Wednesday, March 3, 2010

2010 Oscar Nominations Predictions

The Oscar show will be this coming Sunday...so time to see who will get the golden statuette.

I've seen quite a few of the movies but not all and in some cases, I might have to make an educated guess.

I will highlight in red my predictions and when the winners are announced, I will highlight in green the winners.

So how well did I do?

--Predictions Come True: 12 which included the major categories of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Animated Film

--Made No Predictions: 4

--Predictions Gone Wrong: 8


Best Picture: Of the ten nominations, the only ones to take seriously are the ones where the Best Director nominations are mentioned (in purple). Up is also nominated in the Best Animated Film category. Up should win Best Animated Film and therefore will not win Best Picture. It is a hard choice to make. Seems like the two top contenders are Avatar and The Hurt Locker. I've seen Avatar, though it was interesting and a blockbuster, I don't think it deserves the Oscar for Best Picture. The Hurt Locker is about war and it is politically correct and Hollywood likes causes and correctness, but then again so does Avatar. The Hurt Locker however does have a female director at the helm (Cameron's ex-wife) and women have only been nominated in the Director's category only three times during the life the award.

Carlos the Critic Says:
So, the winner is.....The Hurt Locker


Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air


Best Actor: Seems like the top contender for this category is Jeff Bridges. It is likely that he will get the statuette as a reward for his long career. He was nominated four times before (The Last Picture Show, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, Starman, and The Contender) and has never taken the prize home.

So, the winner is...Jeff Bridges

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


Best Actress: This could be a tricky one since Sandra Bullock seems to be the top contender. She's never won an Oscar before and so this could be a chance to do so. Of course, there is the perennial Meryl Streep who (counting this one) has been nominated for 16 Oscars and has only won it twice (Kramer vs. Kramer and Sophie's Choice). Some could feel that she is long overdue for another statuette.

So, the winner is...Sandra Bullock


Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia


Best Supporting Actor: This could be up for grabs. Both Damon and Harrelson have been nominated for Oscars before for Good Will Hunting and The People vs. Larry Flynt. Damon is the only one from here that has won an Oscar for writing Good Will Hunting. Christopher Plummer who most will remember as Capt. Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, has never been nominated for an Oscar. This is his first time. He's also had an amazing and long career in movies usually playing bad guys. Stanley Tucci has had a good year. He played Julia Child's husband, Paul Child, in Julie/Julia. Some may vote for him to reward him both movies.

So, the winner is...Stanley Tucci


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


Best Supporting Actress: Though there are many very good performances here, the outright winner of this category will be Mo'Nique. Its not unusual for first-timers to win the golden statuette. She won both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for the role of Precious.

So, the winner is...Mo'Nique



Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Director: The likely favorite in this category is James Cameron. His movie was a big hit and surpassed Titanic's (also directed by Cameron) box office records. However, the category also includes up and coming young director Jason Reitman, African-American director Lee Daniels, quirky Quentin Tarantino, and Kathryn Bigelow (Cameron's ex-spouse). Bigelow is only the third woman to ever be nominated in this category and it is just as rare for an African-American to be nominated as best director. Tarantino, however, has never won an Oscar in this category (his only Oscar was for writing for Pulp Fiction). Tough choice indeed. Traditionally, the winner of this category wins Best Picture.

So, the winner is...Kathryn Bigelow



Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds


Best Original Screenplay: Unfortunately, I haven't seen any of these movies except Up. It is nice to find an animated feature in this category.

So, the winner is...Up


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


Best Adapted Screenplay: The only film in this category that I saw was District 9 which I found very interesting and which I found quite surprising that it was nominated in the Best Picture category. However, I think Precious will take this award due to its strong contention in the Best Director and Best Picture categories.

So, the winner is...Precious



Best Adapted Screenplay
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche, In the Loop
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, District 9
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Nick Hornby, An Education
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air


Best Animated Film: due to its showing as a Best Picture nominee, there is no doubt that Up will win this category.

So, the winner is...Up


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


Best Foreign Language Film: haven't seen any of these films so I won't even guess.

