2010 Final Oscar Recap

Best Actor:
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"

My comments: I wasn't crazy (no pun intended) about any of these guys. I don't really know who else I would have like to have seen nominated, but I guess Jeff Bridges was a good winner considering his competition.


Best Supporting Actor:
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 comments: I had never seen a Quentin Tarantino film before Inglorious Basterds and I have to admit it was kind of cool. I don't think Christoph Waltz had any real competition in the other guys.


Best Actress:
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"

My comments: How did Gabourey or Meryl even get nominated as Best Actress? The other three I can see. I would have been rooting for Carey Mulligan if it hadn't been completely obvious that this was to be Sandra's award.


Best Supporting Actress:
Penélope 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 comments: I can't stand Penelope Cruz or Maggie Gyllenhaal in anything so I'm glad neither of them won. Monique was the right choice here.


Best animated Film:
"Coraline"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"The Princess and the Frog"
"The Secret of Kells"
"Up"

My comments: I still have no idea what The Secret of Kells is supposed to be about. I might have to Wikipedia it... I hated Fantasic Mr. Fox and thought The Princess and the Frog was kind of stupid. Up was my winner easily and by a wide margin.


Costume design:
"Bright Star"
"Coco before Chanel"
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus"
"Nine"
"The Young Victoria"

My comments: Period pieces always win the costume category. The winner even said as much in her acceptance speech. That said, I think it must have been fun to work on the costumes in Coco Before Chanel and Nine.


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

My Comments: The music in both Sherlock Holmes and Fantastic Mr Fox was annoying. I don't even remember the music in The Hurt Locker. Up had a definite musical theme.

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

My Comments: Once again, the Disney songs were really disappointing. I've compared Crazy Heart to Walk the Line more than once, and this song made the comparison that much easier.


Visual Effects:
"Avatar"
"District 9"

"Star Trek"

My Comments: Kind of unfair, seeing as how James Cameron had, what, 10 years to do Avatar? I was more impressed with District 9 because it wasn't so obviously CGI.

Adapted Screenplay:
"District 9"
"An Education"
"In the Loop"
"Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"

My Comments: I haven't read any of the originals so I can't speak to the movie vs source material thing. Overall, An Education was my favorite of these five though.

Original screenplay:
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglourious Basterds"
"The Messenger"
"A Serious Man"
"Up"

My Comments: I was bored during The Hurt Locker, but I'm sure if you're into the whole war thing it was right up your alley. Overall, Up was my favorite of these five.

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"

My Comments: It was hard, adding five additional titles this year. This is how I rank them:

10. A Serious Man
9. Up in the Air
8. The Hurt Locker
7. District 9
6. Avatar
5. Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
4. The Blind Side
3. Inglourious Basterds
2. An Education
1. Up

But unfortunately(?) I'm not a member of the Academy.