2008 Academy Awards Nominees Announced

Earlier this week, this year's Academy Awards nominations were announced. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Academy Awards that honor excellence in all aspects of film. The awards will be announced on Sunday 24 February starting at 6pm and will be broadcast on ABC. A potential snag does exist with the ongoing writers strike which may result in the cancellation of the awards show leaving just an announcement of the winners. Lets hope that does not eventuate. What follows are the nominees for the big six categories as at least 24 total awards are planned for. [ * My early picks]

Best Picture:

Atonement

Juno

Michael Clayton

No Country for Old Men

There Will Be Blood *

Best Actress:

Cate Blanchett, in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Julie Christie, in Away From Her

Marion Cotillard, in La Vie En Rose

Laura Linney, in The Savages

Ellen Page, in Juno *

Best Actor:

George Clooney, in Michael Clayton

Daniel Day-Lewis, in There Will Be Blood *

Johnny Depp, in Sweeney Todd

Tommy Lee Jones, in In The Valley of Elah

Viggo Mortensen, in Eastern Promises

Best Supporting Actress:

Cate Blanchett, in I'm Not There

Ruby Dee, in American Gangster *

Saorise Ronan, in Atonement

Amy Ryan, in Gone Baby Gone

Tilda Swinton, in Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actor:

Casey Affleck, in The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford

Javier Bardem, in No Country For Old Men

Philip Seymour Hoffman, in Charlie Wilson's War

Hal Holbrook, in Into The Wild *

Tom Wilkinson, in Michael Clayton

Best Director:

Paul Thomas Anderson, for There Will Be Blood *

Joel and Ethan Coen, for No Country For Old Men

Tony Gilroy, for Michael Clayton

Jason Reitman, for Juno

Julian Schnabel, for The Diving Bell And The Butterfly

*****