2010 Oscar Nominee Predictions

I WANT TO CHANGE THEM!!!! After some thought, I'm going against my first predictions, which, are too predictable. The Oscars are known for surprises, and I'm going out on a limb with some of these. Last year my crazy predictions paid off --- I knew "The Reader" was in for Best Picture. So, here are my picks for the top 6 categories:

Best Picture
Avatar
District 9
An Education
The Hangover
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire
Star Trek
Up
Up in the Air

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow for THE HURT LOCKER
James Cameron for AVATAR
Neill Blomkamp for DISTRICT 9
Jason Reitman for UP IN THE AIR
Quentin Tarantino for INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

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

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock in THE BLIND SIDE
Carey Mulligan in AN EDUCATION
Zoe Saldana in AVATAR
Gabourey Sidibe in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE
Meryl Streep in JULIE & JULIA

Best Supporting Actor
Woody Harrelson in THE MESSENGER
Anthony Mackie in THE HURT LOCKER
Christopher Plummer in THE LAST STATION
Stanley Tucci in THE LOVELY BONES
Christoph Waltz in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Best Supporting Actress

Vera Farmiga in UP IN THE AIR

Anna Kendrick in UP IN TE AIR

Diane Kruger in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Melanie Laurent in INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

Mo'Nique in PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE

Up

Up
Voiced by Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, Bob Peterson & John Ratzenberger

The tenth film released by Disney/Pixar with its minimalistic title, "Up" does just that - brings a simple, ordinary life into the unbeleivable. Carl Fredricksen (Edward Asner) is a lonely, grumpy, and sad old man who has kept his property the same for decades, even though the contemporary, skyscraping battles unconditionally against him. He - like every human being - has a story, and his story is told in a ten to fifteen minute montage of his life and his amazing, exuberant wife, Ellie. This chonological mostly-silent section of "Up" takes the audience on a roller coaster of ups and downs. Carl and Ellie were in love the second they met, when they were kids, and always had high hopes of living a beautiful life together, a life of adventure. Yet, all doesn't go as planned, which is life, but Ellie and Carl make the best of what they have. Now a widow, Carl has nothing. Or so he thought.

Pete Docter's script is full of heart and soul, while we watch a grandiose adventure of a lifetime with the hero being a box-shaped senior citizen. Carl's life reaches new heights as he escapes the city in search of Ellie's dream land - South America. And he doesn't take a plane; Carl flies by the only thing he's ever known: balloons. Thousands and thousands of balloons. However, when a pudgy boy scout named Russell (Jordan Nagai) accidentally comes along the ride, Carl is forced to face the facts that this persona of the grumpy old guy is just that - a persona.

Talking dogs, crazy species of birds, and Carl & Ellie's life long hero ensue our story, but the heart of it remains through all the craziness, which is why I will forgive Pixar for selling out a bit with their dog dogfight just to gain membership in the 3-D club. "Up" is another of Pixars amazing line-ups teaching children and adults that life's too short, to love, and to live.

Grade: B+

And just for fun, I'm ranking the 10 films produced by Pixar starting with my favorite:
1. Toy Story
2. Finding Nemo
3. Ratatouille
4. Wall-E
5. A Bug's Life
6. Monster's, Inc.
7. Up
8. The Incredibles
9. Toy Story 2
10. Cars