2010 Oscar Winners

Here is the full list of Oscar nominees and winners of each category:

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 Animated Feature Film:

• Coraline
• Fantastic Mr. Fox
• The Princess and the Frog
• The Secret of the Kells
• Up

Best Original Song:

• “Almost There” from The Princess and the Frog
• “Down in New Orleans” from The Princess and the Frog
• “Loin de Paname” from Paris 36
• “Take It All” from Nine
• “The Weary Kind” from Crazy Heart

Best Original Screenplay:

• Mark Boal - The Hurt Locker
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds
• Oren Moverman and - The Messenger
• Joel and Ethan Coen - A Serious Man
• Pete Docter and Bob Peterson - Up

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 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 Live-Action Short:

• The Door
• Instead of Abracadabra
• Kavi
• Miracle Fish
• The New Tenants

Best Make-up:

• Il Divo
• Star Trek
• The Young Victoria

Best Adapted Screenplay:

• Neill Blomkamp and - District 9
• Nick Hornby - An Education
• Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci and Tony Roche - In the Loop
• Geoffrey Fletcher - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
• Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner - Up in the Air

Best Supporting Actress:

• Penelope Cruz - Nine
• Vera Farmiga - Up in the Air
• Maggie Gyllenhaal - Crazy Heart
• Anna Kendrick - Up in the Air
• Mo’Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire

Best Art Direction

• Avatar
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Nine
• Sherlock Holmes
• The Young Victoria

Best Costume Design:

• Bright Star
• Coco Before Chanel
• The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
• Nine
• The Young Victoria

Best Sound Editing:

• Avatar
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Star Trek
• Pixar’s Up

Best Sound Mixing:

• Avatar
• The Hurt Locker
• Inglourious Basterds
• Star Trek
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Best Cinematography:

• Maurio Fiore - Avatar
• Bruno Delbonnel - Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
• Barry Ackroyd - The Hurt Locker
• Robert Richardson - Inglourious Basterds
• Christian Berger - The White Ribbon

Best Original Score:

• James Horner - Avatar
• Alexandre Desplat - Fantastic Mr. Fox
• Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders - The Hurt Locker
• Hans Zimmer - Sherlock Holmes
• Michael Giacchino - Pixar’s Up

Best Visual Effects:

• Avatar
• District 9
• Star Trek

Best Documentary Feature:

• Burma VJ
• The Cove
• Food, Inc.
• The Most Dangerous Man in America
• Which Way Home

Best Film Editing:

• Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron - Avatar
• Julian Clarke - District 9
• Bob Murawski and Chris Innis - The Hurt Locker
• Sally Menke - Inglourious Basterds
• Joe Klotz - Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire

Best Foreign Language Film:

• Ajami - Israel
• El Secreto de sus Ojos - Argentina
• The Milk of Sorrow - Peru
• Un Prophéte - France
• The White Ribbon - Germany

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: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
• Meryl Streep - Julie & Julia

Best Director:

• Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
• James Cameron - Avatar
• Lee Daniels - Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire
• Jason Reitman - Up in the Air
• Quentin Tarantino - Inglourious Basterds

Best 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

What I'm happy with:

Best Supporting Actor: Cristoph Waltz
I thought he thoroughly deserved the win for that excellent performance in Inglourious Basterds

Best Supporting Actress: Mo'nique
Again, Mo'nique thoroughly deserves this Oscar. She will never play another role this well again in her life. You have to watch Precious just for her performance in the film.

Best Picture: The Hurt Locker
Although this movie may seem small and insignificant in comparison to Avatar, it takes nothing away from the quality of this movie, which ultimately gave it this win. I have always liked The Hurt Locker, ever since I saw it and reviewed it- here.


What I'm not happy with:

Best Original Screenplay: The Hurt Locker
Sure The Hurt Locker had an excellent screenplay and would deserve this win any other year. But it was in the same category as Quentin Tarantino's masterpiece Inglourious Basterds. I just think Basterds had a far more superior story than The Hurt Locker and I'm just a little disappointed it didn't win.

