2:39PM, Jan 28, 2008
Britannia may have ruled the Golden Globes, but we're facing a tougher fight for victory in this year's Oscars.
Slumdog Millionaire is the UK's best hope for success with 10 nominations. Among the 10 are Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay - not bad going for a film that initially couldn't find a distributor, but has so far done over $43m in the States and almost £6m here in Blighty.
Click here for all the news, reviews, trailers and galleries on the movies nominated for an Oscar.
Holocaust drama The Reader has a respectable five nods, with "Our Kate" receving a nomination as Best Actress , a role she won in the Best Supporting category at this year's Golden Globes, and other nominations for Best Film, Director, Cinematography and Adapted Screenplay.
But, Winslet could not repeat her double whammy nomination, with Revolutionary Road being overlooked in all categories other than Best Supporting Actor for Michael Shannon. Mike Leigh's Happy-Go-Lucky has also had to endure a repeat of its Bafta snub with just a lone nom for Best Original Screenplay.
This year's big hitter is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button with 13 nominations, including Best Film, Actor for Brad Pitt, Director and Adapated Screenplay.
There will be joint celebrations in the Brangelina household, with Mrs Pitt Angelina Jolie being recognised for her magnetic performance in Clint Eastwood's Changeling.
But, the Eastwood camp will be licking their wounds after the complete ignoring of Gran Torino, reportedly the iconic actor's final screen performance, and only a further two technical noms for Changeling.
Another box office fave relegated largely to the technical nominations bleachers is The Dark Knight, with the inevitable Heath Ledger nomination being joined by a further seven noms for techy awards.
The biopic Milk makes up for its poor nomination showing at the Golden Globes with eight nominations here, including Best Actor for Sean Penn and Best Film.
And Mickey Rourke is nearing the finish line of his comeback marathon with a Best Actor nomination for The Wrestler. A win on 22nd February will guarantee not a dry eye in the house, and a real Hollywood ending for the beleaguered Rourke.
So, 2009's Oscar race remains wide open. All except for Best Animated Feature. If it doesn't go to Wall.E we predict Hollywood will burn...
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