The Oscar Curse?

Could the best actress Oscar be cursed with couple splits? Let's examine the evidence.

First Julia Roberts and Benjamin Bratt. Then Halle Barry and sexaholic Eric Benet. Then Hilary Swank and hubby Chad Lowe. Then the split of America's sweethearts: Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Phillipe. And now the recently reported separation of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes.

If that's not already enough damning evidence for you, let's put the curse to the test. Who recently nabbed a golden victory in the best actress category? None other than Ms. Sandra Bullock. Who's been reportedly sleeping around? Mr. Sandra Bullock, aka Jesse James. That is some fast acting voodoo--hardly two weeks and Sandy's already backed out of the UK premiere of The Blind Side and reportedly left the house.

Yikes. Now I'm not one to assume completely on conjecture, but holy crap, this has to mean something. Could it be just coincidence, sheer happenstance, kismet, or whatever hoo-ha hullabaloo? Maybe, maybe. But maybe there's actually something to all of this here. Someone call a psychic, someone call a healer, someone call that crazy voodoo lady from season 2 of True Blood.

Seriously though, in regards to Sandra, I hope this is all tabloid fodder because I couldn't imagine anybody in their right mind who would cheat on Sandra B. Have you seen the woman? She's in her forties and I'm still watching her in rom coms wishing I was her.

In regards to the curse, I'm seriously a little freaked out and kinda, sorta, (actually really) convinced. You?

Jimmy Kimmel's Handsome Men's Club and Christoph Waltz's "Der Humpink"

All from last night's Jimmy Kimmel Oscar Special:

Seriously, amazing. Just amazing.

Handsome Men's Club:


Christoph Waltz's "Der Humpink"


The original "trololo":

82nd Academy Award Winners & My 2010 Oscar Scoresheet

Hey, 17/20 isn't half bad. I lost out on best foreign film, best adapted screenplay, and best cinematography, but I'm not complaining.

A surprise win for Geoffrey Fletcher and his adaptation of Sapphire's novel, "Push" for Precious, but I'm honestly happy for him. I loved Jason Reitman's adaptation of Up in the Air, and many thought he was favored to win, but hey, it's great to see such appreciation for Precious. Also, what a phenomenal accomplishment for Fletcher, as he becomes the first African American to win an Oscar for screenwriting.

As for Avatar's win for best cinematography, I have to agree with Roger Ebert-- Avatar's win for best cinematography was out of whack, especially since most of the film is CGI. I can't complain too much though, I loved the outcome of this year's Oscars-- for the most part.

My faith in the Academy is happily in tact. I was worried for a moment there. Avatar only took home technical awards--rightfully so and well deserved. The big winner this year was The Hurt Locker, which took home 6/9 major awards with best sound mixing/editing, original screenplay, film editing, picture, and director. I am so incredibly happy for the movie, and especially Kathryn Bigelow! A lot of people thought Avatar would sweep, but I just knew that this was The Hurt Locker's year. Kathryn Bigelow's huge win makes her the first female director to win an Academy Award for best director. What an amazing accomplishment and a huge night for women in Hollywood.

Just as predicted, Sandra came out on top in the Sandra/Meryl showdown. Bittersweet, but you can't win 'em all. Just like Steve Martin said, Meryl may be the most nominated actress in Academy Award history, but she's also the biggest loser in history as well. There's always next year, my Meryl. All kidding aside, I would have loved to see a huge surprise win for Gabby Sidibe--how amazing would that have been? Too bad it was a slim to none chance. Sigh.

Some show highlights: Loved Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin as hosts. Loved the John Hughes tribute. Loved Tina Fey and RDJ's little comedy bit about writers and actors in Hollywood. Loved it when Ben Stiller went all out in na'vi makeup and hair tail--we do realize that we've all made Avatar a joke now, right? Loved that Tom Hanks came out at the end to present best picture and didn't even bother with any teleprompter bullshit, just got down to business and read the winner aloud without any mention of the nominees. Loved the .5 seconds of total shock from The Hurt Locker producers and reading the looks on their faces as they were unsure what to make of that total lack of buildup best picture winner announcement.

With all that said, I do have two major qualms with this year's awards. 1) Up in the Air's total lack of wins. What a fantastic movie, and what underappreciation for it. 2) Farah Fawcett's absence from the tribute. What in the fuck was up with that?

I love the Academy Awards--the fashion, the huge, swell of appreciation for films, and the magic of it all. I'm a movie geek and a fashion freak, so you can't imagine how much I just relish in all of this. What a great end to an awards season. Well deserved winners, and to top it all off, amazing, amazing fashion, which is a huge relief for me after enduring some especially atrocious dresses on the carpet at previous awards shows this season.

Check out the full list of winners below, along with my Oscar scoresheet.

1. Best Picture
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

2. Best Animated Feature
Winner: Up
My prediction: Up

3. Best Foreign Language Film
Winner: El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina
My prediction: The White Ribbon, Germany -1

4. Best Adapted Screenplay
Winner: Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
My prediction: Up in the Air, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner -1

5. Best Original Screenplay
Winner: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
My prediction: The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal

6. Best Director
Winner: The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow
My prediction: The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow

7. Best Actor in a Leading Role
Winner: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
My prediction: Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart

8. Best Actress in a Leading Role
Winner: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
My prediction: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side

9. Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Winner: Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds
My prediction: Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

10. Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Winner: Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
My prediction: Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

11. Best Cinematography
Winner: Avatar
My prediction: The Hurt Locker -1

12. Best Film Editing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

13. Best Sound Mixing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

14. Best Sound Editing
Winner: The Hurt Locker
My prediction: The Hurt Locker

15. Best Visual Effects
Winner: Avatar
My prediction: Avatar

16. Best Original Score
Winner: Up
My prediction: Up

17. Best Original Song
Winner: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
My prediction: "The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart

18. Best Art Direction
Winner: Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
My prediction: Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

19. Best Documentary Feature
Winner: The Cove
My prediction: The Cove

20. Best Makeup
Winner: Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
My prediction: Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow

Score: 17/20

2010 Oscar Best Dressed List

The Oscars red carpet this year is a fashion loving girl's dream. Holy Jesus. So glad these ladies stepped it up for the red carpet of the biggest event of the year. Talk about saving the best for last.

