Academy Award Preview — Acting Races

With just a couple weeks to the big awards show, I continue my look at this year's nominees with a look at the acting races. This year features some fierce competition and some incredible work.

Best Actor:

Of the five nominees, it seems that two are the likely candidates. Demian Bichir, Brad Pitt, and Gary Oldman all did good work. All are being recognized for those efforts — with Bichir and Oldman being nominated for the first time. But none of their films really seems to be a strong Academy Award contender, with only Pitt's "Moneyball" being among the Best Picture nominees. Though all three did fine work, their prize is likely to be a nomination. That leaves us with George Clooney and Jean Dujardin. Both headlined incredible films that are favorites in the Best Picture race. Both turned in great performances, arguably career best. But both performances and candidates are radically different. I was incredibly drawn to Clooney's performance because it feels like he's playing a character that's a far cry from the usual Clooney part. He has some beautiful and emotional scenes that really help "The Descendants" rise a step above. Then there is Dujardin, who was magnificent in "The Artist," a film that defies all expectations for this day and age. It's hard to compare their performances. Both would be worthy candidates, and this feels almost like a toss up.

Best Actress:

Perhaps the most loaded category in this year's awards contest. You could make a decent case for any of the five nominees, which to me means that this category is going to come down to personal preference, reputation, and how you felt about the film. I was surprised when Meryl Streep won the Golden Globe, then we had Viola Davis win the SAG award. Both did great work, but so too did Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs," Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn," and Rooney Mara in "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo." None of the roles was easy, and it's almost impossible to compare them. While it seems like Davis might be a front-runner, this category almost feels like a coin flip.

Best Supporting Actor:

A fascinating category this year with an odd mix of nominees. There is Jonah Hill for "Moneyball," Kenneth Brannaugh for "My Week with Marilyn" and Max Von Sydow for "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," all representing films that have been critical and award season darlings. Then there's the like of Nick Nolte for "Warrior," a film largely overlooked, and the favorite, Christopher Plummer, for "Beginners." This feels like Plummer's award and might be the safest pick of this year's competition.

Best Supporting Actress:

This is a category that, again, likely comes down to two names. Janet McTeer, Jessica Chastain, and Melissa McCarthy all did great work. You could make a case for any of those three ladies winning the award. But the front-runners appear to be Bernice Bejo, who was simply stunning in "The Artist," and Octavia Spencer, who was perhaps the most memorable performer in "The Help." Spencer seems to be the biggest front-runner, having scooped up a number of other awards for her work, but it is hard to look past the grace, beauty, and elegance of Bejo's performance in the year's most charming and original film.

The Academy Awards will be held on Sunday, Feb. 26.