If you closed out 2014 still not sure which films society should collectively agree were the most important and worthwhile, fret not: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the eight films it has declared to be empirically the best of 2014. Here's the list; our full list of nominees can be found here. Fun facts to follow!

BEST PICTURE NOMINEES

American Sniper

Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood

Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

FUN FACT CORNER

• This is the first Best Picture nomination for Wes Anderson!
• This is the first Best Picture nomination for Richard Linklater!
• This is the third consecutive year that Bradley Cooper was both nominated and starred in a Best Picture nominated film!
• Every best picture nominee except for Selma features a caucasian male protagonist!
• This is the least diverse Academy Awards since 2012, and even worse if you count the horse in War Horse as a minority!
• The Oscars are only as important as you let them be!