A look at the contenders

All of Hollywood is bracing for it’s biggest night of the year, the annual Academy Awards presentation, set for Sunday night.

Though it feels like different groups have been handing out awards since mid-December — and they have — the real prize, a coveted Oscar, will be up for grabs Sunday night. And it will be a different experience this year — with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin playing host and a Best Picture race that’s ballooned to 10 entries. Below, I’ve done my best to guess who will take home the golden statue in the key categories.

Best Actor

This is a loaded race, full of solid performances. Colin Firth, Jeremy Renner and Morgan Freeman all gave performances that could be winners in most years. But this trophy likely belongs to Jeff Bridges for his exemplary work as Bad Blake in “Crazy Heart.” Bridges has dominated the awards leading up to the Academy Awards and is a good bet to do the same Sunday. Though Bridges’ work was strong, the best performance might actually belong to George Clooney, who was incredible as the lead in “Up In the Air.” Clooney would be my pick, but the Academy will likely go with Bridges.

Best Actress

Another strong field. Newcomers Carey Mulligan and Gabourey Sidibe will likely have to settle for the honor of being nominated. The same goes for past winner Helen Mirren, who was nominated for a film that few have seen, “The Last Station.” The battle likely comes down to Meryl Streep, the most nominated actress in history, and Sandra Bullock, who turned in a powerful performance in “The Blind Side.” Look for Bullock to grab the trophy here.

Best Supporting Actor

This award belongs to Christoph Waltz. His work as S.S. Col. Hans Landa in “Inglorious Basterds” was phenomenal. The other four contenders — Woody Harelson, Christopher Plummer, Stanley Tucci and Matt Damon — all turned in some good performances but none was as strong and memorable as that of Waltz.

Best Supporting Actress

No category feels like more of a lock than Mo’Nique being honored for her work in “Precious.” Though Mo’Nique’s work was powerful — as was her character — there were a number of strong performances turned in both actresses in this category. The one that stands out most for me is the work of Anna Kendrick in “Up In the Air.” Kendrick took a part that could easily have been cliché and did something unique with it. The award will most likely belong to Mo’Nique, but for me Kendrick turned in the strongest work.

Best Original Screenplay

This could come down to a showdown between Quentin Tarantino’s script for “Inglorious Basterds” and Mark Boal’s work on “The Hurt Locker.” “The Hurt Locker” is riding a critical wave, which could sweep it over the top in this category. However the best script in the competition was Tarantino’s, and he should walk away with the trophy Sunday night.

Best Adapted Screenplay

There are a couple strong contenders here, but none compares to the work of Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner on “Up In the Air.” Anyone who’s read the book knows how much Reitman and Turner added to and changed the original story to craft a moving, compelling film. The award should go to the “Up In the Air” scribes.

Best Director

This award figures to come down to a battle between James Cameron, the architect of “Avatar,” and Kathryn Bigelow, who delivered the indie gem “The Hurt Locker.” While both put a great deal of passion and talent into the project, the Academy and most of the other major awards have leaned toward Bigelow. Look for her to become the first female director to capture and Academy Award Sunday night.

Best Picture

There are 10 films in the category, but it seems only a couple are in the running. I’ve resigned myself to the idea that this battle comes down to “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker.” For me, the best film by far was “Up In the Air,” but it hasn’t gained much traction this awards season. “Avatar” is a huge commercial success, but I believe it will be the little film that could — “The Hurt Locker” — that will claim Hollywood’s top prize.

The annual Academy Awards presentation will begin at 5 p.m. Pacific on Sunday night. For a full list of predictions, check back tomorrow.