And the 2010 nominees for Best Picture are...

If you haven't heard, the 82nd Academy Awards best film category has been expanded to a field of ten. This is the first time this has happened since 1943 and this makes the Oscar race for Best Picture very interesting...

And they are:
"Avatar"*
"The Hurt Locker"*
"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire"
"Up in the Air"*
"Inglourious Basterds"*
"Up"*
"The Blind Side"
"District 9"*
"An Education"*
"A Serious Man"*

As of this post, I've seen eight* from this list and was also pleasantly surprised to see an animated feature among them (although one was missing). So how do I rank these from a personal point of view? Which film was left off? Prediction?

From favorite to least favorite (or unseen):
"District 9"/"Inglourious Basterds" - tie
"Up in the Air"
"The Hurt Locker"
"An Education"
"Up"
"The Blind Side"/"Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire" - unseen
"A Serious Man"
"Avatar"

It's great seeing a Pixar film in this list as they consistently hit home runs with their stories but maybe a year too late; I liked "Up" but it's not as strong overall a film as "Wall-E" was. I think what put "Up" into this list was, first, guilt for "Wall-E" not being considered last year (I thought it was better than "Slumdog Millionaire" and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only who still thinks that) and, second, that brief but beautiful montage of Carl and Ellie's life together at the beginning of the film. I will discuss Pixar's impact on animated films in a future post.

So, yeah. I haven't seen "The Blind Side" or "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire" but from what I've heard, they are better films than "A Serious Man" (sorry, Coen Brothers) or "Avatar" (James Cameron owes me an apology).

In my opinion, the best film of 2009 was "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and I am dumbfounded at its absence from this list. Reviews for it have been mostly positive and many film columnists have placed it in their top-ten of 2009. I don't get it. I really, really don't get it.

Overall, I think the list represents the better films from last year. That said, Best Picture will likely go to either "The Hurt Locker" or "Avatar" - if "Avatar" wins, I will be ill. From this list of nominees, I would like to see "Inglorious Basterds" win. I'd also be pleased with "District 9" or "Up in the Air" winning.

Next: The acting nominees...

This posting will be revised upon seeing "The Blind Side" and "Precious: Based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire" very soon...