The 84th Academy Awards ceremony will take place Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. It’s the equivalent of the NCAA Tournament for the film industry. And like March Madness, fans and critics like to fill in their predictions before the main attraction. It’s a tradition that’s become more commonplace these days. This year’s Oscars feature 24 categories. Here’s a preview of the six most popular categories that will headline the show.
Best Picture
“The Artist”
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“The Help”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”
“The Tree of Life”
Who should win: “The Artist.” The silent film impressed a lot of people with its style and a cast that worked perfectly together.
Who will win: “The Artist.” It will be difficult for the Academy to overlook Michel Hazanavicious’ masterpiece.
Best Actor
Demian Bichir, “A Better Life”
George Clooney, “The Descendants”
Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”
Gary Oldman, “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”
Brad Pitt, “Moneyball”
Who should win: Jean Dujardin. The lead actor of “The Artist” put on a powerful performance that few thought was possible considering the fact that Dujardin did not have a speaking role.
Who will win: Jean Dujardin. At this point, momentum will swing to Dujardin’s favor as the Academy falls in love with “The Artist.”
Best Actress
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn”
Who should win: Rooney Mara. Playing Lisbeth Salander, Mara is brutal and captivating in her role in the “Dragon Tattoo.” The Academy likes actors who take on transformative roles and Mara did exactly that.
Who will win: Viola Davis. “The Help” appears to be a trendy pick at this year’s Oscars as the movie surprised a lot of people by appearing on multiple categories. Davis is just one of the many cast members of the film who shined.
Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte, “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners”
Max Von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
Who should win: Nick Nolte. The veteran actor performed well in his role of a drunken and troubled father of two MMA fighters battling it out in the ring.
Who will win: Christopher Plummer. He plays a father who has come out of the closet at age 75 in a drama which has captivated a lot of critics.
Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids”
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”
Who should win: Berenice Bejo. Again, like Dujardin, Bejo doesn’t have a speaking role. She complements Dujardin perfectly on the screen.
Who will win: Berenice Bejo. Nobody deserves this award more than Bejo. Octavia Spencer and Jessica Chastain from “The Help” are dark horses in this category.
Best Director
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris”
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Who should win: Woody Allen. It’s truly a sight to see a legend such as Allen direct such a visionary film as “Midnight in Paris.” It’s classic Allen in every single way. The film might be one of his best in an extensive filmography.
Who will win: Michel Hazanavicius. The French director has created a once-in-a-lifetime film that’s as rare as it is engaging. Although silent, “The Artist” will make serious noise at this month’s award ceremony.
This feature was written by Jacob Tarr. To look up a full list of the nominees, point your browser to oscar.go.com/nominees.
