Oscar poll: Will ‘The Help’ be nominated for best picture?

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All Oscarologists know that academy members are suckers for heart-tugging, quality films — just like the last best picture winner, ‘The King’s Speech.’

It’s clear that three stars of ‘The Help’ are seriously in the running for acting laurels (Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer) and that it’s a strong contender for adapted screenplay. But what about the top prize? Now that that category will have a flexible number of nominations, it’s harder than ever to predict, but let’s try anyway. What do you think?

Here are snippets of a few sample reviews:

Variety: ‘A stirring black-empowerment tale aimed squarely at white audiences, ‘The Help’ personalizes the civil rights movement through the testimony of domestic servants working in Jackson, Miss., circa 1963.’

LA Times: ‘A heart-warming surprise ... you won’t want to miss this quintessential Southern portrait of the long, hot summer of their discontent.’

Rolling Stone: ‘A deeply touching human story filled with humor and heartbreak is rare in any movie season, especially summer. That’s what makes ‘The Help’ an exhilarating gift.’

USA Today: ‘A crowd-pleasing tale.’

— Tom O’Neil

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