Best Picture

Will Win/Should Win: “The King’s Speech”

By everything that is good and holy, “The King’s Speech” will go home with the Oscar. Logistically, it just makes sense: “King’s Speech” garnered 12 Academy nominations, putting them in the lead for most nominations this year. Of course, quantity does not make quality, but “King’s Speech” has that covered too. This film was barely known before the Oscar season began, but critics praised its visual style, art direction and acting, among other things. Lead actor Colin Firth and supporting actor Geoffrey Rush played off of each other perfectly, creating a historic drama that applies not just to the Brits but to everyone. From start to finish, “King’s Speech” draws its audience in and doesn’t let them go until the final word is said, making it the perfect and appropriate winner for the Academy’s most coveted award.

Dark Horse: “The Social Network”

The buzz word of the past seven years has been “Facebook,” so it’s only natural that Hollywood make a movie about it. What caught everyone by surprise, though, was the intense drama that “Social Network” brought to the Facebook phenomenon. Mark Zuckerberg’s life had never seemed particularly difficult or exciting until “Social Network” hit the big screen, and critics agreed that the film brought a new dimension to the web site’s origins, despite some of the liberties it took. Not only that, but “Social Network” won Best Motion Picture – Drama at this year’s Golden Globes and won the most awards that night. In the end, however, “Social Network” does not have the chutzpah required for acting and visuals that “King’s Speech” has, thereby making it the Dark Horse of the category.