The nominations have been announced for this year's Oscars. There were a few surprises - like Angelina Jolie not being picked for A Mighty Heart. Unsurprising, to me, was the lack of a nomination for either Keira Knightley or James McAvoy for Atonement. Saw that movie, liked it, liked them in it, but didn't feel like either one of them had enough screentime or impact to deserve a lead actor nod. Sucks to be them I guess. Here are the major nominees:
Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Best Director
Julian Schnabel -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman -- Juno
Tony Gilroy -- Michael Clayton
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood
Best Leading Actor
George Clooney -- Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis -- There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp -- Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones - In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen -- Eastern Promises
Best Leading Actress
Cate Blanchett -- Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie -- Away from Her
Marion Cotillard -- La vie en rose
Laura Linney -- The Savages
Ellen Page -- Juno
Best Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton -- Atonement
Sarah Polley -- Away From Her
Ronald Harwood -- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Joel and Ethan Coen -- No Country For Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson -- There Will Be Blood
Best Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody -- Juno
Nancy Oliver -- Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy -- Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, Jim Capobianco, Jan Pinkava -- Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins -- The Savages
Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck -- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem -- No Country for Old Men
Phillip Seymour Hoffman -- Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook -- Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson -- Michael Clayton
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett -- I'm Not There
Ruby Dee -- American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan -- Atonement
Amy Ryan -- Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton -- Michael Clayton
Best Animated Feature
Persepolis
Ratatouille
Surf's Up
Not a lot of gimmies in there, I don't think. Bardem for Supporting Actor is probably the surest (though a lot of people like Casey Affleck for Long-Titled Jesse James Movie). I think Blanchett will win Supporting Actress but I'd prefer it go to the Ronan kid from Atonement (not Amy Ryan or Ruby Dee - give me a break). It's a toss-up between Marion Cotillard and Julie Christie for Best Actress. Actor is probably between Daniel Day-Lewis and George Clooney, but it's nice to see Viggo in there. And Best Picture? That sucker's so up in the air, I wouldn't even venture a guess. If it's Juno...well, whatever.
