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Oscar Loves Michael Clayton, Blood, Old Men, Juno

Jen Carlson

Published Jan 22, 2008

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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Jen Carlson

Published Jan 22, 2008

Modified Mar 7, 2008

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Photograph of Kathy Bates and AMPAS President Sid Ganis announcing the nominations by Chris Pizzello/AP

While the writers' strike continues and prospects of an awards ceremony are unclear, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences went ahead and announced the contenders for their 80th annual back-slapping ceremony. Oscar-winning friend of the academy Kathy Bates was on hand to announce this year's golden picks. From Bob Dylan to Michael Clayton, many of the nominations were familiar after this awards season, though some surprises emerged. Nominees from the main categories are after the jump, but here are some NYC nomination notes:

NYU-alum Tamara Jenkins for best original screenplay for The Savages
Michael Clayton, a mostly New York production, earned a total of seven nominations
New York-based actors Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney - and co-stars in The Savages- were recognized for their work in Charlie Wilson's War and The Savages respectively
Perhaps the big surprise (besides Juno getting nominated for Best Director and Best Picture) was Ruby Dee for her work in American Gangster (its only other nomination was for art direction)

Then of course there is Julian Schnabel, whose film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly got a nomination for direction. NYMag doesn't think this will be enough for him, however. Some other notes:

Angelina Jolie wasn't nominated for A Mighty Heart
The Academy had less Anglophilia this year, as Atonement was shut out of Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Actor
The critically acclaimed Zodiac was shut out
"Falling Slowly" from Once was nominated (yay!)
Jonny Greenwood is ineligible for his work on the There Will Be Blood score (boo!)
Four of the five documentaries nominated are related to the Iraq war (the fifth is Michael Moore's Sicko);
If the axiom about Best Picture winners having a film editing nomination is true, than No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood are the two Best Picture front runners

The main nominations are after the jump and who do you think should win an Oscar this year?

Best Supporting Actress Cate Blanchett: I'm Not There Ruby Dee: American Gangster Amy Ryan: Gone Baby Gone Saoirse Ronan: Atonement Tilda Swinton: Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actor
Case Affleck: The Assassination of Jesse James ...
Javier Bardem: No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman: Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook: Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson: Michael Clayton

Best Actress
Cate Blanchett: Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie: Away From Her
Marion Cotillard: La Vie En Rose
Laura Linney: The Savages
Ellen Page: Juno

Best Actor
George Clooney: Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis: There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp: Sweeney Todd, Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Tommy Lee Jones: In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen: Eastern Promises

Best Director
Julian Schnabel: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Wrightman: Juno
Tony Gilroy: Michael Clayton
The Coen Bros.: No Country For Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson: There Will Be Blood

Best Original Screenplay
Diablo Cody: Juno
Nancy Oliver: Lars and the Real Girl
Tony Gilroy: Michael Clayton
Brad Bird, with story by Jan Pinkava, Jim Capobianco, Brad Bird: Ratatouille
Tamara Jenkins: The Savages

Best Adapted Screenplay
Christopher Hampton: Atonement
Sarah Polley: Away From Her
Ronald Harwood: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Ethan & Joel Coen: No Country For Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson: There Will Be Blood

Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

The full list of nominations are here.

Tagged

A Mighty Heart

academy awards

american gangster

angelina jolie

arts

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Director

Best Picture

bob dylan

Charlie Wilson

Chris Pizzello

Falling Slowly

film

iraq

Iraq War

jonny greenwood

julian schnabel

juno

Kathy Bates

Laura Linney

Michael Clayton

michael moore

Motion Picture

Motion Picture Arts

movies

new york

No Country

No Country For Old Men

nods

nominations

nominees

nyc

NYU

old men

once

oscars

philip seymour hoffman

The Academy

The Diving Bell

The Savages

there will be blood

war

writers' strike

Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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