The biggest change people noticed about the 82nd annual Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards ceremony was undoubtedly the fact that there were 10 nominees for Best Picture, instead of the usual five. This isn't actually an innovation as much as a throwback to earlier days. In the 1930s and early 1940s, there were commonly between eight and 12 films nominated for the award. It was in 1944 that the Academy began using the five picture formula.
The biggest change in 2010 was more “behind the scenes” information. They've settled on a new voting system. Instead of the tried and true “most votes wins” majority rule, the academy has gone to what's called the “exhaustive preferential” formula. It sort of makes sense to me, but trying to explain it would take more space than allotted. Google it.
Here's the play-by-play, written in real time.
No comment is needed for the (as always) overly long, painful opening. I'm going outside for air. Neil Patrick Harris is awful. The dancers are dressed rather risqué, though.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin seem to be having a good time, with scripted dialogue that's funny enough.
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Waltz for “Inglourious Basterds.” No surprise. A close second was Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones.”
Best Animated Feature: “Up.” Without a doubt the best choice, but “The Fantastic Mr. Fox” and “Coraline” were worthy contenders. “Avatar” should have been in this category. “Up” still would have won.
Best Song: “The Weary Kind” from “Crazy Heart.” No contest.
Best Original Screenplay: “The Hurt Locker.” This also went without saying. But if “Up” had won, I wouldn't argue.
Best Live Action Short: “The New Tenants.” I saw the nominees at The Moxie. They were all great. This one was my favorite. Short films are an important stepping stone for directors.
Best Adapted Screenplay: “Precious.” A great film, all around. “Up in the Air” could have taken the Oscar, but “Precious” is the kind of movie that the Academy really loves. And it was a great story.
Roger Corman and Lauren Bacall getting a Governor's Award at the same time? I love them both, but it's fairly surreal. Bacall is the essence of class and Corman is the king of B movies.
Best Supporting Actress: Mo’Nique for “Precious.” This category was wide open. All five actresses deserved their nods. I probably would have gone with Vera Farmiga for “Up in the Air.”
Art Direction: “Avatar.” It had to start winning something. And technically, it's an amazing film. For my tastes, it's a gimmick – a great gimmick, but still a gimmick.
Costumes: “The Young Victoria.” The third Oscar for designer Sandy Powell. Oscar loves period pieces.
The horror movie tribute is fun, and that genre was due for recognition. So much better than another big production song and dance number.
Sound Editing and Sound Mixing: Sound is so often overlooked by the average moviegoer. I expected “Avatar” to win both of these categories but “The Hurt Locker” aced it out.
Cinematography: “Avatar.” It had to win this, but I'd argue that it's more animation than cinematography.
Oh no! It's the dance number - and it's interpretive dance! Time to get a snack.
Original Score: “Up.” It's a touching score that fits the film perfectly. Michael Giacchino's speech is great.
Visual Effects: I'm writing this before the award has been announced. It's gonna be “Avatar.”
It's “Avatar.”
Best Documentary Feature: “The Cove.” Finally dolphins get their due.
Best Editing: “The Hurt Locker.” The Academy loves the film. And rightly so.
Best Actor in a Leading Role: Jeff Bridges. After five nominations (and a great film, “Crazy Heart”) he deserves it. His character, Bad Blake, is a classic.
Best Actress in a Leading Role: Sandra Bullock for “The Blind Side.” Another done deal. She was great in the movie. It's another type of film that Oscar likes to pat itself on the back for, but a good movie. And her acceptance speech is pretty funny.
Best Director: Katheryn Bigelow for “The Hurt Locker.” She was up against her ex-husband, James Cameron, and his highest-grossing film of all time, “Avatar.” Bigelow is the first woman to win a best director Oscar.
Best Picture: “The Hurt Locker.” The members of AMPAS let revenues (like those generated by “Avatar”) speak for themselves and give awards to works that have meaning – the kind of movies they want people to believe are important in Hollywood.
I'm glad “The Hurt Locker” won, for whatever reason. It's also the lowest-grossing film to ever win a best picture Oscar. The film and its success is the story that we'll all remember about Oscar this year.
There were a lot of good films in 2009, and director John Lassiter gave the best advice in his interview, when he opined that the tools for making films are readily available to everyone. But it's not the tools that make a great film. It's the ability to tell a story.
