REVIEW: The 10 Best Picture Nominees For The 83rd Academy Awards

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For the first time ever I was able to watch all of the Oscar's Best Picture nominees before the ceremony. Now I can watch the show (airing tonight at 8pm on ABC) and have the knowledge to judge their choices a lot better. So here are my thoughts on the nominees:

127 HOURS - Two years ago, director Danny Boyle won the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire. Now he's back with a film just as powerful. 127 Hours tells the true life tale of Aron Ralston, a mountain climber who gets trapped by a boulder and has to amputate his arm in order to escape. It's a fascinating movie to watch, but also a tough one. I can't imagine a lot of people wanting to watch 127 Hours over and over again.

BLACK SWAN - This is my favorite of the Best Picture nominees. Natalie Portman stars as a ballet dancer driven to madness during the production of her starring role in Swan Lake. It's basically the story of a person who goes to the extreme for their art. In the hands of director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) it becomes a motion picture that messes with your mind. That's what I love about it. There's a lot to be said about a movie that stays with you.

THE FIGHTER - This is the most entertaining nominee. It's perhaps also the most crowd pleasing. It follows a lot of the boxing genre cliches, but the performances are highly memorable and elevate the film.

INCEPTION - For movie fans this was the year's best. It's a film that made progress instead of staying the course. I enjoyed this movie and loved its concept of character invading dreams. But I also feel that it's a bit over-hyped and over-rated.

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT - Here's a film that had a lot of potential, but failed to deliver. It's about two teenagers whose parents are a lesbian couple that had them thanks to a sperm donor. When one of the two kids turns 18 they are able to contact the donor. What bothered me about this movie was that half-way through it stopped being about the kids and their relationship with the biological father. Instead it becomes a soap opera about the parents.

THE KING'S SPEECH - Every year there's that one film that gets nominated because of award show politics. It's also a disgrace when that movie wins. This year that film is The King's Speech. I know it hasn't won yet, but let's not kid ourselves. This movie is pretty bad and will likely become the worst winner since Crash. In a year with innovative films like Black Swan, Inception, and 127 Hours it's a shame that a cliche' British drama about the Royal Family gets the top prize.

THE SOCIAL NETWORK - If Inception is the favorite among fans, then The Social Network is the favorie among critics. This movie seemed like the champ before The King's Speech stole the spotlight. I like it, but it was a better film when it was called Pirates of Silicone Valley.

TOY STORY 3 - It's the only movie that made me shed a tear this year. A lot of credit has to be given to an animated film about talking toys that touches your heart.

TRUE GRIT - It's a pointless remake of a John Wayne movie that adds very little. It's fun and a nice departure for the Coen Bros, but other films were more deserving of a Best Picture nomination.

WINTER'S BONE - This is easily the worst of the nominees. It's a snoozefest about a hick searching for her father. I can't believe this was chosen over movies like Ghost Writer and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.