# Oscar Countdown: The Award Season Begins **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157 "2009-12-13T23:52:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/1 "2009-12-13T23:52:42Z")
Today had several announcements for year-end awards from various critics’ groups (the first of which came out a week ago). Here’s a tally so far: Picture _Avatar_ (YO) _The Hurt Locker_ (Bo, LA) _Up in the Air_ (NB, Wa) Director Kathryn Bigelow, _The Hurt Locker_ (Bo, LA, Wa, YO) Clint Eastwood, _Invictus_ (NB) Actor Jeff Bridges, _Crazy Heart_ (LA, YO) George Clooney, _Up in the Air_ (NB, Wa) Morgan Freeman, _Invictus_ (NB) Jeremy Renner, _The Hurt Locker_ (Bo) Actress Yolande Moreau, _Seraphine_ (LA) Carey Mulligan, _An Education_ (NB, Wa) Meryl Streep, _Julie & Julia_ (Bo, YO) Supporting Actor Woody Harrelson, _The Messenger_ (NB) Christoph Waltz, _Inglorious Basterds_ (Bo, LA, Wa, YO) Supporting Actress Anna Kendrick, _Up in the Air_ (NB) Mo’Nique, _Precious_ (Bo, LA, Wa, YO) Screenplay _Inglorious Basterds_ (Wa, YO) _A Serious Man_ (Bo, NB) _Up in the Air_ (LA, NB, Wa) Cinematography _The Hurt Locker_ (Bo) _Inglorious Basterds_ (YO) _The White Ribbon_ (LA) Documentary _The Beaches of Agnes_ (LA) _The Cove_ (Bo, LA, NB, YO) _Food, Inc._ (Wa) Foreign Film _A Prophet_ (NB) _Sin Nombre_ (Wa) _Summer Hours_ (LA) _The White Ribbon_ (YO) NB = National Board of Review, LA = Los Angeles Film Critics, Bo = Boston Film Critics, Wa = Washington DC Film Critics, NYO = New York Online Film Critics ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2009, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/2 "2009-12-13T23:55:55Z")
Also, the Academy has already issued a shortlist for the contenders in the Visual Effects category. A bake-off will occur, narrowing the field down to around 7, and then finally 3 for the actual ballot. Right now, these are in the running: \*Angels & Demons Avatar Coraline Disney’s A Christmas Carol District 9 G-Force G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Sherlock Holmes Star Trek Terminator Salvation Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen 2012 Watchmen Where the Wild Things Are \* ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/3 "2009-12-14T12:16:33Z")
> [@](#): > > Oscar Countdown: The Award Season Begins Let’s hope your thread goes better than [mine](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=542422&highlight=Invictus) from a couple of weeks ago did. You didn’t mention if you wanted to keep this thread to wins only, or if nominations were ok. The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) announced their nominees for the 15th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards: **BEST PICTURE** Avatar An Education The Hurt Locker Inglourious Basterds Invictus Nine Precious A Serious Man Up Up In The Air **BEST ACTOR** Jeff Bridges - “Crazy Heart” George Clooney - “Up In The Air” Colin Firth - “A Single Man” Morgan Freeman - “Invictus” Viggo Mortensen - “The Road” Jeremy Renner - “The Hurt Locker” (YAY!!) **BEST ACTRESS** Emily Blunt - “The Young Victoria” Sandra Bullock - “The Blind Side” Carey Mulligan - “An Education” (YAY!!) Saoirse Ronan - “The Lovely Bones” Gabourey Sidibe - “Precious” Meryl Streep - “Julie & Julia” **BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR** Matt Damon - “Invictus” Woody Harrelson - “The Messenger” Christian McKay - “Me And Orson Welles” Alfred Molina - “An Education” Stanley Tucci - “The Lovely Bones” Christoph Waltz - “Inglourious Basterds” **BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS** Marion Cotillard - “Nine” Vera Farmiga - “Up In The Air” Anna Kendrick - “Up In The Air” Mo’Nique - “Precious” Julianne Moore - “A Single Man” Samantha Morton - “The Messenger” **BEST DIRECTING** Kathryn Bigelow - “The Hurt Locker” James Cameron - “Avatar” Lee Daniels - “Precious” Clint Eastwood - “Invictus” Jason Reitman - “Up In The Air” Quentin Tarantino - “Inglourious Basterds” BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Mark Boal - “The Hurt Locker” Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - “A Serious