Oscar Noms

So, the 2010 Oscar nominations were released earlier this week.

And I might add, I'm not very impressed.

Let's tackle the (few) categories that I'm actually interested in.

Best Supporting Actor:

Matt Damon Invictus

Woody Harrelson The Messenger

Christopher Plummer The Last Station

Stanley Tucci The Lovely Bones

Christoph Waltz Inglourious Basterds

In my opinion, Christoph Waltz is a lock for this statue.

His portrayal of Col. Hans Landa was superb, and made Inglourious Basterds the thoroughly enjoyable movie that it was.

However, that being said, I've only seen one other movie out of the 5 in this category - that being The Lovely Bones. And Tucci was creeptastic in it, but I dont think he's got a chance. If it's not Waltz winning, then expect to see the grizzled, Canadian vet up there with an acceptance speech. 50/50 Waltz/Plummer.

Best Actress:

Sanda 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

To be perfectly honest, I havent seen any of these movies. I've heard good things about The Blind Side and An Education, however I have little interest in seeing the other 3. That being said, Best Actress is not usually a category in which the Oscars picks a darkhorse, or newcomer (that's more of the Supporting Actress thing to do). I'm going to go with Helen Mirren in The Last Station, but dont be surprised to get another long-winded acceptance speech from Ms. Streep either.

Best Actor:

Jeff Bridges Crazy Heart

George Clooney Up in the Air

Colin Firth A Single Man

Morgan Freeman Invictus

Jeremy Renner The Hurt Locker

I enjoy Jeff Bridges in pretty much everything he's in (I mean, he was The Dude!), and I'd really like to see Crazy Heart, but it hasnt come to GP yet, so no luck there. Clooney was solid in Up in the Air, but I'm giving the nod on this one to Renner. He was fantastic as a very broken, adrenaline-seeking, bomb-disposing-of specialist in Iraq. Definate Oscar-worthy performance. And I think the fact that he hasnt been nominated for anything major before will be a strength, rather than a hinderance.

Best Director:

Kathryn Bigelow The Hurt Locker

James Cameron Avatar

Lee Daniels Precious (et all)

Jason Reitman Up in the Air

Quentin Tarantino Inglourious Basterds

Reitman did a great job with Up in the Air, and Bigelow surprised me with The Hurt Locker - and yet again, James Cameron disappointed. I didnt see Precious, so let's talk a little Quentin.

Tarantino did a great job (I still maintain it's not his best however) with the Basterds, and I think this will be the Denzel Washington/Training Day Oscar win. Not his finest work, but he's missed out before, so let's give him a statue. I'd like to see Quentin win, but to be honest, as long as Cameron doesnt win (his acceptance speeches/gloatings are ridiculous), I'm content with whoever they give the statue to.

And finally, 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

As long as Avatar doesnt win, I'm happy.

I havent seen all of these movies, in fact, I've only seen half of them. But in a year when the Academy decides to up the Best Picture category to 10 nominees, I dont honestly feel any of these movies is the clear-cut favorite to win the award. Which probably plays to Avatar's strengths (unfortunately). The movie was amazing visually, I'll give them that. But the story was recycled, the dialogue was sub-par, and they named the unobtainable rock that they are trying to mine, UNOBTAINIUM. arghhhhh. Who approved that? Either way, if you loved Avatar, I wont hold it against you, we can still be friends... but I reeeeeaaaaaaally dont want it to win Best Picture.

I'm going to hold out hope that either Inglourious Basterds, Up in the Air, or the Hurt Locker (or the ultimate animated darkhorse - Up) wins best picture - but I get this sucky feeling that it's going to be Avatar.

And all I can say to that is, Boo-urns.
You can check out a full run-down of all the categories here!