Oscar Preview: Contenders for Best Picture

By Uky Mendieta

Even in years when there is an unusual number of good films, nominating ten films for best picture may be a bit much. One one hand, the five extra slots allow for the nomination of films that may not have otherwise been nominated, such as Inception. On the other hand, Toy Story 3 does not belong there — and I am a huge Pixar fan. When you have to fill 10 slots, you can get desperate.

The best director nominations usually clue us in to what the members of the academy are looking for. With that in mind, the big contenders will likely be Black Swan, The King's Speech, The Social Network, The Fighter and True Grit. Inception and Winter's Bone could surprise us, but it's not likely. Despite solid performances, The Kids Are All Right and 127 Hours are minor works that, like Toy Story 3, may have been added to fill the extra slots.

Natalie Portman, who was nominated for best actress, and Mila Kunis turn Black Swan's dark, complex script into a sexual tour de force in which reality and hallucination coexist. Black Swan is an aesthetic proposition — from the actresses' sculpted bodies (they trained for six months) to the dazzling wardrobe to the hallucinogenic music — that gracefully dances to the climax, and reserves a twist for the final minutes. It's an example of an excellence in filmmaking in every way.

With Facebook's incredible success, it should be no surprise that The Social Network attracted such a large audience, but no one was prepared for the careful dissection of American capitalism the film delivers. The movie may not faithful to the whole story — for example, Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes is barely mentioned — but The Social Network is direct, witty and a real pleasure to watch.

The King's Speech is the another big contender. Director Tom Hooper honed his historical drama skills with Elizabeth I, featuring Helen Mirren, and the award-winning miniseries John Adams. So when his mother, who is Australian, brought him the script of a theater play about King George VI of Britain and his Australian speech therapist, he was enthralled. Casting Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter simply put everything in its proper place. And let's face it: If anyone looks the part of a king, it's Colin Firth.

Mark Wahlberg worked tirelessly for six years to make The Fighter. He immersed himself so much in the character of Massachusetts boxer Micky Ward, whose career was nearly destroyed by a crack addiction before he won the championship, that at a given point, the real Micky Ward (and his large Irish family) were practically living in Wahlberg's house. Until the emergence of The King's Speech, The Fighter looked like a real contender.

Although True Grit is a personal favorite, it isn't likely to win. First of all, the Cohen boys just got a couple of Oscars for a western. And second, all of the film's main actors — including The Dude — already possess Academy Awards, except for magnificent 14-year-old actress Hailee Steinfeld. Jeff Bridges plays an old alcoholic and sociopathic U.S. Marshal with a deep sense of honor and justice. How do you turn a psychopath (who killed about fifteen men) into the hero of the story? When the Cohen Brothers get together with Jeff Bridges, anything can happen. After all, these are the same people who turned cuddly John Goodman into a serial killer.

My prediction: The King's Speech is the safest bet, along with Black Swan and The Social Network. Hollywood produced an unusually high number of great films this year, so if you can, try to watch them all.

Who do you think should win the Oscar for best picture? Tell us in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Academy Award for Best Picture, Academy Awards, Black Swan, Cohen Brothers, Jeff Bridges, Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Oscars, The Fighter, The King's Speech, The Social Network, True Grit