The Oscar Nominees Were Announced This Morning!

This morning was the precursor to my favorite night of the year. Today, at 5:30am PST, the Academy Award Nominations for films released in 2008 were announced, and there were definitely some surprises. Here are some of my initial reactions:

• Most importantly, I'd like to be among the first to say that Slumdog Millionaire will not win "Best Picture" this year. Despite already winning "Best Picture" honors at The Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards and from The National Board of Review, I think, in the case of Oscar, that award is probably going to go to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I say this not because Button received the more total nominations than Millionaire, but because it is the better film. I think The Academy will recognize this.

• Also, I'd like to congratulate The Academy for knowing the difference between a leading role and a supporting role. Unlike at The Golden Globes, Kate Winslet's performance in The Reader is nominated in the "Lead Actress" category rather than the "Supporting Actress" category. Since Winslet's character in is the only major female role in The Reader and she receives more screen time than any other actor, this clearly is not a supporting role.
  

• Next, I'd like to comment on the five nominees for "Best Picture." Slumdog Millionaire and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button were obvious choices. I don't think anyone is surprised by their inclusion. Frost/Nixon is another film that I think most people predicted would receive this nomination. I, personally, am glad The Academy didn't make the same mistake as the Hollywood Foreign Press (Golden Globes) and look over Milk, another much-deserved nomination. The only big shocker in this category is the absence of The Dark Knight, an absence that I couldn't agree with more. While it was a great film, I just don't feel like DK was "Best Picture" material. I haven't seen The Reader yet, so I'll reserve judgment regarding its nomination. However, I feel like Gran Torino was a bit ripped off here.

• Speaking of Gran Torino, not only did this film get snubbed in the "Best Picture" category, but in every single other category as well. This film's lack of a single nomination is, in my opinion, the biggest shocker of this year's nods.

I have a handful of films left to see before the Awards are given out on February 22. In the coming weeks I will finish watching all of the major nominated films and I'll post a complete list of my picks and predictions for each award, along with my list of the Top 10 films of 2008.

The complete list of nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards can be found here.