OSCARS : Best Picture

Jonathan Levine's comedy-drama about a young man (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) shocked by a cancer diagnosis received strong reviews upon its release and performed well at the box office considering its modest budget, but even though Oscar voters often admire films in which characters struggle with illness, "50/50's" light tone and young characters may not appeal to older Oscar voters.

"A Dangerous Method" is a historical biopic about pioneering psychologists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud, and historical biopics do well at the Oscars, but eccentric director David Cronenberg has never been fully embraced by Oscar voters. None of his films have been nominated for Best Picture or Best Director, though his recent two films, "A History of Violence" and "Eastern Promises," have broken through in the acting races, and "Violence" was nominated for its adapted screenplay.

Asghar Farhadi could be one of the rare Best Original Screenplay nominees who penned a foreign language film. His film -- about an Iranian couple whose divorce proceedings are further complicated by a court case involving an elderly parent -- is one of critics' favorites this year. The New York Film Critics Circle gave it their Best Foreign Language Film honor.

"Another Happy Day" is an independent film starring Emmy- and Tony-winner Ellen Barkin and Oscar-nominee Thomas Haden Church as bitterly divorced parents forced to reunite for their son's wedding. It features an impressive all-star cast (including also Ellen Burstyn, Kate Bosworth, and Demi Moore), and it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the Sundance Film Festival, an award also claimed by last year's Best Picture nominee "Winter's Bone," but "Happy Day" will have to overcome extremely limited buzz to break into the Best Picture race.

A woman struggles with her duties when her engaged best friend asks her to be maid of honor at her wedding. Stars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Melissa McCarthy. Directed by Paul Feig.

"Carnage" is a dark comedy based on the Tony-winning play "God of Carnage." Its cast includes three Oscar-winners (Jodie Foster, Kate Winslet, Christoph Waltz) and one nominee (John C. Reilly), and its director is Roman Polanski, who won an Oscar nine years ago for directing "The Pianist." However, the film's dark, cynical tone and small scale lack the feel-good satisfaction and scope the Academy usually prefers to honor, and the film received mixed reviews on the film festival circuit.

"Contagion" is an international-crisis film from director Steven Soderbergh, who made history when he was nominated twice in the same year for Best Director (for "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic," winning for the latter). Like "Traffic," which was a Best Picture nominee, "Contagion" feautres an all-star cast and deals with turmoil around the world, but its story of a global epidemic is considered mostly popcorn entertainment, lacking the gravity and importance of "Traffic's" war-on-drugs theme. Despite his success in 2000, Soderbergh has yet to return to the race for Best Picture or Best Director.

"Drive" did well with the critics who lauded helmer Nicolas Winding Refn for his handling of this intense tale of a stuntman (Ryan Gosling) moonlighting as a getaway driver who faces down a mobster to protect the woman (Carey Mulligan) he loves. Albert Brooks is generating buzz for his change-of-pace role as the bad guy while Refn picked up the Best Director prize at the Cannes film festival.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" has literary cachet (it's based on a novel by Jonathan Safran Foer), it deals with important subject matter (the 9/11 terror attacks on New York City), and perhaps most importantly it is directed by Stephen Daldry, who has been nominated for Best Director for all three of his previous feature films and earned Best Picture nominations for the last two ("The Hours," "The Reader"). Further improving its chances are its Oscar-winning stars Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock. However, 9/11-themed films have had a spotty track record at the Oscars. "United 93" was nominated for Best Director but not Best Picture. "Rendition" and "Lions for Lambs," both considered possible contenders before their releases, fizzled when they saw the light of day.

None of the previous seven "Harry Potter" films have been nominated for Best Picture, despite frequent nominations in the technical categories, but the final installment, "Deathly Hallows, Part 2," received the best reviews of the series and earned the most money ($1.3 billion worldwide, making it the third highest grossing film of all time). Though the Academy very rarely honors science fiction or fantasy films, they awarded the final "Lord of the Rings" film, "The Return of the King," with a record-tying eleven Oscars including Best Picture. It's possible the concluding "Harry Potter" film could be too big to ignore.

"Hugo" must be considered a possible contender because it is directed by Martin Scorsese, a frequent nominee who finally won his first Oscar for 2006's "The Departed." However, the 3D film, a fanciful adventure about a boy who lives in the walls of a train station, is a creative departure for the filmmaker, and the Academy doesn't honor family films as often as it honors the epics Scorsese is better known for. Scorsese's previous film was also a creative departure: the psychological thriller "Shutter Island," which despite being a box office hit and earning favorable reviews did not contended for Oscars.

"J. Edgar" has not yet been seen by critics or audiences apart from its newly released trailer, but its director, Clint Eastwood, has already won four Oscars (for directing and producing "Unforgiven" and "Million Dollar Baby") and earned further nominations for Picture and Director ("Mystic River," "Letters from Iwo Jima"). The Academy also has a tendency to embrace biopics about significant historical figures (recently, "The Aviator," "Ray," "The Queen," "The King's Speech"). Though those factors may make "J. Edgar" seem like a done deal, note that the same combination of Clint Eastwood and an important historical figure failed to earn a Best Picture nomination for the Nelson Mandela sports drama "Invictus."

