Little Gold Men (with Tight Butts).

This year had some of the best movies to come out in a while, and I would say 2010 has much stronger films to be proud of than 2009.  All 10 contestants in the Best Picture nomination deserve the Oscar, and honestly, I would be happy for any winner.  But of course I've made my picks in the most anticipated categories, et voilà:

Best Picture:  The Social Network 
The Social Network is not just a movie about Facebook, it's a movie about narcissism, lost friendships, ambition, and a certain amount of genius.  It's the story of a generation, and that's what makes it stand out among  the other candidates: it encapsulates more than a package of great dialogue, an all-excellent cast, and brilliant directing of David Fincher, whom critics praised for making typing on a keyboard look like a bank robbery.

the misfits.

Actor: Colin Firth
That's another tough category, and for me, it's really between Firth and Bardem (even though I have yet to see Biutiful). Firth played more than a stuttering king, he was also a husband, a father, and a friend.  It was one of the year's most difficult performances to pull off, and Firth deserves the little gold man even more than he did last year for A Single Man. 
And by the way, WHY isn't Ryan Gosling nominated? His performance in Blue Valentine was one of the best male performances I saw all year.


Actress: Natalie Portman 
That was, without a doubt, one of the gutsiest performances all year.  No actress has worked harder than Portman  to earn this award, and it's about time to give her the Oscar.  As the jealous and ambitious ballerina Nina, Portman realized the year's most difficult performance to pull off by a woman.  For me, the Oscars have always been about what goes into a performance, all the work, the total disappearance of the actor, and the emergence of a great character (history is full of them, take Bridges' heartbreaking performance in Crazy Heart last year, Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump and many, many others). Portman did just that.
However, Annette Bening's turn in The Kids Are All Right was just as flawless, just as self-effacing. And so was Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine. Tough, tough to choose.

Supporting Actor: Christian Bale
There is no doubt about this.  What a performance.  And it's not the best of his career, because Bale is just so damn good every single time, and he's played the deranged, messed up character so many times before (American Psycho, The Machinist, even Batman) but this is the one that will earn him the Oscar. 100%

                                                  


Supporting Actress: Melissa Leo OR Amy Adams 
As soon as I walked out of The Fighter, I wanted to find out who played that crazy bitch of a mother (excuse my French). Melissa Leo is absolutely unrecognizable and her character is the unbearable Freudian mother that wants to protect her boys but ultimately just stands in their way (like any mom). Howeverrr, Amy Adams was a ball of fire! Her performance was fierce, yet subdued.  It was just another role that Adams nailed perfectly (how many actresses can go from playing an obeying, shy nun in Doubt, to a cat-like barmaid whose short shorts leave little to the imagination?)  and even if she doesn't win this year, I am certain she will soon.

Director: Darren Aronofsky for Black Swan
I'm almost certain Fincher's The Social Network will collect the writing, score, and best picture awards.  And since Christopher Nolan was snubbed in the director nomination (boooooo) then Aronofsky is defintely my pick. Black Swan was beautiful, terrifying, had an amazing cast, and gave me nightmares. Aronofsky is one of the up-and-coming generation of cinema auteurs, and Black Swan was a crowning achievement for such a young director.  'nough said.

Animated Feature: Toy Story 3
My 10 year-old sister loves it, I love it, my mom loves it.  All Toy Story movies are heartfelt pictures of childhood.  Pixar should put a copyright on nostalgia. (also, one of Tom Hanks' best roles.)

Foreign Language Film: Incendies (Quebec, Canada)

This is a tough one, because Incendies is the only foreign movie from the category that I actually saw.  A scary, absolutely depressing story about mother whose will asks her children to track down their brother and their father in the Middle East.  Leaves your jaw hanging by the end of the movie.

Original Screenplay: Christopher Nolan for Inception

You mean Inception wasn't based on some crazy science-fiction novel about dreams? Or Freud? Please, Academy, if you won't acknowledge Nolan for best director (which he is) then you have to give him credit for the original screenplay.

Adapted Screenplay:  Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

For sure. That was the movie with the snappiest, smartest dialogue all year. Must win.

Cinematography: The Social Network 

Original Score: The Social Network 

Visual Effects: Inception 

Art Direction: Inception