Winners of the 82nd Academy Awards

MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR

The Hurt Locker

Predicted: Inglourious Basterds. The safest best. I just had to change my bet at the last minute to Basterds, thinking the preferential voting would benefit it. Oh well. I loved Avatar and wanted it to win, but while I still believe that it deserved to win, I'm happy for Locker and the people involved.

ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING

Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)

First female winner of this category EVER. Very deserving, though James Cameron's achievements with Avatar are still mind-blowing and should have been rewarded more.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)

He finally wins after the fifth nod. Can't say I was crazy about the performance (and as I still haven't seen A Single Man, can't say it's the best either), but the voters could have done much worse. He's a terrific actor.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)

Up until the last minute, I was still rooting for Meryl Streep, but there was no denying Sandra Bullock's momentum. Blah. Love her and the speech and the fact that she now has an Oscar, but over those other four? America's sweetheart indeed.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds)

The most deserving of the five by a mile.

PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Mo'Nique (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)

Ditto here. Love her speech. It should never be about the campaigning!

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker)

Predicted: Quentin Tarantino (Inglourious Basterds). Tarantino's support within the Academy was not enough to have his creative script win over Boal's intense screenplay.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

Geoffrey Fletcher (Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire)

Predicted: Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air). One of the biggest upsets of the night. Not really happy with the result here, as Up in the Air is easily the superior film.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Pete Docter (Up)

Duh. Though while I was watching the clips of the nominees (and the "interviews" with the leads), I found myself wondering what Princess and the Frog was doing lumped with all those excellent films.

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

The Cove

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Argentina (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)

Less of a surprise than generally thought, as the film has been getting rave reviews and buzz.

ACHIEVEMENT IN ART DIRECTION

Avatar

ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY

Mauro Fiore (Avatar)

Predicted: Barry Ackroyd (The Hurt Locker). I'm happy that I'm wrong. Fiore deserves it.

ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

Sandy Powell (The Young Victoria)

How utterly predictable. I wish Janet Patterson had won.

ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING

Bob Murawski, Chris Innis (The Hurt Locker)

Predicted: John Refoua, Stephen Rivkin (Avatar). Come on. They should have given this to the Avatar team. Respect.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP

Star Trek

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

Michael Giacchino (Up)

I realized how great this score is when the nominees were being played.

ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

"The Weary Kind" (Crazy Heart)

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING

The Hurt Locker

Predicted: Avatar. This stings.

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING

The Hurt Locker

Predicted: Avatar. Again.

ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

Avatar

BEST DOCUMENTARY (SHORT SUBJECT)

"Music by Prudence"

Predicted: "China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province"

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

"Logorama"

Predicted: "A Matter of Loaf and Death"

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

"The New Tenants"

Predicted: "The Door"


Score: 14/24. As usual, the shorts got me. The major categories were much more easily predictable.