Agree with you totally on Avatar - it was an enjoyable enough movie to sit through once, but didn't scream "Best Picture" to me by any stretch. Of course, having not seen most of the other nominees it is also difficult to compare.
As for Kathryn Bieglow, check out my recent post if you haven't seen it. I see the fact of her being a woman as happenstance and am a bit uncomfortable that a big deal is being made of it at all.