‘Avatar’ Leads Oscar Nominations

A little over a month ago, word got out in the media that James Cameron’s “Avatar” was up for consideration for inclusion among nominees for the Best Motion Picture category at the Academy Awards. The film then went and won a Golden Globe in the same category, with many saying the Globes are the closest indication of how the Oscars will look that year. The nominees for the Academy Awards have just been announced and, to little surprise, “Avatar” is in the lead with 9 nods, as The Los Angeles Times’ The Envelope can confirm.

Other big contenders are “The Hurt Locker” and Sandra Bullock’s big surprise at the box-office this year and, at the same time, critically acclaimed, “The Blind Side.” Quentin Tarantino is also coming strong from behind with the Nazi-themed “Inglourious Basterds,” the film that the famed director once described in a media interview as “the war film that will redefine the concept of war film,” or something along those lines. “Basterds” got 8 nods, including one in the Best Motion Picture category.

“‘Avatar’ and ‘The Hurt Locker’ have been duking it out all awards season. Now, the two films face their final showdown: They enter the 82nd annual Academy Awards prizefight with nine nominations apiece. The films – which, coincidentally, are by former husband-and-wife James Cameron and Kathryn Bigelow – couldn’t be more different. ‘Avatar’ is an eye-popping 3D science-fiction studio extravaganza: It is the most expensive film ever made and has gone on to be the most successful film ever, earning more than $2 billion so far, worldwide. By contrast, ‘The Hurt Locker’ is a gritty, low-budget, independent film about a bomb-disposal unit in the Iraq War. Though it has earned plenty of accolades this awards season, it has yet to crack the $13-million mark at the box office,” The Envelope writes of the two favorites of the Oscars this year.

“The films are two of the best picture nominees announced Tuesday morning by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, among an eclectic mix that included another sci-fi hit, ‘District 9,’ another war film, ‘Inglourious Basterds’ and the animated hit ‘Up,’ which is only the second animated film ever to receive a nod in this category. Though it was no surprise that ‘Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire’ and ‘Up in the Air’ earned best picture nods, there were some unexpected choices, including ‘The Blind Side,’ ‘An Education’ and ‘A Serious Man’,” the same publication further says.

Below are the nominees:

Best Picture

“Avatar” “The Blind Side” “District 9” “An Education” “The Hurt Locker” “Inglourous Basterds” “Precious” “A Single Man” “Up” “Up In The Air”

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Jeff Bridges – “Crazy Heart” George Clooney – “Up In The Air” Colin Firth – “Single Man” Morgan Freeman – “Invictus” Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Sandra Bullock – “The Blind Side” Helen Mirren – “The Last Station” Carey Mulligan – “An Education” Gabourey Sibide – “Precious” Meryl Streep – “Julie and Julia”

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Matt Damon – “Invictus” Woody Harrelson – “The Messenger” Christopher Plummer – “The Last Station” Stanley Tucci – “Lovely Bones” Christoph Waltz – “Inglourious Basterds”

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Penelope Cruz – “Nine” Vera Farminga – “Up In Air” Maggie Gyllenhaal – “Crazy Heart” Anna Kendrick – “Up In Air” Monique – “Precious”

Best Director

James Cameron – “Avatar” Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker” Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds” Lee Daniels – “Precious” Jason Reitman – “Up In The Air”

Best Foreign Film

“Ajami” “L’Secreto Jesus Ojos” “The Milk Of Sorrow” “Un Prophete” “The White Ribbon”

Best Original Screenplay

“The Hurt Locker” “Inglourious Basterds” “The Messenger” “A Serious Man” “Up”

Best Adapted Screenplay

“District 9” “An Education” “In The Loop” “Precious” “Up In The Air”

Best Animated Feature Film