With the Academy Awards airing Sunday night, the parlor game du jour is guessing who will win those coveted golden statues. The King’s Speech or The Social Network? Tom Hooper or David Fincher? Street artist Banksy’s Exit through the Gift Shop or the infuriating but excellent Indie Job? Here, we’ve compiled TNR’s reviews of some of the top nominees at this year’s Oscars. Happy reading and red-carpet watching!
“Why The King’s Speech Will Win the Best Picture Oscar,” by David Thomson
“Black Swan is a Fake,” by Jennifer Homans
“Inside Job Deserves a Best Picture Oscar Nomination. But Will the Self-Serving, Tasteless Academy Give It One?” by David Thomson
“The Biggest Strength of Blue Valentine Is Also Its Biggest Weakness,” by David Thomson
“The King’s Speech is an Ugly Distortion of History,” by Isaac Chotiner
“You Might Want to Watch True Grit—The Whole Thing!—With Your Eyes Closed,” by David Thomson
“The Social Network Is Wonderful Entertainment, but Its Message Is Actually Kind of Evil,” by Lawrence Lessig
“Restrepo: The Best New Film About Afghanistan,” by Stanley Kauffmann
“Why Is Everyone So Obsessed With Inception? A Theory.” by David Thomson
For more TNR, become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.