Alternate Oscars: 2010

Ah, now we're getting to something new. Well, I say new — these movies are eleven years old — but it's the first all-new set of alternate Oscars I've done since I quit after the 2009 polls. I had no juice left after a year of fighting cancer, and besides, the Washington Nationals were busy winning the World Series. Who had time for Oscars?

Time to get on with the rest of my life.

2010 was a solid year for movies without any one outstanding film that truly set the world on fire, at least not that I remember. Inception seems to have shown up on cable more than any of the others, so I voted for that. But you wouldn't be wrong to choose something else. Unless I didn't nominate it, in which case, you're out of luck.

In fact, that's kind of how I feel about everything from here on out — who knows what overlooked treasure will eventually rise to the level of a classic and what Oscar winner will sink under the surface never to be seen again? Certainly not me.

Note: Even though child actress Hailee Steinfeld was in virtually every scene of True Grit and is the driving force behind the action, the Academy nominated her in the category of best supporting actress — it's a family tradition. I've promoted her to the lead where she belongs.

My choices are noted with a ★. A tie is indicated with a ✪. Historical Oscar winners are noted with a ✔. Best foreign-language picture winners are noted with an ƒ. Best animated feature winners are noted with an @. A historical winner who won in a different category is noted with a ✱.