Best Actor: Colin Firth
The decision for best actor will probably come down to a race between Colin Firth for The King's Speech and James Franco for 127 Hours. Both films, although extremely different, portray the true stories of men who had to struggle in order to overcome something that is holding them back. For Franco's character, Aron Ralston, the obstacle is a huge boulder crushing his arm and he must sever his arm to save himself. For Firth's character, King George VI, his kingship demands that he quell a debilitating stammer that has plagued him his entire life. Both Franco and Firth give riveting performances.
The Oscar will likely go to Firth for the depth and humanity he brings to a historical royal figure and his ability to stammer convincingly. Part of what makes Franco's performance such a captivating one is the fact that he is alone for the majority of the film. However, the absence of any other significant characters is also the films downfall; there is only so much a solo performance can achieve. Firth has fantastic interactions with character, interactions that, in part, make his performance more Oscar worthy than Franco's. 127 Hours has a narrower scope than The King's Speech, dealing mainly with an individuals internal conflict and struggle against nature while The King's Speech has a much wider scope, dealing with the epic deeds of a accidental king who ends up galvanizing a nation on the brink of war while overcoming his stammer and befriending a man who changes his life forever.
Best Picture: The King's Speech
The epic nature of The King's Speech is why the film will most likely take home the Oscar for best picture. It is an almost perfectly executed film with fantastic dialogue, great character development, superb acting, and a wonderful set that transports the audience back to the late 1930's. Being based on historical events during the onset of World War II, a time that fundamentally changed the collective consciousness forever, certainly helps make The King's Speech the logical choice for best picture.
Best Supporting Actor: Geoffery Rush
Although Christian Bale won the Golden Globe for his role as Dicky Eklund in The Fighter and he may deserve the Oscar for the his accurate depiction of an actual person, Geoffry Rush will probably take home the Oscar simply because the film he stars in is a far superior film. Although The Fighter is a good movie, its predictability and it's leading role being overshadowed by the acting of Bale and Melissa Leo made the expected ending anticlimactic because the film is more about their characters then Mark Wahlberg's. The King's Speech, however, demands more emotional investment from the audience. All the actors give equally great performances, the ending is more powerful and satisfying, and all the plots and subplots are intertwined beautifully.
Best Actress: Natalie Portman
This year there is no other performance quite like Natalie Portman's in Black Swan. Not only did she have to train in order to convincingly play a ballerina, she had to embody two diametrically opposite sides of the same character and then represent the gradual transformation from a technically precise dancer and naive mama girls to an unrestrained dancer and seductress while constantly blurring the lines between what is fantasy and reality. She deserves two Oscars.
Best Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo or Helena Bonham Carter
Melissa Leo definitely deserves the Oscar for her role as the domineering mother and manager of Micky Ward in The Fighter. Her character is simultaneously loathsome and lovable. But if previous Academy Awards are any indication of how this years will play out, The King's Speech may end up taking home most of the Oscars, meaning Helena Bonham Carter may win for best supporting actress even though Leo deserves it.
Best Director: Tom Hooper for The King's Speech
Although Darren Aronofsky should probably take home the best director Oscar for Black Swan, the award will probably go to Tom Hooper for The King's Speech. Both films are certainly two of the best films of 2010, along with The Social Network, but The King's Speech will mostly likely steal the show and the best picture Oscar for all the reasons listed above.
Best Picture: The King's Speech
There is some fierce competition for the best picture Oscar and with ten films to choose from, the final decision will not be an easy task. If there were a top three, it would come down to Black Swan, The King's Speech, and The Social Network. If there were a best animated film, Toy Story 3 would win hands down. The King's Speech will likely take home the honor of best picture but a three way tie would be the fairest decision.
Shayne Woodsmith - Shayne Woodsmith has been writing fiction and non-fiction since 2001. His work has appeared in “carte blanche” and ...
