Oscar Picks

The big event is finally here.

Fans around the world are debating who will win, millions will be wagered on the results and many, many bowls of snacks will be consumed.

No, I’m not talking about the Super Bowl. I’m talking about the 83rd Academy Awards, an event that continues to grow in popularity, followed by millions of fervent cinema fans.

From the announcement of the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award winners earlier this year to the opening of the Academy envelopes on Sunday, Feb. 27, movie fans follow the Oscar trail and try to predict who will win, who will lose and who will get robbed.

So, in the spirit of the awards, we will make some predictions of our own.

Best Picture

Nominees: “Black Swan,” “The Fighter,” “Inception,” “The Kids Are All Right,” “The King’s Speech,” “127 Hours,” “The Social Network,” “Toy Story 3,” “True Grit,” “Winter’s Bone”

Pick: Although “The Social Network” took the Golden Globe for “Best Motion Picture – Drama,” often an indicator for what will happen on Oscar night, I think “Black Swan” will ride the Natalie Portman buzz into the winner’s circle. Portman is the odds-on favorite for best actress, and “Black Swan” has all the elements of an Oscar winner: bold character arcs, deeply intense scenes, special effects and an Oscar-nominated star at the helm.

Notables: “Inception” could win for the same reason “Avatar” did in 2010 – it’s simply a new way of filmmaking. “The Fighter” is a tour de force for the cast, led by Christian Bale in a brilliant performance. “The King’s Speech” is smart filmmaking with Colin Firth as hot as any leading man these days, and “The Kid’s Are All Right” has both star power and a socially-conscious message. My nod still goes to “Black Swan.”

Actor in a Leading Role

Nominees: Javier Bardem, “Biutiful;” Jeff Bridges, “True Grit;” Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network;” Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech;” James Franco, “127 Hours”

Pick: Colin Firth appears to have the statuette firmly in hand. He is not only a well-loved veteran but also one of the top serious actors in Hollywood right now. Firth has all the buzz, is in a film nominated for “Best Picture” and has already won the Golden Globe. He’s the runaway winner in this category.

Notables: Others who could take home the little Oscar man are Jesse Eisenberg of “The Social Network,” who is also enjoying the buzz that comes with a nominated film, and James Franco, co-host of this year’s awards ceremony, who should get lots of attention (and, in my opinion, the award) for his brave portrayal of real-life adventurer Aron Ralston in “127 Hours.”

Actress in a Leading Role

Nominees: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right;” Nicole Kidman, “Rabbit Hole;” Jennifer Lawrence, “Winter’s Bone,” Natalie Portman, “Black Swan;” Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”

Pick: This award also will follow the “buzz theory,” and I believe Natalie Portman will take the prize. She isn’t only one of the busiest young ingénues going right now, with multiple releases encompassing comedy, drama and in-between, but she’s riding the hype and momentum of the Golden Globe awards. I think she wins this award, hands down.

Notables: While Portman has it locked up in my mind, the Academy Awards are always good for a surprise or two, and this category could certainly produce one. There’s plenty of star power here with Annette Bening and Nicole Kidman also up for the Oscar. Either could win, Bening for her comic-but-tender performance in “The Kids Are All Right,” and Kidman might be a sentimental favorite for taking on the most difficult role in films, that of a mother who loses a child in “Rabbit Hole.” Jennifer Lawrence gets deserved recognition for “Winter’s Bone,” but I don’t see her stealing the award from the veterans.

Actress in a Supporting Role

Nominees: Amy Adams, “The Fighter;” Helena Bonham Carter, “The King’s Speech;” Melissa Leo, “The Fighter;” Hailee Steinfeld, “True Grit;” Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”

Pick: The biggest surprises during the Academy Awards often come from the Supporting-Role categories because virtually every year, a lesser-known actor turns in an amazing performance. Couple that with a film that’s already receiving buzz and it can propel that actor to the winner’s podium. I believe that will happen in this category, and I see Melissa Leo receiving the Oscar for her incredible performance in “The Fighter.” She was so powerful and consistent as the white-trash mom of rough-and-tumble boys that I think it’ll be a landslide.

Notables: Leo’s stiffest competition may come from Amy Adams who played, ironically, Leo’s competition for her sons’ loyalty in “The Fighter.” Hailee Steinfeld, 14, deserves praise for “True Grit” as well, but we’ll hear from her again.