The Academy Award nominations have been announced for its 84th annual celebration of film and the clear leaders are The Artist and The Descendants. The twin winners for Best Drama and Best Musical/Comedy of the Golden Globes are set to face off for Best Picture when the Oscars are doled out February 26.
Jennifer Lawrence and Academy president Tom Sherak made the announcement this morning in Hollywood and there were few surprises, save the inclusion of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close on the Best Picture list and its nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Max von Sydow. Although one could argue that Hugo was actually the big winner and that was a huge surprise. It leads with 11 nominations to The Artist's 10. But, most people in Hollywood -- and Movie Fanatic agrees -- believe this contest is between The Artist and The Descendants.
Early snub thoughts (be sure to stay with Movie Fanatic all day for our Oscar analysis) include Bridesmaids being left off the Best Picture roster, although its inclusion of Melissa McCarthy for Best Supporting Actress and Kristen Wiig and writing partner Annie Mumolo’s nod for Best Original Screenplay was a complete joy. We have all heard more times than we care to remember… Oscar doesn’t appreciate comedies, thus Bridesmaids lack of Best Picture love.
And as a huge fan of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Movie Fanatic is thrilled with Rooney Mara’s inclusion in the Best Actress race.
Without further ado, here are the nominations for the 84th Academy Awards:
Best Picture
The Artist
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
The Descendants
The Help
Midnight in Paris
War Horse
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Best Actor
George Clooney, The Descendants
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
Best Actress
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn
Viola Davis, The Help
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Best Supporting Actor
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Best Supporting Actress
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Best Director
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Michel Hazanvicius, The Artist
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Ides of March
The Descendants
Hugo
Moneyball
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Best Original Screenplay
Midnight in Paris
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
A Separation
Best Foreign Film
A Separation
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
Documentary Feature
Hell and Back Again
If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated
Film Editing
The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Documentary Short
The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God is Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom
Best Animated Film
Rango
A Cat in Paris
Chico and Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Best Cinematography
The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse
Best Art Direction
The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
War Horse
Costume Design
Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.
Makeup
Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
The Iron Lady
Best Score
The Adventures of Tintin
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse
Best Song
Man or Muppet, The Muppets
Real in Rio, Rio
Short Film (Animated)
Dimanche/Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life
Short Film
Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic
Sound Editing
Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Sound Mixing
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers Dark of the Moon
War Horse
Visual Effects
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers Dark of the Moon