Oscar Predictions: Who Will Take Home the Statue Oscar Night?
Based on behind-the-scenes info, the current issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine picks the winners.
BEST PICTURE
The King’s Speech
Three factors favor the Weinstein Co. film over its only serious rival, Sony’s The Social Network:
Precedent: Speech scored wins at the PGA, DGA and SAG. True, it lost to Social at the Golden Globes, but the Globes are hardly a litmus test for the Oscars anymore.
Voters’ Ages: Academy members average out at 57, meaning they’re far more likely to identify with Speech’s middle-aged heroes than Social’s young cast.
The Voting System: In the Best Picture race, voters rank the 10 nominees in order of preference; if no movie gets more than 50 percent of first-place votes, the bottom vote-getters are eliminated and their votes transferred. So it’s important to be placed second and third on lots of ballots, rather than just be No. 1. Being widely liked counts more than being deeply loved. And a whole lot of voters really like Speech.
ACTOR
Colin Firth, The King’s Speech
A year after he lost to Jeff Bridges (Firth was up for A Single Man, Bridges for Crazy Heart), the two are in competition again. This time, Firth is a lock. He has scooped all the major awards so far, and there’s little chance he’ll lose when the Oscar envelope is opened. Among the other nominees, Javier Bardem is too dark in Biutiful, Jesse Eisenberg too young in Social and James Franco’s actions in 127 Hours just too plain gruesome.
ACTRESS
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Many insiders believe Annette Bening will win for The Kids Are All Right, thanks to the support of the Academy’s older voters. She’ll be helped by her place on the board of governors, respect for her body of work and sympathy for three previous losses. But other veterans have lost to fresher faces: Remember Marion Cotillard’s win over Julie Christie in 2008 and Juliette Binoche’s over Lauren Bacall in 1997? It’s a close race, but Portman has the showier role; that and the fact that she won the SAG Award get her the Oscar.
DIRECTOR
David Fincher, The Social Network
He lost at the DGA, but he’s our pick for the Oscars. Why? The DGA has a huge TV contingent; they respected Tom Hooper’s craftsmanship on Speech, but Fincher’s visual mastery means more with the Academy. Bad sign for Hooper: Even BAFTA opted for Fincher over his British rival.
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale, The Fighter
Play ugly, play period and play with an accent. Bale does all three in The Fighter. Add the fact that he’s won nearly every other award, except BAFTA, and he’s a lock. Speech’s Geoffrey Rush won in 1997 for a more memorable role in Shine, but that will work against him as the Academy rarely gives actors a second Oscar.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Did Leo’s weird, self-financed ads showing her in a fur coat by a pool ultimately hurt her? Maybe, but they were also rather touching. She might split votes with her Fighter colleague Amy Adams, and a Speech sweep could help Helena Bonham Carter, but Leo remains the favorite.
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Come on, who else stands a chance? When Sorkin won the WGA Award, even after badmouthing the guild at a recent Hollywood Reporter roundtable, it was clear he was unstoppable. Objections that all of his characters in the movie sound the same pale against the fact that he made a business story about a computer nerd into a hugely compelling psychodrama.
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Inception got the WGA nod, but Seidler wasn’t eligible for that award. Even though some believe Christopher Nolan will get a consolation prize after failing to earn a directing nomination, they’re wrong: Speech is a virtual lock here, helped by older voters who identify with Seidler’s age, 73, and his great backstory: Like his hero, the writer had a stutter as a youth.
Most Commented
-
Oscars Has Never Before Saluted Royals With A Best Picture Win
-
Oscars: Will the Loudest Actors Win?
-
What's Inside the Oscar Mind: David Fincher's 26 Favorite Films
-
James Franco = Mark Twain + Ashton Kutcher, Danny Boyle = William Castle
-
The Biggest Youthquake Since 1977 Hits the Oscars
-
Tom Sherak on Banksy Crashing Oscars: 'I'm Not Gonna Stand Up to Stop Him'
-
Oscar Insiders: Why the Academy Should Kill the Best Song Category
-
The Biggest Lies of the Oscar Contenders
-
Quentin Tarantino: Oscar Campaigner Extraordinaire
Weekend Box Office
Our Blogs
-
What's hot in the world of fanboy entertainment, from blockbuster films to the comic books that inspire them. Brought to you by Borys Kit.
-
Breaking TV show news, Nielsen ratings & analysis
-
Your complete film resource.
-
Entertainment law news and analysis by Matthew Belloni and Eriq Gardner
-
Frontline reports from the awards circuit-breaking news, instant analysis and fearless predictions.
-
American Idol 2011 - News, Polls and Reviews, results, voting and recaps
-
TV show reviews, recaps, and analysis by Tim Goodman, Chief Television Critic