My ultimate pick for best dressed of the night: Jennifer Lopez in Armani Privé. Stunning, just stunning. A structural beauty. Armani Privé is just killing the red carpet. My favorite last year also came from the house of Armani. Anne Hathaway in that paillette-covered Armani Privé was sheer genius; that's a dress I'll never forget.

More fantastically dressed women tonight:

These women were right up there on the best dressed list. Seriously, so beautiful. Diane Kruger and Sarah Jessica Parker (aware of the mixed thoughts on her dress, but I thought she looked perfect, and no one looks better in Chanel Haute Couture than SJP) both in Chanel:

Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab Couture, Kristen Stewart in Monique Lhullier:

Carey Mulligan in Prada, Gabby Sidibe in Marchesa:

Elizabeth Banks in Versace, Maggie Gyllenhaal in Dries van Noten (finally some print on the carpet):

Meryl Streep in Chris March (a la Project Runway fame!), Miley Cyrus in Jenny Packham (finally an age appropriate look):

My Oscar Ballot

With the Oscars just hours away, I thought I'd fill out my very own Oscar ballot and make my predictions. Below is a list of movies/actors who I think will win and who I want to win; sadly the two don't always coincide. It'll be interesting to see how closely my picks of who I think will win will match up to the actual winners, and even more interesting to see if my personal picks garner a surprise win (a la Alan Arkin nabbing best supporting actor for Little Miss Sunshine in 2006). Crossing my fingers.

Now go make your own predictions and watch the Oscars tonight on ABC at 5pm pacific/8pm eastern to see how you did!

Best Picture
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Up
Up in the Air (my personal pick)

Best Animated Feature
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox (my personal pick)
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up (my pick to win)

Best Foreign Language Film
Ajami, Israel
The Milk of Sorrow, Peru
A Prophet, France
El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina
The White Ribbon, Germany (my pick to win)

Best Adapted Screenplay
An Education, Nick Hornby
District 9, Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
In the Loop, Jesse Armstrong & Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner (my pick to win)

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger, Alessandro Camon & Owen Moverman
A Serious Man, Ethan Coen & Joel Coen (my personal pick)
Up, Pete Docter & Thomas McCarthy & Bob Peterson

Best Director
Avatar, James Cameron
The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Lee Daniels
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart (my pick to win)
George Clooney in Up in the Air
Colin Firth in A Single Man
Morgan Freeman in Invictus
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side (my pick to win: as much as it hurts me to say, I think she'll be trumping my Meryl. I haven't yet had my peace with this, but we'll see what the ultimate outcome is.)
Helen Mirren in The Last Station
Carey Mulligan in An Education
Gabourey Sidibe in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (my personal pick)
Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon in Invictus
Woody Harrelson in The Messenger
Christopher Plummer in The Last Station
Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds (my pick to win)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz in Nine
Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air
Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (my pick to win)

Best Cinematography
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
The White Ribbon

Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds (my personal pick)
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker (my pick to win)
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

Best Visual Effects
Avatar (my pick to win)
District 9
Star Trek

Best Original Score
Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up (my pick to win)

Best Original Song
"The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart (my pick to win)
"Take It All" from Nine
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36
"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog

Best Art Direction
Avatar: Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair (my pick to win)
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus: Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
Nine: Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
Sherlock Holmes: Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
The Young Victoria: Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Best Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove (my pick to win)
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home

Best Makeup
Il Divo: Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
Star Trek: Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow (my pick to win)
The Young Victoria: Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: At the finish line with "Inglourious Basterds"

I've officially seen and attempted to review all ten best picture nominees. Last movie on the best picture list today, and just in time for the Oscars tomorrow! Holy shit. Can't believe it.

Saving the best for last? Maybe. Today: Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds.

I am a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino, less so for his strange Asian fetish (especially considering I'm a wee little Asian girl), more so because he has an incredibly unique vision when it comes to making movies. Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & 2, anyone? I have a soft spot for Tarantino movies, and rightfully so because those movies are fucking awesome.

With all that said, I was expecting nothing less from Inglourious Basterds. Inglourious Basterds is set in Nazi occupied France and tells the story of the Jewish-American "Basterds" who set out to brutally kill and scalp Nazis. So what was the final verdict after 2.5 hours of scalp collecting, brutal baseball bat beatings (say that three times fast), hilariously phony accents, an incredibly loud, table banging Adolf Hitler, and crazy explosions? Um, awesome. Just like any other Tarantino film, it's set in chapters, it's incredibly visceral and violent, and it's darkly funny.

There are great images in this movie that stick with you long after, and there are characters that are so fully developed that they almost seem real. A few of the amazing characters Tarantino built: Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) as the "Jew Hunter", Donny Donnowitz (Eli Roth), the baseball wielding "Bear Jew", Lt. Aldo Raine, the ridiculous leader of the group with a sharp Southern twang, Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent), a scorned Jewish woman awaiting her revenge against the Nazis, and Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger), the German on the opposite side looking to take down the Third Reich. That's just a small handful of characters Tarantino crafted specifically for this movie. Now can you see why this movie was nearly a decade in the making? It has a crazy slew of characters, intertwining plots, and a script filled with a good mix of different languages--in fact, the English in this film only makes up about 30% of the dialogue.