Best Foreign Language Film
El Secreto do Sus Ojos (Argentina)
Un Prophete (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)
Ajami (Israel)
The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)


Best Ar Direction: All these films look very good, there is no doubt there is very beautiful artwork. In this category, however, Avatar will win it hands down. The artwork is quite distinctive and impressive.

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


Best Cinematography: I only two of the films in this category and it is highly unlikely that Harry Potter will win it. However, Avatar is likely to get this category.

So, the winner is...Avatar



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


Best Costume Design: usually it is won by one of those sweeping historical movies.

So, the winner is...The Young Victoria


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


Best Documentary: I haven't seen any of these movies...when in doubt, go historical.

So, the winner is..
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers


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

Best Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious


Best Makeup: I'm a big Star Trek fan and this one of the few categories it was nominated for.

So, the winner is...Star Trek


Best Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria


Best Score: Only saw two movies from this category (Avatar and Up) and both have very good music to go with the action. Tough call.

So, the winner is...Up

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


Best Song: This is a category that has been dominated by Disney...so much so that it has been nominated twice.

So, the winner is... (either song...does it really matter?) The Princess and the Frog

Best Song
“Almost There,” The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans,” The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname,” Paris 36, Reinhardt Wagner & Frank Thomas
“Take It All,” Nine, Maury Weston
“The Weary Kind,” Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett & Ryan Bingham


Best Sound Editing: I will be biased and go for the scifi flick.

So, the winner is...Star Trek

Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up


Best Sound Mixing: I will be biased and go for the scifi flick.

So, the winner is...Star Trek


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


Best Visual Effects: I will be biased and go for the scifi flick.

So, the winner is...Star Trek

Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek


Best Documentary Short: Haven't seen any of these movies but will go for the home team since Booth Gardner is a former governor of Washington State and I live in Olympia, WA.

So, the winner is...
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner


Best Documentary Short
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit à la Berlin

Best Animated Short
French Roast
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

Best Live-Action Short
The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Olympic Movies

Well, we've had a week's worth of Olympics and there is quite a bit of excitement going on for sure.

All the current athletes, however, were inspired by other Olympians. Those stories were made into movies that have helped inspire countless more.

Oscar Winning Movies

  • Chariots of Fire (1981): Nominated for 7 Oscars and winner of four Oscars including Best Picture beating out Raiders of the Lost Ark, On Golden Pond, Reds, and Atlantic City. The movie tells the real-life story of two British Olympic athletes participating in the 1924 Olympics. Devout Scottish Christian Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson) and Jewish Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) are track starts of the highest caliber. Both athletes have a lot on their mind. Liddell, son of missionaries in China, wants to use his athletic talents to glorify God while Abrahams wants to overcome the lifelong anti-semitism he's had to endure his whole life.
  • Ice Castles (1979): The movie tells the story of a young girl (Lynn-Holly Johnson) who makes it to the top of figure skating only to get a head injury that takes her sight. She grows discouraged until she meets a guy (Robby Benson) that turns her attitude around. The movie was Oscar nominated for Best Song for Through the Eyes of Life.
  • The Other Side of the Mountain (1975): tells the real-life story of a female skier (Marilyn Hassett) who ends up a paraplegic after a tragic accident. Now, she has to find a new life for herself. On the way to that new life she meets a guy (Beau Bridges) that helps her along the way. The Oscar nominated song Richard's Window by Olivia Newton-John is memorable.

Romantic Olympic Movies

  • The Cutting Edge (1992): Two athletes face a turning point while at the Olympics. One gets hit on the head at a hockey match and the other falls down at a pairs' figure skating performance. Both find themselves at a low ebb until a Russian figure skating coach invites the hockey player (D.B. Sweeney) to become the figure skater's (Moira Kelly) new partner. From that point on, sparks fly.
  • Walk, Don't Run (1966): What happens when you arrive two days early for the Tokyo Olympics? You find a room to share with an attractive and conservative young woman (Samantha Eggar). Cary Grant arrives for a business meeting two days early and finds himself stuck without a place to sleep. He goes to the British embassy for help. He sees a note on the bulletin board for a room to share. Grant manages to charm Eggar into letting him rent the room. Later, Grant befriends a young American Olympic athlete (Jim Hutton) who also came to Tokyo two days earlier than expected and in need of a room as well. Grant invites him to stay where he is staying. Guess what happens...a lot of fun ensues. Great swang song for Grant's last appearance in a movie.

