"Moonlight"

If the Oscars were handed out today, the winner would be: With some of the pedigree titles falling to the wayside like "Sully" and "Silence," it looks to be "La La Land" in the lead. With its box-office take rising, the whole US is starting to see why critics love this movie so much.