Best Adapted Screenplay: Precious
I just think Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell did a better job with District 9 and should have take this award home for their efforts.

Best Visual Effects: Avatar

Yeah, yeah. Stop gasping. I wasn't blown away by Avatar's visual effects. Not that I'm saying it wasn't anywhere near game-changing for cinema, because it was. I'm just saying I connected more and got more out of the effects in District 9. And when we talk about bang for buck, District 9 (budget: $30 million) blows Avatar (budget: $250-300 million) out of the water.



Well, congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow and The Hurt Locker people for racking up a total of six out of a possible six Academy Awards. I thought they really deserved each and every one of them. I am, after all, team Hurt Locker, no matter what people say about Avatar.

Source: /Film

10 Movies That Made My 2009

In 2008, I talked about my favorite movies of the year. It's only apt that I continue in that vein this year and talk about the 10 movies that were my favorites of 2009. The following movies are ranked based on multiple factors like how much I enjoyed the movie and how good I thought the movie was.

Also, it's important to bear in mind that I'm making this list without having seen many movies that would make this list if I had seen them. If that even makes sense. For example, I have yet to see Up, Avatar, A Serious Man, Crazy Heart, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call- New Orleans, Precious, Up In The Air and (500) Days Of Summer. I will eventually watch those movies but until then, shall we get started on the movies I did watch last year? Let's go!

The following content contains spoilers.

#10. The Hangover

The Hangover has definitely got to be the comedy of the year. It may be a little bit stupid but it’s amazingly funny as hell thanks to a good plot and a great cast. If you have not seen this, you have to see it.

 

#9. Star Trek

What made Star Trek such a good movie was the fact that it not only was a film for the Trekkies but also for the general public. Also, I thought the performances by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto were top notch. Has this movie turned me into a Star Trek fan? No it has not. But it definitely makes me anxious to catch the next J.J. Abrams directed Star Trek. Check out my Star Trek review right here.

 

#8. Knowing

This film might not be on many people’s lists, but it’s on mine because I was too blind to see the twist at the end of the movie. In the end it really took my by surprised and gave me all the more reason to love this movie. This may not be a very good movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you want to check out my full review of this film, click here.

 

#7. Moon

2009 was a year for sci-fi lovers with movies like Star Trek, Avatar and District 9. Another sci-fi gem to come out of 2009 was Moon. This is a one man show and is carried on the shoulders of Sam Rockwell and his incredible performance. I really believe he deserves an Oscar nomination. Seriously, check this film out.

 

#6. Adventureland

Adventureland is really sweet and funny in parts. But the best thing about the movie is how it hit home with me and how it has the ability to connect with you on so many different levels. Unfortunately, Kristen Stewart’s performance was no where up to par with the rest of the cast, especially Jesse Eisenberg’s and Martin Starr’s. But that doesn’t take much away from an excellent movie.

 

#5. District 9

What Neill Blomkamp did with District 9 blew minds, mine included. The visual and sound effects in the movie were just incredible considering the budget for the film. Not only do the visuals hit you really hard but the story is so compelling it drags you in emotionally and you start to really feel for the main character Wikus van der Merwe along with the Prawns. Check out my review of District 9 here.

 

#4. The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker was, without a doubt, the most intense and riveting film I saw in 2009. Everything, right down to the nerves and danger, felt so real. Ultimately, in a war movie, that’s what you want. And The Hurt Locker definitely delivers in that regard. Also, great performance by Jeremy Renner. Check out my short review of the movie here.

 

#3. Watchmen

I’m not a comic book fan so I had never heard of Watchmen before the movie. So I had no expectations coming into the movie. I absolutely adored the movie and am glad I watched the movie without having read the graphic novel. If I had read the novel first, I would not have enjoyed and appreciated the movie for how good it was. I was also glad the movie was rated R because it would not have worked any other way. All in all, Watchmen had an awesome gritty and compelling look to it. I got so much satisfaction from watching it. Check out my review of the movie here.

