Oscar Nominations 2010

The nominations have been announced and they are pretty much what was expected. Some of the big categories and brief comments below.

Best Picture
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9”
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglourious Basterds”
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”

If there was any sense, ‘An Education’ would win. But we are certainly looking between ‘Avatar’ and ‘The Hurt Locker’, both of which are good films. If it was the traditional 5 I would cut out ‘Precious’, ‘Up’, ‘Up in the Air’, ‘The Blind Side’, and ‘Inglourious Basterds’, but that’s just me.

And it is a shame ‘Up’ finally pushes Pixar into a best picture when ‘WALL-E’ was at least twice as good and snubbed last year. Such a shame.

Best Direction
“Avatar,” James Cameron
“The Hurt Locker,” Kathryn Bigelow
“Inglourious Basterds,” Quentin Tarantino
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” Lee Daniels
“Up in the Air,” Jason Reitman

Give it to J.C., in my opinion, but Bigelow has this all but locked up.

Lead Actor
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, “Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, “The Hurt Locker”

Jeff Bridges has this locked up as well, but I could go for Jeremy Renner.

Lead Actress
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”

Sandra Bullock is a lock (all the acting categories are), but as we know, I’m a big supporter of Carey Mulligan.

Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, “Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, “The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, “The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, “The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, “Inglourious Basterds”

How is Matt Damon nominated? Christoph Waltz deservingly has this one locked up though.

Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, “Nine”
Vera Farmiga, “Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, “Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, “Up in the Air”
Mo’Nique, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Mo’Nique has this easily, which continues to prove how this category is often a joke (Tilda Swinton, Jennifer Hudson? Really? Such forgettable trash. Though Penelope Cruz deserved it).

Adapted Screenplay
“District 9,” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
“An Education,” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
“In the Loop,” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
“Up in the Air,” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

‘An Education’ or ‘District 9’ should win, but I’m afraid those are a long way behind ‘Up in the Air’.

Original Screenplay
“The Hurt Locker,” Written by Mark Boal
“Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
“The Messenger,” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
“A Serious Man,” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
“Up,” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

I would love to go with Basterds, except I have seen the original and there is no way I can support giving this horrible grammar an(other) Oscar. See it here. I would be happy with ‘The Hurt Locker’ or ‘A Serious Man’.

Animated Feature
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”

‘Coraline’ was the best of the bunch, but ‘Up’ will win.

‘Avatar’ will win pretty much every tech. award it is nominated for. I will put up official predictions for all categories in a few weeks.