With 10 Slots to Fill, Oscar Debate Starts Early

First directing honors for a woman as Iraq thriller reaps 5 awards

(AP) - The Iraq war thriller The Hurt Locker earned the Best Picture Academy Award tonight, and Kathryn Bigelow won for best director. Bigelow is the first woman in the 82-year history of the Oscars to earn Hollywood's top prize for filmmakers. Among those Bigelow beat were ex-husband James Cameron, the best director winner for 1997's Titanic, who was nominated this time for his sci-fi spectacle Avatar. Bigelow and Cameron were married from 1989 to 1991. More»

Billy Crystal brings the same old stuff

(NEWSER) - Last night's Oscars, like its Best Picture, was a throwback to a different time in film history. And though the show may have topped last year's Anne Hathaway-James Franco fiasco, it was boring and tired throughout:

• "The whole night looked like an AARP pep rally," writes Alessandra Stanley in the New York Times . "For a town that prides itself on tinsel and titillation, the night was pretty tame." "It all looked very familiar," but that "is perhaps necessary when so few of the nominated films are."

Or, Natalie Portman: From Black Swan to Thor

(NEWSER) - This year has seen many an Oscar winner in less-than-deserving films, from Tom Hanks in Larry Crowne to Frances McDormand in Transformers. Over at Grantland , Lane Brown averaged the Rotten Tomatoes scores of all an actor’s films since the Oscar victory—first through 2010, then through this year. The difference—measured in “cubas” (sorry, Mr. Gooding)—reveals how much the actor tainted his or her Oscar this year. And the winners are: More»

But maybe he could have kept that to himself?

(NEWSER) - George Clooney voted for Jeff Bridges instead of himself to win this year's Best Actor Oscar, and he even photographed his ballot and sent it to Bridges with best wishes. Stuff like this is why Clooney "might be the classiest man in Hollywood," declare the experts at the New York Post 's Page Six. More»

The Daily Beast predicts the winners

(NEWSER) - If you’re not sure how to bet in this year’s office Oscar pool, take a look at the Daily Beast ’s rundown of your best picks:

• Best Picture: The Hurt Locker. In addition to being a critical darling and having swept most guild and critics’ awards so far this season, director Kathryn Bigelow “is drenched in goodwill for making a timely and important film”…and for being a woman.
• Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart. Amazingly, Bridges has yet to win an Oscar—and this one “feels like destiny.” He’s picked up quite a few awards already, including the bellwether Screen Actors Guild.
• Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side. Remember when America’s sweetheart Julia Roberts won an Oscar for her gritty performance in Erin Brockovich? Yeah, this is like that.