In one of the biggest shockers, THE DARK KNIGHT was shut out of all major categories save for the obvious Heath Ledger nomination. No Best Picture and not even a Best Director for Christopher Nolan. WALL-E also got the boot having to settle for a Best Animated Feature nomination. Either of those omissions would from Best Picture would be fine if they didn’t pick THE READER to take its place. THE READER? Yuck. Classic Weinstein lobbying. All in all, THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON got the most nominations with 13. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE was a respectable second with 10. (For all those wondering, THE DARK KNIGHT wound up with a total of 8 nominations.)
Other surprises included Bruce Springsteen getting snubbed for his song “The Wrestler” and Kate Winslet somehow getting Best Lead Actress for THE READER even though a) she was better in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD and b) her READER performance was more of a supporting role. If there has to be a silver lining it’s that Robert Downey, Jr. was nominated for his fantastic work in TROPIC THUNDER and WALL-E did get 6 total nominations. But seriously….THE READER??
Talk about the Oscar nominations in the JoBlo forums!
The Oscars, which will be hosted by Hugh Jackman, will be presented on February 22.
BEST PICTURE
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
MILK
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE READER
FROST/NIXON
BEST ACTOR
Sean Penn – MILK
Mickey Rourke – THE WRESTLER
Frank Langella – FROST/NIXON
Brad Pitt – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Richard Jenkins – THE VISITOR
BEST ACTRESS
Meryl Streep – DOUBT
Anne Hathaway – RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
Kate Winslet – THE READER
Melissa Leo – FROZEN RIVER
Angelina Jolie – CHANGELING
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger – THE DARK KNIGHT
Robert Downey, Jr. – TROPIC THUNDER
Philip Seymour Hoffman – DOUBT
Josh Brolin – MILK
Michael Shannon – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Marisa Tomei – THE WRESTLER
Amy Adams – DOUBT
Penelope Cruz – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
Taraji P. Henson – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Viola Davis – DOUBT
BEST ANIMATED FILM
WALL-E
KUNG FU PANDA
BOLT
BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
David Fincher – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Stephen Daldry – THE READER
Ron Howard – FROST/NIXON
Gus Van Sant – MILK
BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
Eric Roth – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Peter Morgan – FROST/NIXON
John Patrick Shanley – DOUBT
David Hare – THE READER
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Courtney Hunt – FROZEN RIVER
Dustin Lance Black – MILK
Martin McDonough – IN BRUGES
Mike Leigh – HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
Andrew Stanton and Jim Reardon – WALL-E
BEST ART DIRECTION
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE DUCHESS
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
CHANGELING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
THE READER
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
AUSTRALIA
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DUCHESS
MILK
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
THE BETRAYAL
ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD
MAN ON WIRE
THE GARDEN
TROUBLE THE WATER
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT
“The Conscience of Nhem En”
“The Final Inch”
“Smile Pinki”
“The Witness – From the Balcony of Room 306”
BEST EDITING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
FROST/NIXON
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX
THE CLASS
DEPARTURES
AUSTRIA
WALTZ WITH BASHIR
BEST MAKEUP
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
DEFIANCE
MILK
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
“Down to Earth” – WALL-E
“Jai Ho” – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
“O Saya” – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
BEST ANIMATED SHORT
“La Maison de Petits Cubes”
“Lavatory – Lovestory”
“Oktapodi”
“Presto”
“This Way Up”
BEST LIVE-ACTION SHORT
“Auf der Strecke (On the Line)”
“Manon on the Asphalt”
“New Boy”
“The Pig”
“Spielzeugland (Toyland)”
BEST SOUND EDITING
THE DARK KNIGHT
IRON MAN
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED
BEST SOUND MIXING
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
THE DARK KNIGHT
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
WALL-E
WANTED
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
IRON MAN
THE DARK KNIGHT