Best Picture: No Country For Old Men

Producers: Scott Rudin, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

WHY - Ever since its world premiere in competition at Cannes, the Coen brothers’ dark thriller has been tipped for a best picture Oscar nomination. Its momentum with end-of-year awards groups is underway with best picture citations from the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Board of Review.

CHANCES - No Country might prove too bleak and violent in its execution and message for some older Academy members. Nonetheless, like Fargo in 1996, it is as near as you can get to a shoo-in for a nomination, especially since it has also taken off at the box office.