Published: 12:00 AM, Thu Mar 04, 2010
Who will win? Our annual Oscar predictions
The 82nd Annual Academy Awards ceremony will hit the airwaves Sunday at 8 p.m., featuring a few historical firsts.
For the first time, the show will feature dual (and quite possibly dueling) hosts. Actors Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will co-host the telecast.
For the first time in a long time - since 1943 - there are 10 films competing in the Best Picture category.
And, finally, for the first time since 2003, at least five of the nominated films grossed more than $100 million before their nomination.
But who will win? Who'll take home that golden little guy named Oscar? The Weekender Dream Team has made their picks, so get your office Oscar pool sheet ready!
Best Picture
The nominees: "Avatar," "The Blind Side," "District 9," "An Education," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "A Serious Man," "Up," "Up in the Air"
What should win:
"Up in the Air"
What will win:
"The Hurt Locker" (left)
Avatar is obviously the strong favorite, but I think voters are beginning to realize that story actually means something. Plus, the new voting system with 10 nominees appears to favor films like "The Hurt Locker." But "Up In the Air" did the best job of mixing every element of a great film this year - writing, directing, acting and visuals.
-Brandon Plotnick
Best Director
The nominees: James Cameron, "Avatar"; Kathryn Bigelow, "The Hurt Locker"; Quentin Tarantino, "Inglourious Basterds"; Lee Daniels, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"; Jason Reitman, "Up in the Air"
Who should win:
Quentin Tarantino
Who will win:
Kathryn Bigelow (above)
It's past time to honor Tarantino, who is still one of our most wildly creative directors 16 years after "Pulp Fiction." But Bigelow will probably win on the merits of her more serious and contemporary look at warfare.
-Rodger Mullen
Best Actor
The nominees: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"; George Clooney, "Up in the Air"; Colin Firth, "A Single Man"; Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"; Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker"
Who should win: Jeff Bridges
Who will win: Jeff Bridges (left)
The fifth time will be the charm for Bridges, who delivered a note-perfect portrayal of a down-on-his-luck country singer.
-Rodger Mullen
Best Actress
The nominees: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"; Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"; Carey Mulligan, "An Education"; Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious"; Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia"
Who should win: Gabourey Sidibe
Who will win: Sandra Bullock (left)
If you ever hear Sibide do an interview in her thoroughly middle-class, college-type voice, you will fully appreciate how she immerses herself in the role of an unloved, mumbly-mouthed girl from the projects. Plus, Precious, the character, represents an entirely unique kind of protagonist in Oscar history. But I feel like it's Bullock's year, and, with the other major awards locked up, there hardly seems a better opportunity for the Oscars to honor the people's favorite film for 2010.
-Myron B. Pitts
Best Supporting Actor
The nominees: Matt Damon, "Invictus"; Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"; Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"; Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"; Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds"
Who should win: Christoph Waltz
Who will win: Christoph Waltz (above)
Waltz's turn as a cruel and complex Nazi officer provides the tension that ties together the different threads of Tarantino's wild movie. The director has said he would not have made the movie without the right actor for that character. Plus, he's got one of those roles everyone is buzzing about.
-Myron B. Pitts
Best Supporting Actress
The nominees: Penélope Cruz, "Nine"; Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"; Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"; Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"; Mo'Nique, "Precious"
Who should win: Mo'Nique
Who will win: Mo'Nique (above)
If there's an Oscar lock this year, then Mo'Nique is it. She has picked up a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award, a Critics Choice Award, a London Critics Circle Film award, a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and ... oh the list goes on. If she doesn't win, there will be some serious head scratching.
-Brian Dukes
Best Original Screenplay
The nominees: "The Hurt Locker," written by Mark Boal; "Inglourious Basterds," written by Quentin Tarantino; "The Messenger," written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman; "A Serious Man," written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen; "Up," screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, and story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Who should win: "The Hurt Locker"
Who will win: "The Hurt Locker"
"Up In the Air" is a lock in the adapted screenplay category, so the only writing drama comes here. "Inglourious Basterds" makes a strong case, but it's not very often that you'd see the Best Picture winner not win the screenplay award when it has been nominated.
-Brandon Plotnick
The Academy Awards
Watch: The awards are Sunday at 8 p.m. on ABC.
Chat: Observer staff writers will be hosting a live chat during the ceremony at fayobserver.com.
Vote: Today is the last day to make your predictions in our annual Oscar contest. Find a ballot at fayobserver.com.
More coverage: Get ideas for hosting your own Oscar party in Sunday Life Magazine. Also see Monday Life, where we'll have stories on the winners, the ceremony and the fashion.
Rodger: Despite my reservations about an already too-long Oscar ceremony getting longer, I have to agree with expanding the Best Picture line-up. Most people would agree that there are more than five movies a year deserving of consideration. I just hope that in future years, the Academy picks 10 movies that actually deserve consideration.
Brian: From 1932 to 1943 there were 8 to 10 films nominated for Best Picture, and the world didn't end. The return to 10 nominations is representative of our times. Think about it. More films are being made than ever before, and by an increasingly more creative and diverse group of filmmakers. It's simple evolution, and, frankly, the Academy is way past due for some.
Brandon: I think the Academy was doing the right thing in trying to get more people interested. But the end result is really just a pool that seems watered down. There are five or six clear favorites (namely the five that also got best director nominations, plus maybe "An Education"), and the rest are just merely good films. My biggest complaint with the expansion comes with "Up," which was a fine Pixar film, but far from the studio's best work. For those who say it doesn't really hurt anything to have these extra nominees, keep in mind that the voting procedures also have changed for Best Picture. It's a whole new, complicated ballgame.
Myron: Perfectly solid but far-from-incredible pictures like "The Blind Side" and "District 9" owe their inclusion this year to "The Dark Knight" and "Wall-E." Last year's snub of these two untraditional yet well-made and wildly successful films shook up the academy and caused it to overreact with a bloated field. I predict we'll be back to five films before long.