And as the clock ticks and the countdown begins, here's looking at the people we think will rule the awards.

Philip Seymour Hoffman - Capote
Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

Critically acknowledged as the best performance of the year, Hoffman conjured up a fantastic version of writer Truman Capote, being affected, effeminate, and high-pitched even as he superbly conveyed the trials and tribulations of the Breakfast At Tiffany's novelist.

Who else is there: Funnily, Russell Crowe has been nominated for the barely-watchable Cinderella Man. The toughest competition is from Heath Ledger, who is drawing massive applause for his role in Brokeback Mountain. Capote, however, has wowed critics unanimously, and a biopic is the safest bet for an acting prize. The cowboy movie might just have to make do with Best Film.

Text: Raja Sen | Design: N V Reuben