2010 Best Picture Oscar Nominees

As always, Pike, you're very insightful in your reasoning and deductions as to the front-runners for the Oscars.

Seems to me Avatar may have a powerful advantage because of its cutting edge computerized special effects, which may be the wave of the future. Or possibly there could be a backlash because what you see on the screen are computer images, not real actors (yeah, I know the facial features are wonderful but it's still a computer image). How much is acting and how much is Memorex?

Plus there's another element that could be an influencing factor. From what I've read (I haven't seen the film), most of the humans come across as mean exploitive SOBs. Well, maybe that flies in Hollywood. Or maybe some folks are getting tired of being always depicted as the bad guys.

There could be an element of resistance to Avatar on those two counts--whether there would be enough to tip the balance of voting, I don't know. It wouldn't be the first time a box-office hit was passed over at the rewards ceremony--big money-makers sometimes generate a jealous backlash, too. Plus the female director could be a politically correct justification to vote for The Hurt Locker.

Bottom line, it seems Avatar could have a near-even chance of either winning big or losing big.

I said The Hurt Locker and I'm sticking with it, along with Bigelow for Best Director, because I just can't see them (the Academy) giving Cameron another Titanic night. He's had his big pat on the back and thanks for all the money prizes, so I'm hoping that it's a double for Bigelow/The Hurt Locker. Of course, while this is the Academy, they are still all about the business, so maybe it'll be a split, Bigelow for Best Director and Avatar Best Picture.

I have seen Avatar, which is a likable action/adventure movie but nothing special except that it is appropriate for all members of the family(I could watch it with my grandmother or my nephews without flinching), Up in the Air which I applaud because the babe in it was well over 30 and not the cupcake, District 9 which I loved for the character of Wikus played by Sharlto Copley, a nebbishy anti-hero and everyman. But of those I have seen, I liked An Education the best. Excellent writing, great character roles and an ingenue who carried the whole of the movie on her shoulders with great aplomb. It probably won't win best picture but hopefully one of the actors or the writer will be recognized for this excellent movie.

__________________
Louise Vale first woman to play Jane Eyre in the flickers.

Considering what it's up against, BB, I think Best Adapted Screenplay is its best bet. But I think that's a long shot too.

The only nominee without a vote so far, The Blind Side. Why? Because it was lame.

I've seen all ten and they all get a thumbs up except for The Blind Side and Avatar, and in the latter's case it gets more of a sideways thumb.

__________________
"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

Supposedly the point of expanding the best picture nominees was to create more excitement with the public and increase ratings at the Oscar ceremonies by potentially adding nominees popular with the public. If that was the intention, I think they failed. The only gigantic box office hit on the list is Avatar and that would have been nominated if the nominations were still at five.

The Blind Side?

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Up?

District 9 and Inglourious Basterds weren't exactly flops either.

I'm still undecided. Ugh... What I pick for this category pretty much sways my votes in several other areas.

__________________
We are both the source of the problem and the solution, yet we do not see ourselves in this light...

I have voted for Avatar. But after watching the graph i was surprised. The Hurt Locker ! I had no idea that people loved the film so much.

I think it's being picked because that's what people think will win; I'm not sure the poll is meant to represent what people want to win.

I've picked what I think will win. Not what I'd want to win or think should win. I thought that was the point. I've got The Hurt Locker, so I'll get to watch it sooner or later. Of the films nominated I've only seen Up and Up In The Air. Nothing wrong with either, but neither were strong enough to be worth the Oscar, IMO. Not that that means anything. After all, Gladiator won, so all bets are off.

my vote is the hurt locker

I know I'm a little late on this, but I just finished watching Inglorious Basterds
so I have now seen all ten. I want to do a mini review of each film prior to my picks.

Usually I don't like war films. I find the films cannot find a balance between "war is always horrible and awful" and "war is heroic." The Hurt Locker did a wondeful job of walking this line--it passes no judgement. It simply gives you the story in a very moving and meaningful way. Kathryn Bigelow will become the first woman to win Best Director, and rightly so.

A Serious Man is brilliant. It's a modernized re-telling of the Biblical Book of Job. It was dark but funny--otherworldly but real. Some of the Coen Bros. best work.

An Education worked even though very little happened. This film was driven by its perfomances, specifically Carey Mulligan who was nominated for her performance.

