Oscars 2010
For the first time ever, I've seen five nominees for Best Picture in the same year before they were nominated. Note I didn't say I saw all five because this year they have ten nominees for Best Picture in an attempt to boost ratings by including movies people might have actually seen (no doubt in response to the disappointment that The Dark Knight didn't get a BP nod last year). I guess this means it worked, but also that they didn't forsee how big Avatar was going to be. I don't think any of us did.
And the nominees are:
AVATAR
THE BLIND SIDE
DISTRICT 9
AN EDUCATION
THE HURT LOCKER
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
PRECIOUS
A SERIOUS MAN
UP
UP IN THE AIR
District 9 is the most pleasant suprise here. Though I didn't love it as much as others did, I like seeing such an unabashed genre film make the cut. That said, it won't win. Up marks the first time since Beauty and the Beast that an animated film got a BP nod and the first time a Pixar film got one. Since the Best Animated Feature category still exists, don't expect it to win either. Personally, I'm rooting for Inglourious Basterds, but all the indicators are pointing to a showdown between Avatar and The Hurt Locker, either of which I'd find perfectly acceptable as the winner.