by Dani Norton
Staff writer
Hollywood’s biggest names will gather for the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 26. Veteran funny man, Billy Crystal, is hosting the event for the ninth time, and his emcee expertise is surely a welcome shift from last year’s subpar telecast, which was filled with long pauses and nervous laughter. But we can forgive Anne Hathaway and James Franco because they’re cute.
This year’s Oscars are overflowing with talent, including a few dark horses that may or may not deserve the recognition they’ve garnered from the Academy. I’m looking at you, Jonah Hill.
Because it would take up too much precious space to offer predictions for each of the 24 categories represented, and also because I have no clue what constitutes Oscar-worthy achievement in sound editing, let’s just focus on the big three: Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Picture.
The critics’ choice for Best Actress this time around seems to be Viola Davis for her role in “The Help.” I would have to agree.
In 2009, Davis was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for 11 minutes of screen time in “Doubt.” Her performance in “The Help” was just as spectacular.
Meryl Streep is likely the only other nominee capable of taking this one away from Davis. Streep has received her eighteenth Oscar nomination for “The Irony Lady.” She has been nominated for an Academy Award more times than any other actor and has won twice.
Honorable mention must be given to Glenn Close for “Albert Nobbs.” She plays the title role, and if you’ve ever thought to yourself, “She is a handsome lady,” you will not be surprised to know she plays a very convincing man.
The Best Actor category is more cut and dried. The rightful winner is Jean Dujardin of “The Artist.” He was virtually unknown in Hollywood until this film, but he certainly picked the right break-out role. “The Artist” is nominated for 10 Oscars, and it may very well make a clean sweep.
In a sane and just world, Gary Oldman would be the only threat for his performance in “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” The stark reality is that Brad Pitt may be able to come out on top for “Moneyball.”
Finally, we have Best Picture. There are nine nominees this year, including the animated Martin Scorsese flick “Hugo,” which is leading the pack with 11 nominations total. However, my bet is on “The Artist.”
The fact that “The Artist” is a black and white silent film made it just novel enough to gain the attention of audiences worldwide. Otherwise, it may have gone underappreciated. It’s a beautifully crafted film and totally deserving of Best Picture.
“The Help” is the only other nominee that could stand a chance. It was a favorite among many critics and saw more theater releases than most of the other picks. While it was certainly a great movie, it was not nearly as poignant as “The Artist.”
This year’s categories are full of tough competition, so it will be interesting to see how the Academy votes. To catch the broadcast, tune in to ABC on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.