Best Picture Nominees 2011

The Social Network
Nerds cheered when Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher's drama about the founding of Facebook became a hit: its success meant that big studios might be encouraged to finance further high-IQ projects. As The Social Network racked up critics' awards, it became the front runner for Best Picture — a spot now challenged by The King's Speech. With these two movies the choice is clear: the agitated future of film or its more decorous past; head vs. heart. Is The Social Network, like its fictionalized protagonist Mark Zuckerberg, too smart for its own good?

• Oscars 2011: Who Will Win and Who Got Snubbed