One of the biggest events on television is this Sunday- the 83rd annual Academy Awards airs on ABC at 8 p.m. This is the night every award show throughout the season leads up to. The Superbowl of award shows. The event, which will be hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco this year, is always a glamourous and lavish production, especially in the realm of fashion. Celebrities have to look good while telling each other how great they are.  

I have to say, this year was a particularly good year for film. Most of the time, many people have never even heard of, let alone seen, most of the films that receive nominations. That’s not the case this yeara. Some of the more popular films even have a local connection. Nominated films like “The Social Network” and “The Town” both took place in Massachusetts. “The Fighter” was even about, set and filmed in my hometown of Lowell.   

Now onto the nominations.  

Everyone knows that both winning at other award shows and winning the award in the past means that an actor or actress has better odds at winning on the big night. So, with award season information provided by tvguide.com, I’ve calculated the odds of who is probably going to win and who I think should win.

 
Lead Actor

Javier Bardem, “Biutiful”: Bardem has received the most snubs this season but won Best Actor at Cannes and the Spanish Oscars.  

Jeff Bridges, “True Grit”: Bridges has received some nominations but has yet to win.

Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network”: Eisenberg won prestigious awards form the National Board of Review and the National Society of Film Critics.

Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”: Firth has won more than 20 awards so far, including the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards.

James Franco, “127 Hours”: Franco has been nominated least and has only won critics awards.  

The Odds Say: Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”  I Say: Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network”. Eisenberg gave an amazingly convincing and compelling performance in “The Social Network”. He became Mark Zuckerberg.  

Lead Actress

Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”: Bening won the Golden Globe but missed at the SAGs, which many feel is most important for winning the Oscar.  

Nicole Kidman, “Rabbit Hole”: Kidman has received a bunch of critics nominations but no awards. However, she has won an Oscar in the past.

Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone”: Lawrence is the only other actress besides Annette Bening and Natalie Portman to win multiple awards this season.

Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”: Portman won the Golden Globe and the SAG award.

Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”: Williams received several nominations but did not win at the SAGs.  

The Odds Say: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan” I Say: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”. I think she truly deserves this award. “Black Swan” was one of the most talked about films this year, by critics and fans alike. And it’s practically a no-brainer that she is going home with the win.   

Supporting Actor

Christian Bale, “The Fighter”: Bale won at the Golden Globes and the SAGs.

John Hawkes, “Winter’s Bone”: Hawkes received some critics nominations as well as a nod at the SAGs, but wasn’t even nominated at the Golden Globes.

Jeremy Renner, “The Town”: Renner has received nods at all the big events, but has yet to win.

Mark Ruffalo, “The Kids Are All Right”: Ruffalo won the prestigious NY Film Critics Award earlier in the season.  

Geoffrey Rush, “The King’s Speech”: Rush has only won a handful of critics awards.  

The Odds Say: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”. I say: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”/Jeremy Renner, “The Town”. I am split between the two on this one because Christian Bale is the favorite and I am 100% behind “The Fighter” in support of my hometown, but Renner stole the show in “The Town”.   

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, “The Fighter”: Adams has been nominated for an Oscar three times and nominated for awards all season.

Helena Bonham Carter, “The King’s Speech”: Bonham has received a lot of nominations this season.

Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”: Leo won at the SAGs and the Golden Globes.

Hailee Steinfeld, “True Grit”: Steinfeld has won 10 critics awards this season.   

Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”: Weaver was snubbed at the SAGs.  

The Odds Say: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”. I say: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”. This is not just because I am from Lowell. For her performance in “The Fighter” Leo deserved the SAG, the Golden Globe, and now the Oscar.   

Tune into to see if I’m right or If someone beats the odds.