The Academy Awards Nominations came out today and as expected Heath Ledger was nominated for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight. Its especially bitter sweet since today is the 1st anniversary of his tragic death.
I think the biggest shock is that The Dark Knight was not nominated for Best Picture. It marks only the 4th time that a film was nominated for best picture by all three guilds (Producer, Writer, Director) and not by the Academy. It would seem that it's spot was taken by the Reader which has been getting more buzz over the past few months. I myself will be rooting for Slumdog Millionaire to continue it's hot streak and take home the award, as it's probably my favorite film of the past year.


Below you'll find the big categories in acting, writing, directing and best film and best animated. For all the rest of the categories head on over to Academy Awards Official Site.


Best Actor:
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler


Best Supporting Actor:
Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman -Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon - Revolutionary Road


Best Actress:
Anne Hathaway -Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - The Reader


Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penélope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler


Best Original Screenplay:
Courtney Hunt - Frozen River
Mike Leigh - Happy-Go-Lucky
Martin McDonagh - In Bruges
Dustin Lance Black - Milk
Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter - WALL-E


Best Adapted Screenplay:
Eric Roth, Robin Swicord - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
David Hare - The Reader
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire


Best Animated Feature:
Bolt - Chris Williams and Byron Howard
Kung Fu Panda - John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
WALL-E - Andrew Stanton


Best Director:
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Gus Van Sant - Milk
Stephen Daldry - The Reader
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire


Best Picture:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Ceán Chaffin
Frost/Nixon - Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Eric Fellner
Milk - Dan Jinks, Bruce Cohen
The Reader - Nominees to be determined
Slumdog Millionaire - Christian Colson

Labels: Academy Awards, Heath Ledger