'The Aviator' Achieves 11 Oscar Nominations

As for the Brits, Clive Owen, Imelda Staunton and Mike Leigh are all in with a chance of winning one of the little gold statuettes.

Jan 25 2005

Could 2005 finally be the year that Martin Scorsese wins a long overdue Academy Award? Having failed to bag himself an Oscar with the likes of 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull' and 'Goodfellas', Marty has his best chance in years to win with the ‘The Aviator’.

The director's dazzling account of the life of Howard Hughes was today honoured with 11 Academy Award nominations, and when the ceremony takes place at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre on February 27, many will be tuning in to see if Scorsese wins the Best Director award he so obviously deserves.

He'll face stiff competition from the man with no name however, as Clint Eastwood has also been nominated for his work behind the camera on 'Million Dollar Baby'.

Indeed with Eastwood having taken home the Golden Globe for Best Director only last week, this category is already looking very much like a two-horse race, although fellow nominees Alexander Payne, Taylor Hackford and our very own Mike Leigh might have a thing or two to say about that.

Elsewhere, in the Best Picture category, 'The Aviator' and 'Million Dollar Baby' will be up against 'Finding Neverland', 'Ray' and current Time Out film of the week 'Sideways'.

For Best Actor, Jamie Foxx is the early favourite for his astonishing work in 'Ray', and he will battle Don Cheadle ('Hotel Rwanda'), Johnny Depp ('Finding Neverland'), Leonardo DiCaprio ('The Aviator') and Clint Eastwood ('Million Dollar Baby') for the award.

And in the Best Actress category Imelda Staunton receives a well-deserved nomination for 'Vera Drake', where she will compete against Annette Bening ('Being Julia'), Catalina Sandino Moreno ('Maria Full of Grace') Kate Winslet ('Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind') and hot favourite Hilary Swank ('Million Dollar Baby').

The full list of nominees are:

Best Picture

'The Aviator'
'Finding Neverland'
'Million Dollar Baby'
'Ray'
'Sideways'

Directing

Martin Scorsese - 'The Aviator'
Clint Eastwood - 'Million Dollar Baby'
Taylor Hackford - 'Ray'
Alexander Payne - 'Sideways'
Mike Leigh - 'Vera Drake'

Actor in a Leading Role

Don Cheadle - 'Hotel Rwanda'
Johnny Depp - 'Finding Neverland'
Leonardo DiCaprio - 'The Aviator'
Clint Eastwood - 'Million Dollar Baby'
Jamie Foxx - 'Ray'

Actor in a Supporting Role

Alan Alda - 'The Aviator'
Thomas Haden Church - 'Sideways'
Jamie Foxx - 'Collateral'
Morgan Freeman - 'Million Dollar Baby'
Clive Owen - 'Closer'

Actress in a Leading Role

Annette Bening - 'Being Julia'
Catalina Sandino Moreno - 'Maria Full of Grace'
Imelda Staunton - 'Vera Drake'
Hilary Swank - 'Million Dollar Baby'
Kate Winslet - 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'

Actress in a Supporting Role

Cate Blanchett - 'The Aviator'
Laura Linney - 'Kinsey'
Virginia Madsen - 'Sideways'
Sophie Okonedo - 'Hotel Rwanda'
Natalie Portman – 'Closer'

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

'Before Sunset'
'Finding Neverland'
'Million Dollar Baby'
'The Motorcycle Diaries'
'Sideways'

Writing (Original Screenplay)

'The Aviator'
'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'
'Hotel Rwanda'
'The Incredibles'
'Vera Drake'

Animated Feature Film

'The Incredibles'
'Shark Tale'
'Shrek 2'

Art Direction

'The Aviator'
'Finding Neverland'
'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'
'The Phantom of the Opera'
'A Very Long Engagement'

Cinematography

'The Aviator'
'House of Flying Daggers'
'The Passion of the Christ'
'The Phantom of the Opera'
'A Very Long Engagement'

Costume Design

'The Aviator'
'Finding Neverland'
'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'
'Ray'
'Troy'

Documentary Feature

'Born Into Brothels'
'The Story of the Weeping Camel'
'Super Size Me'
'Tupac: Resurrection'
'Twist of Faith'

Documentary Short Subject

'Autism is a World'
'The Children of Leningradsky'
'Hardwood'
'Mighty Times: The Children's March'
'Sister Rose's Passion'

Film Editing

'The Aviator'
'Collateral'
'Finding Neverland'
'Million Dollar Baby'
'Ray'

Foreign Language Film

'As It Is In Heaven'
'The Chorus'
'Downfall'
'The Sea Inside'
'Yesterday'

Makeup

'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'
'The Passion of the Christ'
'The Sea Inside'

Music (Score)

'Finding Neverland'
'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'
'Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events'
'The Passion of the Christ'
'The Village'

Music (Song)

'Accidentally In Love' - Shrek 2
'Al Otro Lado Del Río' - The Motorcycle Diaries
'Believe' - The Polar Express
'Learn To Be Lonely' - The Phantom of the Opera
'Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)' - The Chorus

Short Film (Animated)

'Birthday Boy'
'Gopher Broke'
'Guard Dog'
'Lorenzo'
'Ryan'

Short Film (Live Action)

'Everything In This Country Must'
'Little Terrorist'
'7:35 In The Morning'
'Two Cars, One Night'
'Wasp'

Sound Editing

'The Incredibles'
'The Polar Express'
'Spider-Man 2'

Sound Mixing

'The Aviator'
'The Incredibles'
'The Polar Express'
'Ray'
'Spider-Man 2'

Visual Effects

'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'
'I, Robot'
'Spider-Man 2'

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