With just hours left for unveiling of this year's Oscar nominations, a neck-to-neck race seems to be on between Slumdog Millionaire and Batman: The Dark Knight.
With just hours left for unveiling of this year's Oscar nominations, a neck-to-neck race seems to be on between the hot favourite Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire and the superhero flick Batman: The Dark Knight which is making a last minute surge.
Slumdog Millionaire, a rag to riches love story still the critic's hot favourite after sweeping a series of awards, including Golden Globes in the build up to Thursday's Academy Awards nominations, but experts say that Dark Knight may be the dark horse for the coveted award.
Oscar Pandits believe that the British director's film could be vulnerable if the Batman blockbuster manages to vie for multiple categories.
Dark Knight is trying to come into contention for a best picture award which will bring it into a direct fight for honours with Slumdog Millionire.
Other names expected on the best film list are The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon and Milk. All three films are period dramas, with political overtones and revolve around a stellar lead performance.
Slumdog Millionaire will also have to compete with the Clint Eastwood drama Gran Torino and The Reader for the slot.
Slum Dog Millionaire the Cinderella story of the year, revolves around the life of a 18 year old orphan Jamaal in Asia's biggest slum, Dharavi in Mumbai.
Made on a shoe string budget and with a star cast including debutants the film is the strongest contender for the best picture statuette at the February 22 awards ceremony in Hollywood.
However, Oscars watchers also agree that Dark Knight might ride on the powerful performance by late actor Heath Ledger to take the award home. If the film gets the award it will be the first superhero movie to do so.
Meanwhile Ledger is expected to get a posthumous nod as best actor in a supporting role for his take on the legendary character of Joker that was earlier played by Academy winning actor Anthony Hopkins.
The other big threat to Slumdog could be the big budget The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, starring Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse.
Beyond the best picture race, all eyes would be on the acting awards.
British actress Kate Winslet, a double-winner at the Golden Globes earlier this month, could pick up twin nominations for her performances in The Reader and Revolutionary Road.
Among Winslet's likely rivals in the best actress stakes are Meryl Streep, for her performance as a Ninon the religious drama Doubt, Anne Hathaway in Rachel Getting Married and Angelina Jolie in Changeling.
In the best actor race, Sean Penn is expected to earn a nod for his portrayal of gay politician Harvey Milk in Milk, while Mickey Rourke, the Golden Globe winner, would most probably be nominated for The Wrestler.
Other possible nominees include Brad Pitt for The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, Frank Langella for his starring role in Frost/Nixon and Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino.
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