I know from just this description Inglorious Basterds already sounds crazy, and that's because it is -- it's that and so much more. This was precisely why I was worried about its critical reception and its presence during awards season. This movie rightfully deserves to be among the ten movies nominated this year in the best picture category, but it's definitely not the type of film we usually see graced by the Academy's nod of approval. It's intensely violent, horrifically hilarious, and totally absurd. I'm glad that the Academy was able to celebrate Tarantino's vision in a similar way by granting him a best director and best picture nomination, as well as a best supporting actor nod for Christoph Waltz. Most definitely deserved all around.

Now I have to take a little time to fangirl all over Christoph Waltz's performance in this film. It was so clear after one viewing of this film that he'd be sweeping best supporting actor awards this season. His performance was incredibly wicked, incredibly hilarious, and seemed totally effortless. Can't wait to see him accept his best supporting actor Oscar tomorrow night.

Alright folks, that's the end of my Oscar Big 10 Challenge. Now I am so ready for the Oscars!

My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: Blind Sided by "The Blind Side"

With the Oscars just days away, I'm winding down my challenge with just one more movie to go! Eep!

Today: the big surprise nominee, The Blind Side. The Blind Side had barely blipped on the awards radar, outside from Sandra Bullock's performance in this film, so it came as a big shock when the movie's Academy Award best picture nomination was announced.

The Blind Side is based on the true story of Michael Oher, a homeless, traumatized, African American boy who becomes adopted by the wealthy Tuohy family. With the help of his new mother, Leigh Ann (Sandra Bullock), he rebuilds his life and realizes his full potential as a successful football player.

This is a touching, true story that has a great heart, and reminds you that there are some truly great people out there who do good deeds. This is the movie to see if you want to feel inspired, because it does a good job of depicting an uplifting true story in an honest way. It's a wholesome, family type of film. The relationship between Leigh Anne and Michael is very sweet, and I'm glad this movie was able to get made because there aren't that many movies out there today with a happy, inspiring message that isn't cloyingly sweet and watered down. With all that said, it's a great movie to rent on a Friday night or to watch when you're feeling down, but that's about it. It doesn't stand out as anything spectacular or memorable, and it certainly isn't best picture material. The best picture category reflects the year's breakthrough, stand out films that not only are the year's best, but are a group of films that will also stand the test of time as future filmmakers look to match their caliber of success. There's something so indescribably special about a best picture nominee, and The Blind Side just doesn't have that spark.

Now don't get me wrong, The Blind Side was an enjoyable, good movie, but it was good, not great. Sandra Bullock's performance in this movie was her career's best. However, again, I don't think it was Oscar worthy. I think she showed that she has an ability to be a convincing, effective dramatic actor, but this was not her Oscar worthy role. She did do a great job in this movie, but I don't know who anyone's kidding if they truly think it was the best female performance this year. I love Sandra Bullock, but I'll have a real problem of confidence in the Academy if she wins best actress this year.

Bottom line: Go rent this movie at your local redbox if you need a pick me up. You won't regret it. You also won't believe it's nominated for best picture among a class that includes The Godfather, Annie Hall, Taxi Driver, and Schindler's List. Yikes.

ONE more to go! My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
District 9
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "District 9"

Going along with the topic of under-represented films this awards season from my last review of A Serious Man, I thought it'd be appropriate to review District 9 next.

Yes, District 9 is a sci-fi film. Yes, sci-fi films are often the ugly ducklings/awkward stepchildren/black swans (alright now, you get the point) of the Oscars with their teeny tiny presence at the awards throughout the years, so imagine my surprise when the Academy Awards nominated District 9 for best picture this year. Although sharply deserved, it has a slim to zero chance of winning, and I'm sure the movie only received a nomination because the category was expanded this year from five to ten. Had it been the traditional five picture deal, I'm sure it wouldn't have made the cut. It sounds like a tough break, but there's really no room for outliers like District 9 to win when Avatar, The Hurt Locker, and Up in the Air are in contention.

With all that aside, District 9 was really a sci-fi movie worth watching. I'm by no means a sci-fi fan at all, in fact, it's probably my least favorite film genre, but this movie was truly different and very enjoyable. This is all attributed to Neill Blomkamp's great writing and directing, and Sharlto Copley's portrayal of main character Wikus Van De Merwe.

District 9 takes place in a world where aliens already have a presence on Earth, and they're confined into slums, known at District 9, where they are exploited and studied. A government agent, Wikus Van De Merwe, is the head of a mission to forcibly evict the tenants of District 9. It's there where he is exposed to extraterrestrial technology that causes him to morph into one of the 'prawns'.

What sets District 9 apart from other generic sci-fi films is that it has a heart, and it has emotion. Alot of sci-fi thrillers get caught up in exciting, strange, visceral images that stir the brain, but District 9 makes it a strong point to make you feel in this movie. You feel for Wikus after he becomes exposed, and his whole world has been torn apart, and you feel for the aliens as they are constantly being exploited. The way they're treated by the government is incredibly dehumanizing--but that begs the question, do they afford the same rights as humans? That's the debate in this movie, and it's what makes District 9 so great-- it's stirring, thought provoking, and visually stunning to boot.

This movie was inspired by writer and director, Neill Blomkamp's life in South Africa during apartheid. He originally created a short movie, which was then adapted into a full feature length film with the help from producer Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings trilogy). Sharlto Copley's performance in this film was incredibly heartfelt, and I was shocked to discover he had never even acted before and didn't even think to pursue acting. Another surprising tidbit: he ad-libbed all of his dialogue during the documentary scenes.

