# Best Picture nominees at the 2010 Oscars: all ten films

> All ten Best Picture nominees at the 2010 Oscars, with The Hurt Locker beating Avatar in the year the category grew to ten films.

Source: https://rankiew.app/blog/oscars-2010-best-picture-nominees
Published: 2026-10-05
Author: Rankiew
Tags: oscars, oscars 2010, best picture, the hurt locker, avatar

The 82nd Academy Awards took place on March 7, 2010, hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Best Picture grew to ten films, and Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win Best Director.

# The ten Best Picture nominees of 2010

## 1. The Hurt Locker (2008) · Winner

::film[The Hurt Locker|2008]

A bomb disposal sergeant in Iraq becomes addicted to danger.

- **Director:** Kathryn Bigelow
- **Genre:** War, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you want nonstop tension in a war zone.

**Oscars:** Winner: Best Picture

## 2. Avatar (2009)

::film[Avatar|2009]

A paraplegic marine on Pandora has to choose between his mission and the Na'vi.

- **Director:** James Cameron
- **Genre:** Science fiction, Adventure

**Worth it if:** you want to see the film that changed 3D cinema.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 3. The Blind Side (2009)

::film[The Blind Side|2009]

A wealthy family takes in a homeless teenager who goes on to become an NFL star.

- **Director:** John Lee Hancock
- **Genre:** Drama, Biography

**Worth it if:** you want an uplifting true story about sports.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 4. District 9 (2009)

::film[District 9|2009]

Aliens live in a Johannesburg slum, and an official begins to change after an accident.

- **Director:** Neill Blomkamp
- **Genre:** Science fiction, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you like sci-fi that talks about real life.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 5. An Education (2009)

::film[An Education|2009]

A 16-year-old in 1960s London falls for a much older man.

- **Director:** Lone Scherfig
- **Genre:** Drama

**Worth it if:** you enjoy delicate stories about growing up.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

::film[Inglourious Basterds|2009]

Jewish American soldiers and a cinema owner plot against the Nazi leaders in occupied France.

- **Director:** Quentin Tarantino
- **Genre:** War, Thriller

**Worth it if:** you want bold revenge and unforgettable scenes.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 7. Precious (2009)

::film[Precious|2009]

An abused Harlem teenager finds a way out through a special school.

- **Director:** Lee Daniels
- **Genre:** Drama

**Worth it if:** you are ready for a tough drama with a hopeful end.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 8. A Serious Man (2009)

::film[A Serious Man|2009]

A Jewish professor in 1967 Minnesota sees his life collapse piece by piece.

- **Director:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
- **Genre:** Comedy, Drama

**Worth it if:** you like the dry, absurd humor of the Coens.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 9. Up (2009)

::film[Up|2009]

A widower ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies off to South America.

- **Director:** Pete Docter
- **Genre:** Animation, Adventure

**Worth it if:** you are ready to cry in the first ten minutes.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

## 10. Up in the Air (2009)

::film[Up in the Air|2009]

A man who fires people for a living flies all the time and avoids every attachment.

- **Director:** Jason Reitman
- **Genre:** Comedy, Drama

**Worth it if:** you want a smart comedy with a bitter aftertaste.

**Oscars:** Nominated: Best Picture

# What won Best Picture at the 2010 Oscars?

The Hurt Locker won Best Picture, beating the box office giant Avatar.

# Which one is your favorite?

Pick your favorite on Rankiew: rate every film, write reviews, build lists and start clubs to talk movies with friends.

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**More from the series:** [Oscars 2023: every nominee and winner, category by category](/blog/oscars-2023-all-nominees)