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The 83rd annual Academy Awards will be taking place in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 27. Get the full list of the nominees here.
Best Picture
Should win: Inception
No other movie released last year had as much critical, box office and emotional impact. It's a complicated, richly layered sci-fi-mystery noir thriller jam-packed with ambition, ideas and DRAMA! It is also a popular choice amongst the ordinary movie-watching public – usually not a good predictor of the best movies out there, but in this case, the people are right.
Will win: The Social Network
It's really, really tough to call this year. The Social Network has won every critics' award going but has lost significant steam as The King's Speech cleaned up at the more venerable guild awards. It could go either way, but the Oscars may finally face up to, you know, the 21st century and award it to the Facebook saga. Although, expecting anything ground-breaking from the Academy is perhaps foolish. So The King's Speech it is! Groan.
Best Actor
Should and will win: Colin Firth – The King's Speech
He has this one in his back pocket. As the tempestuous monarch with a debilitating speech impediment, he is simply wonderful. Although James Franco is just as spell-binding in 127 Hours and carries the movie on his own.
Best Actress
Should and will win: Natalie Portman – Black Swan
Have you seen Black Swan? You'll know what I mean when I say that that was the bravest, most intense movie performance we've seen in ages.
Best Supporting Actor
Will and should win: Christian Bale – The Fighter
Each and every one of the supporting actor nominees are worthy of the honour, and short of a major upset from past-winner Geoffrey Rush, Bale's electric performance as drug-addicted former boxing champion Dicky Eklund is almost certain to clinch the Oscar. Also, incredibly, this is Bale's first ever Academy Award nomination. Can you believe that?
Best Supporting Actress
Should and will win: Hailee Steinfeld – True Grit
In truth, 14-year-old Steinfeld is the lead actress in True Grit (and what a lead!) so has the best chance to grab the Academy's attention. And her youth is certainly not counting against her. What has also helped Steinfeld to the front of the race is that her biggest competition, veteran Melissa Leo (as The Fighter's overbearing matriarch), was almost assured the win until she decided to release tacky campaign ads to the press that made her look desperate, and at worst, delusional.
Best Director
Should win:Christopher Nolan – Inception Danny Boyle – 127 Hours
Oh, how could I forget - Nolan wasn’t even nominated. Sigh. Danny Boyle did amazing things with a plot that took place in one, tight little space between some rocks. 127 Hours really is unmissable cinema.
Will win: David Fincher – The Social Network
Weird how Fincher's most straightforward effort is also his most lauded. Gone are the intricate visual tricks he employed on Fight Club and Se7en, and what we're left with is a simple but engrossing narrative. As the Directors' Guild Award winner, Tom Hooper is probably in a stronger position for The King's Speech, though if he wins, there will be a fair amount of fallout. It's not that the royal drama isn’t a wonderful, captivating movie, it's just so… expected.
Best Original Screenplay
Should win: Christopher Nolan – Inception
Will win: David Seidler – The King's Speech
It's clear that the Academy has a deep love for The King's Speech, just based on the movie's 12 nominations overall. It is also clear that the Academy either doesn’t appreciate Christopher Nolan, or just don’t want to. Inception is the most ambitious, most memorable nominee of them all and might just have to contend with wins in the technical categories (Best Sound Mixing, Visual Effects etc).
Best Adapted Screenplay
Should and will win: Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
It's a fair judge of the screenplay winner on how many times you've heard lines from the movie being quoted in random places. Did I adequately respond to your condescending question?
Best Animated Feature
Should and will win: Toy Story 3
To expect it to go anywhere else is madness. Toy Story 3 is also in the running for Best Picture. It has every reason to win that category as well, but, of course, won't.
Best Original Score
Should win: Hans Zimmer – Inception
Will win: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – The Social Network
Zimmer's score is stirring and in perfect symmetry with Inception's devastating beauty. Nine Inch Nails frontman Reznor and Ross' more progressive, electro-tinged work is equally stunning and perhaps the nearest sign that the Academy is looking to the future.
Best Original Song
Should win: A.R. Rahman, Rollo Armstrong, Dido ("If I Rise") – 127 Hours (Listen to the song here)
Will win: Randy Newman ("We Belong Together") – Toy Story 3 (Listen to the song here)
This one will be interesting as two previous winners go head to head.