I'm sorry, but move over Avatar, this movie was the true game changer. I think this is what sci-fi movies, in fact all movies, should strive to be: a total balance (and when I say balance, I mean equal parts) of captivating storytelling, character development, and visual interest. Also, this was a low budget film at just $30 million, but didn't look low budget at all. To put that all in perspective, Avatar cost an excess of $300 million to make. Hey, I'm just stating facts here. No claws to retract when they're just facts..

Go see District 9 and discover why it's one of the very few sci-fi movies ever to be nominated for a best picture Oscar.

Almost at the finish line! My previous best picture reviews:
A Serious Man
Avatar
An Education
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "A Serious Man"

Just six more days until the Academy Awards, just three more movie reviews to go in my big 10 challenge. What's left: District 9, The Blind Side, and Inglorious Basterds.

Today: The Coen Brothers' A Serious Man.

A Serious Man is a black comedy about the life of Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg), a professor dealing with his wife's abrupt demand for a divorce, two children too busy with their own problems to care about the family's future, and an unemployable brother who sleeps on his couch. The movie is also largely interwoven with relationships within the Jewish community, as Larry seeks help from several rabbis, who each give him quirky, anecdotal, and often odd pieces of advice. At the very core of it, this movie deals with questions of religion, faith, happiness, morality, mortality, and familial responsibilities.

A Serious Man is definitely this season's most underrated and overlooked movie. Personally, I loved this movie, but it takes a certain humor to appreciate the Coen brothers. If you're a fan of Burn After Reading and The Big Lebowski, then you will most likely like this movie as it operates in the same vein. The comedy in this movie is a subtle undercurrent, and it's never too over the top, although at times it can be pretentious. Sure, some jokes were lost on me because I'm not Jewish, and I don't know much about the Jewish faith, but you don't need to have much of a theological knowledge to watch this movie. I am slightly biased because I love the Coen brothers and black comedies, but this movie is worth a watch.

Michael Stuhlbarg is exceptional and hilarious in this film, and mostly because you're laughing at his poor misfortune. He's definitely another actor who was overlooked this awards season. I really would liked to have seen more recognition for Stuhlbarg, and more recognition for this film, so I'm glad the Academy didn't forget about it.

Final thoughts: This movie won't be winning the best picture Oscar, but if this weren't Avatar's or The Hurt Locker's year, this movie would have a serious chance. It's enjoyable and you'll laugh alot while watching this movie, not a huge laugh out loud kind of laugh, but more of a smart chuckle. This movie may not be for everyone, though. It depends on how much you love a black comedy, and how much you enjoy the Coen brothers' brand of humor and darkness, and how they attempt to balance the two.

My previous best picture reviews:
Avatar
An Education
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up
Up in the Air

Could "The Hurt Locker" be in jeopardy of losing Oscar votes?

It's Oscar season, and the claws are out. There have long been rumblings of vote lobbying and slandering of rival movies around Oscar season, and this season, The Hurt Locker may be the movie suffering the most.

The drama started with a credits controversy. The Academy has a cap of three producers that are allowed to be credited under a film, but The Hurt Locker has four contributing producers: Director Kathryn Bigelow, screenplay writer Mark Boal, Greg Shapiro, and Nicholas Chartier of Voltage Pictures. The odd man out here is Voltage Picture's Nicholas Chartier. As reported by Nikki Finke, Chartier was a huge financial backer in this film, and he even leveraged his home to fund this film. A riff occurred when tensions erupted among the four, and Nicholas was banned from the set after trying to fire Mark Boal. This is all conjecture and hearsay, though. Who knows what really happened, but what I do know is that Nikki is rarely off the mark. However, Kathryn, Mark, and Greg eventually wrote letters to the Academy and petitioned for Nicholas to be added on as a credited producer.

Hot off the heels of the successful petition, Chartier, for some inexplicable reason, sent a mass email, many of which included Academy members and other influential people in the biz, lobbying for votes.

Chartier's original email: (courtesy LAtimes)

I hope all is well with you. I just wanted to write you and say I hope you liked Hurt Locker and if you did and want us to win, please tell (name deleted) and your friends who vote for the Oscars, tell actors, directors, crew members, art directors, special effects people, if everyone tells one or two of their friends, we will win and not a $500M film, we need independent movies to win like the movies you and I do, so if you believe The Hurt Locker is the best movie of 2010, help us!

I'm sure you know plenty of people you've worked with who are academy members whether a publicist, a writer, a sound engineer, please take 5 minutes and contact them. Please call one or two persons, everything will help!

best regards,

Nicolas Chartier Voltage Pictures

Chartier issued an apology email shortly thereafter, but the damage was already done. Clearly the "$500M film" in question is Avatar. This was an absolute violation of Academy rules, and now The Hurt Locker could be in serious jeopardy of losing votes. This breaks my heart because The Hurt Locker clearly deserves to win best picture at the Oscars. Let's hope voters still get that.

I still can't believe it wasn't already glaringly obvious that this was a stupid thing for Chartier to do. Maybe it was a temporary loss of judgment or bout of insanity, but I really don't get why you'd jeopardize your film's (extremely good) chances of winning. Chartier didn't need to lobby for votes, I'm sure many voters were already convinced themselves.

Cross your fingers.

ETA: Chartier has officially been uninvited from attending this Sunday's Oscars. Yikes.

Where Oscar meets Food: a mashup of this year's noms and delectable foods

Couldn't resist posting these. This kind of stuff never fails to amuse me. All credit goes to photographer David Gartner. Check out his photostream here where you can find the District 9 Layer Cake, Avatunatartare, and Precious: based on a novel by Bombay Sapphire.

Photo courtesy of Serious Eats.

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "Up"

After reviewing a slew of serious, tense, and often dark films in an effort to cover all ten Oscar best picture nominees, I'm more than happy to take on Up today.

