Newsday critic Rafer Guzman's Oscar picks
Meryl Streep was nominated for best actress in the 84th annual Academy Awards for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." The film was also nominated for best makeup. Credit: AP
You'll see plenty of famous faces at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, but the acceptance speeches may come from some less familiar folks.
Though there's always room for surprises, established directors like Martin Scorsese and Terrence Malick will likely lose to a little-known Frenchman, while Meryl Streep -- now breaking her own record with 17 nominations -- will probably watch the best actress Oscar go to Viola Davis. Major stars like Charlize Theron, of "Young Adult," and Leonardo DiCaprio, of "J. Edgar," weren't even nominated.
All of which may open the Oscars to further criticism that they're focusing on small-scale movies most people haven't seen. (Recent best picture winners included "No Country for Old Men," a middling box-office performer, and "The Hurt Locker," which grossed a scant $17 million.) This year's shoo-in for the best picture award is a silent film, "The Artist," that still isn't in wide release. Good timing, then, from the ever-popular Billy Crystal, whose ninth installment as host seems guaranteed to pull in viewers.
Here's the breakdown of Oscar contenders in the major categories. Though "The Artist" will be the talk of the evening, other movies are likely to get their share of gold. "The Help" should do well in the acting categories, Scorsese's "Hugo" seems destined for several technical awards, and Woody Allen will probably pick up a screenwriting Oscar for "Midnight in Paris."
"The Artist"
"The Descendants"
"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"
"The Help"
"Hugo"
"Midnight in Paris"
"The Tree of Life"
"War Horse"
Demián Bichir, "A Better Life"
Viola Davis, "The Help"
Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"
Bérénice Bejo, "The Artist"
Janet McTeer, "Albert Nobbs"
Octavia Spencer, "The Help"
"A Cat in Paris"
"Chico & Rita"
"Kung Fu Panda 2"
"Puss in Boots"
"Rango"