Olympic Action Movie
  • Downhill Racer (1969): This movie details the life of an arrogant skier (Robert Redford) who shakes up the U.S. Hockey team and butts heads with the coach (Gene Hackman). The movie features one of the most amazing ski sequences in movies.

Real-Life Olympic Inspirational Movies

  • The Loneliest Runner (1976) stars Lance Kerwin in this autobiographical story written and directed by Michael Landon. Details the story of a young 14 year-old boy who races home from school every afternoon in order to pull down the pee stained bed sheet his mother put up on the balcony in order to embarrass her son into quitting the habit. His racing talents gets noticed in school and begins to work hard in order to achieve his goal of the Olympics. This made for TV movie won an Emmy for cinematography and was nominated for its film editing.
  • The Jesse Owens Story (1984) stars Dorain Harewood in the title role of an African-American who achieves Olympic gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics hosted by Adolf Hitler himself forever taking away the idea of the superiority of the Aryan race.
  • Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story (1997): starring Mario Lopez in the title role of a young diver who makes it to Olympic gold. While diving at the Seoul Olympics, Louganis bumps his head. This worries the athlete as he had just been diagnosed with HIV. The movie deals with his life as a gay man and his relationship with his parents.
  • The First Olympics: Athens 1896 (1984): actually, this is the story of the first modern Olympics. We all know that the Olympics started in ancient Greece but then the games stopped at about 396 A.D. So, this is the story of the return of the Olympics by Frenchman Baron Pierre de Coubertin (Louis Jourdan). In 1894, de Coubertin founded the International Olympic Committee and in 1896 the first modern Olympics were held in Athens. The movie also tells the story of the first American Olympic team and the obstacles it had to endure in order to make it to Athens.

Fictional Olympic Inspirational Movies:
  • Cool Runnings (1983): is the fictionalized comedic account of the Jamaican bobsled team starring John Candy as the team's coach. What a crazy idea!! A tropical country participating in a winter sport Olympics? But, that's just what happened. Jamaica participates in its first Winter Olympics in the 1988 Calgary games. This movie details the creation of the team and the obstacles they have to overcome in order to get to the games.
  • International Velvet (1978): is the sequel to 1944's National Velvet, the story of a young equestrian (Elizabeth Taylor) who wishes to win the national title. The sequel stars Tatum O'Neal as the niece of that girl this time portrayed by Nanette Newman. This time O'Neal tries to go for Olympic gold.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Most Romantic Movies for Valentine's Day


Well, Valentine's Day is here. This is the time of the year that most guys scramble what to do or give to their very special someone. What to do? What to do?

Well, most go to a special dinner at some very expensive place. Others go to a movie and a not so expensive dinner. Others, who are more budget conscious (which is probably most of us especially during this recession) will make a special dinner at home and cuddle up to a nice romantic movie.



Hopefully, I can help with the movie part of it. I've selected 25 movies that are available for renting and only one that is in the theaters at this moment that deserves good consideration. The movies selected are movies that I have actually seen. I also didn't select movies that are terribly long such as Titanic, Gone with the Wind, and The Way We Were. Who wants to spend all that time watching a movie when you can spend that time better doing other things? ;)

So, I hope you find my selection fun, romantic, and interesting. Hopefully, it will provide you with some quality cuddling time.


Most Romantic Movie Currently in the Theater

  • Dear John (look at my post of Feb. 6, 2010 for a review of the movie)

Most Romantic Classic Movies

  • Casablanca (1942) starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman
  • An Affair to Remember (1957) with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr (once you watch this movie, you will understand Sleepless in Seattle much better)
  • Love Story (1970) with Ryan O'Neal and Ali McGraw
  • Sabrina (1954) with Humphrey Bogart, William Holden and Audrey Hepburn
  • Roman Holiday (1953) with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn

Most Romantic Manly Movies


Most Romantic Movie with Drew Barrymore


Most Romantic Movie with John Cusack

Most Romantic Movie in Time


Most Romantic Other Worldly Movie

  • Ladyhawke (1985) with Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer
  • Ghost (1990) with Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore

Most Romantic Sleeping Movie


Most Romantic Comedic Movie











Saturday, February 6, 2010

Catching Up With My Reviews


I've been seeing some movies lately but I need to catch up on my reviews. So here comes my reviews for Avatar, The Book of Eli, and Dear John.