Man” Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber - “(500) Days Of Summer” Bob Peterson, Peter Docter - “Up” Quentin Tarantino - “Inglourious Basterds” BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Wes Anderson, Noah Baumbach - “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell - “District 9” Geoffrey Fletcher - “Precious” Tom Ford, David Scearce - “A Single Man” Nick Hornby - “An Education” Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner - “Up In The Air” BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS Jae Head - “The Blind Side” Bailee Madison - “Brothers” Max Records - “Where The Wild Things Are” Saoirse Ronan - “The Lovely Bones” Kodi Smit-McPhee - “The Road” BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE Inglourious Basterds Nine Precious Star Trek Up In The Air BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Barry Ackroyd - “The Hurt Locker” Dion Beebe - “Nine” Mauro Fiore - “Avatar” Andrew Lesnie - “The Lovely Bones” Robert Richardson - “Inglourious Basterds” BEST ART DIRECTION Dan Bishop - “A Single Man” Rick Carter, Robert Stromberg - “Avatar” John Myhre, Gordon Sim - “Nine” Naomi Shohan, George De Titta, Jr. - “The Lovely Bones” David Wasco, Sandy Reynolds Wasco - “Inglourious Basterds” BEST EDITING Dana E. Glauberman - “Up In The Air” Sally Menke - “Inglourious Basterds” Bob Murawski, Chris Innis - “The Hurt Locker” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua, James Cameron - “Avatar” Claire Simpson, Wyatt Smith - “Nine” BEST COSTUME DESIGN Colleen Atwood - “Nine” Janet Patterson - “Bright Star” Sandy Powell - “The Young Victoria” Anna Sheppard - “Inglourious Basterds” Casey Storm - “Where The Wild Things Are” BEST MAKEUP Avatar District 9 Nine The Road Star Trek BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Avatar District 9 The Lovely Bones Star Trek 2012 BEST SOUND Avatar District 9 The Hurt Locker Nine Star Trek BEST ANIMATED FEATURE Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs Coraline Fantastic Mr. Fox Princess And The Frog Up BEST ACTION MOVIE Avatar District 9 The Hurt Locker Inglourious Basterds Star Trek BEST COMEDY (500) Days Of Summer The Hangover It’s Complicated The Proposal Zombieland BEST PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION Gifted Hands Grey Gardens Into The Storm Taking Chance BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM Broken Embraces Coco Before Chanel Red Cliff Sin Nombre The White Ribbon BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE Anvil Capitalism: A Love Story The Cove Food, Inc. Michael Jackson’s This Is It BEST SONG “All Is Love” - Karen O, Nick Zinner - “Where The Wild Things Are” “Almost There” - Randy Newman - “The Princess And The Frog” “Cinema Italiano” - Maury Yeston - “Nine” “(I Want To) Come Home” - Paul McCartney - “Everybody’s Fine” “The Weary Kind” - T Bone Burnett, Ryan Bingham - “Crazy Heart” BEST SCORE Michael Giacchino - “Up” Marvin Hamlisch - “The Informant!” Randy Newman - “The Princess and the Frog” Karen O, Carter Burwell - “Where The Wild Things Are” Hans Zimmer - “Sherlock Holmes” I’m starting to get very upset that Ben Foster is being ignored everywhere for his intense performance in The Messenger, but I’m so happy with so many of the other nominations/wins that I can’t complain too much. Jeremy Renner and Carey Mulligan getting attention is making me very happy. I hope both go on to get Oscar nominations too. And things are looking very good for Kathryn Bigelow. The Golden Globe nominations are tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/4 "2009-12-14T20:32:44Z")
Thanks, Equipoise. Since the BFCA is usually a pretty accurate bellwether of the Oscar itself (6 of the 7 major winners last year also were honored by the Academy), that info is most welcome. Two more critics awards: New York Film Critics (NY) and the Southeastern Film Critics (SE): Picture: _The Hurt Locker_ (NY), _Up in the Air_ (SE) Director: Bigelow (NY, SE) Actor: Clooney (NY\*, SE) Actress: Streep (NY, SE) Supp.Actor: Waltz (NY, SE) Supp.Actress: Mo’Nique (NY, SE) Screenplay: _(500) Days of Summer_ (SE), _In the Loop_ (NY), _Up in the Air_ (SE) Documentary: _Food, Inc._ (SE), _Of Time and the City_ (NY) Foreign Film: _Summer Hours_ (NY, SE) Cinematography: _The White Ribbon_ (NY) \*the NY Critics cited both _Up in the Air_ and _Fantastic Mr. Fox_ for Clooney’s award ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/5 "2009-12-15T05:13:08Z")
