Lou’s picks in bold and italics.
Best lead actress:
A first-time nominee at 45, Bullock is better known for her silly roles — but landed her serious gig in “The Blind Side” when Julia Roberts passed on it. Thanks, Julia!
Sandra Bullock, “The Blind Side”
Meryl Streep, “Julie & Julia”
Gabourey Sidibe, “Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire”
Helen Mirren, “The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, “An Education.”
Best lead actor:
Clooney won a Supporting Actor Oscar for “Syriana” and was nominated for writing and directing “Good Night and Good Luck” — but it’s his role as a jaded corporate hatchetman that could put him over the top. Add to that his recent Haitian telethon and it’s safe to say it’s been a busy few weeks for the fantastic Mr. Clooney. Frequent flier miles for everyone!
Jeff Bridges, “Crazy Heart”
George Clooney – “Up In The Air”
Colin Firth – “A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman – “Invictus”
Jeremy Renner – “The Hurt Locker”
Best Supporting Actor and Actress
This year, the villains are poised to win big. From a Nazi officer to an abusive Harlem mother, Austrian-born Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique are both first-time nominees who have dabbled mostly n the television world. Rarely has evil been so compelling.
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.”
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 director:
It’s the battle of James Cameron vs. ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow — she is, by the way, the third of five wives. The combined gross of all of her movies doesn’t equal what his “Avatar” made in its first six days — making it even more impressive that the two remain close pals who, we’ve heard, view each other’s first cuts. “This is not a David and Goliath situation,” says Cameron’s brother John. “The Oscar nominations are great for both of them. They have a great relationship.”
Kathryn Bigelow – “The Hurt Locker”
James Cameron – “Avatar”
Jason Reitman – “Up In The Air”
Quentin Tarantino – “Inglourious Basterds”
Lee Daniels – “Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire”
Best movie:
“Avatar” recently passed “Titanic” as the top-grossing film of all time, making James Cameron “king of the world” … Part Deux. The first 3-D movie ever to be nominated for Best Picture, it seems people can’t get enough of the blue man group.
“Avatar”
“The Blind Side”
“District 9”
“An Education”
“The Hurt Locker”
“Inglorious Basterds”
“Precious”
“A Serious Man”
“Up”
“Up in the Air”
Animated Feature Film:
“Up” is the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture since “Beauty and the Beast (back before there was even a separate category for Animated Feature.) But without a Best Director nod for Pete Docter, we’re betting the honors will likely be limited to the animation ghetto.
“Coraline”;
“Fantastic Mr. Fox”;
“The Princess and the Frog”
“The Secret of Kells”
“Up.”