Have the Oscars lost their edge?

Final preparations are underway for the biggest red carpet event of the year… the Academy Awards.

• Avatar, the most expensive film ever made, costing $500 million, is one of the favourites for the Best Picture award.
• But it is facing strong competition from a film that cost a fraction of that – The Hurt Locker. Filmed in Jordan and taking a look at a US army bomb disposal unit, the film has already won a host of other awards.
• They are both up against eight other nominees for the top prize, including Up in the Air and District 9.
• Despite the variety of films on this year’s list, critics say the Hollywood movie industry has lost its edge.
• Al Jazeera’s Jane Dutton talks to Ali Jaafar, the former editor of Variety magazine.