The Hollywood's award season is in full swing.
Oscar nominations will be announced Thursday. The Golden Globes ceremony is Sunday; the People's Choice Awards is next Wednesday; the Critic's Choice Awards is a week from Thursday, and the Screen Actors Guild Awards is in late January.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will announce Oscar nominations ahead of the annual Golden Globes ceremony so the results of the Globes won't influence which films are nominated.
Awards buzz surrounds several films. Critics are predicting the historical docu-drama "Lincoln," Iran hostage docu-drama "Argo," romantic dram-edy "Silver Linings Playbook," classic musical "Les Miserables," and docu-drama "Zero Dark Thirty" will receive Oscar nominations Thursday morning.
"Zero Dark Thirty," which is about the hunt for Osama bin Laden, has recently received negative publicity for torture scenes and an alleged use of classified sources. However, winning awards at the Golden Globes or any of the other upcoming ceremonies could help the film regain Academy Award momentum.
If "Lincoln" and "Argo" win awards early on, the two films could ultimately snag Oscars.
Blockbusters such as "The Avengers" should pick up the majority of People's Choice Awards, which are determined by the public's popular vote.
The Critic's Choice Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards have a significant influence on Oscar results.
"Lincoln" leads the pack in Critics Choice Awards with 13 nominations, while "Les Miserables" follows close behind with 11 nods.
"Lincoln" and "Les Miserables" are also at the top in Screen Actors Guild Award nominations and additionally tied with a third film, "Silver Linings Playbook." All three films have received four nominations from the Screen Actors Guild.