Best picture nominees offer diverse cast of characters
Maybe it was a great idea to expand the top Oscar race to 10. This year’s contest includes the most colorful cast ever: sexy blue space aliens and creepy reptilian ones, sneering Nazis and terrorists, a love-struck British schoolgirl, George Clooney hellbent to fire everybody and two misfits trying to escape it all tied to hundreds of heaven-aimed balloons.
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”
Spotlight: It’s a classic David-versus-Goliath fight, pitting $2-billion box office giant “Avatar” against a maverick indie that’s reaped only $16 million worldwide (“The Hurt Locker”). Both films earned hosanna reviews from critics.
Possible spoilers: “Inglourious Basterds” won the Screen Actors Guild ensemble award, just like “Crash” (2004) and “Shakespeare in Love” (1998), both of which pulled off Oscar best picture upsets. The movie with the most acting nominations often wins -- that would be “Up in the Air,” with three.
DIRECTOR
Kathryn Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
James Cameron, “Avatar”
Lee Daniels, “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
Quentin Tarantino, “Inglourious Basterds”
Jason Reitman, “Up in the Air”
Spotlight: It’s a real Hollywood drama that no one would believe if it were a movie. “Titanic’s” Oscar king returns with an even more successful film. Now the diabolical plot twist: His chief rival is his ex-wife, who’s got a little movie full of exploding bombs.
ORIGINAL
SCREENPLAY
“The Hurt Locker,” written by Mark Boal
“Inglourious Basterds,” written by Quentin Tarantino
“The Messenger,” written by Alessandro Camon and Oren Moverman
“A Serious Man,” written by Joel and Ethan Coen
“Up,” screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter; story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Spotlight: Quentin Tarantino nabbed this category for “Pulp Fiction” (1994) as a consolation prize for losing the top Oscar, but he didn’t compete against best picture champ “Forrest Gump.” He’s the favorite again -- unless “The Hurt Locker” award juggernaut is unstoppable.
ADAPTED
SCREENPLAY
“District 9,” written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
“An Education,” screenplay by Nick Hornby
“In the Loop,” screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
“Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire,” screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
“Up in the Air,” screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Spotlight: “Up in the Air” is the front-runner after having already nabbed script laurels from the Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice, Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. and National Board of Review. But watch out for that eerie “District 9” and the surprise nominee that won the award from the New York Film Critics Circle (“In the Loop”).
COSTUME DESIGN
“Bright Star” Janet Patterson
“Coco Before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
“The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
“Nine” Colleen Atwood
“The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell
Spotlight: Ornate historical costumes usually reign, especially if worn by royalty, as evidenced by three previous winners: “The Duchess” (2008), “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” (2007) and “Marie Antoinette” (2006). Now “Victoria” battles feisty fashionista “Chanel” and the showbiz razzle-dazzler “Nine.”
FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
“Ajami” (Israel)
“El Secreto de Sus Ojos” (Argentina)
“The Milk of Sorrow” (Peru)
“The Prophet” (France)
“The White Ribbon” (Germany)
Spotlight: Of the five nations in this race, France has triumphed the most times (nine), Israel’s never won and Peru has never been nominated. Most pundits believe this is a contest between the top two winners at Cannes (“The White Ribbon” claimed the Palme d’Or, “Prophet” snagged the grand jury prize), but that festival’s champs are usually cursed on these shores.
ANIMATED FEATURE
“Coraline”
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up”
Spotlight: “Up” should soar here, since it’s also in the top Oscar contest, being only the second animated film nominated for best picture after “Beauty and the Beast” (1991). But beware of sly “Mr. Fox,” which won awards from the New York and L.A. critics. “Coraline” was a fantastically creepy surprise. Shock greeted the nomination of “Kells.” “The Princess and the Frog” reigned with audiences.