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Polako se počinje prikupljati buzz oko potencijalnih nominiranih filmova:
1. PRECIOUS
Monster's Ball producer Lee Daniels follows up his 2005 directorial debut, Shadowboxer, with this adaptation of author Sapphire's best-selling novel about an overweight, illiterate African-American teen from Harlem who discovers an alternate path in life after she begins attending a new school. Clareece "Precious" Jones is only a teenager, yet she's about to give birth to her second child. Unable to read or write, Clareece shows little prospect for the future until discovering that she has been accepted into an alternative school. There, with a little help from a sympathetic teacher (Paula Patton) and a kindly nurse (Lenny Kravitiz), the young girl receives something that most teens never get -- a chance to start over. Mo'nique co-stars in an inspirational drama featuring the debut performance of screen newcomer Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe.
The Buzz: How strong is the hype on this critically acclaimed urban drama and Sundance darling? Tyler Perry AND Oprah have stepped on as executive producers, almost ensuring that magical combo of strong reviews and popular support.
2. A SERIOUS MAN
Filmmaking duo Joel and Ethan Coen write, produce, and direct this period black comedy set in 1967 concerning a Midwestern physics professor whose staid and stable life slowly begins to unravel after his wife announces that she's leaving him. As if the failure of his longtime marriage wasn't enough for Larry Gopnik (Tony-nominated Michael Stuhlbarg) to contend with, now his socially inept brother refuses to move out of the house as well. Larry is a modest man of science. Up to this point, his life has been uneventful at best, but things are about to get interesting. When his wife, Judith announces that she is leaving him to move in with his smug colleague Sy Ableman, Larry does his best to contend with his failed marriage while barely tolerating his unemployable brother, Arthur, who appears to have grown roots on Larry's couch. Meanwhile, Larry's son, Danny, is getting into trouble at Hebrew school, and his daughter, Sarah, is stealthily snatching money from his wallet so she can afford a nose job. As Judith and Sy merrily begin making plans for their new life of domestic bliss together, Larry begins receiving a series of anonymous letters from someone who seems intent on sabotaging his chance for tenure at the university. To further complicate matters, a graduate student with failing grades is attempting to bribe the professor while simultaneously threatening him with a defamation lawsuit. Larry is in some serious need of equilibrium, though it's hard to focus on getting your life in order when your beautiful neighbor insists on sunbathing in the nude just outside your window. Perhaps by seeking the advice of three trusted rabbis, Larry can finally learn to cope with his afflictions and become a genuine mensch. A Serious Man is the second in a two-picture deal that the siblings made with Focus Features and Working Title. The first film in the deal, entitled Burn After Reading and starring Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Frances McDormand, was released nationwide in September 2008.
The Buzz: The Coen brothers don't need no stinkin' stars (no offense, Michael Stuhlbarg) for what looks to be another darkly comedic triumph. The film earned kudos all around at Toronto.
3. THE LOVELY BONES
Visionary Heavenly Creatures director Peter Jackson teams with longtime collaborators Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens to adapt author Alice Sebold's best-selling novel concerning a murdered young girl who watches from heaven as her family attempts to cope with their devastating loss, and tracks her killer as he stealthily covers his tracks and prepares to claim his next victim.
The Buzz: Peter Jackson returning to drama to helm the highly anticipated adaptation of a widely celebrated novel, with Oscar-nominated leads Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Saoirse Ronan? The force with this one is strong.
4. UP IN THE AIR
Juno's Jason Reitman heads into corporate America territory once again with this adaptation of Walter Kirn's novel Up in the Air for Montecito Pictures. The plot surrounds a human resource administrator (George Clooney) whose life up in the friendly skies becomes his only world as he works to reach his one-millionth frequent flyer mile. Jason Bateman and Vera Farmiga co-star in the Paramount Pictures production.
The Buzz: This George Clooney dramedy directed by Jason Reitman ('Thank You for Smoking') was the toast of Toronto, earning raves across the board. EW's Oscar guru Dave Karger writes that the film "lives up to all the hype" and "seems like a great bet for a nomination."
5. UP
A feisty septuagenarian teams with a fearless wilderness ranger to do battle with a vicious band of beasts and villains in this computer-animated adventure scripted by Pixar veteran Bob Peterson and co-directed by Peterson and Monsters, Inc. director Peter Docter. Carl Fredricksen is a 78-year-old balloon salesman. His entire life, Carl has longed to wander the wilds of South America. Then, one day, the irascible senior citizen shocks his neighbors by tying thousands of balloons to his home and finally taking flight. But Carl isn't alone on his once-in-a-lifetime journey, because stowed away on his front porch is an excitable eight-year-old wilderness explorer named Russell. Later, as the house touches down on the world's second largest continent, Carl and his unlikely traveling companion step outside to discover that not only is their new front lawn considerably larger, but that the predators therein are much more ferocious than anything they ever faced back home.
The Buzz: Pixar's 10th straight critical darling was also their 10th straight box office smash, earning $291 million. 'WALL-E' was considered a dark horse a year ago, but with the Best Picture category expanded to 10 slots, 'Up' could be a shoo-in.
6. NINE
From the creative team behind the Oscar-winning Broadway adaptation of Chicago comes a lavish feature take on the Tony award-winning musical inspired by Federico Fellini's whimsical classic 8 1/2. Directed by Rob Marshall, Nine details the effort made by world-class filmmaker Guido Contini (Daniel Day-Lewis) in realizing his latest cinematic vision while simultaneously balancing his relationships with the many passionate and influential women in his life, including his mistress, Carla (Penélope Cruz), and wife, Luisa (Marion Cotillard). Original lyricist and composer Maury Yeston serves as co-executive producer for the filmed version of his own 1982 Broadway hit. Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, Fergie, and Judi Dench co-star in the Weinstein Co. production.
The Buzz: Not to be confused with the psychedelically animated '9,' or the actioner 'District 9,' this is the musical directed by Rob Marshall ('Chicago'), based on Fellini's '8 ½,' and starring Oscar heavyweights Daniel Day-Lewis, Nicole Kidman, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard. Yeah, this one's a safe bet.
7. AVATAR
A paraplegic ex-marine war veteran is unwillingly sent to establish a human settlement on the distant planet of Pandora, only to find himself battling humankind alongside the planet's indigenous Na'vi race in this ambitious digital 3-D sci-fi epic from Academy Award-winning Titanic director James Cameron. The film, which marks Cameron's first dramatic feature since 1997's Titanic, will be shot on the proprietary FUSION digital 3-D cameras developed by Cameron in collaboration with Vince Pace, and will offer a groundbreaking mix of live-action dramatic performances and computer-generated effects. Australian actor Sam Worthington stars as the reluctant human settler, Jake Sully, with actress Zoe Saldana signing on to portray the local woman who enters into a romantic affair with the hero. The revolutionary motion-capture system created for the film allows the facial expressions of actors to be captured as a virtual camera system enables them to see what their computer-generated counterparts will be seeing in the film, and Peter Jackson's Oscar-winning Weta Digital visual-effects house has been hired to supervise Avatar's complex visual effects. Joel Moore, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, and Michelle Rodriguez round out the cast.
The Buzz: Reactions to the first trailer weren't as unanimously positive as promised (at least for those NOT wearing 3-D glasses), but we'd be fools to doubt long-reigning "King of the World" James Cameron, who has not-so-subtly hinted at "revolutionizing filmmaking" with this sci-fi epic.
8. THE HURT LOCKER
Based on the personal wartime experiences of journalist Mark Boal (who adapted his experiences with a bomb squad into a fact-based, yet fictional story), director Kathryn Bigelow's Iraq War-set action thriller The Hurt Locker presents the conflict in the Middle East from the perspective of those who witnessed the fighting firsthand -- the soldiers. As an elite Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team tactfully navigates the streets of present-day Iraq, they face the constant threat of death from incoming bombs and sharp-shooting snipers. In Baghdad, roadside bombs are a common danger. The Army is working to make the city a safer place for Americans and Iraqis, so when it comes to dismantling IEDs (improvised explosive devices) the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) crew is always on their game. But protecting the public isn't easy when there's no room for error, and every second spent dismantling a bomb is another second spent flirting with death. Now, as three fearless bomb technicians take on the most dangerous job in Baghdad, it's only a matter of time before one of them gets sent to "the hurt locker." Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, and Ralph Fiennes star.
The Buzz: One of the best reviewed films of the year, Kathryn Bigelow's startling war drama is another film that a year ago would no doubt be on the outside looking in but now stands a solid shot at a Best Picture nom given the wider field.
9. AMELIA
Hilary Swank and Richard Gere star in director Mira Nair's biopic tracing the life of famed aviator Amelia Earhart -- who made history in 1932 by becoming the first woman ever to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Five years later, as Earhart attempted to fly around the world, the pilot and her plane simply vanished after crashing into the Pacific Ocean. Virginia Madsen and Ewan McGregor co-star in the Avalon Pictures production.
The Buzz: No one has seen it yet, so it's still too early to tell what camp this Amelia Earheart biopic will fall in -- that of Oscar dominator ('The Aviator,' 'Milk'), acting accolades only ('Ray,' 'Last King of Scotland'), or none of the above ('Beyond the Sea').
10. AN EDUCATION
A suburban London teen finds her traditional education replaced by something slightly more sinister when an older, more worldly suitor sweeps her off of her feet while placing her future in jeopardy. London, 1961: 16-year-old Jenny (Carey Mulligan) is smart, attractive, and eager to start her adult life. She's grown tired of the familiar adolescent routine, so when urbane newcomer David (Peter Sarsgaard) appears in town, Jenny senses a rare opportunity to shake things up a bit. Quickly falling under David's spell, the impressionable Jenny begins accompanying her newfound beau to classical concerts, art auctions, crowded pubs, and dinners that stretch into the small hours of the night. But Jenny is brighter than most kids her age, and her parents always dreamt of getting their exceptional daughter into Oxford. These days it seems like she's headed in a different direction -- will David ultimately be her undoing, or the person who helps her finally realize her true potential?
