Stars and reporters will line the red carpet Feb. 27 at the 83rd Academy Awards. With only a few days remaining until the statues are handed out, here are some picks and predications for the most interesting Oscar races.
Best Picture
Among the 10 movies to pick from, most would agree the battle lies between The Social Network and The King's Speech. Modernity or history, innovation or inspiration: Which will win? With The Social Network's fascinating tale of the betrayal and infamy behind the creation of Facebook - a topic Facebook's 600 million users can relate to - Network wins by a hair. My personal pick, however, is Black Swan. Although some may be turned off by this film's ominous nature and unconventional direction, Swan contained every element necessary to take me captive, and it has yet to let me go.
Actor in a Lead Role
In 1969, the legendary John Wayne won his only Oscar for his performance as Rooster Cogburn in the original True Grit. Can the Academy honestly deprive Jeff Bridges of the Oscar when he took on Cogburn in the True Grit remake and brilliantly outperformed Wayne? Well, it turns out they can. In fact, most critics favor Colin Firth, nominated for his role as stuttering monarch King George VI in The King's Speech. Although Firth is a virtual lock for this award, my personal pick has to be James Franco in 127 Hours. Franco was the movie. When the premise of a movie requires 99 percent of the film to be shot in a tiny grotto, impressive acting is a must, and Franco delivered.
Actress in a Lead Role
Natalie Portman delivers her most powerful performance ever in Black Swan, taking audiences into the twisted mind of ballerina Nina Sayers. She deftly sways between Nina's multiple personalities as easily as a swan swims. Without a doubt, Portman deserves the Oscar here. It's a shame her paltry romantic comedy No Strings Attached had to be released so soon after.
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale deserves to take home this one. To prepare for his part, he had to learn to box, lose enough weight to pass for a welterweight boxer (147 pounds maximum), act like a drug addict and mimic the unique style of ex-boxer Dicky Eklund. He did it perfectly. Geoffrey Rush deserves consideration for his role in The King's Speech, as well, but Bale wins this match, knock-out style.
Best Supporting Actress
In True Grit, Hailee Steinfeld took on her role with the perfect amount of sass and emotion. The problem is, she is not exactly a "supporting actress." She led the Coen Brothers' film even more than Jeff Bridges. Thus, it seems only appropriate to pick a true "supporting actress" to win this award. Melissa Leo of The Fighter should win this one. As the mother of Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and Dicky Eklund, Leo shines as a stubborn boxing manager and the orchestrator of relentless domestic turmoil.
Best Animated Feature
Toy Story 3. Seriously, what else could it be?
Best Directing
Out of the talented pool of nominated directors, Darren Aronofsky gets my vote for Black Swan. Known by critics and film connoisseurs for his original, unorthodox direction in films such as Requiem for a Dream and The Wrestler, Aronofsky has been deserving of this award for a decade.
Writing (adapted screenplay)
Aaron Sorkin's adaptation of Ben Mezrich's The Accidental Billionaires filled The Social Network with compelling intellect, capturing and delivering Mark Zuckerberg's unique personality to audiences. This one's a no-brainer.
Writing (original screenplay)
Christopher Nolan's screenplay for Inception was one of its strongest elements. His ability to bring audiences into a world of endlessly layered dreams drew in audiences, leaving everyone pondering in silence or passionately debating with their friends by the end of the film. Now that is the mark of a truly great screenplay.
Music (original score)
Trent Reznor's score was the perfect fit for The Social Network. The dark soundtrack seduces the audience into a moving and endlessly eerie tale of deception. If you don't remember the score or have not seen the film, check out opening track "Hand Covers Bruise" and you will understand.
Cinematography
With its innovative camera shots and penchant for the spectacular, Inception is the favorite to take home this statue.
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