Who’s going to scoop the big prizes at this year’s Oscars? The voters’ ballots are all in and the accountants are currently doing the counting. Will James Cameron’s Avatar leave the other contenders feeling blue? Or will Kathryn Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker blow everyone away?
With only a handful of days remaining before Sunday night’s ceremony, we're going to predict the night’s big winners, sorting out the dead certs and the close calls … and revealing the films and stars who would win if we had our way.
Best film
Avatar District 9 An Education The Hurt Locker Inglourious Basterds Precious A Serious Man Up in the Air The Blind Side Up
This year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has expanded its shortlist of Best Film nominees to a 10-strong field – but for weeks it’s been clear that the contest is a two-horse race – Avatar versus The Hurt Locker; James Cameron’s 3D blockbuster against his former wife Kathryn Bigelow’s low-budget Iraq war action movie; the Battle of the Exes.
Which one is going to win? Both have nine nominations apiece. And both have won major pre-Oscar awards. Cameron’s Avatar ruled at the Golden Globes, but after her Bafta triumph, Bigelow and The Hurt Locker appear to have winning momentum behind them.
That momentum may be enough to propel The Hurt Locker over the finishing line on Sunday. The banning of Locker producer Nicolas Chartier from Sunday’s ceremony for campaigning openly against Avatar has come too late to make a difference. Bigelow’s film is the front-runner… but I reckon Hollywood will look at the bottom line and give the Best Film Oscar to the game-changing, history-making Dances With Smurfs, sorry, Avatar - the highest-grossing film of all time and the movie that has proved 3D can be a spectacular success.
Will win: Avatar Should win: The Hurt Locker
Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker James Cameron - Avatar Lee Daniels - Precious, Jason Reitman - Up in the Air Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
This is where Bigelow will win the Battle of the Exes and become the first-ever female winner of the Best Director Oscar – and she’ll do so for a movie belonging to a traditionally male genre: a full-on, kick-ass, testosterone-fuelled action movie.
Will win: Kathryn BigelowShould win: Kathryn Bigelow
Best Actor
Morgan Freeman - Invictus Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart George Clooney - Up in the Air Colin Firth - A Single Man Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker
Five times an Oscar nominee, Jeff Bridges will finally bag that Academy Award on Sunday. And he’ll thoroughly deserve it: he’s wonderful as Crazy Heart’s washed-up, whisky-soaked country music star. That said, it’s a shame that Colin Firth, after his very fine performance in A Single Man, will go home empty handed.
Will win: Jeff Bridges Should win: Colin Firth
Best Actress
Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side Helen Mirren - The Last Station Gabourey Sidibe - Precious Carey Mulligan - An Education
Splitting their acting awards between drama and comedy, the Golden Globes handed out one gong apiece to Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep earlier this year. Which one will win on Sunday? Well, as much as I found Meryl a hoot in Julie & Julia, this one has Sandy’s name on it.
Bullock’s force-of-nature performance in the uplifting The Blind Side gives the Oscar voters a chance to reward a much-loved star. We love her for her comic roles, of course, but her more serious turn here will go down well with an Academy that takes drama more, er, seriously than comedy.
As for me, I’d love to see the Oscar go to the radiant Carey Mulligan for An Education.
Will win: Sandra Bullock Should win: Carey Mulligan
Best Supporting Actor
Christoph Waltz - Inglourious Basterds Christopher Plummer - The Last Station Matt Damon - Invictus Stanley Tucci - The Lovely Bones Woody Harrelson - The Messenger
Christoph Waltz’s cunning SS colonel stole Inglourious Basterds from under the nose of Brad Pitt & co and he’ll waltz off with an Oscar too for a performance that oozed suavity, wit and menace – in four different languages. I’m sure he’ll stick to English, though for his acceptance speech.
Will win: Christoph Waltz Should win: Christoph Waltz
Best Supporting Actress
Mo'Nique - Precious Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air Penélope Cruz - Nine Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
Vera, Penélope, Anna, Maggie: don’t bother preparing an acceptance speech. Not even just in case. This one is going to Mo’Nique.
Will win: Mo'NiqueShould win: Mo'Nique
