Nods and Snubs

That time of year is here again: awards season. With the Golden Globes and BAFTAs already decided, moviegoers now shift their focus to the world's most renowned awards ceremony, as well as its most dubious.

INSIDE BEAT'S TOP PICKS OF 2010

Black Swan – For moviegoers that expect Darren Aronofsky's film to be a typical ballet movie, this story about two overly competitive ballerinas falls into quite a different genre. The middling albeit surprising screenplay is made up for by the film's striking cinematography and editing, as well as standout performances by Natalie Portman and Vincent Cassel. Certainly a difficult role for Portman, it appropriately earned her a well-deserved nomination.

—Olivia Kinter

Inception–In Christopher Nolan's cerebral thriller, the mind is the scene of the crime. Skilled in the art of extraction, Dom Cobb steals valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state. Brilliantly complex and visually stunning, with fine performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as well as a dramatic score, this is without a doubt Nolan's first true masterpiece. Be prepared to be thinking about Inception's intricate plot for days.

—Freddie Morgan

The Fighter – This past year, Mark Wahlberg made his return to the big screen as a boxer, looking as built and youthful as his Marky Mark days. The dynamic energy of the script kept audiences rooting for his success throughout the whole movie. Great performances from Christian Bale and Amy Adams added to the film's greatness. The suspense that The Fighter offered both in and out of the ring made it one of the best films of 2010.

—Samantha Bonizzi

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo – Based on Stieg Larsson's bestselling novel, this Swedish import is as viscerally exciting as it is intellectually captivating. The incredible quality of the acting in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is only surpassed by the film's phenomenal direction and riveting screenplay. The plot is engaging from start to finish, and there are plenty of thrilling twists and turns along the way.

—Jason Pearl

The King's Speech – Many films are billed as inspirational, but few succeed in meeting expectations to the extent that The King's Speech does. David Seidler's masterful screenplay perfectly balances humor and drama in this true story about overcoming adversity. Colin Firth gives a career-defining performance as the stammering King George VI, and supporting actors Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter are in top form as well.

 —Jason Pearl

Toy Story 3 – After an imaginative appetizer and heartwarming entrée, families waited patiently for the delicious dessert of the Toy Story meal. The many facets of the story had much to offer for both children and adults. The hilarious antics of Andy's toys amused the little ones, while beside them grown-ups revisited the whimsy of their own childhoods. It was a tour de force of creativity and wit that finished the series with the justice it deserved.

 —Ashley Park

True Grit – Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit is a faithful and captivating adaptation of Charles Portis's novel. The cinematography is mesmerizingly enchanting and helps the Wild West come to life on screen. Jeff Bridges is splendid in the lead role of Rooster Cogburn. He shoots, drunkenly stumbles and grunts his way into the audiences' hearts. The supporting performances are vibrant and the storyline skillfully crafted, making True Grit a very worthy candidate for the Oscars.

—Alex Natanzon

The 31st Golden Raspberry Awards

On the day before this year's Oscars, the 31st Golden Raspberry Awards will take place, far away from glitz and glamour of the Kodak Theatre. The Razzies, as they are known, pay homage to the worst films of the year with categories like Worst Picture, Worst Actor and Actress, and the most recent, Worst Eye-Gouging Misuse of 3D.

Leading the way with nine Razzie nominations is M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender. The film is based off the popular Nickelodeon television show that garnered the attention of both children and adults alike. Unfortunately, it is painfully obvious that Shyamalan's knowledge of the series is based solely on what he learned from the Wikipedia page. It is rare to stumble across a film which has no redeeming qualities whatsoever — the characters are lifeless, the acting is amateur, the special effects are cheesy, and the writing feels contrived. The once brilliant world that was so vividly painted in the television series has become an incomprehensible mess.

Also with nine Razzie nominations is The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. Once you sift through the bile, Eclipse is simply an angst-filled, teenage romance. Yet again the film stresses the overarching theme of Bella's inability to decide between the pale, vampiric Edward and the werewolf Jacob, who remains inexplicably shirtless for about 60 percent of the movie. Eclipse moves painfully slowly because of absurd flashback sequences and bland acting. Perhaps the plot would have been slightly more digestible had the beginning of the movie been more intelligible to people who had not seen the previous films.