The Academy Awards: What to Look For

1. Hosts: do Anne Hathaway and James Franco take notes from Ricky Gervais (Golden Globes) or are they trying too hard to please?

2. Does the Academy award the brilliant, the gifted, the unique or do they go with the hype? Hype – Black Swan, The Social Network. Great films – The King’s Speech, True Grit.

3. Are the stars speaking from the heart (think Christian Bale) in their acceptance speeches, or are they contrived or too rehearsed?

4. Any major upsets? Think Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) in the Best Actress category; Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) in the Best Actor category; John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone) Best Supporting Actor category; Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) Best Supporting Actress Category.

5. Does Helena Bonham Carter clean up for the evening or does she stick to her crazy dressing ways?