Up has the unique distinction of becoming one of the two animated movies ever to be nominated in the best picture category at the Academy Awards. The first animated movie to be nominated for a best picture Oscar? Disney's Beauty and the Beast in 1991. Up's nomination this year begs the question: would it have been nominated if the category hadn't been expanded from five to ten? Probably not, but then again, that's the whole reason why the category was expanded in the first place, so outliers like Disney/Pixar's Up, Neill Blomkamp's District 9, and the Sandra Bullock championed The Blind Side would have a presence at the Academy Awards. That way the AMPAS could rake in more ratings from a wide variety of viewers: from the kiddies, to the sci-fi fans, and the mini-van majority.

Up is a beautiful, light-hearted, and immensely visual tale of a grumpy man, Carl, who takes the trip of a lifetime after the passing of his wife. After he sets sail in a house of balloons, he finds that he had an unexpected visitor at the most inopportune time: the local boyscout who came a-knockin' to earn another merit badge. Carl begrudgingly takes the boy on his trip to South America where they stumble upon a world of strange creatures and talking dogs.

I knew going into this movie that it would be fantastic, thanks to the wonderful and amazing Pete Docter and Bob Peterson, the masterminds behind movies like Monsters Inc., Ratatouille, and Wall-E, but I was blown away. This movie is visually arresting. It really takes you into another world, where you aren't ashamed to be a little kid again and where you realize that the future of animation really is in Pixar's hands. A moment of truth for me: I totally cried during the opening montage of Carl's life with his wife. I just couldn't take it--I kept repeating the same mantra over and over in my head: 'don't cry.. don't cry.. kids will laugh at you.. kids. will. laugh. at. you.." and surely enough, this poor little boy seated right next to me shoots me the crazy eye. That is the magic of Up. It doesn't matter how old you are, you will become affected by this movie. If not for the beautiful sweetness and quirky humor, then the sheer flawlessness of the animation.

Up really stands out to me as one of the best animated movies I have ever seen. It is incredibly detailed and the character development doesn't fall short--it's just as detailed as the visuals. Carl is wonderfully grumpy and sweet, just like your persnickety, elderly neighbor or your very own grandpa. Russel, our adorable boyscout, is inquisitive, slightly dense, totally endearing, and altogether hilarious. The characters are just as you'd imagine them to be in an animated film--pure Americana, sweet and traditional as Apple Pie, but with a twist that only Pixar could inject into their films.

My final thoughts: Up's presence in the best picture category is purely for filler, but it also translates into a bankable win for the best animated picture category. One of my favorite, if not my favorite (other than Monsters Inc.) animated movie.

Six down, four to go. My previous best picture reviews:
Avatar
An Education
Precious
The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air

What's left:
A Serious Man
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
The Blind Side

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "Precious"

I realize that it's crunch time. The Oscars are next Saturday, therefore a big influx of posts to come.



Today: Precious: based on a novel by Sapphire. Jesus, I loved this movie. Let me forewarn anyone that's thinking about seeing this film: it's very difficult to watch. There are some very visceral, disturbing images in the film that could really stir up some emotion, but hey, that's why this movie is so great. If movies don't push you, they're not really doing much at all to you, and that's 10 bucks and two hours of your life wasted.

Precious is based on a novel written by Sapphire, and it tells the story of a young, overweight, and illiterate teen in Harlem who struggles with an abusive home life and is pregnant with her second child. She is then kicked out of school, and is invited to enroll in an alternative school, where she hopes to turn her life around. When she first enters the school, she is afraid to speak, and cannot read. Her mother disapproves of her education, and physically and emotionally abuses her daily. This movie has some bleak and incredibly heartbreaking moments, but director Lee Daniels juxtaposes Precious' hardships with daydreams of flashing cameras and spotlights. Whenever something unimaginably horrible happens, Precious retreats into her own world, where she is surrounded by a man who loves her, and people who want to take her picture. This is the story of a young girl who has been constantly beat down, wrecked by the people who were supposed to love her, but yet still manages to maintain some kind of lightness in her life.

I won't even lie. This movie made me cry like a little baby. It really broke my heart into so many pieces. You know going into this movie that it isn't based on a true story, but the movie experience is so special, that you feel like everything really is happening right before your eyes. What makes the experience even more real is that I know that there are young women like this who do exist, and who have similar stories to tell. That's the most heartbreaking part, and that's what really hurt. I hope everyone goes to see this movie to understand why it's so important to respect each other. There's an important story to tell here, and I'm glad Lee Daniels fought so hard to make this movie, and I really hope more people see it.

This movie had a fantastically great cast. Gabourey Sidibe, who plays Precious, and is the exact opposite of her character in real life as a happy, peppy, self confident woman, is incredibly convincing. She was just so achingly heartbreaking in this movie. I was physically hurting by the end because you just feel for her. Mo'Nique, who plays Precious' mother, absolutely blew me away. She was just incredible. Incredible. Jesus. Her Golden Globe, CCA, SAG, and I'm sure, come March 7th, her Oscar are very well deserved. She has a speech at the end of the film that will totally change your view of her as a comedy actress. More very notable mentions: Mariah Carey as Precious' social worker/counselor, Lenny Kravitz as her nurse, and Paula Patton as her teacher.

My final thoughts on Precious: No doubt about it. Go see this movie, but be forewarned that it's hard to stomach at times. Bring tissues. Witness Mo'Nique's and Gabby Sidibe's incredible performances. Both actresses are my Oscar picks: Mo'Nique for best supporting actress, Gabby for best actress.

