Do you have your ballot ready?  Well, after my recent win for most correct predictions at a friends Golden Globe party, I am starting to study the nominations that were released this month (Feb 2nd) for the Academy Awards (March 7th).  I am torn between my love of Disney Pixar's "Up" and the raw emotional prowess of "Precious: based on the novel 'Push' by Sapphire."  I will still root for them even if the Globe favorites, "Up In The Air" or "Avatar" take home the majority of awards.

So what can you do to prepare for March 7th? Well, RCPL currently has 15 of the movies out of all the nominated films in our collection (Keep an eye on the "New Arrivals" page as more come in!). Take a look at the list below and then look for the rest as we get them in our collection.  The list of nominees can be found in the Related Web Sites below.  There are already a good number of holds on some of these titles so call 1431 at (803)929-3450 or your neighborhood branch and we can get your name on the list!

In our collection we have :

Coco Before Chanel (Costume Design)

Coraline (Best Animated Feature Film)

District 9 (Film editing, Best picture, Visual effects, Adapted screenplay)

Food, Inc. (Documentary Feature)

Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince (Cinematography)

The Hurt Locker (Jeremy Renner - Performance by an actor in a leading role, Cinematography, Directing, Film editing, Original score, Best picture, Sound editing, Sound mixing, Original screenplay)

Il Divo (Makeup)

Inglorious Basterds (Christoph Waltz - Performance by an actor in a supporting role, Cinematography, Directing, Film editing, Best picture, Sound editing, Sound mixing, Original screenplay)

Julie & Julia (Meryl Streep - Performance by an actress in a leading role)

Paris 36 (Original Song “Loin de Paname”)

Precious (Gabourey Sidibe - Performance by an actress in a leading role, Mo'Nique - Performance by an actress in a supporting role, Directing, Film editing, Best picture, Adapted screenplay)

A Serious Man (Best picture, Original screenplay)

Star Trek (Makeup, Sound editing, Sound mixing, Visual Effects)

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen (Sound Mixing)

Up (Best Animated feature film, Original score, Best Picture, Sound editing, Original Screenplay)

I'll end this post with a few quick facts: The first Academy Awards ceremony was held in 1929, two years after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences was formed.

This year, for the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin will host.  This will mark the third Academy Awards that Martin hosts (the previous being the 73rd and the 75th)  Check out these and many more facts in the "History of the Academy" link below in Related Web Sites.

What is your pick?  Which have you seen from our collection?