J.C. Chandor, who also scripted, makes his directorial debut with this drama about a day in the life of investment bankers during the recent financial collapse. Among the stellar cast are Oscar champs Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons as well as nominees Stanley Tucci and Mary McDonnell.

This dark, independent drama about a girl escaping from a cult premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in early 2011, just like "Winter's Bone" did in 2010 before earning an Oscar nod for Best Picture. And like "Winter's Bone," "Martha" is anchored by an acclaimed performance by a young breakthrough actress (Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister of famous twins Mary-Kate and Ashley). Olsen is considered a strong possible contender for a Best Actress nomination, and "Winter's Bone" co-star John Hawkes could contend for Best Supporting Actor, but the film has received little attention as a possible Best Picture candidate.

Director Woody Allen has not had a film in the Best Picture race since the 1980s, and his best days are widely thought to be behind him. However, the comedy "Midnight in Paris" earned him his best reviews in years and became his highest grossing film (though not accounting for inflation). The film is an ode to famous artists like Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein, giving it a sense of nostalgia that might also translate to Allen at Oscar time; sentimental voters might be eager to reward Allen for his comeback film.

Baseball movies have not historically been Oscar bait, but "Moneyball" has a number of factors working in its favor. First, it's directed by Bennett Miller, whose previous film, "Capote," was nominated for Best Picture. Second, its screenplay was co-written by Aaron Sorkin, who recently won an Oscar for Best Picture-nominee "The Social Network," and Steve Zailian, who won for penning "Schindler's List." Third, the film opened to rave reviews, earning an impressive 87 on MetaCritic. It stars Brad Pitt in a performance many believe will be nominated for Best Actor, and it has performed respectably at the box office.

Oscar voters often gravitate towards films about show business, because Hollywood insiders relate to the subject matter. "My Week with Marilyn" provides that; it's a behind-the-scenes story featuring the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier, and Vivien Leigh, and its cast features Oscar-nominees Michelle Williams and Kenneth Branagh, Oscar-winner Judi Dench, and Tony-winner Eddie Redmayne. However, while the film is considered a strong contender in the acting categories, the film itself was not as well received when it premiered at the New York Film Festival, and director Simon Curtis has a career of mostly TV credits and is not well established in the film world.

"Rampart" generated much critical acclaim on the film festival circuit recent and was picked up for distribution by Millennium Entertainment. It follows Woody Harrelson as a renegade LAPD cop fighting for his family and survival. Thus far, the film has received attention mostly for Harrelson's performance. The prospects for the film as a whole are yet to be determined.

The controversial film received an NC-17 from the MPAA for its provocative sexuality, prompting speculation about whether its prohibitive rating helps or hurts its chances at the box office and Oscars. The film stars Michael Fassbender in an acclaimed performance as a sex addict in New York City. Carey Mulligan co-stars as his sister. Steve McQueen ("Hunger") directs.

A dark drama about a man experiencing apocalyptic visions about an approaching storm, "Take Shelter" is flying mostly under the radar since its release at the end of September. Despite its critical acclaim, its strongest chance at a nomination may be for lead actor Michael Shannon.

This season, all eyes are on "War Horse" as Steven Spielberg's likely Oscar contender. His darker, war-themed films have had the most success at the Oscars ("Schindler's List," "Saving Private Ryan," "Munich"). Also, "Tintin" is Spielberg's first animated film, and only three animated films have ever been nominated for Best Picture, all of them from Disney ("Beauty and the Beast," "Up," "Toy Story 3"). Spielberg made the film using the same motion-capture technology that James Cameron used to make "Avatar," and there are questions about its eligibility in the Animated Feature race. If it is disqualified from that category and the film is as strong as its early reviews indicate, Best Picture will be voters' only place to honor the film.

"The Artist" was received with universal acclaim when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year. It was nominated for the Palme d'Or and won Best Actor honors for its star Jean Dujardin. Though the film on paper is an unlikely candidate for Best Picture (a French silent film in black-and-white), its critical acclaim, feel-good romance, and show-business theme could make it universally appealing to Oscar voters. The film was acquired for distribution by the Weinstein Company; Harvey Weinstein has historically been very savvy in orchestrating Oscar campaigns, most recently winning the top prize for "The King's Speech" last year.

"The Descendants" may be the Best Picture contender most loved by critics thus far. It received rave reviews at the Toronto Film Festival, and director Alexander Payne and star George Clooney have has an upward trajectory at the Oscars. Clooney recently received Best Actor bids for "Michael Clayton" and "Up in the Air," both of which made the cut for Best Picture. And Alexander Payne, who received a screenwriting nomination for "Election" and earned acting nominations for Jack Nicholson and Kathy Bates in "About Schmidt," finally made it into the Best Picture race with his 2004 film "Sideways," which earned him a directing nod and won him an Oscar for his adapted screenplay.

