The actual ceremony may still be very much in doubt, thanks to the ongoing writers strike, but the nominations for the 80th annual Academy Awards are in. While not quite, “Round-up the usual subjects”, familiar names abound.
George Clooney, starring in
Michael Clayton as the principled lawyer, and Johnny Depp, the unprincipled barber of
Sweeney Todd, will square off in the Best Actor category. Daniel Day-Lewis of
There Will Be Blood, Viggo Mortensen of
Eastern Promises and, in a bit of a surprise, Tommy Lee Jones of the little seen Iraq War drama
In the Valley of Elah round out the field. Conspicuous by his absence is multi time winner Tom Hanks for
Charlie Wilson's War.
Cate Blanchett scored a bid in both distaff acting categories: Best Actress, where she's up for
Elizabeth: The Golden Age. She'll attempt to win the Oscar for the same role that garnered her her first Oscar nominatior in 1998. The Bob Dylan think piece,
I'm Not There; gives her a shot at best supporting actress as well.
Like Hanks on the male side, Angelina Jolie seemed like a given to square off against Blanchett for Best Actress for her part in
A Mighty Heart, but was a surprisingly left off the list by the nominators.. As surprising as Jolies's absence was Laura Linney's presence, who won raves but not much else for The Savages.
Blanchett and Linney compete for the award against Julie Christie (
Away from Her), French actress Marion Cotillard (
La Vie en Rose) and 20-year-old Ellen Page (
Juno).
Vieing for the top honor as Best Picture are, Golden Globes champ
Atonement, Clooney's
Michael Clayton, Surprise indie sleeper hit
Juno,
No Country for Old Men and T
here Will Be Blood.
The 80th Annual Academy Awards, as of now, are to be presented Feb. 24 in Hollywood.