I went to see Avatar with a friend who had already seen it but didn't mind watching it again. Right before we entered the screening room, he mentioned that someone he knew described the Na'vi people as "big giant smurfs." We both laughed at that description for sure. I don't know if younger people will know the reference.

The movie is set in the future. By this time, Earth has managed interplanetary travel and make their way to a planet known as Pandora. Pandora is the home of the Na'v
i (the big giant smurfs) people. As the movie begins, we see Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), a marine paraplegic, waking up from a long sleep since this is the way space travel is being done in the future. He is remembering how he got involved into a project that entails him getting into a cocoon like machine and be in control of a Na'vi like body (avatar) so they can learn the culture of the Na'vi people. Turns out that Jake is an identical twin of his scientist brother who had volunteered for the program but who had died just before he could make the trip. The project managers asked Jake to take his place since he had the same genetic makeup as his brother and could still control the avatar.

Jake goes in there committed to do the job that his twin brother was supposed to do. The scientist in charge of the program (Sigourney Weaver) was not very happy at all whatsoever. Afterall, Jake had not been trained to do the work that Jake's brother had worked for so long. However, the corporate owners and managers (Giovanni Ribisi) of the program have other ideas for Jake. They want him to do reconnaissance of the rainforest where the Na'vi people live and where the source of a very valuable mineral lives. Jake at first, eagerly did this job until he got to know the Na'vi and fell in love with one particular Na'vi (Zoe Saldana).

No doubt the special and visual effects of this movie are well done especially if you saw it on 3-D and in an IMAX theater. The best part of the movie is getting to know the world that Na'vi people live in and seeing the change in Jake's character from what he was before. Yet, the second half of the movie which focuses on the corporate guys' sending a military complement to raze the rainforest and displace the Na'vi people. The characters of the corporate bad guy (Ribisi) and military bad guy (Stephen Lang) are very two dimensional and caricaturish. You will notice that Avatar didn't get a writing Oscar nomination. The story is not original and should not be rewarded. Its a good thing that the Academy noticed that.

I was also very pleased to see the film's hero in a wheelchair. I have a younger sister that is in a wheelchair and you hardly ever see people with disabilities in movies, much less an action and scifi/fantasy movie where the hero is disabled. This is one of the reasons I don't give this movie a lower rating than it should get. I want to encourage filmmakers to look at people with disabilities as real people and be more inclusive in the movie industry.








The Book of Eli

A friend of mine and I went to the theater to see a different movie and when we found it was sold out, we decided to go and see The Book of Eli.

No regrets here, however. The movie is set in a post-apocalyptic world...a world akin to the American wild, wild west. Eli (Denzel Washington) is on a mission. He is to travel across the country to take a very special book to its final destination. This book is so special that it was banned and burned and it is the only one left untouched. The book has the power to change the world. Eli battles a lot of bad guys on his way to his final destination. What is this mysterious book that he is guarding and why are so many people after it? You will need to see the movie to find out.








Dear John

The movie begins at a North Carolina beach during spring break as we see Special Forces Army Staff Sergeant John Tyree (Channing Tatum) who is home from duty in Germany for two weeks enjoying the waves and walking along the pier. While at the pier, a beautiful blonde girl (Amanda Seyfried) who is walking along with her friends has her purse fall into the ocean. In a gallant gesture, John, jumps from the pier to rescue the girl's purse for her. The gesture makes an impression on Savannah and the two are smitten right away.

The couple spends a lot of time with each other falling in love with each other. But, sooner or later, John needs to make his way back to Germany for duty. The two promise to write each other. Afterall, John only has one more year of duty before he can make his way home again and come back home to North Carolina and his new found love...until 9/11 happens that is. Their relationship is challenged when John re-enlists.

