Ten observations about this year’s nominees for the best picture Oscar, to be awarded Sunday:
1. Sexiest moments: The banter between Vera Farmiga and George Clooney in “Up in the Air.”
2. Not-so-sexy moments: “Avatar” beings getting busy by interlocking hair.
3. Most extreme religious experiences: Stoned Bar Mitzvah in “A Serious Man” and carving swastikas into Nazis in “Inglourious Basterds.”
4. Most romantic story: “Up”
5. Least romantic story: “Precious”
6. Character from one movie that would be great in another: Sandra Bullock from “The Blind Side” laying down the law in “Inglourious Basterds.”
7. Character switch that wouldn’t work at all: Replacing the talking dogs in “Up” with the aliens from “District 9.”
8. Scariest villains: Mo’Nique in “Precious” and Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds.”
9. Biggest perks of flying: “Avatar,” “Up in the Air”
10. Hardest flying to actually pull off: “Up”
