Les Miserables

What’s it about?
A bunch of singing Frenchies, among them a convict who breaks his parole, the lawman who won’t let him off the hook and a young single mother who falls on hard times.

Why’s it nominated?
Because the Academy loves a soaring, sweeping musical, especially one adapted from a long-running stage success. It doesn’t hurt Tom Hooper’s film either that two of its stars – X-Men regular Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway from The Dark Knight Rises – are both former hosts of the Oscar telecast. Their nominations make up two of the eight their film has received.

What are its chances?
Should you have a house, feel free to bet it on Hathaway winning best supporting actress for a moving turn that sees her touchingly croon ‘I Dreamed A Dream’ through a river of tears and snot. Elsewhere, Les Mis has a good chance of getting best song for ‘Suddenly’, a new number added to the score precisely for that purpose.