Tomas here back with your look at this year’s Oscar race. I recentky covered Picture and Director and now I’m turning my gaze to the acting races.

Best Actor
James Franco (127 Hours)
Colin Firth (The King’s Speech)
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
Robert Duvall (Get Low)
Javier Bardem (Bitiful)

Analysis: This category looks to be very competative but I’m not seeing the overwhelmingly dominated performance like years past. James Franco and Colin Firth are locked in for nominations and Robert Duvall should have one in the bag. From there it gets interesting. Javier Bardem is always good and his film is getting good reviews, but how will the Academy accept the miserableness of the subject matter. I was sure Ryan Gosling would get a nom but that NC-17 rating is TERRIBLE and could derail his campaign. I absolutely loved Jesse Eisenberg in TSN and he could sneak in here if the critics go crazy for the film come awards time.

Dark Horses: Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Paul Giamatti (Barney’s Way), Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter), Jeff Bridges (True Grit), Stephen Dorff (Somewhere), Leonardo Dicaprio (Inception)

Best Actress
Annette Benning (The Kid’s Are All Right)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone)
Nicole Kidman (the Rabbit Hole)

Analysis: This is one of the more interesting categories this year due to some tremendous word coming out of the various festivals. i feel fairly confident that Benning and Portman will be nominated and having seen TKAAR, I can vouch for Benning’s performance. Jennifer Lawrence has been getting heaps of praise for Winter’s Bone and Oscar loves beautiful people in gritty roles. Nicole Kidman sits poised for another nom with her grieving mother role in Rabbit Hole and I think Anne Hathaway is entering her industry good will years so a nom as a diseased love interest could reap rewards here. The most interesting thing about this category is what could happen if Julianne (campaigned as lead) manages a nom. Who would win between her or Benning? Would they cancel each other? I have a sneaking suspicion that although she’s being campaigned lead, the voters will put her supporting.

Dark horses: Julianne Moore (TKAAR), Sally Hawkins (Made in Dagenham), Michelle Williams (Meek’s Cutoff, Blue Valentine), Gweneth Paltrow (Country Strong)