'Benjamin Button' leads Oscar nominations

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. Other best-picture nominees are "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

As expected, Heath Ledger had a supporting-actor nomination for "The Dark Knight" on the one-year anniversary of his death from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs. But the Batman blockbuster was shut out for other top categories such as best picture and director.

"Slumdog Millionaire" lived up to its rags-to-riches theme, coming in second with 10 nominations, including a directing spot for Danny Boyle and two of the three song slots.

Real-life couple Pitt and Angelina Jolie both will be going to the Oscars as nominees. Jolie had a best-actress nomination for the missing-child drama "Changeling."

The acting categories were loaded with surprises. Kate Winslet won two Golden Globes, best dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader." But she was nominated for lead actress at the Oscars for "The Reader" and shut out for "Revolutionary Road."

Actors considered longshots also sneaked in, among lead-actor nominee Richard Jenkins for "The Visitor," best-actress contender Melissa Leo for "Frozen River" and supporting-actor pick Michael Shannon for "Revolutionary Road."

Winslet reunited with "Titanic" co-star Leonardo DiCaprio for "Revolutionary Road," but he also was shut out for a nomination on that film.

Other best-actress nominees were Anne Hathaway for "Rachel Getting Married" and Meryl Streep for "Doubt."

Joining Pitt and Jenkins in the best-actor category were Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"; Sean Penn, "Milk"; and Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler."

Other acting snubs included Clint Eastwood for "Gran Torino," Sally Hawkins for "Happy-Go-Lucky" and Kristin Scott Thomas for "I've Loved You So Long."

But perhaps the biggest surprise overall was the so-so results for "The Dark Knight," which had been picking up momentum as one Hollywood trade guild after another picked it as one of the year's best films.

The largest blockbuster in years, "The Dark Knight" had eight nominations, but other than Ledger's honor, its scored only in technical categories such as cinematography, visual effects and editing.

Oscar Nominations

Best Picture

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

Milk

The Reader

Slumdog Millionaire

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 Actress

Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"

Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"

Melissa Leo, "Frozen River"

Meryl Streep, "Doubt"

Kate Winslet, "The Reader."

Supporting Actor

Josh Brolin, "Milk"

Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"

Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"

Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Michael Shannon, "Revolutionary Road"

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, "Doubt"

Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Viola Davis, "Doubt"

Taraji P. Henson, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler."

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 Foreign Film

"The Baader Meinhof Complex," Germany

"The Class," France

"Departures," Japan

"Revanche," Austria

"Waltz With Bashir," Israel.

Adapted Screenplay

Eric Roth and Robin Swicord, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"

Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"

David Hare, "The Reader"

Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire."

Original Screenplay

Courtney Hunt, "Frozen River"

Mike Leigh, "Happy-Go-Lucky"

Martin McDonagh, "In Bruges"

Dustin Lance Black, "Milk"

Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon and Pete Docter, "WALL-E."

Animated Feature Film

"Bolt"

"Kung Fu Panda"

"WALL-E."

Art Direction

"Changeling"

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"The Dark Knight"

"The Duchess"

"Revolutionary Road"

Cinematography

"Changeling"

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

"The Dark Knight"

"The Reader"

"Slumdog Millionaire