District 9 was a suprising sci-fi film. While it dealt with aliens and ended with a stereotypical battle scene, I thought it dealt with some very interesting concepts about human nature.

The winner of the "Things Which Didn't Suck as Much as I Thought They Would" category is The Blind Side. Past winners include broccoli and Super Bowl XLII (18-1 HA!).

Inglorious Basterds was a romp. Tarantino's best work since Pulp Fiction. Filled with Tarantino's signature writing style, the movie surprised me with its visuals.

While I see the appeal of Up I can't say it deserves to be the first animated Best Picture nominee in eighteen years -- especially when last year's Wall-E was twice the movie. It should have Best Animated Feautre wrapped up, but I liked Fantastic Mr. Fox better.

Up in the Air was excellent. It's writing and filming were excellent. Vera Farmagia succeeded in matching Clooney's charm, and the movie was at its best when the two were interacting.

Since 2007, we have seen years of excellent villians. Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurh, Daniel Day-Lewis's Daniel Plainview, Heath Ledger's Joker have set cinematic standards of villainy. Mo'nique's performance as Mary in Precious continues this recent tradition. Simply disturbing to watch.

Avatar is the most interesting movie this year. Wonderful technical acheivements, and a satisfying action movie. However, the acting, writing, and storytelling ranged from mediocre to awful.

In my opinion, The Hurt Locker is the best film of the year. However, as Holden Pike so eloquently stated it, it made so little money. On this note, Avatar should win. I'm hoping the Academy will split artistic integrity and box office appeal, and Up in the Air or Inglorious Basterds win.

BUT, my offical prediction for the 2010 Best Picture is Avatar. Sigh.

__________________
"What might have been and what has been
Point to one end, which is always present." - T.S. Eliot

One of the producers of The Hurt Locker sent emails to members of the Academy telling them to vote for his film and not some $500 million dollar one.

tisk tisk, he's breaking the rules.

__________________
"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."

Suspect's Reviews

I heard Tarantino threatened voters.

__________________

Here's a relevant article from one of our local papers; I've reproduced the bit about the Best Picture Oscar, but the author offers predictions on the other awards, as well.

I'm sad that The Hurt Locker's producer did such a stupid thing. While I haven't seen all ten films, THL is one of the best films I've ever seen. It should win. I also voted for it because I want it to win.

From what I've read about Avatar (yes, I'm one who hasn't seen it!), and having seen Up in the Air, it is by far the strongest film of the three. I think Inglorious Basterds shouldn't even be here (horror!) An entertaining film, but, I have a real problem with rewriting history for the sake of what? What in the heck was the point of that film? To fight evil, you must become evil? The ethics of that film was pretty disturbing, if you ask me.

Back in '97, Cameron's little "I'm King of the World" comment pissed off a lot of people. I'm betting they don't want to reward him again with a slew of awards.

Predicting the winners can be pretty easy much of the time, but then again, we see winners like Crash and Shakespeare in Love, and well, all bets are off. With 10 films to choose from (which I think is stupid as hell), who knows? I'm curious to see how this comes out.

You really thought The Hurt Locker was one of the best films you've ever seen tramp? I hope it wins, I want it to win but, TBH, I wouldn't say it was the best film I saw last year, let alone ever. I've only seen three of the 10 nominations, but I think the fact that it's been nominated has helped how people view The Hurt Locker a lot.

When it came out, I thought about whether to see it or not. Decided that it wasn't worth it and so I saw it on dvd. I'll certainly watch it again, but the first time around I didn't see much more than two good performances (Renner and Mackie) and four set pieces connected by some rather 'much ado about nothing' scenes.

At present, I'd give The Hurt Locker

Honeykid, I didn't even want to see it, since it was about the Iraq war. So I admit I went into it watching it solely because of the award attention. But, believe me, if I didn't like it, I wouldn't like it. My view isn't colored by that.

I just thought it was mesmerizing and gripping from the moment it started. There wasn't a time when the film slowed down; I didn't see a wasted moment. Yea, I happen to think it is one of the best war movies I've ever seen -- there was the intimacy of having only a few characters and Jeremy Renner's performance was flat-out amazing. I think he should win Best Actor. I haven't seen such a charismatic performance like that in a very long time.

It was suspenseful from beginning to end. I can't find a flaw in the movie.

My housemate gets bored at films easily -- she usually leaves before a film is finished, lol. This film gripped her totally.

So I guess we just disagree.