My Thoughts on the Nominees...

First and foremost, however, condolences to the family of Heath Ledger. Very sad news...

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

The biggest surprise here is probably Atonement...however, the surprise, as usual, comes not from what is nominated, but from what isn't nominated. I was really surprised to see Into the Wild passed up in all the Big 8 categories besides Best Supporting Actor. The rest is pretty much as expected. Also; and this is just a tidbit; this is the first year where I have seen every nominated film (came close last year with 4/5). Exciting.

Best Director
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Jason Reitman, Juno
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

I'm trying to keep my thoughts on the year's films bottled up until I release my ballot, but, since I've already reviewed Juno, I will just say:

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jason Reitman got in! I thought that the direction was the best element of Juno; even better than the performances and screenplay. Very happy about that.

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

Well, Johnny got in, which I guess I should have predicted. I dunno, I was just feeling a snub. Other than that, it looks pretty obvious. Wait a second...

TOMMY LEE JONES FOR IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH?????? Did anyone see that coming? I suppose it was compensating for not nomination him for No Country. Maybe? I don't know. But the Gosling and Hirsch snubs are surprising (to me at least).

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

I've only seen two of these films (Away From Her and Juno), but I have to say that I'm pretty satisfied with these nominees. I haven't seen The Savages or A Mighty Heart, but I have to say: good for Laura Linney! Sure didn't see that coming...guess I should have listened to that last-minute buzz.

Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton

Everyone was predicting a Tommy Lee Jones nomination as a last-minute surprise, but this really isn't a shocker. Bardem has this award in the bag.

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

The only real surprise in this category is that Catherine Keener was snubbed in favor of either Saoirse Ronan or Ruby Dee; whichever you think. This is a pretty exciting race, because, as is now, it could really go to either Blanchett or Ryan. It would be awesome if the SAG went to Dee, Ronan or Swinton, just to screw things up.

Best Original Screenplay
Juno
Michael Clayton
Lars and the Real Girl
Ratatouille
The Savages

We all knew Ratatouille, Juno and Michael Clayton would get in. The rest was just picking two from The Savages, Lars and the Real Girl, American Gangster or Knocked Up.

Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men

Away From Her is the big surprise here. Zodiac and Into the Wild being shut out certainly makes this category interesting. This will be a fun race to predict, as it could really go to No Country for Old Men just because it's the BP frontrunner, or There Will Be Blood because it is so script-heavy, and the writer's love Paul Thomas Anderson. We'll see.