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Handicapping the Oscar Race C T V, W A R N E R B R O S . P I C T U R E S , I F C F I L M S 64 TV WEEK THE OSCARS Sunday, 5:30 p.m., CTV & ABC T he race is on! For the 87th time, the Academy Awards are handed out to the best achievements in film and this year the ceremony is hosted by multi-hyphenate Neil Patrick Harris. "I grew up watching the Oscars and was always in such awe of some of the greats who hosted the show," said Harris, who has already conquered hosting the Emmys and the Tonys. "To be asked to follow in the footsteps of Johnny Carson, Billy Crystal, Ellen DeGeneres and everyone else who had the great fortune of hosting is a bucket-list dream come true." Broadway vet Harris is not the only one expected to break into song during the show either — the most glamorous event of the year promises performances from John Legend and Common, Adam Levine, Tim McGraw, and Rita Ora. But the biggest question remains: What's the best movie of 2014? We take a look at the eight nominees for Best Picture. American Sniper Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Bradley Cooper, the biopic of the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history has become both a box-office hit and a divider of critics' opinions. The controversy surrounding the accuracy of the film, and what kind of toll violence truly takes on a man, may work in Sniper's favour, as it has been pegged as a serious contender for the trophy. Birdman One of the most inventive films of the year, Alejandro González Iñárritu's (illusion of a) one-take film depicts a washed-up movie star (Michael Keaton) who once played an iconic superhero, as he prepares to head up a Broadway play and reclaim past glory. If Birdman can't snag the big win, Keaton has an excellent chance of winning the Best Actor race. Boyhood The 12-year experiment from director Richard Linklater about one boy's (Ellar Coltrane) rocky journey through the titular life stage, along with his sister (Lorelei Linklater) and divorced parents (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke) is Which nominated fi lms are likely to take home the gold? We break down the competition at this year's Academy Awards eight nominees for Best Picture. American Sniper Boyhood