**Stars have begun arriving at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles for the 82nd Academy Awards.**Mo’Nique, who is nominated for the best supporting actress award for her role in Precious, was among the first to arrive on the red carpet.
The Hurt Locker and Avatar will be going head-to-head for the coveted best picture Oscar later.
Jeff Bridges is tipped to take best actor for Crazy Heart, while Sandra Bullock is favourite for best actress.
James Cameron’s 3D sci-fi juggernaut Avatar, which has taken more than $2bn (£1.32bn) at the box office, had looked like a favourite in early 2010.
But the Iraq bomb disposal drama The Hurt Locker by Kathryn Bigelow is tipped to take the prize.
Voting system
But with 10 films in the running for best picture and a change in the voting system, the way is still open for a major Oscar upset.
Quentin Tarantino’s eight times nominated World War II fantasy Inglourious Basterds could benefit from a split vote.
Cameron and Bigelow, who were once married, also go against each other in the best director category with Bigelow heavily tipped to win.
Industry paper The Hollywood Reporter on Friday predicted wins for Bigelow for both best picture and director.
If Bigelow is named best director she would be first female to win - only four women have ever been nominated.
Bridges, 60, has swept the awards season this year, winning Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his portrayal of an alcoholic country singer.
‘In the bag’
British hopes in the acting categories include Colin Firth, Dame Helen Mirren and Carey Mulligan.
But Bullock is expected to win best actress for American football drama The Blind Side.
But she has close competition from Meryl Streep, whose role in Julie and Julia has earned her a record 16th Oscar nomination.
The best supporting actor and actress awards seem to be already in the bag for Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) and Mo’Nique.
All of which leaves stop motion animation heroes Wallace and Gromit as one of Britain’s best hopes of taking home an Oscar.
Nick Park, nominated in the short animated film category for A Matter Of Loaf And Death, is in line to win his fifth golden statuette.