I was so shocked when the [Independent Spirit Awards nominations](http://us.imdb.com/features/rto/2010/isa) came out and The Hurt Locker was shut out. I felt so bad for Jeremy Renner. I just found out, or rather, was “reminded” that Renner and his co-star Anthony Mackie WERE nominated, last year! 2008-9 [Independent Spirit Awards](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Spirit_Awards_2008) (supposedly for 2008 films) Best Actor nominees: Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler (winner) ``` * Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona * Richard Jenkins - The Visitor * Sean Penn - Milk * Jeremy Renner - The Hurt Locker ``` Best Supporting Actor nominees: James Franco - Milk (winner) ``` * Anthony Mackie - The Hurt Locker * Charlie McDermott - Frozen River * Jim Myron Ross - Ballast * Haaz Sleiman - The Visitor ``` ! I know some people complain about people/films being nominated before being released, and usually I roll my eyes at them, but in this case, I agree. It wasn’t released in America until June! Thank goodness for some reason it didn’t qualify for the Oscars last year. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/6 "2009-12-15T06:01:03Z")
Roger Ebert just Twittered his Best Actor Oscar nom predictions: [QUOTE=Ebert] I predict 2010’s five best actor nominees: Bridges, Clooney, Firth, Freeman, Renner. Bridges wins. [/QUOTE] For those following along but not hip to all the players… Jeff Bridges in **Crazy Heart** George Clooney in **Up In the Air** Colin Firth in **A Single Man** Morgan Freeman in **Invictus** Jeremy Renner in **The Hurt Locker** I’d certainly be fine with Ebert’s pick for a winner. I haven’t seen **Crazy Heart** yet but it’s getting [great reviews](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crazy_heart/) and is supposed to be one of Bridges’s best roles ever. Bridges has been nominated for an Oscar 4 times and has never won. That doesn’t mean he’s “due” or anything, but if it’s a great role, in a very good movie, why not? ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/7 "2009-12-15T06:09:19Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I’d certainly be fine with Ebert’s pick for a winner. I haven’t seen **Crazy Heart** yet but it’s getting [great reviews](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/crazy_heart/) and is supposed to be one of Bridges’s best roles ever. Bridges has been nominated for an Oscar 4 times and has never won. That doesn’t mean he’s “due” or anything, but if it’s a great role, in a very good movie, why not? He may not be “due”, but he sure is overdue, and I’d love to see him win\*. Between him and Julianne Moore (also 4 nods w/no wins) in _A Single Man_, this might be their lucky year. \*no, I haven’t seen the film yet ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/8 "2009-12-15T06:28:12Z")
Have you seen **A Single Man**? I haven’t, yet, but isn’t Julianne Moore a supporting character? I’m sure she’s great, she always is, but I haven’t heard all _that_ much buzz. Not compared to Colin Firth. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/9 "2009-12-15T06:32:36Z")
I haven’t seen the film, but she’s supposed to be quite good in a supporting role (and given Firth’s buzz, a lot of Academy members are going to be seeing the film). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/10 "2009-12-15T08:19:49Z")
True. So, is _anybody_ besides the two of us excited or interested in this awards season (and by that, I mean, the quality of interesting movies that are being talked about and getting attention, not the “awards” themselves, which is why I love awards season)? At least, we haven’t had a too-cool-for-school-I-don’t-care threadshitter yet. There is that. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/11 "2009-12-15T11:29:16Z")
