Period love story "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" emerged as the front-runner for the Academy Awards here Thursday after landing a whopping 13 nominations. The critically acclaimed romance, starring Brad Pitt as a man who ages in reverse, edged out India-set rags-to-riches drama "Slumdog Millionaire," which scored 10 nominations.
"Benjamin Button" picked up nominations in most of the high-profile categories including best picture and best director, while the film's leading man Pitt also earned a best actor nod. The film's 13 nods was just one shy of the all-time record of 14 nominations held by 1997's "Titanic" and 1950's Bette Davis classic "All About Eve," which both went on to earn best picture.
But there was disappointment for Batman blockbuster "The Dark Knight," which failed to earn nominations in either the best picture or best director categories, two areas where the film had been tipped to score. However the film did earn a poignant posthumous Oscar nomination for Australian actor Heath Ledger, one year to the day after the heart-throb died of an accidental overdose in New York.
Ledger picked up a best supporting actor nomination for his spell-binding performance as the Joker and is now the heavy favourite heading into the February 22 awards extravaganza at Hollywood's Kodak Theater. Thursday's nominations have reignited the Oscars hopes of "Benjamin Button," which was all but ignored earlier this month at the Golden Globes when "Slumdog Millionaire" walked away with four honours.
However David Fincher's epic love story is now the film to beat. Historically the movie with the most nominations has tended to win the coveted best picture Oscar. Nevertheless "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle was overjoyed at the film's nominations haul. "It's an unbelievable result to have 10 nominations for the film, which is incredible," Boyle said at a press conference in Mumbai.
Other contenders in the best picture category are political drama "Frost/Nixon" and Gus Van Sant's biopic "Milk," starring Sean Penn as trailblazing gay politician Harvey Milk. The surprise nominee which appeared to squeeze out "The Dark Knight" is Stephen Daldry's Nazi drama "The Reader", which earned five nominations.
In the acting categories, "Benjamin Button" star Pitt will be up against sentimental favourite Mickey Rourke, superb as a washed up prize-fighter in "The Wrestler," Penn for his role in "Milk" and Frank Langella, who plays disgraced former US President Richard Nixon in "Frost/Nixon." Richard Jenkins of "The Visitor" completes the line-up.
Pitt's domestic partner Angelina Jolie is meanwhile nominated in the best actress category for her performance in "Changeling." Her rivals will be Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Melissa Leo. Winslet, a double winner at the Golden Globes, surprisingly received her sixth nomination for "The Reader", when most pundits had expected her to be named for "Revolutionary Road." At 33, Winslet is the youngest performer ever to be nominated for six Academy Awards.
The directing categories mirrored the best picture race. Fincher earned a nod for "Benjamin Button" while Briton Danny Boyle was also nominated for "Slumdog Millionaire." Ron Howard, a best director Oscar-winner for "A Beautiful Mind," was also nominated along with Van Sant for "Milk" and Stephen Daldry for "The Reader."