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Oscar Predictions: The King’s Speech May Reign

The 83^rd Academy Awards, which will take place this Sunday, February 27 with first-time hosts Anne Hathaway and James Franco, will be a night dedicated to celebrating the art of great film, in which the best films for each of the 24 different competitive categories will hopefully be rightly honored.

This year’s nominated films for best motion picture are an interesting group, including everything from a stuttering King to a disturbed ballerina, with “The King’s Speech” leading the pack with 12 nominations, followed closely by “True Grit” with 10 nominations and then “The Social Network” with 8.

Photo courtesy of the Weinstein Company

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

It is fairly certain that Colin Firth of ‘The King’s Speech” will nab the award for Best Actor. Though John Wayne received an Oscar for his leading role in the original “True Grit,” it is unlikely that Jeff Bridges will pull through, especially since he won Best Actor for “Crazy Heart” just last year. Jesse Eisenberg was good in “The Social Network,” but the fact that his nomination was a bit of a surprise to most people makes me think he doesn’t stand a chance against Firth, a much more versatile actor who also didn’t have someone like Mark Zuckerberg around to help him out with his character portrayal. I’m assuming Javier Bardem was excellent as a man dying of cancer in the Spanish film “Biutiful,” but the Academy will most likely side with Firth, whom you see only as “Bertie” by the end of the film.

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Although I haven’t seen Michelle Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, or Nicole Kidman in their roles, I would be both surprised and disappointed if Natalie Portman did not win. Though Annette Bening’s performance was powerful in “The Kids Are All Right,” and I’ve heard Jennifer Lawrence was impressive in “Winter’s Bone,” Portman deserves the award for her acting and for all she did to prepare for the role.

Photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures/Everett Collection

BEST ACTOR AND ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

This one belongs to  Christian Bale, whose portrayal of Micky Ward’s brother as a crack-addicted, good-hearted, and lost man who helps coach his brother to boxing victory is startlingly memorable and dominates the whole film.  Actress in a Supporting Role is a tough one, specifically because two actresses from “The Fighter”—Amy Adams and Melissa Leo—are up for it, and because I would love Hailee Steinfeld from “True Grit” to win but I don’t think she will. I would say Leo will take the win for her performance as Micky Ward’s mother, but the Academy seems to have a certain affection for Adams, so the award may just go to Helena Bonham Carter for “The King’s Speech” instead, which she would certainly deserve.

Photo courtesy of Columbia Pictures

BEST PICTURE

The biggest award of the night, which 10 films are nominated for, will most likely be received by “The King’s Speech,” a film that seems as if it was practically made for the enjoyment of the Academy. Best Director, however, is another story. Though it is possible Tom Hooper could win for “The King’s Speech,” it would not be surprising if David Fincher of “The Social Network” swiped it, specifically based on all of the BAFTA and Golden Globe awards the film has already received. Fincher turned a very simple story into a compelling, relevant one; the film would have turned out very differently (and most likely not for the better), if he hadn’t directed it.

It seems that some great films will be left out in the acting categories, but are sure to sweep in some awards before the night is over. “True Grit” will most likely grab the award for Cinematography, and “Inception” should win for Best Art Direction, though, being a huge Harry Potter fan, I’m happy that “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 1” was at least recognized in this category. I also hope that “Inception” wins for Best Score, which is simple but extremely powerful, memorable, and contributory to the effect of the film as a whole.

Nothing is certain when it comes to the Academy, which means the ceremony is sure to be entertaining, so tune in on Sunday night on ABC at 8pm to see who wins.