The subplot of t
he movie revolves around autism. Savannah lives next door to a friend (Henry Thomas) whose son, Alan, (Braeden Reed and, as a 14 year old, Luke Benward) is autistic. Turns out that John's father (Richard Jenkins) has a mild form of autism. John has issues with his father about his childhood and the way he was raised by his single dad. But, Savannah makes an effort to bring the two of them together and with it understanding. Henry Thomas' performance as Alan's dad is quite good and strong as he raises his very special son.

No doubt the film makes for the perfect date movie. I was seated next to a sweet young couple who were cuddling and kissing during the movie. The movie will certainly touch your heart.

Now some critics will not like the movie because of its romantic qualities but it is precisely the reason why you should go. They will also criticize Channing Tatum's acting which actually is quite improved in this movie. A few more acting lessons and he could very well become a great actor some day.


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

2010 Oscar Nominations


Well, it is that time of the year again...Oscar time!!!


The 2010 Oscar nominations have been announced. What is surprising is there are 10 no
minees for Best Pictures. Surprises for me in that category are District 9 and Up. I didn't think animated films would ever be chosen for Best Picture ever since they created the Best Animated Film category. But there it is, Up nominated for two different categories. However, it is more likely to win the Best Animated Film category than the Best Picture category. District 9 didn't even show up as a blip in the Golden Globes, so it will be interesting how they fare.

The Best Visual Effects should be a toss-up since all three nominees were very good in that category: Avatar, District 9, and Star Trek.

For some reason, the number 9 was very important last year. Three movies included the number in the title: the animated film 9, District 9, and Nine.

Sandra Bullock and Meryl Streep were two very busy ladies in 2009. Bullock was in three movies: The Proposal (nominated for a Golden Globe for movie in a comedy), All About Steve, and The Blind Side (Golden Globe winner for movie in a drama and now nominated for an Oscar).

Meryl Streep was busy with Julie/Julia and It's Complicated for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe in a comedy...Yes, she was nominated for both movies in the same category and beat herself when she won for Julie/Julia. Of course she is nominated for an Oscar for Julie/Julia.

Two movies had the word "up" in its title. The animated film Up about an old man who fulfills a lifelong dream by traveling to South America in a house lifted by balloons. Coming along for the ride was a boy trying to get a badge helping the elderly. The other movie, Up in the Air tells the story of a man who's work takes him all over the country and who's life style is challenged when a new female executive challenges that life.

Again, the most unusual thing about the Oscars this year is the fact the Best Picture category has 10 movies nominated. The most it has ever been nominated in recent years (seems that in past years, the most nominations in the Best Picture category are 12). Well, that's because the Academy decided last year to double the nominations in the category in order to allow box office hits the opportunity to garner the top award. The Academy didn't like the fact that so many small independent films were getting the top honors in recent year...well, there is a reason for that...independents are coming up with better stories something that Hollywood doesn't seem to be producing in recent years. You would've hoped that Hollywood would have taken up the challenge from independents and created some interesting stories instead of remaking old movies and TV series. Nonetheless, here we are with 10 nominations in the Best Picture category.

Which ones are your choices for the golden statue?


Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

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

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

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

Best Supporting Actress
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’Nique, Precious

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
James Cameron, Avatar
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

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

Best Adapted Screenplay
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche, In the Loop
Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, District 9
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Nick Hornby, An Education
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air

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

Best Foreign Language Film
El Secreto do Sus Ojos (Argentina)
Un Prophete (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)
Ajami (Israel)
The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)

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

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

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

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

Best Editing
Avatar
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious

Best Makeup
Il Divo
Star Trek
The Young Victoria

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

Best Song
“Almost There,” The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
“Down in New Orleans,” The Princess and the Frog, Randy Newman
“Loin de Paname,” Paris 36, Reinhardt Wagner & Frank Thomas
“Take It All,” Nine, Maury Weston
“The Weary Kind,” Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett & Ryan Bingham

Best Sound Editing
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Star Trek
Up

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

Best Visual Effects
Avatar
District 9
Star Trek

Best Documentary Short
China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner
The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant
Music by Prudence
Rabbit à la Berlin

Best Animated Short
French Roast
Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty
The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)
Logorama
A Matter of Loaf and Death

Best Live-Action Short
The Door
Instead of Abracadabra
Kavi
Miracle Fish
The New Tenants