Best picture goes to...

After having seen some of the contenders for this year's Best Picture Oscar, I can't seem to put my finger on the winner. Here's why...

True Grit: Best Use of Jeff Bridges
Jeff Bridges seriously kicked ass in this movie. By turns funny and vicious, his character totally showcased Jeff's chops. Sometimes I thought: whoa, it's The Dude as a gunman. And who cares? It's just Jeff, shining through gruffly and smartly in all his Dudeness. Loved the relationship between the Rooster and Mattie, the sparse plot, and Matt Damon's chivalrous Texas Ranger. And the ending made me cry.

The King's Speech: Best All-Around
Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush are just radiant. Colin is the thinking woman's sex symbol. Geoffrey could play anyone beautifully. Every element of the film: flawless. Well done. For the cohesive and complete excellence, I can see it being Best Picture. You're holding your breath, hoping against hope that the King can pull it off for Britain and the world. And the ending made me cry.

Black Swan: Best Sexy & Obsessive
Natalie Portman was soooo disturbing. She portrayed the inhibited, obsessed ballerina with such passion and panache. Absolute Best Actress. A far cry from the sweet Sam in Garden State. The sexual undertone was delicious. The adrenaline-fueled tension was...frankly very uncomfortable throughout. You want to take an anxiety pill afterwards, or hug kittens, anything to bring you back down. And the ending, yes, made me cry.

Winter's Bone: Best Raw & Real
A big sister with a heart - and cojones - of steel tracks down her father's killer. Some crazy things happening out in the impoverished woods of Missouri. It's like a trip to another country, one with its own brutal and closed culture, laws, and language. Courageous acting and screenplay. The least Hollywood of any nominee and I mean that as praise.

And one that wasn't a nominee yet deserves a big mention...

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: Best Edgy Epic Hip
It's a video game! It's a graphic novel! It's a movie! It's a music video! What an insanely cool concept. It blew me away, the way that Pulp Fiction did when I first saw it (but with less gore). Like: did that just happen? Or: how awesome that the girlfriend's name is Knives? FUN FUN FUN and in my mind, groundbreaking.