The Oscar nominations are in

   The Oscars are a funny thing. Every year we accuse it of being some stuffy overrated fashion show that caters to its own rather than what real audiences are seeing in theaters but every year we can't help but sit and watch closely which movies run away with the coveted award...then absolutely bitch about who got robbed.

I'll hold out my predictions for an upcoming video I have planned for the site but here are the nominations (the ones that matter)

Best Picture

AVATAR

THE BLIND SIDE

DISTRICT 9

AN EDUCATION

THE HURT LOCKER

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

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

Jeremy Renner, THE HURT LOCKER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Matt Damon, INVICTUS

Woody Harrelson, THE MESSENGER (and ZOMBIELAND ahem)

Christopher Plummer, THE LAST STATION

Stanley Tucci, THE LOVELY BONES

Christoph Waltz, INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

BEST ACTRESS

Sandra Bullock, THE BLIND SIDE

Helen Mirren, THE LAST STATION

Carey Mulligan, AN EDUCATION

Gabourey Sidibe, PRECIOUS

Meryl Streep, JULIE & JULIA

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 ANIMATED FEATURE

CORALINE

FANTASTIC MR FOX

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

THE SECRET OF KELLS

    UP

BEST ART DIRECTION

AVATAR - Art Direction: Rick Carter & Robert Stromberg. Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair

THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS - Art Direction: Dave Warren & Anastasia Masaro. Set Dec: Caroline Smith

NINE - Art Direction: John Myhre. Set Dir: Gordon Sim

SHERLOCK HOLMES - Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood. Set Dir. Katie Spencer

THE YOUNG VICTORIA - Art Direction: Patrice Vermette. Set Dir. Maggie Gray

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

AVATAR, Mauro Fiore

HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE, Bruno Delbonnel

THE HURT LOCKER, Barry Ackroyd

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Robert Richardson

THE WHITE RIBBON, Christian Berger

BEST DIRECTOR

AVATAR, James Cameron

THE HURT LOCKER, Kathryn Bigelow

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Quentin Tarantino

PRECIOUS, Lee Daniels

UP IN THE AIR, Jason Reitman

BEST MUSIC (Original Score)

AVATAR, James Horner

FANTASTIC MR FOX, Alexandre Desplat

THE HURT LOCKER, Marco Beltrami & Buck Sanders

SHERLOCK HOLMES, Hanz Zimmer

UP, Michael Giacchino

BEST MUSIC (Original Song)

"ALMOST THERE" - THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

"DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS" - THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

"LOIN DE PANAME" - PARIS 36

"TAKE IT ALL" - NINE

"THE WEARY KIND" - CRAZY HEART

BEST WRITING (Adapted Screenplay)

DISTRICT 9, Neill Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell

AN EDUCATION, Nick Hornby

IN THE LOOP, Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci & Tony Roche

PRECIOUS, Geoffrey Fletcher

UP IN THE AIR, Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner

BEST WRITING (Original Screenplay)

THE HURT LOCKER, Mark Boal

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, Quentin Tarantino

THE MESSENGER, Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman

A SERIOUS MAN, Joel & Ethan Coen

UP, Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter. Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy