Predicting 10 Instead Of 5

While I've never been one to predict all of the nominations for the Academy Awards, I have always been one to at least predict the nominees to appear under the category of Best Picture. It was usually an easy task, which was mainly the reason why I enjoyed doing it. Yes, the satisfaction of being right. My track record so far is pretty good, granted I've only done it two years. Well, except for "The Reader," but who could've predicted that?

In any case, this year is different because we're looking at not five, but rather, 10 nominations in the category of Best Picture. How does this change things? Well, in my opinion, not much. It does, however, provide recognition for those movies that sometimes unfortunately go unnoticed. If there were 10 nominations for Best Picture last year, "The Dark Knight" wouldn't have gotten snubbed like it did. And, with the expansion of the list, we're potentially looking at the first animated film to be included in the category since "Beauty and the Beast." It'll shake things up but prove no real drastic changes.

So, without any more delay, here are my official predictions for the category of Best Picture for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards:

Sure Things:

1. The Hurt Locker
2. Avatar
3. Up in the Air
4. Inglourious Basterds
5. Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire

Probable:

6. An Education
7. Up

Questionable:

8. District 9
9. A Serious Man
10. Invictus

Yes, "The Last Station," "A Single Man," "(500) Days of Summer," "The Messenger," and, dare I say it, "The Blind Side" could even find a spot. But, with everything that's been predicted and set in place, the above list is what I'm going with.

Until tomorrow.