As I pointed out in the intro to the “Top 10 Movies of 2012” piece two weeks ago, 2012 was a particularly strong year for film. Week after week, audiences witnessed quality work in theaters, whether large or small, comedic or dramatic, action-packed or quiet and contemplative. As a result, the 2013 Oscar race has been much more interesting than in years past.

Whereas 2011’s tribute to silent films, “The Artist,” was an early lock for Best Picture, the buzz for this year’s Best Picture race has been shifting back and forth between several entries, each one radically different from the other. The award could easily go to an historical drama about one of the country’s greatest presidents, a Ben Affleck-directed thriller, a dramedy about a man suffering from bipolar disorder or a film based on one of the most popular musicals of all time.

The 85th annual Academy Awards are set to take place this Sunday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. on ABC, which means it’s about time I lock in my predictions for each category. Here are the outlooks for each of the major awards, with my picks for who deserves the award* (designated by Should Win) and my guess for who will ultimately win (designated by Will Win).

*I have not seen some of the films nominated in these categories (“Amour,” “The Impossible,” “The Sessions,” etc.).

Best Animated Film: Despite a boost in quality in 2012, animation still seemed stuck in a rut. Films like “ParaNorman,” “Brave” and “Wreck-It Ralph” had great concepts, but merely okay execution. “Brave” was especially disappointing. After a major misstep with “Cars 2,” it seemed as if “Brave” would put Pixar back on the map as the king of animation. Instead, it served as further proof that Pixar had finally decided to step down from the throne. With all that in mind, “Wreck-It Ralph,” a fun flick that doesn’t quite live up to its promise, is the strongest nominee to be found here. “Brave,” however, has won both the BAFTA and Golden Globe for Best Animated Film, and I see the trend continuing here.

Should Win: “Wreck-It Ralph”

Will Win: “Brave”

Screenplay (Original/Adapted): Both screenplay awards have come down to a two-horse race. For Original Screenplay, Quentin Tarantino (“Django Unchained”) and Mark Boal (“Zero Dark Thirty”) are dueling it out. While I would love to see Tarantino take the award just for writing some of the year’s best dialogue, Boal will win thanks to an incredible script that pays close attention to detail (not to mention the impressive move of re-writing the entire film after bin Laden’s death). For Adapted Screenplay, it comes down to Chris Terrio for “Argo” or Tony Kushner for “Lincoln.” Once again, I think Kushner deserves it for his amazing dialogue, but Terrio’s gripping, fast-paced script will take it.

Should Win: Quentin Tarantino, “Django Unchained” (Original); Tony Kushner, “Lincoln” (Adapted)

Will Win: Mark Boal, “Zero Dark Thirty” (Original); Chris Terrio, “Argo” (Adapted)

Best Supporting Actress: Anne Hathaway is a lock for her brief role as Fantine in “Les Misérables,” and while her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” is the film’s highlight, Amy Adams delivers a small, but haunting performance in “The Master.” Her presence grows more and more unsettling with each appearance, and for that, I would love to see Adams pull an upset.

Should Win: Amy Adams, “The Master”

Will Win: Anne Hathaway, “Les Misérables”

Best Supporting Actor: Every year, there’s one category that’s nearly impossible to predict. As it just so happens, that role belongs to Supporting Actor this time around (odd, considering the winners of recent Supporting Actor Oscars have all been easy locks). Right now, four of five actors are vying for the award (Alan Arkin, nominated for “Argo,” can take the night off), and each has won the award before. At the moment, Christoph Waltz appears to have the slight edge, though Tommy Lee Jones is strongest here, delivering an atypically understated performance as Thaddeus Stevens in “Lincoln.”

Should Win: Tommy Lee Jones, “Lincoln”

Will Win: Christoph Waltz, “Django Unchained”

Best Actress: Another two-horse race, in this case between Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”) and Jennifer Lawrence (“Silver Linings Playbook”). Lawrence will win for a nuanced performance as a mentally unstable widow who befriends the lead character, though Chastain should win for her emotionally-charged portrayal of the CIA agent determined to take down bin Laden.

Should Win: Jessica Chastain, “Zero Dark Thirty”

Will Win: Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings Playbook”

Best Actor: There’s not much to say here. Daniel Day-Lewis was a lock for Best Actor the moment he was cast in Spielberg’s “Lincoln.” His is the best performance of the entire year and he’ll claim the award without any problem.

Should Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”

Will Win: Daniel Day-Lewis, “Lincoln”

Best Director: As many now know, the Academy somehow failed to nominate the two most deserving contenders in this category: Kathryn Bigelow (“Zero Dark Thirty”) and Ben Affleck (“Argo”). The fact that Affleck has swept most of the the major directing awards makes the already terrible decision look even worse. Unfortunately, they have no way of making any last-minute changes to nominees, so Spielberg will likely win for “Lincoln.” As for who should win, Ang Lee always has a new trick up his sleeve; his “Life of Pi” is visually stunning and engaging from start to finish.

Should Win: Ang Lee, “Life of Pi”

Will Win: Steven Spielberg, “Lincoln”

Best Picture: Sadly, the most deserving nominees in this category (“Django Unchained,” “Life of Pi,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Beasts of the Southern Wild”) are the least likely to win. “Lincoln” was an early favorite, but thanks to its multiple Best Picture wins in other awards ceremonies (including the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs), “Argo” has taken the lead. That being said, if “Argo” wins, it will only be the fourth film in history to win Best Picture without a nomination for its director, a stat that has kept “Lincoln” in the race. Meanwhile, “Silver Linings Playbook” might take advantage of its strong word-of-mouth and swoop in while “Lincoln” and “Argo” fight it out. And as much as it pains me to say it, “Les Misérables” could pull a major upset. “Argo,” however, seems positioned to take home the award. In addition to its multiple wins, it’s a major crowd-pleaser: an exciting, often funny underdog story. It doesn’t hurt that the story of its director is itself an underdog tale: a seemingly washed-up actor defies the odds and re-emerges as one of the great directors of the early century. When he’s denied what many believes he deserves (a nomination for Best Director), he sticks it to the man, winning every other major directing award. The Academy, feeling guilty, decides to give him something even better: the Oscar for Best Picture. Cue a series of sports finale cliches, and we’re done here.

Should Win: “Django Unchained” or “Life of Pi”

Will Win: “Argo”