 

#2. Zombieland

Producing so many laughs and also delivering satisfying zombie gore and violence makes Zombieland one hell of a zombie movie. That aside, the performances from Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Woody Harrelson only made this movie better. The cameo by Bill Murray was amazing. 2009 could have very well been Jesse Eisenberg’s break out year with his success with the two ‘land’ movies and landing the role of Mark Zuckerberg in The Social Network. At the end of the day, Zombieland proved to be the most enjoyable and entertaining movie of 2009.

 

#1. Inglourious Basterds

I simply adored Inglourious Basterds. Everything about it was right. The opening sequence to the movie is just about the best opening to any movie out there. And I loved how the film had few action scenes but had plenty of controlled, intense one-on-one conversations scenes. Brad Pitt did an excellent job, as usual, but not as excellent as Christoph Waltz who made such a believable and epic villain in the film. This film, I think, is Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece and will last for a long time.

 

Special Mentions

The following are a few movies I liked but could not find space for in my top 10.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

The 6th installment to the franchise was arguably the best of all 6 so far and one of the best movies of 2009. Tom Felton gives a stand out performance and the plot of the 6th book really gets transformed well for the silver screen. Read my review here.

 

Drag Me To Hell

Drag Me To Hell was not only scary and terrifying but also quite good fun. The sense of humor meshed in with the terror did great for the movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a fun movie. Check out my review here.

 

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal Activity was probably the success story of the last year, if not the decade. It was so simplistic, yet genuinely scary. A well made movie considering it was made for only $11,000.

 

Let The Right One In

OK so this movie might not have been made or released in 2009 but I saw it in 2009, so sue me. I was so impressed with this Swedish movie about 12-year old kids, one of which is a vampire. If you’re looking for brilliant child acting, Let The Right One In is the movie for you. This movie takes you on an emotional ride among other things and I implore you to get your hands on this movie before Hollywood remakes it and releases Let Me In this year.

So that’s that. I hope all of you had a great 2009 and here’s to hoping 2010 will be even better, both in the movie world and otherwise.

Happy New Year!

The Hurt Locker Review

I just saw The Hurt Locker and I thought I’d share some of my thoughts on the film. The movie is basically an Iraq war film. But it’s not just any war film; it follows the everyday missions of a bomb squad and it’s bomb disarming specialist, Staff Sergeant William James (Jeremy Renner), based in Baghdad.

I liked the film quite a bit but thought some scenes were a little too unrealistic. And to add to that, the hero of the movie was being too much of a hero, verging on superheroism. If you watch the film, you’ll get what I mean.

Bad points aside, the rest of the film was fantastic. I have to say that this is one of the most intense films I’ve ever seen. And the intensity hits you real hard right from the get go. I thought the opening sequence was the best of the whole movie. The entire film isn’t smothered in suspense because in between the action scenes, the soft and heartfelt scenes, if you will, are pretty dull. When an action sequence comes around, which is pretty often in this movie, it is gritty, riveting and gut-wrenching.

Having about three or four bomb disarming scenes in the movie that are all pretty similar, you would think that you’d already know what’s going to happen next. Amazingly that isn’t the case. I found my mind being blown a couple times during the movie as I was expecting the same scenario in the bomb disarming scene as the previous one. There is also one sniper scene that can only be described as being super intense. I was sweating just watching that scene. Absolutely amazing.

If I were to sum the movie up really quickly, I’d say its a must-watch because it simply is one of the most captivating stuff you’ll see in a war movie. Not to mention the great sounds that were produced in the film. This movie isn’t perfect, unfortunately, and has a few scenes where common sense just doesn’t apply. That could be a good thing though, purely because it makes for great fun.

I’ll give this one a 8.5 out of 10 Popcorns.