2010 First Half of the Year Awards

Its been a relatively mild year so far at the movies, with alot of solid efforts and only a few truly powerful films being released along with a slate of ok to middling works. Here now is my shot at laying down what I found to be the best of the best so far this year, cutting off after Inception as I viewed it as the summer release that pretty much ends the first half of the year.
So, here now, after a long absence on my part is my first half of the year awards, enjoy.

(*) denotates my choice for Best of each category

Best Picture
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception
- Shutter Island
- Solitary Man
- Toy Story 3 *

Best Director
- Andrea Arnold for Fish Tank
- Julian Jarrold for Red Riding: 1974
- Christopher Nolan for Inception *
- Roman Polanski for The Ghost Writer
- Martin Scorsese for Shutter Island

Best Actor
- Casey Affleck for The Killer Inside Me
- Leonardo DiCaprio for Inception
- Leonardo DiCaprio for Shutter Island *
- Michael Douglas for Solitary Man
- Andrew Garfield for Red Riding: 1974

Best Actress
- Greta Gerwig for Greenberg
- Rebecca Hall for Red Riding: 1974
- Katie Jarvis for Fish Tank *
- Julianna Margolis for City Island
- Julianne Moore for Chloe

Best supporting Actor
- Pierce Brosnan for The Ghost Writer
- Michael Fassbender for Fish Tank *
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt for Inception
- Cillian Murphy for Inception
- Mark Ruffalo for Shutter Island

Best Supporting Actress
- Marion Cottilard for Inception *
- Amanda Seyfried for Chloe
- Kierston Wareing for Fish Tank
- Olivia Williams for The Ghost Writer
- Michelle Williams for Shutter Island

Best Adapted Screenplay
- The Ghost Writer
- The Killer Inside Me
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3 *

Best Original Screenplay
- Chloe
- Fish Tank
- Greenberg
- Inception *
- Solitary Man

Best Film Editing
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island
- Solitary Man

Best Cinematography
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- The Killer Inside Me
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island

Best Art Direction
- Alice In Wonderland
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Shutter Island

Best Costume Design
- Alice In Wonderland
- Avatar: The Last Airbender *
- Inception
- The Killer Inside Me
- Shutter Island

Best Make-Up
- Alice In Wonderland *
- Inception
- Shutter Island

Best Visual F/X
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2

Best Original Score
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- The Ghost Writer
- Inception *
- Red Riding: 1974
- Toy Story 3

Best Sound Editing
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3

Best Sound Mixing
- Avatar: The Last Airbender
- Inception *
- Iron Man 2
- Shutter Island
- Toy Story 3

So, basically as you can see movies like Inception, Toy Stor3, Shutter Island and The Ghost Writer have for me, been the best of the year so far. Will they go the distance come the end of the year, or fade away, forgotten amongst the pre Oscar season releases? For my money, I'd venture to say that Inception and Toy Story 3 are sure bets for a bevy of nominations, including Best Picture, but Shutter Island and The Ghost Writer could pop up spmewhere, though it will be a much harder road to the podium.

January 1st through July 17th in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
eligibility period