Five down, five to go. My previous best picture reviews:
Avatar
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air

What's left:
A Serious Man
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
The Blind Side
Up

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "The Hurt Locker"

Just two weeks away from the Oscars and it's time for me to get a move on. I've been on a major Damages bender. I've already watched nearly two seasons in just about three days. Yikes. I'd be embarrassed if the show wasn't completely amazing.

Back on topic. Today, a look at The Hurt Locker. I thought it would be appropriate considering director Kathryn Bigelow's recent wins at the BAFTAs: The Hurt Locker has earned her a best director and a best picture award.

As much as I love, love, loved Up in the Air, let me just go ahead and be real here. Jason Reitman has a shot, but I'm just forecasting based on recent outcomes in the awards circuit. It's safe to say that come the big night, this movie will be going head to head with James Cameron's Avatar. Let's weigh both movies. Avatar has received an enormous amount of commercial success, becoming the highest grossing film of all time (when not adjusted for inflation). The Hurt Locker has barely blipped the box office radar with $12 million, but yet the critical success has been astounding. Avatar has received its own amount of critical and fanboy success, but let's face it, James Cameron's holier than thou attitude about this movie is debatable. Was Avatar a game changer in science fiction? That's a debate that won't be argued here.

My take? Kathryn Bigelow did in this movie what James Cameron sought to do in Avatar, just without all the distracting bells and whistles: make a great movie that compels the audience to want more.

One last interesting tidbit about the two? They are exes. Going head to head with your ex wife/husband in the best director and best picture category? Oh, I can't wait 'til Oscar night.

The Hurt Locker centers around the story of Sergeant William James, the head of the bomb disposal unit stationed in Iraq. James is a renegade, and it's clear to his subordinates from their first mission that he's not afraid to put himself in the line of fire, as he recklessly pulls off his protective gear to dismantle an armed bomb.

This movie is a look inside war, but what makes it uniquely interesting and compelling is that it is surprising apolitical, and it does not force you to feel one way or another. It's simply a tense, potent look inside the world of bomb disposal units and a character study of the soldiers who put themselves in danger every time they strap on that suit.

Two big standouts in this movie: Jeremy Renner's portrayal of Sgt William James, and Kathryn Bigelow's cinematic vision. Jeremy Renner is definitely someone to watch out for. He didn't say much throughout this movie, and he didn't necessary need to. Kathryn Bigelow's direction in this movie is every bit Oscar deserving as any man ever was, and frankly, I'm thrilled to see her receiving so much critical success. The issue of women in Hollywood aside, this movie is effective and tense, but not over the top and it doesn't have that polished, Hollywood signature that alot of war movies tend to have, which is a good thing in this case. It gives the film more of an authenticity, and more of a potency to the story it's telling.

Final thoughts: go see The Hurt Locker whether or not you like war movies because it's not your typical war drama. It doesn't have high flying explosives left and right and it doesn't look like a huge Hollywood production, it's just an honest look inside the world of a soldier of a bomb disposal unit. My money (and hope) is on Bigelow to win best director at the Oscars.

My previous best picture reviews:
Avatar
An Education
Up in the Air

What's left:
A Serious Man
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
The Blind Side
Up

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: "Up in the Air"

Moving right along with my Oscar Big 10 challenge. Today is a major contender, Jason Reitman's Up in the Air starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, and Anna Kendrick -- all of whom have earned an Oscar nomination for this movie.



Thought I'd kick this review off with another tasty treat, just to go along with the theme of delicious desserts inspired by Oscar nominees. Just as you may remember those hilarious Avatarts for Avatar, check out the Up in the Air eclair, or the Up in the Eclair, another great recipe from Cakespy.

Up in the Air follows the life of Ryan Bingham (Clooney), a corporate downsizer and constant traveler. His closest relationship is with his frequent flyer miles membership card, and his biggest ambition is to pass the coveted 10 million mile mark. While on the road, he begins a casual relationship with another frequent flyer, Alex (Farmiga). At work, Ryan experiences a structural change in the company as a young entrepreneur and ingenue, Natalie (Kendrick) introduces a new business plan that eliminates traveling altogether. Feeling threatened as his whole life is turned upside down, Ryan is then forced to take Natalie on the road to teach her the ropes.

I. loved. this. movie. It had such a wonderful quality to it, a quality that is distinctly Jason Reitman. This movie is essentially a drama and it has so many depressing factors, but yet there's this funny, witty undertone throughout the whole movie that makes you want to laugh and cry at the same time. This movie is innately sad--at the core, it's about a man who travels from company to company just to tell people they're fired. He does the dirty work and as a result, he breaks apart families, relationships, and dreams. You then see this juxtaposed with his own sad life as he's unable to form any real relationships with other people. At the end of this movie, you can't help but wonder what you're doing with your own life and what kind of relationships you've kept and haven't kept.

I won't get too much into the story because I don't want to spoil it, but definitely go see this movie if you're looking for something thoughtful and thought provoking. I really think that's what makes a good movie--not the special effects, the stars, or the witty banter, but if what's at the very heart and lifeline of the movie makes you think and rethink.

Let me just also go on to say that the cast was fantastic. I really thought Jason Reitman cast this movie perfectly. I'm so glad he took that chance on Anna Kendrick, a little known actress most notably known for her supporting role in the Twilight saga movies, because she is absolutely amazing in this movie. She's hilarious and heartfelt, and alot of people can relate to that naivete, the kind that is so distinct of a freshly graduated, hungry, young professional, that she has at the beginning of the movie.

My final thoughts on Up in the Air: Definitely stiff competition with Avatar and The Hurt Locker, as those are the three movies I believe it will come down to, but I'm really pulling for this movie. Personally, Up in the Air is my best picture pick, and rightfully so because it is fantastic, not over the top, not super preachy, just a great look inside relationships and the places you go in life.

