2010 Oscar Nominations Announced Led by 'Avatar' and 'The Hurt Locker'

When it comes to winning one of the numerous awards out there for your film, your musical score, or your performance; there is no greater honor then ending the one night a year when you can have a golden little statue named Oscar in your hands.

On March 7, 2010, the stars will align for the 82nd annual Academy Awards live on ABC. 'Avatar' and 'The Hurt Locker' took over the nominations crown and shared it with nine each, but there are plenty more films represented this year in the numerous categories.

There are some changes this year at the Oscars and it starts with the "Best Picture" category jumping up to ten nominations from five. There are dramas, comedies, sci-fi epics, and even animated films in line for the coveted award so it's going to be some stiff competition. Well, that is what they would like you to think.

It has broken nearly every box office record and looks as if it is going to simply run away with the "Best Picture" award, and that is not a surprise at all. 'Avatar' has shattered box-office records and has only been in theaters for less than two months so there is no telling where it will end up on the all-time list. There is a phenomenal list of nominees this year, but there is no question as to who will be taking it. You can expect James Cameron to capture the "Best Director" award as well.

George Clooney ('Up In The Air') will have some competition from Jeremy Renner ('The Hurt Locker') in the "Best Actor" category, but my gut is telling me the older veteran will capture it. Look for Sandra Bullock to run away from the "Best Actress" pack for her role in 'The Blind Side.' It doesn't hurt that she had a great story to work with that was full of truth and sentimentality.

The stars are looking forward to walking down that red carpet so don't miss a moment of the action. In their minds, they also hope to be taking another walk later that evening and it is to pick up the coveted golden statues.

Check out the full list of nominees below:

BEST PICTURE

- Avatar

- The Blind Side

- District 9

- An Education

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- Precious

- A Serious Man

- Up

- Up in the Air

BEST DIRECTOR

- James Cameron, Avatar

- Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

- Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds

- Lee Daniels, Precious

- Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

BEST ACTOR

- Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

- George Clooney, Up in the Air

- Colin Firth, A Single Man

- Morgan Freeman, Invictus

- Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

BEST ACTRESS

- Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side

- Helen Mirren, The Last Station

- Carey Mulligan, An Education

- Gabourey Sidibe, Precious

- Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

- Matt Damon, Invictus

- Woody Harrelson, The Messenger

- Christopher Plummer, The Last Station

- Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones

- Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

- Penelope Cruz, Nine

- Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air

- Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart

- Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air

- Mo'Nique, Precious

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- The Messenger

- A Serious Man

- Up

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

- District 9

- An Education

- In the Loop

- Precious

- Up in the Air

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

- Coraline

- Fantastic Mr. Fox

- The Princess and the Frog

- The Secret of Kells

- Up

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FEATURE

- Ajami

- El Secreto de Sus Ojos

- The Milk of Sorrow

- Un Prophete

- The White Ribbon

BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

- Burma VJ

- The Cove

- Food, Inc.

- The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers

- Which Way Home

BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT

- China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province

- The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner

- The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant

- Music by Prudence

- Rabbit a la Berlin

BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT

- The Door

- Instead of Abracadabra

- Kavi

- Miracle Fish

- The New Tenants

BEST ANIMATED SHORT

- French Roast

- Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty

- The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)

- Logorama

- A Matter of Loaf and Death

BEST SCORE

- Avatar

- Fantastic Mr. Fox

- The Hurt Locker

- Sherlock Holmes

- Up

BEST SONG

- "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog

- "Down in New Orleand" from The Princess and the Frog

- "Loin de Paname" from Paris 36

- "Take It All" from Nine

- "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" from Crazy Heart

BEST SOUND EDITING

- Avatar

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- Star Trek

- Up

BEST SOUND MIXING

- Avatar

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- Star Trek

- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

BEST ART DIRECTION

- Avatar

- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

- Nine

- Sherlock Holmes

- The Young Victoria

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

- Avatar

- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- The White Ribbon

BEST MAKE-UP

- Il Divo

- Star Trek

- The Young Victoria

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

- Bright Star

- Coco before Chanel

- The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

- Nine

- The Young Victoria

BEST FILM EDITING

- Avatar

- District 9

- The Hurt Locker

- Inglourious Basterds

- Precious

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

- Avatar

- District 9

- Star Trek

Credit: Academy Awards Official Site