If the Academy follows its loose tradition of handing the best picture and best director awards to the same film, expect The Aviator to end Scorsese's Oscar drought with a relative windfall at this year's Academy Awards. With its pack-leading 11 nominations, and the ringing endorsement of the Golden Globe for best picture, the Howard Hughes biopic is a favourite to take the top Oscar.

But that front-runner status is not The Aviator's alone, as it shares a lot of buzz with Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby. Backed by a broad range of Oscar nominations, and Eastwood's Golden Globe for best directing, Million Dollar Baby is set for a tough fight.

And you can't discount the power of Ray, and Oscar's historic love of a tale of personal triumph over physical disability.

Finding Neverland may have the weight of its own seven nominations behind it, but the absence of nods in the best directing, cinematography or three of the four top acting categories belies the Academy's attitude. Not to mention the fact the film's been beaten at every major awards show so far this year.

The inclusion of Sideways among the nominees is likely as much recognition as this critical and audience favourite will garner. Unfortunately for the little film with a big buzz, the Oscars simply don't favour irreverent dramas that border on comedy. And despite the boost of a Golden Globe best picture win, the fact it came in the best musical or comedy category merely cemented its status. Instead, look for Sideways to take home a consolation prize in another of the so-called lesser categories such as adapted screenplay.