The Buzz: This Nick Hornby-scripted coming-of-age drama has been drawing raves since its Sundance debut (where it won the Audience Award), and is boosted by three strong performances (Carey Mulligan, Peter Saarsgaard and Alfred Molina).
11. INVICTUS
Actor Morgan Freeman portrays anti-apartheid activist and former South African president Nelson Mandela in this Clint Eastwood-helmed political drama adapted from author John Carlin's book The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed the World. Set just after the fall of apartheid and during Mandela's first term in office, The Human Factor explores how the political prisoner-turned-president used the 1995 Rugby World Cup -- which was hosted by South Africa -- as a means of bringing blacks and whites together after decades of violence and mistrust. Matt Damon co-stars in the Warner Bros. production as rugby player Francois Pienaar.
The Buzz: Clint Eastwood has about a .500 batting average of making Oscar's short list since he's become primarily a director, with 'Mystic River,' 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Letters From Iwo Jima' all making the cut. Expect this Nelson Mandela story to up his stats.
12. STAR TREK
Mission: Impossible III director and Alias creator J.J. Abrams resurrects the classic science fiction franchise created by Gene Roddenberry with this feature film that embraces the rich history of the influential television and film series while also exploring some uncharted territory. Heroes star Zachary Quinto assumes the role of the Federation Starfleet lieutenant and Vulcan made famous in the original series by Leonard Nimoy (who also appears in an older incarnation of his original role), Spock, with Anton Yelchin stepping into the role of USS Enterprise navigator Pavel Chekov, Zoe Saldana assuming the role of communications officer Uhura, Simon Pegg keeping the ship in top shape as chief engineer Montgomery Scott (aka "Scotty"), and Eric Bana tormenting the benevolent space explorers as the villainous Nero. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle co-star John Cho also boards the Enterprise as Hikaru Sulu, with Chris Pine and Karl Urban assuming the legendary roles of Captain Kirk and Leonard "Bones" McCoy, respectively.
The Buzz: J.J. Abrams' dynamic reboot is the definitive example of the type of film the Academy would like to see get nominated, if only to boost ratings. Unlike, say, 'Transformers,' it was worshipped by critics and audiences alike.
13. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Visionary director Spike Jonze brings Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book to the big screen with the help of hipster icon Dave Eggers, who teamed with Jonze to pen the adapted screenplay. A mixture of real actors, computer animation, and live puppeteering, Where the Wild Things Are follows the adventures of a young boy named Max (Max Records) as he enters the world of the Wild Things, a race of strange and enormous creatures who gradually turn the young boy into their king.
The Buzz: Anticipation is sky high to see what sort of wild things visionary director Spike Jonze will bring to Maurice Sendak's monster-inhabited world; the result could be the first family-oriented film up for Best Picture since 2004's 'Finding Neverland.'
14. DISTRICT 9
Director Neill Blomkamp teams with producer Peter Jackson for this tale of extraterrestrial refugees stuck in contemporary South Africa. It's been 28 years since the aliens made first contact, but there was never any attack from the skies, nor any profound technological revelation capable of advancing our society. Instead, the aliens were treated as refugees. They were the last of their kind, and in order to accommodate them, the government of South Africa set up a makeshift home in District 9 as politicians and world leaders debated how to handle the situation. As the humans begin to grow wary of the unwelcome intruders, a private company called Multi-National United (MNU) is assigned the task of controlling the aliens. But MNU is less interested in the aliens' welfare than attempting to understand how their weaponry works. Should they manage to make that breakthrough, they will receive tremendous profits to fund their research. Unfortunately, the highly advanced weaponry requires alien DNA in order to be activated. When MNU field operative Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley) is exposed to biotechnology that causes his DNA to mutate, the tensions between the aliens and the humans intensifies. Wikus is the key to unlocking the alien's technology, and he quickly becomes the most wanted man on the planet. Ostracized and isolated, Wikus retreats to District 9 in a desperate bid to shake his dogged pursuers.
The Buzz: Sci-fi fans geeked out over this late-summer sleeper, and though some audiences were turned off by its guerilla style, it still has enough critical and fan support to warrant dark horse standing.
I evo još neki filmovi koji se spominju:
15. THE MAID -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1187044/16. AMREEKA -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190858/17. THE INFORMANT! -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1130080/18. A SINGLE MAN -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1315981/19. THE BURNING PLAIN -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1068641/20. THE LAST STATION -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0824758/21. BIG FAN -
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1228953/
