'Avatar,' 'The Hurt Locker' Lead Oscar Contenders

[charlie and algernon]

The science-fiction sensation Avatar and the war-on-terror thriller The Hurt Locker took the lead in the Academy Awards nominations Tuesday with nine each, including best picture and director for James Cameron and ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow.

Also nominated for best-picture Tuesday: the sci-fi film District 9; the animated comedy Up; the World War II saga Inglourious Basterds; the football drama The Blind Side; the recession tale Up in The Air, the 1960s drama A Serious Man, and the teen tales An Education and Precious: Based on the Novel Push By Sapphire.

Acting nominees include the four stars who have dominated early awards shows: Lead players Sandra Bullock for the football drama The Blind Side and Jeff Bridges for the country-music tale Crazy Heart and supporting performers Mo'Nique for Precious and Christoph Waltz for Inglourious Basterds.
The best-picture and director categories shape up as a showdown between ex-spouses who directed films that have taken home earlier Hollywood honors.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123255486

I'm REALLY hoping Hurt Locker wins best picture and Kathryn Bigelow wins Best Director. If you haven't seen Hurt Locker, you're missing out, definitely the best picture of the year. I'm mildly amused that District 9 was actually nominated for Best Picture. I thought it was a very good action movie, but never in a million years thought it was Oscar-worthy, lol.

[peekaloo]

1. I'm with you on THL.

Pleasantly surprised to see the Coen Bros. nomination. :-)

p.s. Finally Jeff bridges gets his due (or Dude).

[charlie and algernon]

3. I really want to see Crazy Heart

I'm a big Jeff Bridges fan and he's getting huge reviews for his performance.

[Ekirh]

2. As far as District 9 goes . . .

It helps that they expanded the Best Picture field this year. That alone probably helped it's chances of being nominated for Best Picture. If it was just the usual five nominees it probably wouldn't of been.

[S_E_Fudd]

4. I was glad to see District 9 nominated...

I thought it was a superior film, unusual premise for sci fi and very well executed