Best Picture
Should win: Inception
No other movie released last year had as much critical, box office and emotional impact. It's a complicated, richly layered sci-fi-mystery noir thriller jam-packed with ambition, ideas and DRAMA! It is also a popular choice amongst the ordinary movie-watching public – usually not a good predictor of the best movies out there, but in this case, the people are right.
Will win: The Social Network
It's really, really tough to call this year. The Social Network has won every critics' award going but has lost significant steam as The King's Speech cleaned up at the more venerable guild awards. It could go either way, but the Oscars may finally face up to, you know, the 21st century and award it to the Facebook saga. Although, expecting anything ground-breaking from the Academy is perhaps foolish. So The King's Speech it is! Groan.
Best Actor
Should and will win: Colin Firth – The King's Speech
He has this one in his back pocket. As the tempestuous monarch with a debilitating speech impediment, he is simply wonderful. Although James Franco is just as spell-binding in 127 Hours and carries the movie on his own.
Best Actress
Should and will win: Natalie Portman – Black Swan
Have you seen Black Swan? You'll know what I mean when I say that that was the bravest, most intense movie performance we've seen in ages.
Best Supporting Actor
Will and should win: Christian Bale – The Fighter
Each and every one of the supporting actor nominees are worthy of the honour, and short of a major upset from past-winner Geoffrey Rush, Bale's electric performance as drug-addicted former boxing champion Dicky Eklund is almost certain to clinch the Oscar. Also, incredibly, this is Bale's first ever Academy Award nomination. Can you believe that?
Best Supporting Actress
Should and will win: Hailee Steinfeld – True Grit
In truth, 14-year-old Steinfeld is the lead actress in True Grit (and what a lead!) so has the best chance to grab the Academy's attention. And her youth is certainly not counting against her. What has also helped Steinfeld to the front of the race is that her biggest competition, veteran Melissa Leo (as The Fighter's overbearing matriarch), was almost assured the win until she decided to release tacky campaign ads to the press that made her look desperate, and at worst, delusional.
Best Director
Should win:
Oh, how could I forget - Nolan wasn’t even nominated. Sigh. Danny Boyle did amazing things with a plot that took place in one, tight little space between some rocks. 127 Hours really is unmissable cinema.
Will win: David Fincher – The Social Network
Weird how Fincher's most straightforward effort is also his most lauded. Gone are the intricate visual tricks he employed on Fight Club and Se7en, and what we're left with is a simple but engrossing narrative. As the Directors' Guild Award winner, Tom Hooper is probably in a stronger position for The King's Speech, though if he wins, there will be a fair amount of fallout. It's not that the royal drama isn’t a wonderful, captivating movie, it's just so… expected.
Best Original Screenplay
Should win: Christopher Nolan – Inception
Will win: David Seidler – The King's Speech
It's clear that the Academy has a deep love for The King's Speech, just based on the movie's 12 nominations overall. It is also clear that the Academy either doesn’t appreciate Christopher Nolan, or just don’t want to. Inception is the most ambitious, most memorable nominee of them all and might just have to contend with wins in the technical categories (Best Sound Mixing, Visual Effects etc).
Best Adapted Screenplay
Should and will win: Aaron Sorkin – The Social Network
It's a fair judge of the screenplay winner on how many times you've heard lines from the movie being quoted in random places. Did I adequately respond to your condescending question?
Best Animated Feature
Should and will win: Toy Story 3
To expect it to go anywhere else is madness. Toy Story 3 is also in the running for Best Picture. It has every reason to win that category as well, but, of course, won't.
Best Original Score
Should win: Hans Zimmer – Inception
Will win: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – The Social Network
Zimmer's score is stirring and in perfect symmetry with Inception's devastating beauty. Nine Inch Nails frontman Reznor and Ross' more progressive, electro-tinged work is equally stunning and perhaps the nearest sign that the Academy is looking to the future.
Best Original Song
Should win: A.R. Rahman, Rollo Armstrong, Dido ("If I Rise") – 127 Hours (Listen to the song here)
Will win: Randy Newman ("We Belong Together") – Toy Story 3 (Listen to the song here)
This one will be interesting as two previous winners go head to head.
