This year’s Oscar season has officially arrived with the recent commercial success of exceptional films such as “The Social Network” and “Inception.” However, last year’s 82nd Academy Award ceremony proved that the momentum garnered from commercial success is only half of the battle with “The Hurt Locker’s” surprising win over the popular “Avatar.”

The historical awards ceremony presented the most profitable film of all time, honored the Academy’s first female recipient for Best Director and introduced a myriad of talented newcomers. As this year’s race commences, it’s nice to see some familiar faces returning for another shot at Oscar glory. Here are some early predictions of films, performers and filmmakers worthy of recognition.
— Laron Chapman/The Daily

Best Picture:

Best Picture is typically a tough category to call. Each year there is an inherent favorite that gradually loses steam as the final nominations are cast. Such was the case with the defeat of the tender, yet controversial “Brokeback Mountain” at the hands of “Crash” in 2005. In many respects, the focus in this category stimulates from a film’s artistic merit.

“Inception”: Christopher Nolan dazzled audiences with his gritty re-imagining of the Batman films. With “Inception,” Nolan has crafted his masterpiece, exercising his flair for elaborate storytelling, steady pacing and stunning special effects. Taking an intriguing premise about the physical intrusion of the subconscious, the film truly is the stuff dreams are made of.

“The Social Network”: David Fincher’s “The Social Network,” which chronicles the origins of Facebook, works efficiently as a brilliant character study and as a cautionary tale about the effects of power, loyalty and betrayal. Directed with meticulous clarity, skillful writing and brisk pacing, the film manages to fascinate even through the dark depths it explores.

“Winter’s Bone”: Shot in the blistering cold of Missouri’s Ozark woods, Debra Granik’s “Winter’s Bone” is a mesmerizing drama about a 17-year-old girl who goes to extraordinary lengths to protect her poverty stricken family. This deeply affecting film is as powerful as it is disturbing, showcasing a standout performance by newcomer Jennifer Lawrence and the underrated John Hawes.

“Never Let Me Go”: In what is probably the year’s most accomplished film, Mark Romanek directs Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightley playing students at a seemingly idyllic boarding school that withholds the disturbing truth of their existence. The film carries with it an emotional power that viewers will find difficult to shake.

Acting:

The acting categories are much easier to predict. Over the years, the recipients of the award have been the most favored. As long as the performers are not up against the beloved Meryl Streep, their odds are often pretty good. However, as with actress Halle Berry’s historical turn, the Academy occasionally departs from viewers’ expectations.

Carey Mulligan: After her stunning debut in last year’s “An Education,” Mulligan established herself as an actress of remarkable and depth and grace. Her work in “Never Let Me Go” more than surpasses her Oscar nominated performance. She’s an actress that pays attention to the nuances of expression and the thoughts and emotions articulated between the words and the pauses.

Annette Bening: Now here is an actress long overdue for an Oscar. Bening gave two outstanding performances this year, one as a mother longing to be reunited with her estranged daughter in “Mother and Child” and the other as a lesbian redefining the traditional family in “The Kids Are All Right.” Bening captures the heart of these women and reminds viewers of her incredible emotional range.

Andrew Garfield: After being under the radar for three years, Garfield has emerged as one of Hollywood’s best new talents with his intelligent and heartbreaking performances in “The Social Network” and “Never Let Me Go.” The restrained complexities his performances evoke prove he’s an actor of quiet conviction and sincerity.

Best Director:

Best Picture and Best Director operate on quite similar terms. It is common for the film awarded Best Picture to be equally beneficial for the prominent filmmaker. Some of the best films this year were made at the hands of some residual game players.

David Fincher: Fincher’s first gained considerable attention for his fiendishly clever “Seven” in the ’90s. Since then his iconic films have established him as one of Hollywood’s most reliable filmmakers. He is at the top of his form with “The Social Network,” demonstrating his rigorous efforts to depict the internal conflicts of his characters on a grand Hollywood scale. His swift pacing, covering several years of documentation, will leave audiences breathless.

Danny Boyle: Boyle’s spirited direction of 2009’s “Slumdog Millionaire” earned him his first Oscar. He returns this year with the gritty thriller “127 Hours” about a mountain climber that becomes trapped in a Utah canyon while hiking. Boyle again exercises his ability to shoot in the harshest of conditions, capturing the texture and the horror of the space his characters inhabit. His visceral visual style simmers with realism.

Clint Eastwood: It is not difficult to pinpoint an Eastwood film. He is a master craftsman who knows how to build tension, develop every arc of his stories and bring out the emotional weight of every frame. Eastwood’s films are like rich wines that only get better with age. His latest supernatural feature, “Hereafter,” evokes the classic aesthetic his previous films modeled with a story that is consistently compelling, meditative and keenly observed.