It's Oscars time again. In a down economy, movies are often the key to escape. A good movie can, at the least, transport you away for a few hours and at best transform your life, even if for a moment, with inspiration or enlightenment.

2009 was a good year in terms of good movies, and the Best Picture category is full of some pretty fantastic films. While I haven't seen two of the nominations that are on my 'must-see' list (The Hurt Locker and Precious), my vote is for Avatar. You just can't beat a feel-good movie with a positive message and spectacular visuals.

The Academy Awards are this Sunday on ABC.

Do you plan on watching? What are your picks? You can make your predictions and see how well you do by playing along on the Oscars official site at

http://oscar.go.com/extras/