This is fun. Sometimes the biggest surprises come from unlikely places. **Indiana Film Critics** awards: **Best Film of the Year** Up in the Air Runner-up: Fantastic Mr. Fox (Yay!) **Best Director** Spike Jonze, Where the Wild Things Are (:eek: Yay!) Runner-up: Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox (:eek: Yay!) **Best Screenplay** Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air Runner-up: Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers, Where the Wild Things Are (Yay!) **Original Vision Award** Where the Wild Things Are (Yay!!) Runner-up: District 9 (Yay!!) **Best Actor** George Clooney, Up in the Air Runner-up: Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker (Yay!) **Best Actress** Carey Mulligan, An Education (Yay!) Runner-up: Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia **Best Supporting Actress** Mo’Nique, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire Runner-up: Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air **Best Supporting Actor** Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds (Yay!) Runner-up: Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones and Julie & Julia **Best Foreign Language Film** Sin Nombre (Yay!) Runner-up: Welcome **Best Animated Film** Fantastic Mr. Fox (Yay!) Runner-up: Up **Best Documentary** The Cove Runner-up: Anvil! The Story of Anvil (Yay!) I love it when they show the Runners-up. It still would have been a cool list without it, but it’s absolutely delightful with it. Maybe I ought to start keeping track of this stuff, like I did 2 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/12 "2009-12-15T11:35:35Z")
An hour and a half until the Golden Globe nominations. Yes I’m staying up for it. Yes I’m a hopeless awards geek. No, I don’t have to work today, but I work nights anyway so I’m used to this. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/13 "2009-12-15T21:52:05Z")
The San Francisco Film Critics chimed in. Some usual suspects, some nice surprises: Picture/Director: _The Hurt Locker_/Bigelow Actor: Colin Firth Actress: Meryl Streep Supp.Actor: Christian McKay, _Me and Orson Welles_ (I saw this last night, and McKay is uncanny and marvelous as Orson) Supp.Actress: Mo’Nique Screenplay: _Inglorious Basterds_ & _The Fantastic Mr. Fox_ Cinematography: _A Serious Man_ Documentary: _Anvil!_ Foreign Film: _You, the Living_ Plus, the wonderful _Sita Sings the Blues_ got a special citation. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/14 "2009-12-16T19:02:32Z")
Au = Austin Film Critics, DFW = Dallas Fort Worth Film Critics, SD = San Diego Film Critics, To = Toronto Film Critics Picture: _Hunger_ (To), _Hurt Locker_ (Au), _Inglorious Basterds_ (SD, To), _Up in the Air_ (DFW) Actor: Nicolas Cage, _Bad Lieutenant: PoCNO_ (To), Clooney (DFW), Firth (Au, SD) Actress: Melanie Laurent, _Inglorious Basterds_ (Au), Michelle Monaghan, _Trucker_ (SD), Carey Mulligan, _An Education_ (DFW, To) Supp.Actor: Waltz (Au, DFW, SD, To) Supp.Actress: Anna Kendrick, _Up in the Air_ (Au, To), Mo’Nique (DFW), Samantha Morton, _The Messenger_ (SD) Director: Bigelow (Au, To), Jason Reitman, _Up in the Air_ (DFW), Tarantino (SD) Screenplay: _Fantastic Mr. Fox_ (SD), _Inglorious Basterds_ (Au, SD, To), _Up in the Air_ (Au, DFW, To) Cinematography: _The Hurt Locker_ (Au), _The Lovely Bones_ (DFW), _The Road_ (SD) Foreign Film: _Il Divo_ (SD), _Sin Nombre_ (Au, DFW), _The White Ribbon_ (To) Documentary: _Anvil!_ (Au), _The Cove_ (DFW, SD, To) ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/15 "2009-12-17T05:01:18Z")
[Here](http://www.moviecitynews.com/awards/2010/notepad/091216_songs.htm)’s a final list of all the tunes eligible for Best Song by the Academy. And the SAG nominations come out tomorrow. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/16 "2009-12-17T10:10:07Z")
