And my nominees are...

The Detroit Film Critics Society, of which I am a proud member, has announced its nominations for 2009, and just like the group, it's pretty eclectic. The full list can be found elsewhere, but just for giggles, I've included my personal picks, many of which made the final list, and some that didn't.

The most glaring omission in my eyes was the snub of Jeff Bridges, who was stellar as a boozed out old wreck of an underground country legend Bad Blake, an homage to Kris Kristofferson, Waylon Jennings, Ramblin Jack Elliot and other cig stained road warriors. Part of the problem is that the film hasn't opened yet, and the studio was a little tardy in getting the review copies out. The other real letdown was the shutout for the Coen Bros bleak, black comic kick in the nuts, A Serious Man. Maybe people thought it was too big a bummer, but for my money, suburban Jewish angst doesn't come any better. Also, despite a late, spirited rally, local boy Sam Raimi failed to make the cut for directing Drag Me to Hell, a film which taught us all the perils of denying a one-eyed gypsy lady who smells like cat pee a home loan, for fear that she'll sick an evil goat demon on you and your yuppie boyfriend.

On the plus side Chris Pine got a nod as best breakthrough , for taking Captain Kirk to warp nine on the smug, bad boy showoff scale, while still being charming, and not doing a bad Shatner. Also, Christian Mckay came out of nowhere to actually scare some folks with his uncanny, supernatural impersonation of Orson Welles.

And yes haters, Up in the Air is as good as the hype.

So what are your thoughts?

2009

BEST OF BALLOT

1. BEST FILM

• UP IN THE AIR

• 500 DAYS OF SUMMER

• THE HURT LOCKER

• THE LOVELY BONES

• THE COVE

2. BEST DIRECTOR

• SAM RAIMI – DRAG ME TO HELL

• JASON REITMAN – UP IN THE AIR

• MARC WEBB – 500 DAYS

• PETER JACKSON-THE LOVELY BONES

• KATHRYN BIGELOW – THE HURT LOCKER

3. BEST ACTOR

• GEORGE CLOONEY – UP IN THE AIR

• MICHEAL SHEEN – THE DAMMNED UNITED

• JEFF BRIDGES – CRAZY HEART

• COLIN FIRTH – A SINGLE MAN

• MATT DAMON – THE INFORMANT

4. BEST ACTRESS

• CAREY MULLIGAN – AN EDUCATION

• SAORISE RONAN –THE LOVELY BONES

• ZOEY DESCHANEL-500 DAYS OF SUMMER

• ABBIE CORNISH-BRIGHT STAR

• KATHERINE KEENER – WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

5. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

• CHRISTIAN MCKAY. – ME AND ORSON WELLES

• CHRISTOPH WALTZ-INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

• ALFRED MOLINA – AN EDUCATION

• WOODY HARRELSON- THE MESSENGER

• FRED MELAMED-A SERIOUS MAN

6. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

• MONIQUE-PRECIOUS

• MELANIE LYSNKEY– UP IN THE AIR

• MELANIE LAURENT- INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

• CLAIRE DANES- ME AND ORSON WELLES

• KATHERINE KEENER- WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

7. BEST ENSEMBLE

• A SERIOUS MAN

• STAR TREK

• PRECIOUS

• THE INFORMANT

• THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX

8. BREAKTHROUGH

• CHRIS PINE-STAR TREK

• SHARLTO COPLEY- DISTRICT 9 –

• GABOURNEY SIDIBE-PRECIOUS

• NEIL BLOMKAMP-DISTRICT 9

• JEREMY RENNER- THE HURT LOCKER