kathryn bigelow

For those of us who have grown increasingly appalled at the idea of Avatar winning Best Picture -- pick your excuse: horrible dialogue, 2-D character development that is subordinate to the 3-D action, the truly discomforting idea that these big blue people are all fine and one with nature, but a white guy pretending to be one of them becomes their chosen one, or whatever he was -- there is some good news.

Maybe Avatar isn't a lock, after all. Two curious developments over the weekend have at least cast doubt on the certainty of an Avatar win for Best Picture. First, the Screen Actors Guild gave its ensemble award to Inglourious Basterds.Then the Producers Guild gave its top award to The Hurt Locker.