The Animated Feature category is going to be really great this year: Up Fantastic Mr. Fox Coraline The Princess and the Frog ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/17 "2009-12-17T11:48:24Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > The Animated Feature category is going to be really great this year: > Up > Fantastic Mr. Fox > Coraline > The Princess and the Frog Because there are [20 films](http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2009/20091111.html) eligible in this category this year, the final nomination slate will consist of 5 films. I think the 4 you listed are fairly certain as nominees, which leaves one slot left–I’m guessing for _Ponyo_, since Miyazaki is a fave within the branch (the last time there were 5 nominees, he won the Oscar). ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/18 "2009-12-17T14:22:25Z")
Here are the Screen Actors Guild nominations: **Actor** JEFF BRIDGES - Crazy Heart GEORGE CLOONEY - Up In The Air COLIN FIRTH - A Single Man MORGAN FREEMAN - Invictus JEREMY RENNER - The Hurt Locker **Actress** SANDRA BULLOCK - The Blind Side HELEN MIRREN - The Last Station CAREY MULLIGAN - An Education (fantastic!) GABOUREY SIDIBE - Precious MERYL STREEP - Julie & Julia **Supporting Actor** MATT DAMON - Invictus WOODY HARRELSON - The Messenger CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER - The Last Station STANLEY TUCCI - The Lovely Bones CHRISTOPH WALTZ - Inglourious Basterds **Supporting Actress** PENELOPE CRUZ - Nine VERA FARMIGA - Up In The Air ANNA KENDRICK - Up In The Air DIANE KRUGER - Inglourious Basterds MO’NIQUE - Precious **Ensemble** AN EDUCATION (!!! YAY) THE HURT LOCKER INGLORIOUS BASTERDS NINE PRECIOUS That’s a pretty awesome Ensemble lineup. Carey Mulligan was expected but An Education for Ensemble?!?! That just upped its profile a hundred fold! Diane Kruger was very unexpected. Jeremy Renner should feel better today after the Golden Globes snub the other day. I guess Ben Foster will have to go without any major nominations this year. Dammit. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/19 "2009-12-17T14:41:26Z")
The absence of big-hitters like Day Lewis and Julianne Moore over relative unknowns like Renner and Kruger speaks a great deal to the apparent large appeal of _Hurt_ and _Basterds_ among the actors (the largest branch within the Academy). Although it’s never completely a 5:5 match across all four acting categories from SAG to Oscar, it’s pretty darn close, so I think we’re looking at what’s very likely to resemble the final slates. **Actor** : Day Lewis is still likely to make a strong showing, so I think the final 5 will come from those 6 (spoilers like Stuhlbarg, Mortensen, or Damon for _The Informant!_ seem like really long shots) **Actress** : The biggest challengers to these 5 are two actresses (Emily Blunt, Abbie Cornish) in period films (_Young Victoria, Bright Star_) that will go largely unseen. If there’s a 6th that might nudge in, it may be Cotillard from _Nine_. **Supporting Actor** : This seems like a very solid grouping (though some argue Plummer’s in the wrong category), but there are some potential spoilers: Alfred Molina (_Education_), Anthony Mackie (_Hurt Locker_), Christian McKay (_Me & Orson Welles_) for starters. All are low-buzz however. **Supporting Actress** : I really have a hard time seeing Kruger make the final cut, so I think Moore is back in, though don’t count out a few other _Nine_ ladies, or maybe Maggie Gyllenhaal from _Crazy Heart_. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157/20 "2009-12-17T14:56:53Z")
It seems like the Academy pulls at least one WTF, where’d that come from? out of their hats, and maybe it’ll be Ben Foster. Ok, I know, slap me, but damn, he’s great in The Messenger, and it’s terrible how he’s being ignored left and right, while Woody Harrelson, who absolutely deserves every accolade, is getting lots of accolades. I don’t know who he’d replace though anyway. Freeman would be my choice, but that’ll never happen. In the end, I don’t care who gets nominated as long as Jeremy Renner does, so as long as he’s safe, and that’s no longer a sure thing since the shock of the non-Globe nom, I’m happy. I was always only passionate about Jeremy Renner and Carey Mulligan, so the rest are just nice icing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oscar-countdown-the-award-season-begins/521157.md?page=2)