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Haven't Seen the Oscar Best Picture Nominees? Read Our Cliffs Notes!

With 10 movies up for top honors at the Academy Awards, get the scoop on the films vying for a golden statue (11 Photos)

Thelma Adams on Mar 4, 2010 at 9:04AM

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Twentieth Century Fox

'Avatar'

The Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver
The Director: James Cameron
The Lowdown: Smurfs in Space meets Dances with Wolves
Total Nominations: 9
The Story: A paraplegic Marine (Worthington) gets a new lease on life when he travels to the distant moon Pandora. Once there, he mans a cutting-edge avatar that makes him blend in with the blue New Age aliens -- and gives him the virtual ability to walk, run and ride. But, when he falls in love with a local princess (Saldana), he becomes increasingly alienated from the humans he's supposed to represent in strip-mining the local planet -- and joins the locals in their revolution to protect their homeland.
Why It's Nominated: The blockbuster movie made billions (while trading on its anti-capitalist message) -- and awed people with its stunning 3-D universe.