It's Fincher vs. Hooper for best director

In the race for the best director Oscar, it's the favorite versus the dark horse.

But which is which?

The two front-runners, David Fincher for "The Social Network" and Tom Hooper for "The King's Speech," have been neck and neck over the past months. At first it seemed that the well-known Fincher, whose resumé stretches from "Fight Club" to "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," had the lock. That changed last month, when the little-known Hooper unexpectedly won the Directors Guild of America's top award, which, since 1949, has predicted the Oscar all but six times.

Some pundits believe Fincher could take the statue even if, as expected, "The King's Speech" wins best picture. That, too, would be a shocker, since those two Oscars usually go hand in hand. Either way, expect gasps and groans among the applause when the winner is announced on Sunday.

Here's the full list of nominees:

THE DIRECTOR Darren Aronofsky, "Black Swan"

SEE PHOTOSSee photos of Anne Hathaway through the years

THE DEAL Though Natalie Portman's pirouettes get all the praise, Aronofsky's maneuvers are trickier. His near-subliminal imagery and subtle use of sound put this horror film on a par with classics like "The Exorcist" and "Repulsion."

THE DIRECTORS Joel and Ethan Coen, "True Grit"

THE DEAL Though ignored by the Golden Globes, this Western came roaring back with 10 Oscar nods, just behind the 12 for "The King's Speech." Still, it seems like a long shot.

SEE PHOTOSJames Franco

THE DIRECTOR David Fincher, "The Social Network."

THE DEAL It seemed a no-brainer: The guy who directed the alt-culture landmark "Fight Club" would obviously get the Oscar for making the first movie about the Internet generation. Well, don't bet on it.

THE DIRECTOR Tom Hooper, "The King's Speech"

THE DEAL Hooper's direction has gone mostly overlooked, though it's very effective: Notice the way Colin Firth, as a stammering king, appears at the edges of the screen instead of the center, underscoring his character's mental isolation. If Hooper wins the Oscar, it'll be surprising in this sense: Who would have expected the academy to reward subtlety?

THE DIRECTOR David O. Russell, "The Fighter"

THE DEAL Not only did Russell get the best out of his stellar cast, he injected some much-needed humor and rock and roll energy into an otherwise conventional biopic.