Who Should Win an Oscar ...and Who Will

Expect a lot of love for 'The King's Speech'
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 25, 2011 1:44 PM CST
Oscars: Who Will Win at Academy Awards, and Who Should Win
In this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Colin Firth portrays King George VI in "The King's Speech."   (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Laurie Sparham)

It's Academy Awards weekend, so in anticipation of Sunday's ceremony, Claudia Puig offers up her choices for who should win—and who actually will win—in USA Today:

  • Best Picture: "Despite its superb performances, brilliant direction, sharp writing, and exquisitely complex, if not always likable, lead character," The Social Network will lose out to less-worthy contender The King's Speech—which brings audiences the "happy ending and clear-cut hero" they crave, writes Puig.
  • Best Director: Once again, The Social Network deserves a win because its "brilliant direction" is at the heart of its success as a film—but The King's Speech will probably grab this one as well.

  • Best Actor: Finally, a category that The King's Speech actually deserves to win. Colin Firth is "pitch-perfect" as stammering King George VI, and he'll take home the prize.
  • Best Actress: Based on most of the awards shows so far, we may as well hand this one to Natalie Portman for Black Swan. But Annette Bening, who made it "seem effortless" to portray her high-strung character in The Kids Are All Right, is the right choice.
Click for the complete list (or check out a Funny or Die video featuring Mike Tyson's Oscar picks.)

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