Woove staff writer/sweetheart Adrienne Rush discusses the upcoming Oscars award ceremony and potential winners.

In an Oscars Roundup I wrote just before the 2009 awards ceremony, I said “no one really cares (nor should they) who wins what at Hollywood’s “biggest circle-jerk.” That was a lie. Though it is indeed Hollywood’s biggest annual circle-jerk, as I put it so eloquently, clearly many people care as every year the lavish event generates millions of viewers, countless live blogs, and endless gossip (who wore what, who won what) that dominates headlines for days. Whether or not people should care is another matter entirely, and one I’m going to completely sidestep for this very significant reason: I LOVE awards show season. I love the dresses, the tuxes, the awkward red-carpet interviews, the drunken acceptance speeches, taking much too long to agonizingly fill out my ballot, waving my ballot around in triumph when my predicting genius becomes realized—I love it all. So should you care who will walk away with a little gold man on February 27? Probably not, but I care, probably enough for the both of us, so here’s your primer for all the heavy-hitters of the past year.

The King’s Speech: Assuredly directed by Tom Hooper, the film follows the true story of nervous King George VI (Colin Firth) who reluctantly takes the United Kingdom’s reins when his older brother abdicates the throne. George—or Bertie, as he is called—is plagued by a persistent stutter that no specialist has been able to cure, and as the country approaches wartime this stutter threatens to undermine Bertie’s ability to lead and unite. Enter Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush): a little known and unorthodox speech therapist, who strikes up an unusual friendship with the king and helps him find his voice. The film is excellent in every aspect—perfect costuming, set design, and score. The direction and cinematography are tight and unassuming, letting the film breathe through the performances of its actors. And what performances these are! It is truly an ensemble effort, as nearly every actor is pitch-perfect, but the three leads—Firth, Rush, and Helena Bonham-Carter as the Queen—really stand out. HBC hits all the right notes as Bertie’s loyal and loving wife. Geoffrey Rush is, well, an Australian national treasure—does this man ever turn in a less-than-brilliant performance? And then Colin Firth. Many people thought he was snubbed last year when he lost the Best Actor award after his stunning work in Tom Ford’s A Single Man, but this year they don’t have to worry. This was the performance of a lifetime for Firth, and will be recognized as such come Feb 27. The film itself has been gaining lots of momentum in the Best Picture race as well, with big wins at the BAFTAs and the SAG awards, among others.

The Fighter: Tells the true story of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) as his brother Dick Eklund (Christian Bale) trains him for one last shot in the ring. Taking place in Lowell, Massachusetts in the mid 80s, the film nails blue-collar atmosphere and a tight-knit community that threatens to suffocate. Ward becomes torn by his many allegiances: to his brother (the unstable, crack-head Dicky), to his manager mother who refuses to relinquish control over his career, to his bartender girlfriend who pushes him to break with his family, and lastly to himself—who doesn’t even know if he has more fight in him. The film languished in pre-production hell for years, with Darren Aronofsky originally developing the project before handing it over to David O. Russell to direct, and many big-name actors attaching and then detaching themselves to the lead roles. The only constant was Mark Wahlberg—he never wavered in his dedication to getting the movie made. I never thought I’d say this, but thank god for Marky Mark, because The Fighter is an extremely well-made and enjoyable film, and while it won’t join the ranks of Raging Bull and other boxing classics, it is certainly one of the best of the year. Wahlberg is at his best here, as a steady rock against which the more dynamic performances can storm—specifically Bale as the brother Dicky and Melissa Leo as the scheming mother. Bale is pretty much a lock for the Best Supporting Actor award, and deservedly so; his manic, explosive energy coupled with a raw vulnerability produces a richly dimensional portrayal of a man on the edge, and it’s one of the strongest roles of his remarkable career. Leo is the real revelation here, though she shouldn’t be—she’s been quietly churning out powerhouse performances for years. As Ward’s mother, she’s all sharp manipulation veiled by a cheap bouffant, tacky makeup, and ardent cries of “family first!” She’s snake-like, always keeping Ward wrapped in her coils. But as good as Bale and Leo are, they aren’t the best characters in the movie—that title belongs to the gaggle of sisters that are seemingly always present, hanging around in the Ward family’s living room or front porch. A collection of leering faces and squabbling voices, always backing up the mother, the sisters are a modern-day Greek chorus, a terrifying reminder of what awaits Micky Ward if he cannot escape Lowell, Mass.

