Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the most talented directors of his generation and one that always creates buzz surrounding his projects. This year, Warner Bros. is releasing the hotly anticipated "Inherent Vice," and there is a lot of Oscar buzz around it. However, the question that most pundits want to know is if it will actually deliver Oscar glory.

After the world premiere screening at the New York Film Festival, it's hard to tell where this will fall with the Academy. Anderson has never really struck a chord with the organization, as only one of his films has ever been nominated for Best Picture, and he has only been nominated for Best Director once. All these nominations happened for his 2007 period film "There Will Be Blood."

Of his other six films, "The Master" received three nominations for his actors Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams, and "Magnolia" received three nominations for Screenwriting, Best Supporting Actor for Tom Cruise and Best Song.

"Boogie Nights" was also nominated for three, for Best Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Burt Reynolds and Best Supporting Actress for Julianne Moore. Neither "Punch-Drunk Love" nor "Hard Eight" were nominated for Oscars.

"Inherent Vice" will certainly be an interesting proposition from Warner Bros., as it seems the film will be the studio's big Oscar contender. However, the reaction by many critics has been extremely mixed with many not knowing what exactly to think of it.

"Inherent Vice" doesn't follow a clear narrative, which can be tricky for the Academy that likes formulaic and some simplistic narratives. Once in a while the organization will go against the grain and choose something edgy as it did in 2011 when it nominated "The Tree of Life" or last year when it gave "12 Years a Slave" Best Picture.

Warner Bros. has been nominated in the Best Picture race every single year since 2009, and last year it had two in the category. The studio has not had any big hits this year that could be possible Oscar contenders, and of the remaining films coming out, only "American Sniper" could have a chance. However, Clint Eastwood, who directed "Sniper," has been a miss with his last five films.

With "Inherent Vice's" tricky tone and difficult narrative structure, this could be a hard sell for Best Picture.

Anderson will also have a hard time in the Best Director category especially since there are a lot of great directors with more Oscar friendly potential. The only way that Anderson will enter this category is if he gets resoundingly successful reviews and if the critics circles support the film.

The movie could also have a hard time with the Best Actor category. Joaquin Phoenix is phenomenal in the film and gives an outstanding performance that ranks among his best. However, the category is already competitive. Additionally Phoenix's commentary about the Academy two years ago will likely continue to resonate. As a result, it will be interesting to see if the art trumps Phoenix's enigmatic persona. Additionally, if his performance generates a lot of buzz in the early awards, there could be a possibility.

The supporting actor category could potentially get Josh Brolin his second nomination as he has a number of scene stealing moments, but other than that the rest of the male cast is made up of a number of cameos.

The same happens with the female actresses. Only Katherine Waterston has a big enough role to merit a nomination. Her role is very complex, and her portrayal is masterful. While she is not well known in Hollywood, this role could be her big break out.

The screenplay category is more likely, especially since Anderson has adapted Thomas Pynchon for the first time ever. This achievement alone merits a nomination, especially since the author is known for his complex novels that are difficult to adapt for film. Even though Anderson's unhinged narrative will be tricky to follow, the lack of competition in this category could make Anderson a shoe-in.

The technical categories could also be tricky. When it comes to costume design and art direction, the Academy goes for extremely lavish productions and rarely for films with more subtle approaches. "The Master" arguably had the best art direction of 2012 but was completely ignored in favor of more flashy productions. "Inherent Vice's" production design is very subtle, and the costumes barely showcase anything extravagance or glitziness.

The cinematography category seems a bit more plausible as Robert Elswit returned behind the lens for Anderson's film. He did not photograph "The Master" which was also ignored in the category. Elswit's work is beautiful, frenetic but at the same time extremely telling of the tone of film.

This category is also a difficult one and last year, the cinematography guild had a hard time narrowing it down to five and eventually chose seven nominees. When the Academy ultimately chose five, pundits couldn't help but question certain decisions and look at the biggest snubs in this category. Elswit could definitely be up for another nomination unless there are other films the Academy appreciates more.

The editing category could also be tricky especially since the movie is two and half hours, and there isn't really a lot of flashy cutting that Academy always goes for.

In terms of sound effects and mixing, it also does not have anything show stopping or incredibly bombastic that could elicit a nomination. Even the score, which was written by Johnny Greenwood, is most likely going to be left out. Greenwood arguably had better music for "The Master" and "There Will Be Blood," and both times he was ignored.

All in all, this film could have opportunities in multiple categories, but it will all be dependent on critics and how they react to the film. It will also be dependent on how well it does with awards circuit.

"Inherent Vice" will be released on Dec. 12 in limited release and will expand in January.