The season of the golden statue is upon us, and the heat is increasing in the top categories. Where is the wind blowing this year? One of the most coveted awards, along with the Leading Actress trophy, is that of Best Male Lead.

This year, the battle is between experienced and seasoned performances, all around age 40 and up. At the same time, there are many first-timers, despite their years in the business, with only one of the nominated already having an Oscar to show for it. Nothing is certain until Sunday, February 26, live from Hollywood, but here are the predictions.

Demián Bichir for ‘A Better Life’

American audiences primarily know 48-year-old Demián Bichir from the TV series, Weeds, and as Fidel in Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Che’. However, Bichir is a huge name back in his native Mexico, part of a family of celebrated actors, and his presence on this year’s nomination list will be his first. In Chris Weitz’s A Better Life, he plays the gardener, Carlos, who has worked hard to make a life for himself and his estranged son in the States. When his truck is stolen, father and son, albeit virtually strangers, set out to recover it in hopes of a better life.

There were reports of confusion when Bichir’s name was read among the nominees as some believed the choice was made at the expense of the highly acclaimed ‘Shame’s Michael Fassbender. While Weitz’s film was celebrated, it was not widely watched. However, the nod to Bichir is the only one for the movie, and despite the initial surprise, or maybe because of it, it seems unlikely that he will take home the award.

George Clooney for ‘The Descendants’

Already a groomed candidate with seven nominations in his pocket and a win in the Supporting category for ‘Syriana’ in 2006, 50-year-old George Clooney has placed himself firmly in the front. Unlike Bichir, Clooney is ‘Hollywood royalty’, and the story goes that a bet was made between him and fellow Tinsel royal, Brad Pitt, that if one of them got the nomination this year, the other would perform a favor.

Clooney’s was to spend the day with Brad and his partner Angelina Jolie’s pack of kids – which he allegedly loathes. With that deal already sealed, the question is if ‘The George’ will up the ante by making an actor’s Oscar hat trick – winning both Leading and Supporting Actor; something only five other actors have done before him.

Is the part worth it? Many great things have been said about The Descendants, and it is no wonder; the adapted screenplay hit a chord with critics and movie-goers alike, and Clooney’s character, Matt King, is relatable as he struggles to keep the pieces of his reality together. Already winning the Golden Globes this year is a huge plus, which tempts us to believe that the night will be Clooney’s time to shine.

Jean Dujardin for ‘The Artist’

At the tender age of 39, Jean Dujardin is not well-known in the States. Dujardin is funnily enough referred to as the French George Clooney, and the liking is merited after an evening spent in the company of The Artist - the smile says it all!

The Artist, in itself, is an incredible achievement that has reaped rave reviews around the world, with the exception of some disgruntled movie goers on the British Isles, and much of the magic is thanks to Dujardin’s charming, yet heartbreaking performance as the silent movie star, George Valentin, who fades into obscurity as the ‘talkies’ take over.

Not only is his performance a delight, but an immense amount of respect and awe goes into the challenge of performing ‘old school’; the whole cast had to abandon their experience to embrace a performance style of the past. A dark horse in the race, but a secret favorite of this reporter. Will the French finally get a leading man on the podium?

Gary Oldman for ‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’

While younger generations connect Gary Oldman with good and helpful franchise characters (Harry Potter, Nolan’s Batman), most of the mature viewers know that Oldman earned his badges as the ‘bad boy’ and other villainous characters. Evidently, the tide has turned for the 53-year-old native Englishman who embodied the anti-Bond character of George Smiley in the adapted espionage drama, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, to such taste that the Academy nod was inevitable.

Even though Oldman has been around for years and is the eldest of this year’s nominees, it is the first time he has been nominated for an Oscar. Sadly, the predictions are that the honorary inclusion in the ranks of the Academy is the only thing he will be getting next Sunday.

Brad Pitt for ‘Moneyball’

So far, Brad Pitt’s career at the Academy Awards has been scattered and less eventful than you would have thought, considering his status in Hollywood. When he made the bet with George Clooney, his odds were statistically lower – curiously amusing to consider now that Moneyball is the movie that got him the nomination.

The role of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics who takes a chance on a numbers game in order to win the League, is a powerful tale of grandeur against the odds. It has been awhile since baseball filled the main plot line of a big-name movie, and critics have applauded the production team for reigniting the on-screen excitement for the game.

Some hint that the fuss over ‘The George’ might blindside observers and allow the 48-year-old father-of-six to channel his character’s underdog qualities, but as it stands, Pitt will enjoy the show and settle for the party.

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Oscar fans in New York City will be the first to see the actual Oscars that will be presented to the Best Actor and Best Actress winners at the 84th Academy Awards on Oscar Sunday, February 26. The statuettes will be part of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Meet the Oscars, Grand Central” exhibition at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal.

The exhibition will open on Wednesday, February 22 at 10 a.m., with a ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by 2010 Academy Award-winning actress Melissa Leo (‘The Fighter’). Public viewing hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, February 22, and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, February 23, through Sunday, February 26. Admission is free.

“Meet the Oscars, Grand Central” will give movie fans the opportunity to have their photo taken holding an actual Oscar statuette. Visitors also will be able to view the Actor in a Leading Role Oscar won by Michael Douglas for “Wall Street” (1987) as well as a display of statuettes in various stages of completion, as manufactured each year by R.S. Owens & Company in Chicago.

On Saturday, February 25, the Oscars designated for this year’s Best Actor and Best Actress winners will make their way back to Hollywood, where they will be reunited with the rest of the statuettes to be presented on Oscar Night.

