Who will take home Oscar gold?

Only one silent film has ever captured Best Picture - that was "Wings" way back in 1927, the first year the Academy Awards were handed out - but that could change Sunday night if "The Artist" takes home the top prize.

Ironically, "The Artist," a black-and-white movie, is set in 1927 and explores how a famous star of the silent-film era is preparing for the transition to pictures with sound. "The Artist" has emerged as an unlikely frontrunner for Best Picture and will be up for 10 awards Sunday.

The other leading contenders for Best Picture are "The Descendants," which stars George Clooney as a father coping with the pending death of his wife - after finding out she had been cheating on him - while trying to raise two daughters in Hawaii, and the 1960s Civil Rights drama "The Help," which explores the lives of black women who served as maids to prominent southern families in Mississippi.

While "The Artist" very well could win, that would be such a radical departure from Oscar history that it just may have led voters to seek out a more traditional film. If so, that could lead to an upset by "The Descendants" or "The Help."

Clooney is favored to win Best Actor, and perhaps the closest race could be for Best Actress, as Viola Davis ("The Help") and Meryl Streep ("The Iron Lady") both are leading contenders.

Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" has the most nominations with 11, while many of the races are wide open and include a number of actors and actresses vying for their first Oscars.

Best Picture

This year's roster includes nine candidates battling for Best Picture honors. There are a number of well-deserving films in the mix, including Alexander Payne's "The Descendants," Stephen Daldry's "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," Martin Scorsese's "Hugo," Woody Allen's "Midnight in Paris," Bennett Miller's "Moneyball" and Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life."

As awards season has heated up, the Best Picture race seems to have focused on Michel Hazanavicius' silent-movie masterwork "The Artist" and Tate Taylor's Civil Rights-era tale "The Help." Look for "The Artist" to take home the top honors as Hollywood toasts the memory of the golden age of silent films. - KW

What will win/What should win

KW: "The Artist"/"The Help"

CG: "The Descendants"/"The Descendants"

Best Director

Four of the five nominees have a good shot at winning, with the lone exception being Terrence Malick for "The Tree of Life." The Academy doesn't have to feel indebted to Martin Scorsese ("Hugo") after overlooking him for so many years because he finally got his Oscar for "The Departed" in 2007. Academy favorite Woody Allen ("Midnight in Paris") has won three Oscars but only one for Best Director ("Annie Hall" in 1978), and he's a strong contender this year. The frontrunners are Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist") and Alexander Payne ("The Descendants"), and look for Hazanavicius to be rewarded for his masterfully unusual film. - CG

Who will win/Who should win

KW: Michel Hazanavicius/Woody Allen

CG: Michel Hazanavicius/Alexander Payne

Best Actor

The race seems to have evolved into a showdown between George Clooney for his moving turn as a bereaved father in "The Descendants" and Jean Dujardin for his masterful work in the "The Artist," a role that required him to communicate his character through the subtlety and nuance of physical gestures while making nary a sound. As one of Hollywood's contemporary "company" men, Clooney would seem to have the edge on winning the statuette. If there is a darkhorse among the nominees, it would have to be Brad Pitt for his outstanding work in "Moneyball." - KW

Who will win/Who should win

KW: George Clooney/ Brad Pitt

CG: George Clooney/ George Clooney

Best Actress

It's unfortunate what happens every year with Meryl Streep, arguably the greatest actress of all time. She is so exceptional that Academy voters take her brilliant work for granted and seem to think it's enough merely to nominate her without giving her the big prize. Streep ("The Iron Lady") is nominated for a 17th time, but remarkably, she has won only twice, and not since 1983 for "Sophie's Choice." It often seems the Academy prefers to honor someone else for a first time rather than giving Streep her third Oscar, which she has deserved on many occasions. Look for the trend to continue this year as Viola Davis takes home the Oscar for her outstanding work in "The Help." - CG

Who will win/Who should win

KW: Viola Davis/Viola Davis

CG: Viola Davis/Meryl Streep

Best Supporting Actor

As with last year, the competition is full of deserving nominees, including such industry luminaries as Max Von Sydow, Nick Nolte and Kenneth Branagh, along with the surprising Jonah Hill, who transitioned from foul-language comedy to drama in "Moneyball." While Von Sydow works his well-honed magic in "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," the smart money will be on Christopher Plummer for his inspiring work in "Beginners." - KW

Who will win/Who should win

KW: Christopher Plummer/Max Von Sydow

CG: Christopher Plummer/Christopher Plummer

Best Supporting Actress

In recent years, the competition for Best Supporting Actress has emerged as one of Oscar night's most fiercely competitive contests. This year may prove to be the exception, however, with the statuette very likely going to Octavia Spencer for her powerful, unforgettable effort in "The Help," one of the year's most inspirational films. If there is a darkhorse candidate among the bunch, it would have to be Berenice Bejo for her outstanding work in "The Artist." If the silent movie gathers momentum at this year's Academy Awards, Bejo would be the first of several upsets on the movie's progress toward Best Picture honors. Melissa McCarthy was exceptional in "Bridesmaids," and while the Academy rarely honors comedies, she would be a popular choice for the average moviegoer. - KW

Who will win/Who should win

KW: Octavia Spencer/Octavia Spencer

CG: Octavia Spencer/Melissa McCarthy

Best Original Screenplay

Just as Melissa McCarthy is a major underdog in the Best Supporting Actress category for her tremendous work in "Bridesmaids," writers Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo are big underdogs because the Academy seems to have a problem recognizing great comedy. In fact, many thought "Bridesmaids" was worthy of a Best Picture nomination, but it was overlooked. So instead of the Oscar going to the terrific "Bridesmaids" writers, look for Woody Allen ("Midnight in Paris") or Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist") to win the prize. - CG

What will win/What should win

KW: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"/Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

CG: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"/Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, "Bridesmaids"

Best Adapted Screenplay

The Oscar buzz seems to be in favor of Nat Faxon, Alexander Payne and Jim Rash for their adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings' novel "The Descendants." But for my money, the most deserving nominees are Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian and Stan Chervin for their adaptation of Michael Lewis' "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game." In many ways, "Moneyball" would seem to have been virtually unfilmable, given that Lewis' book works from a highly cerebral, sabermetric perspective about the contemporary plight of America's pastime. But to the great credit of Sorkin, Zaillian and Chervin, "Moneyball" emerges as a surprisingly moving and powerful tale about the resounding triumph of brains over brawn. - KW

What will win/What should win

KW: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"/Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zaillian and Stan Chervin, "Moneyball"

CG: Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, "The Descendants"/George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March"

Best Animated Feature Film

This was a disappointing year for Pixar, which for the first time ever does not have its major release nominated in this category. "Cars 2" was the first film from the studio to be widely panned by critics, and it did not deserve to be nominated. With Pixar out of the running, "Rango" is the animated film to beat. - CG

What will win/What should win

KW: "Rango"/"Puss in Boots"

CG: "Rango"/"Rango"