Ended up travelling to a metropolitan centre where I was able to see Precious, The Blind Side, Up in the Air, and An Education. My pic for best picture is still Inglourious Basterds but I think The Hurt Locker will win. It's a subdued non-denominational look at the Iraq war and is the safest uncontroversial film which still demonstrates a high calibre of film making concerning a contemporary political phenomenon.