Ranking the Best Picture Nominees

Well it is that time of year again when we find out what movie is deemed the Best Picture of the year. This year I saw all 10 movies and for the life of me I can't see why some of them were nominated but to each their own I suppose. Below I present my own personal rankings of this years 10 Best Picture Nominees.

1. Toy Story 3- I know there is absolutely ZERO chance of this movie winning the prize but it really should, at least in my humble opinion. I found it to be the most overall entertaining movie of this years nominees. It had something for everyone and considering that it is a sequel to a sequel that is pretty impressive. To bad animated movies aren't taken seriously.
2. The Kings Speech- This is the movie I fully expect to take home the big prize tonight and I am okay with that. The acting in the movie is stellar. I must admit that I have a small fascination with all things British so I am sure that helped me like this movie all the more. If I were voting member of the academy I would be marking my vote for each of the actors nominated from this movie. They all did a great job.
3. Inception-Like Toy Story 3 there is no chance of this movie winning which is to bad because it is easily one of the most clever if not the most clever of the movies nominated this year. It is not only visually stunning to look at but it is also a head scratcher. How many levels are we down again? You will keep coming back to this movie again and again just to try and figure it out. One day big blockbuster movies will get their due and it is movies like Inception that prove why.
4. 127 Hours- I just got back from Canyonlands National Park and I can only imagine what it would be like to be trapped all alone for so long in a helpless situation like the one depicted here. This movie makes you feel like you are there in the canyon hoping for the outcome that most people already knew was coming since this was based on real events. That fact that you are still on the edge of your seat says something about this movie. James Franco is fantastic and any other year I think he would be a lock for Best Actor but sadly Collin Firth was just a little more fantastic this year. Maybe we can hope for a tie?
5. The Fighter- Another movie full of great acting (are you seeing a trend yet?) and based on real events. I was a little underwhelmed by this movie perhaps because I had heard so many good things about it and perhaps it was because it was one of the last movies I saw. While the acting was great I just couldn't get into this one, still a fine movie but one that I would be more likely to watch on cable then run out to see.
6. The Social Network- Another movie that may have suffered from over hype. I guess the writing was okay and I am sure it will win in that category but overall I was just kind of bored for parts of the movie. I guess I can't relate to a tech smart kid who is worth billions.
7. True Grit- Another well acted movie and yet another movie that I was just bored during. It seemed to me that there were long stretches during this movie where nothing was happening and then it just kind of ended. For a movie that felt as long as this one I was expecting more in the end. Plus for the life of me I don't know why Hailee Steinfeld is nominated in the Supporting Actress category, she carried this movie and should be nominated for Best Actress.
8. Winters Bone- A depressing movie overall but one that is made bearable by its lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, who does a great job here and would get my vote for Best Actress. Overall I left this movie feeling just blah mostly because I am sure things like this happen all the time, sadly.
9. The Kids Are All Right- I wanted this movie to be so much better then it was. It was entertaining in parts but for all the talk of how original its story was it didn't seem all that original. Parents fighting, kids rebelling, life moving on, etc; haven't we seen this before? While I do agree that Annette Bening did a great job (and she is in fact my pick for who is going to win) I just don't feel like this movie is one of the best of the year.
10. Black Swan- I am so not the target audience for this movie. I don't care for ballet and no amount of girl-on-girl action is going to change that. Plus I feel like the movie told you very early on how it was all going to end. At least give me a little bit of suspense to keep me awake. Sure Natalie Portman does well at making you feel like she is crazy but it almost seems like a less fun/crazy/big city version of her character in Where the Heart Is. That is to say soft spoken and unsure of herself until the end of the movie. Ground breaking? Hardly. Plus one good actor does not a great movie make.

An update on my "favorite's list"..

I have officially seen all of the best picture nominees. So I am compelled to change or rather update my previous list.

1. Inception

2 The Fighter (Loved this film. Amazing acting. Christian Bale was genius. And the fighting was so realistic.

3. 127 Hours

4. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

5. Easy A

6. The King's Speech (The acting was excellent and the movie was really touching.)

7. The A Team

8. Red

9. How To Train Your Dragon

10. Toy Story 3

*Additions in red.