Oscar countdown

On Sunday the world's greatest acting talents will come together for the 75th annual Oscar award ceremony. This is London's Entertainment editor

With the acting strikes well and truly over the last 12 months saw a significant increase in the quality of movies as opposed to the previous year.

More importantly the past three months of this year have played host to some of the most fantastic films for some time.

And despite a number of excellent films missing out on this year's Oscar nominations the five lucky movies are of exceptional quality.

Leading the way in the eyes of the bookies and undoubtedly due to its 13 award nominations is the film version of the musical Chicago, which stars Catherine Zeta Jones, Renee Zellweger, Queen Latifah and Richard Gere.

Despite facing stiff competition from Roman Polanski's The Pianist, Martin Scorcese's Gangs of New York, Stephen Daldry's The Hours and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings: Two Towers, it's hard to see beyond the much-favoured Chicago not least because of the Douglas family connections to the Hollywood elite.

From these movies we have been treated to some excellent peformances from some of the most experienced actors around.

Leading the old hands is Jack Nicholson, who was outstanding in About Schmidt. He finds himself battling it out with Daniel Day Lewis whose superb performance in Gangs of New York once again demonstrated what an amazing actor he is, Nicholas Cage for his role as twin brothers in Adaptation, and Michael Caine for his work in The Quiet American.

They are all up against relative newcomer Adrien Brody who pulls off a telling performance in The Pianist. However such is Day-Lewis' amazing performance I cannot look further than him.

For the leading ladies Nicole Kidman has clearly got over her split from Tom Cruise with possibly her greatest performance yet as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. But she faces stiff competition from Renee Zellweger in Chicago, Salma Hayek for her role as the eccentric artist in Frida, Julianne Moore in Far from Heaven and Diane Lane who plays an adulterous wife in Unfaithful.

Although it is going to be very close I think Nicole Kidman will cap a marvellous 12 months by scooping the Oscar and halting a Chicago dominated ceremony.

As per usual these leading men and ladies are backed up by a wonderful supporting cast and battling out for best male support are Christopher Walken for his role in Catch Me If You Can, Chris Cooper for his part in Adaptation, Ed Harris in The Hours, Paul Newman in Road To Perdition and John C. Reilly for his role in Chicago.

I'm going to place my bets on Christopher Walken who for so long has missed out but looks to have at last swayed the Hollywood elite.

In the best supporting female role Queen Latifah and Catherine Zeta Jones will be going head to head for their parts in Chicago. They will face competition from Meryl Streep in Adaptation, Kathy Bates in About Schmidt and up for second big nomination Julianne Moore for her role in The Hours.

However a combination of a Zeta Jones stunning performance in Chicago and the influence of her husband on Hollywood should make sure Wales has something to celebrate on the big night.

Whoever wins or loses, this year promises to be a night to remember and will provide a welcome break from the harsh realities of war.