My previous best picture reviews:
Avatar
An Education

What's left:
A Serious Man
District 9
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
The Blind Side
The Hurt Locker
Up

Yikes. I've seen all of them, but I saw most of these when they were first released, which was quite awhile ago. May have to rewatch some of these to jog my memory. Better get to movin'--the Oscars are right around the corner on March 7.

Meanwhile, you guys go spend your money during this recession and watch these movies, because at least you know they'll be worth your dollars and cents.

Oscar Big 10 Challenge: Mission Accomplished with "An Education"

The Big 10 challenge is finally complete! I've officially seen all ten best picture nominations, and just in time for the Academy Awards on March 7. This journey started early last year with The Hurt Locker, and this past weekend, I rounded it out with An Education. All I can say is that all the movies nominated in the Oscar best picture category this year are vastly different, thanks in part to the expansion of the category from 5 to 10, but mostly due to the fact that this year at the cinema has truly been something different. The nominees range from a charming, animated movie with a talking dog and a house of balloons, to a heartbreaking drama of a young, heavily abused girl growing up in Harlem.

Today: An Education.

This is a coming of age story of a young, 16 year old schoolgirl who lives a very ordinary, routine lifestyle and suddenly meets a wealthy, mysterious, older man who sweeps her off her feet. Jenny is a francophile, an intellectual, an art and music lover, and a girl who's confined by her own quaint lifestyle because of her overbearing parents. She becomes instantly charmed by David and the lavish lifestyle he lives. He takes her to concerts to listen to beautiful music and to Paris, so she can feel chic, French, and older than she really is. Throughout the movie she struggles with an education-- one that involves a flirtation with glamour and the finer things in life, and another that involves an Oxford education.

This movie was great on so many levels, but mostly it succeeded in its simplicity and relatibility. I think alot of people can relate to Jenny, particularly young women, who dream of finding their white knight, and being rescued from a life of boredom and innocence. What we learn from Jenny though, is that there are no shortcuts in life, and anything that makes us think otherwise is only temporary and illusory.

The cast was fantastic, and I really loved Alfred Molina as Jenny's father. The real standout in this movie though was most definitely Carey Mulligan's performance as Jenny. There's something so effortless about the way she acts, and the scenes in which David takes Jenny to Paris, you can feel her youthful effervescence, and you can't but help but be charmed by her close likening to Audrey Hepburn. I can definitely say that her Oscar nomination is very well deserved, and I'm crossing my fingers for her at the Academy Awards. I'd be so incredibly happy to see either Carey or Gabby Sidibe of Precious win in the best actress category. I'm saying this knowing fully well that either Sandra Bullock or Meryl Streep are favored to win. It pains me to say this because I do love my Meryl oh-so-much, but I can't say with certainty that her performance in Julie&Julia really deserves another Oscar win. As for Sandra, I think I've been pretty clear about her performance in The Blind Side. Great Friday night rental, and a great performance, but it's just that-- a great movie and a great performance to watch if you need suggestions for your Netflix queue.

Will An Education take home an Oscar for best picture? No, but it's truly great and worth a viewing. In all honesty, Carey's performance overshadows the movie, and because of that, it won't be getting an Oscar, but Carey may be getting hers.

My final thoughts on An Education: A simple, but beautiful coming of age movie about a girl who struggles with an education--one that involves university and a "boring" life of boys and books, and one that involves a life with a man and what seem to be the finer things in life. Watch and become impressed by Carey Mulligan's performance.

See my review of Avatar here.

Countdown to Oscar: The Big 10 Challenge, Today: An "Avatar" Review

With the March 7th Oscars coming up very soon, I decided to take it upon myself to watch all ten Academy Award Best Picture nominees, a daunting task so close to showtime and a little challenge I'd like to call The Big 10.

To remind you all, the 10 best picture nominees are: An Education, Avatar, The Blind Side, Up, Up in the Air, A Serious Man, District 9, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, and Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.

Now I've been a diligent girl, and I'm very close to the finish line. How close? Just one more movie to go--the final stretch! The last movie yet to be crossed out on my list is An Education. That's right folks, I've been watching up on my movies and I'm very serious about watching them all this year. Every year I tell myself that I will watch all the best picture nominees, but I've never actually gotten around to watching all of them. Keep in mind normally the best picture category usually only includes five nominees, but this year it has been expanded to ten. Why I decided this was the year to watch all ten? Well, because I'm a girl who loves movies and as a girl who loves movies, I should definitely watch the ones that are (supposedly) most worth watching.

That's not to say I won't be watching my usual fluff: I'm gearing up to see Valentine's Day with my very own valentine on Saturday. I figure if I'm going to get my money's worth, I'm going to watch a movie with everyone in it.

To kick off my big 10 challenge, I'm starting with the movie I saw most recently: James Cameron's Avatar. (Behold, the Avatart! Original image courtesy of Jesse Oleson. Check out the cakespy's recipe here.)
Now let me preface this review with a little side comment: Avatar was at the bottom of my list for a couple of reasons. I kept putting off watching it because: a) the run time: 3 hours. Good god, does James Cameron love filming 3 hour movies or what? b) the trailers and sneak peeks were putting me off--too much cheese, and c) I'm not much of a sci fi buff at all.

With that said, I felt I was already biased going into it. However, I didn't want to make up my mind before even seeing it and I definitely wanted to finish my challenge, so I attempted to clear my mind, and gear up for a 3 hour long trip into James Cameron's mind.

I wanted so badly to like this movie because I can appreciate James Cameron's dedication to this movie and if there was ever a passion project, this would be it. This movie has been shelved for over 10 years and conceptualization for this movie started nearly fifteen years ago. I can also appreciate the fact that Cameron created his own technology to shoot this film-- a 3D camera he invented just to film this movie. I can also appreciate his dedication towards this film's special effects and character details--including the invention of the Na'vi language.

