By Wren Culp

Staff Writer

The Oscars bring drama and laughter every year. Then the awards get dished out and emotions fly and things are said that shouldn’t have been said. But I’m not writing about the emotions at all. I’m talking about straight up awards.

• Best Picture official winner: The Hurt Locker
• My pick: The Hurt Locker

The Hurt Locker was an obvious choice for the winner for best picture. It captured the emotional intensity of an American soldier. It very well demonstrated the psychological nightmare that a soldier in war goes through. It was an outstanding movie.

• Actor in a leading role winner: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart)
• My pick: George Clooney (Up in the Air)

I have to admit, Jeff Bridges is an outstanding actor, but I feel like the role George Clooney played was built specifically for him. No one else can play that role as well as he did. I accept Jeff Bridges as the winner, but I feel that Clooney should have gotten it.

• Actor in a supporting role winner: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)
• My pick: Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds)

Not only was it a phenomenal movie, Christoph Waltz gave one of the best performances of his career. Waltz played the “Jew Hunter” in Quentin Tarantino’s adaption of World War II. He scared the daylights out of me, by simply smiling.

• Actress in a leading role winner: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side)
• My pick: Meryl Streep (Julie and Julia)

Let me say this, I enjoyed The Blind Side. Bullock gave a good performance. But it was not Oscar worthy.  She was decent but not amazing. Meryl Streep deserved it hands down because she captured her character with a great intensity

• Actress in a supporting role winner: Mo’Nique (Precious)
• My pick: Mo’Nique (Precious)

You don’t see a lot of actresses like Mo’Nique. She played her role convincingly in the movie Precious and never really turned back. She jumped into her role and took control over it. She deserved it

• Best original screenplay winner: The Hurt Locker (Written by Mark Boal)
• My pick: Inglorious Basterds (Written by Quentin Tarantino)

This is actually one award that I am pretty upset about. Tarantino deserved the award hands down. That script was magnificent in every way possible. Tarantino made killing Nazis and art. This award truly upset me.

• Best director winner: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)
• My pick: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker)

When you make a movie as good as the Hurt Locker was you deserve some kind of award. Bigelow captured intensity and drama in a high octane movie that will be remembered forever. She deserved it.

The Oscars were not a train-wreck this year, which was a good thing. Everything ran smoothly and quickly. It was fun to watch for me.