In related news, Oscar telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer have invited Cirque du Soleil to present a wholly unique and exclusive performance for the 84th Academy Awards. The one-time-only event will feature the largest Cirque cast ever assembled for a single act.

The performance will be accompanied by music by Academy Award-nominated composer Danny Elfman, who scored the music for Cirque du Soleil’s IRIS, A Journey through the World of Cinema™. More than 50 international artists from Cirque du Soleil productions around the world will converge in Los Angeles on Oscar Sunday to bring the dynamic showcase to life.

The act marks the second time Cirque du Soleil has performed during an Academy Awards telecast. The troupe’s first appearance, at the 74th Academy Awards, sparked discussions about creating a permanent show at the Kodak Theatre and resulted in the creation of IRIS.

Finally, two-time Academy Award winner Michael Douglas will present at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony. Douglas won an Oscar for his lead performance in ‘Wall Street’ (1987) and a Best Picture award as a producer of ‘One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1975). His film credits include ‘Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps,’ ‘Solitary Man,’ ‘You, Me and Dupree,’ ‘Traffic,’ ‘Wonder Boys,’ ‘Falling Down,’ ‘Fatal Attraction’ and ‘The China Syndrome.’

Douglas joins a stellar list of previously announced Oscar presenters, including Halle Berry, Rose Byrne, Bradley Cooper, Tom Cruise, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Tina Fey, Tom Hanks, Angelina Jolie, Milla Jovovich, Ellie Kemper, Jennifer Lopez, Melissa McCarthy, Wendy McLendon-Covey, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Ben Stiller, Emma Stone and Kristen Wiig.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements in 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Image Courtesy of   Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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The Academy has been releasing the names of star presenters who will grace the stage at this years Academy Award ceremony on February 26. Most recent name in the bunch is Cameron Diaz.

Diaz will be seen next in ‘What to Expect When You’re Expecting’ and ‘Gambit’. Her film credits include ‘Bad Teacher’, ‘The Green Hornet,’ ‘Knight and Day,’ ‘My Sister’s Keeper,’ ‘What Happens in Vegas,’ ‘The Holiday,’ ‘Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle,’ ‘Gangs of New York,’ ‘Any Given Sunday’ and the four animated ‘Shrek’ films.

Three-time Academy Award-nominated actor Tom Cruise will also present at the 84th Academy Awards ceremony. Cruise was nominated for his lead performances in ‘Born on the Fourth of July’ and ‘Jerry Maguire.’  He also was nominated for his supporting role in ‘Magnolia.’ Cruise was recently seen in ‘Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ and will be seen next in ‘Rock of Ages.’

His other film credits include ‘Tropic Thunder,’ ‘War of the Worlds,’ ‘Collateral,’ ‘Minority Report,’ ‘A Few Good Men,’ ‘Rain Man,’ ‘The Color of Money’ and ‘Top Gun.’

Joining is also Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry. Berry won an Oscar in 2001 for her lead performance in ‘Monster’s Ball.’  She was recently seen in ‘New Year’s Eve’ and will be seen next opposite Tom Hanks and Hugh Grant in ‘Cloud Atlas.’ Berry’s other film credits include ‘Frankie & Alice,’ ‘Things We Lost in the Fire,’ ‘Die Another Day,’ ‘Swordfish,’ and the first three ‘X-Men’ films.

Speaking of which, two-time Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks is another one of the presenter. Hanks, who is a governor of the Academy, won consecutive Oscars in 1993 and 1994 for his lead performances in ‘Philadelphia’ and ‘Forrest Gump.’ He was also nominated for his leading roles in ‘Big,’ ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Cast Away.’

Hanks can currently be seen in the Best Picture-nominated ‘Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.’ His other film credits include ‘Larry Crowne,’ ‘Toy Story 3,’ ‘Charlie Wilson’s War,’ ‘The Da Vinci Code,’ ‘The Terminal,’ ‘Catch Me If You Can,’ ‘Road to Perdition,’ ‘Apollo 13’ and ‘A League of Their Own.’

Finally, Jennifer Lopez has been announced by telecast producers Brian Grazer and Don Mischer as a presenter at the 84th ceremony. Lopez, who serves as a judge on “American Idol,” will be seen next in the feature What to Expect When You’re Expecting alongside Diaz and recently completed work on ‘Parker’ and ‘Ice Age: Continental Drift.’ Her other film credits include ‘The Back-Up Plan,’ ‘El Cantante,’ ‘Monster-in-Law,’ ‘Maid in Manhattan,’ ‘Enough,’ ‘The Wedding Planner,’ ‘Out of Sight’ and ‘Selena.’

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

Image Courtesy of  Andrey Bayda / Shutterstock.com

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There were 18 Golden Globe nominations given to HBO programs last month, the most of any television network this year, for the upcoming 69th annual Golden Globe Awards, which will be presented in Los Angeles on January 15. ‘Mildred Pierce,’ starring Oscar-winners Kate Winslet and Melissa Leo, led all HBO programming with four nominations, tied for the most of any TV series or program.

HBO’s Golden Globe nominations this year include:

Four nominations for ‘Mildred Pierce,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Kate Winslet), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Evan Rachel Wood) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Guy Pearce).

Three nominations for ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ including Best Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama (Steve Buscemi) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Kelly Macdonald).

Three nominations for ‘Cinema Verite,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Diane Lane) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Tim Robbins).

Three nominations for ‘Too Big to Fail,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (William Hurt) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Paul Giamatti).

Two nominations for ‘Enlightened’: Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical (Laura Dern).

Two nominations for ‘Game of Thrones,’ including Best Television Series – Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Peter Dinklage).

One nomination for ‘Hung’: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical (Thomas Jane).

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