Oscar nominations 2010

By Paul Sheehan

Nabbing a nod for best picture at this year's Oscars just got a whole lot easier. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that it will double the nominations from five to 10. The increase is sure to stir up things, as it did in the 1930s and early 1940s. "Casablanca" (1943) was the last film to win in a field of 10.

With many of the contenders yet to be seen, there surely will be a host of Oscar winners and nominees in front of and behind the camera. And, as always, there will be films like "Slumdog Millionaire" that seemingly come out of nowhere and make their way into the derby.
(Jonathan Alcorn / Bloomberg News)