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Be still, my horrified heart. We perhaps all knew it was coming, but now it’s official: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences believes that Avatar was one of the best films of 2009. (Guess the “sciences” portion of the institution’s name means more than the “arts” this year.)
Very, very few surprises among the rest of the major categories, which are below for your listing pleasure. I’ll restrict my commentary to alarm, signified by “!”s:
BEST PICTURE
Avatar (!) Up in the Air The Hurt Locker District 9 A Serious Man The Blind Side (!) Up An Education Inglourious Basterds Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire BEST DIRECTOR
James Cameron, Avatar Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds Lee Daniels, Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire Jason Reitman, Up in the Air
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 SUPPORTING ACTOR
Matt Damon, Invictus (!) Woody Harrelson, The Messenger Christopher Plummer, The Last Station Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Penélope 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 ANIMATED FILM
Coraline Fantastic Mr. Fox Up The Princess and the Frog The Secret of Kells (?)
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Burma VJ The Cove Food, Inc. The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers Which Way Home (?)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Ajami El Secreto de Sus Ojos The Milk of Sorrow Un Prophète The White Ribbon
BEST SCREENPLAY, ORIGINAL The Hurt Locker Inglourious Basterds The Messenger* A Serious Man Up
BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED
District 9 An Education In the Loop* Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire Up in the Air
*Denotes the only no-one-saw-that-comings of the lot
For the full list, go to Oscar.com.