Black Swan: This is the film that Darren Aronofsky left The Fighter to direct, and it’s a good thing he did—I can’t think of anyone else who possesses the visual flair and imagination necessary to bring such a bare-bones narrative to life. The story is simple: Nina (Natalie Portman), a ballerina driven always to perfection, finally gets the role of a lifetime when she lands the lead in her company’s new production of Swan Lake. It’s clear that her precise and delicate dancing lends itself to the part of the White Swan, but the other half of the role—the passionate and reckless daring of the Black Swan—seems to be out of Nina’s reach. She has trouble “letting go” of herself; she cannot risk losing control, even as the role requires it. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique visually mirrors Nina’s fragmenting psyche: faces seem to change shape as they move through shadows, the eyes of her mother’s paintings follow her as she walks by, her body endures increasingly gruesome injuries—splintered nails, twisted ankles, cracking and snapping tendons—that are often revealed to be all in Nina’s mind. This mind is truly the psychological landscape of the film, and it’s a terrifying one. Aronofsky pushes us down into the depths of Nina’s nightmare with glee, blurring the line between reality and Nina’s neuroses to the point of pulp. Many have disliked the film for this lurid style, but Aronofsky is clearly self-aware. Like the melodrama of a ballet, the film intentionally plays out with bombast, building relentlessly to one climax after another. As Nina, Portman is a tangled mess of mommy issues and sexual repression, a scared little girl who pushes herself too far. She’s great in the role, and is the odds-on favorite to win Best Actress.

True Grit: The Coen Brothers’ adaptation of Charles Portis’ novel—and not, as they would have you know, a remake of the original Western starring John Wayne in his only Oscar-winning role. True Grit is a great movie, though best of the year? Definitely not. Starring perennial Coen Bros. player Jeff Bridges as the iconic eye patch-wearing marshall, Rooster Cogburn, the movie is about as straight a piece of storytelling as the Coen brothers have ever made. It still has little quirks here and there that are reminiscent of their style, but it seems as though they approached the film wanting to make the best Western they could—not a Coen brothers Western. As a result, the film is well made and very enjoyable, but doesn’t really break the mold. Worth a watch for: Roger Deakins’ always stunning cinematography, Matt Damons’ role as an amusingly self-important Texas Ranger, and the debut of fourteen year-old Hailee Steinfeld as the central character who hunts down her father’s killer. Steinfeld is astonishingly assured as she goes toe-to-toe with Bridges and Damon in her first feature role, and certainly caught the attention of the Academy as they nominated her for Best Supporting Actress.

The Social Network: A combination of Aaron Sorkin’s razor-sharp script and David Fincher’s perfectly executed direction yields this year’s best film. The most relevant bit of mainstream filmmaking in years, it’s not so much a movie “about” Facebook as it is a piece of social commentary, a reflection of Generation Y that both mocks and informs it. It’s fiercely intelligent, biting, and poignant—it’s nothing less than brilliant. And speaking of brilliant, this is Aaron Sorkin on top of his game. His script expertly folds his classic rat-a-tat dialogue into an elaborately constructed narrative, one that cuts back and forth between time, location, and even opposing versions of the same story. The acting is top-notch across the board. Jesse Eisenberg plays Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg with a perfect mix of condescending brilliance and lonely asshole, and Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the betrayed best friend Eduardo Saverin is flawless. With nods for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, and Best Score (for Trent Reznor’s moody, atmospheric soundtrack), The Social Network would seem to be the one to beat at this year’s Academy Awards. But with The King’s Speech coming on strong, it looks pretty neck-and-neck. Put money on: Sorkin for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Others to keep an eye on:

The Kids Are Alright: Lisa Cholodenko’s family dramedy about a lesbian couple whose kids decide to look up their donor daddy. Features two pitch-perfect performances by Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as the central couple, and Mark Ruffulo as the effortlessly charming donor who unwittingly (or not) becomes entangled in the family. Bening deserves the Best Actress statue for her work here, but will probably lose out yet again, as Natalie Portman’s tortured ballerina from Black Swan has Oscar written all over it. Up for Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

Winter’s Bone: The indie darling of the year, Debra Granik’s bleak family saga set in the Ozarks took the top prize at Sundance last year and has continued to build a steady buzz since. Features a breathtaking lead performance by former model Jennifer Lawrence and a supporting turn by the virtually unrecognizable John Hawkes (up for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively). A Best Picture nominee, this is your best shot if you want to call an upset.

Blue Valentine: A gorgeously acted ode to the transience of love, with a killer soundtrack by Grizzly Bear. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are the movie—they put on a freakin’ clinic. A bit of a snub for Gosling, as only Williams got the nod from the Academy.