However, I just can't forgive some of the major components of the movie. For example, the story and the characters are incredibly reminiscent of movies we've already seen. Hell, let's face it, this movie is about the history of America. If I wanted to watch a movie about the history of America, I'd watch Pocahontas again. I don't know who James Cameron thinks he's fooling, but we've all witnessed the magic of Disney; the jig is up, James. That's not to say that I don't already realize that half of Hollywood's movies are remakes or reimaginations of one another, but if you're going to reconceptualize an idea, please have the courtesy to do so with a worthy script. If it took over ten years to polish this script, why was I, along with my movie companion, cringing at awkward, forced dialogue throughout the movie?

I suspect this movie fell victim to the yes man syndrome. Studio execs must have figured this was James Cameron, the king of the world, and who were they to step in his way and ask for a rewrite?

One last gripe: the length. This movie was just far too ambitious, there was too much crammed into one length of time, and as a result, I found myself constantly checking the time. I'm not just complaining for the sake of complaining because I already knew the movie was this long going in, but it simply just dragged on forever. I mean I saw Titanic, which we all know was also 3 hours, and I wasn't obsessively wondering when the climax of the movie was (no pun intended with Leo DiCraprio's famous hand on the window scene involved). Right when I thought I was at the home stretch during the last half an hour, a war suddenly erupted. 2.5 hours later, and a war erupts? Jesus, save me now.

With all that said, how can this be the the world's highest earning movie in history, best picture Golden Globe winner, and serious Oscar contender? Could it be that the majority of the world happily trades quality content for shiny, pretty special effects? Why, yes, that sounds about right.

My final thoughts on Avatar: kudos to James Cameron for his contribution to science fiction and for creating a hyper reality complete with 10 foot CGI blue natives of a distant planet, but I'm sorry, I can't forgive the dragging length and the nearly painful dialogue.

2010 Oscar Nominees

Finally! The Oscar nominees are finally here! Check out the full list of nominees below.

A couple of thoughts:

• Very surprised at The Blind Side's best picture nomination--seriously, what's up with that? It was an enjoyable film, but not best picture material, just a good rental for a Friday night. Also keep in mind that the movie hasn't been recognized at ANY other awards shows-- Critic's Choice, Golden Globes, nada. I get that the category has been expanded to include movies like this, but there were just so many more to choose from.
• Tired of the overhype of Sandra Bullock: as much as I love this woman, I simply can't understand why she's sweeping awards. Someone please make me understand. Did we all watch the same movie? Was there something I missed? I swear I only took one bathroom break during the movie. Did I miss the big Oscar worthy moment while in the little girl's room? Thoroughly confused. Would love to see Gabourey Sidibe or Carey Mulligan win.
  
• Nine best picture snub-- very surprised as well. Would have thought it would have gotten a nomination. Would have liked to see this nominated over The Blind Side. Or how about A Single Man? Lovely Bones? Crazy Heart? Star Trek? Invictus? Anyone out there listening? Throw me a bone here.
• BIG time nods for Tarantino: best screenplay, best director, best picture! I was worried about what kind of presence Tarantino's fiercely violent and hilarious Nazi killer film would have at the Academy Awards, but it's good to see it's so well represented.
• Biggest snubs: (500) Days of Summer for best original screenplay (it was pretty much believed to be in the bag, so I'm really heartbroken over this), Julianne Moore for A Single Man, Diane Kruger for Inglorious Basterds, Peter Jackson and The Lovely Bones for best director and best picture, and Bright Star for, well, anything and everything. Ouch.
  
• One last note: CONGRATULATIONS to the venerable Meryl Streep for her 16th career nomination for Julie & Julia at the Academy Awards. Kudos!

Tune in on March 7th for the 2010 Academy Awards hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin! Can't wait!


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

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

Best Foreign Language Film
Ajami, Israel
The Milk of Sorrow, Peru
A Prophet, France
El Secreto de Sus Ojos, Argentina
The White Ribbon, Germany

Best Adapted Screenplay
An Education, Nick Hornby
District 9, Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell
In the Loop, Jesse Armstrong & Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire, Geoffrey Fletcher
Up in the Air, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner

Best Original Screenplay
The Hurt Locker, Mark Boal
Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino
The Messenger, Alessandro Camon & Owen Moverman
A Serious Man, Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Up, Pete Docter & Thomas McCarthy & Bob Peterson

Best Director
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

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart
George Clooney in Up in the Air
Colin Firth in A Single Man
Morgan Freeman in Invictus
Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker

Best Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side
Helen Mirren in The Last Station
Carey Mulligan in An Education
Gabourey Sidibe in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire
Meryl Streep in Julie & Julia

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon in Invictus
Woody Harrelson in The Messenger
Christopher Plummer in The Last Station
Stanley Tucci in The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz in Inglourious Basterds

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Penelope Cruz in Nine
Vera Farmiga in Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal in Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick in Up in the Air
Mo'Nique in Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

Best Cinematography
Avatar
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
The White Ribbon

Best Art Direction/Set Decoration
Avatar
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
The Young Victoria

Best Costume Design
Bright Star
Coco Before Chanel
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Nine
The Young Victoria

Best Film Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire

Best Sound Mixing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Sound Editing

Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

Best Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria

Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek

Best Original Score
Avatar
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Hurt Locker
Sherlock Holmes
Up

Best Original Song
"The Weary Kind" from Crazy Heart
"Take It All" from Nine
"Loin de Paname" from Paris 36
"Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog
"Down in New Orleans" from The Princess and the Frog

Best Documentary Feature
Burma VJ
The Cove
Food, Inc.
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Which Way Home