With the exception of "The Silence of the Lambs," few murder-mystery thrillers make an impact at the Oscars. However, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" has the benefit of director David Ficher, who after directing dark, cult-hit films like "Seven" and "Fight Club" has become a favorite of Oscar voters. His last two films, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "The Social Network," were both nominated for Best Picture."Dragon Tattoo" comes from very well known source material -- namely the novel by Stieg Larsson -- meaning the expectations are high and the box office and awards potential could be just as high.

"The Help" was met with generally positive, though not rapturous reviews when it was released in August, but the sentimental film was a crowd favorite and an underdog blockbuster, making more than $160 million to date. Hollywood loves to reward a good success story, especially a surprise success ("The Sixth Sense" was also a surprise August blockbuster in 1999 and went on to earn Best Picture and Best Director bids). Also, the film's female-driven story appeals to an underserved contingent of viewers, and could do the same for female voters among the Academy. In addition, the film deals with important subject matter (civil rights in 1960s Mississippi) and comes from a literary source, both of which often appeal to voters.

"Ides" is George Clooney's third film as a director; his first, "Good Night, and Good Luck," received nominations for Best Picture and Best Director. Like "Good Night," "Ides" tackles strong political subject matter -- in this case, the ugliness of political campaigns -- which may prove especially timely on the eve of the next US presidential election. An all-star cast of Oscar nominees and winners (including Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, and Philip Seymour Hoffman) may also appeal to Academy members. However, the film was released to positive, but not glowing reviews from critics, and its box office performance, though consistent with expectations, has been relatively soft.

"The Iron Lady" has yet to screen for critics or audiences, but Meryl Streep has already generated significant buzz for her performance as British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; she is considered a frontrunner in the race for Best Actress. Biopics about famous historical figures and leaders traditionally do very well at the Oscars ("Ghandi," "A Man for All Seasons," and "The King's Speech," just to name a few), but "Iron Lady" director Phyllida Lloyd only has one previous film credit, "Mamma Mia!," which does not necessarily suggest the filmmaker of a potential Best Picture contender.

"The Tree of Life" is only the fifth film by director Terrence Malick. His third film, the World War II-set "The Thin Red Line," earned him his first nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, and though his most recent film, "The New World," was not received as well, "Tree of Life" was a critical smash, winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and receiving praise for its auteurist vision of the origin of life. However, the film underperformed at the box office this summer, and its non-linear, metaphysical approach may be a tough sell to less patient voters, but those who admire the film are likely to love it enough to rank it high on their ballots.

"Tinker" is mostly considered as the vehicle that will earn Gary Oldman an overdue first nomination for Best Actor, but reactions to the film at the Toronto Film Festival indicate that it could be a contender in the Best Picture race. It has an all-star cast (including Tom Hardy and recent Oscar winner Colin Firth) and is adapted from a novel by acclaimed author John le Carre (though "The Constant Gardener," which was also based on his work, was not nominated for Best Picture). Its director is Tomas Alfredson, whose horror film "Let the Right One In" was not nominated for Oscars but earned him international acclaim.

"War Horse" has yet to be seen by critics or audiences, but its subject matter and the reputation of its director make it a force to be reckoned with, sight unseen. Director Steven Spielberg won two directing Oscars for war-themed films ("Schindler's List," "Saving Private Ryan"), winning Best Picture as well for "Schindler's." The full trailer for the World War I-set "War Horse" suggests a film that blends the combat intensity of "Private Ryan" with the sentimental warmth of "E.T.," which may prove to be an irresistable combination for Oscar voters, provided the film is well-received upon its December release.

Only the trailer for "We Bought a Zoo" has been seen thus far, but it has a strong cast including Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, and Thomas Haden Church. Adapted from a memoir about a man who moves his family to the country to rebuild and run an old zoo, it's co-written and directed by Cameron Crowe, an Oscar winner who was previously popular with the Academy and with critics ("Jerry Maguire," "Almost Famous"), but his two most recent films were critical disappointments ("Vanilla Sky" and "Elizabethtown"). "Zoo's" co-writer is Alike Brosh McKenna, who recently scripted a film in contention for Oscars ("The Devil Wears Prada"), but her resume also includes critically panned films like "Three to Tango," "27 Dresses," and "I Don't Know How She Does It."

Lynne Ramsay's dark drama about a mother (Tilda Swinton) coping with her violent son (Ezra Miller) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and contended for the Palme d'Or. The bleak film may be a tough sell to Oscar voters overall. Its best chance at nominations may be for its actors.

Comedies don't have a strong track record at the Oscars, but "Young Adult" has a pedigree that suggests it could be an exception to the rule. It's directed by Jason Reitman, whose previous two films ("Juno" and "Up in the Air") were both nominated for Best Picture. It's written by Diablo Cody, who won an Oscar for writing "Juno." And it stars Charlize Theron, a previous Best Actress winner (for "Monster"). The question remains whether the film, about an author who returns home to break up her ex-boyfriend's current marriage, will strike the same chord with voters than "Juno" did.