Oscar redux

OK, so not too bad in my picks this year. Of the eight awards I made bold (and sometimes) foolish predictions for, I got five right.

Whoo-hoo.

Yeah, I should have known that Jeff Bridges was a lock, but I wasn't the only one to be thrown off by the screenplay wins.

But forget all that; twelve years after the "Titanic" debacle swept the Oscars, I have my ("L.A. Confidential"-inspired) revenge.  Yes, it's petty and time to move on, but I can't help it; I was happy to see "Avatar" (and James Cameron) fail.

I have no idea how good "The Hurt Locker" is, just as I have no idea what I'm going to think when I finally do see "Avatar." It will be a while before I can really weigh in on that debate, but right now, I'm going to take some pride in the Academy for honoring a small picture over another  blockbuster (and for finally giving a female director an Oscar: Go Bigelow!).

How can this feeling of smug superiority be wrong?