Sans Blockbusters, Oscar Scrambles to Build Buzz

Slumdog , Benjamin Button , Milk join Reader and Frost/Nixon in best-picture fight

(NEWSER) - The countdown begins to Hollywood's night of nights, with big guns that "are easier to admire and respect than to love" competing for top honors, writes David Gritten in the Daily Mail. No doubt the tabloids are hoping for a Brangelina sweep of the Best Actor and Best Actress categories. Will underdog fave Slumdog Millionaire nab Best Film? Click the image to view a slideshow of the nominated actors; to view trailers of the best-picture nominees, click "video." More»

Benjamin Button, Slumdog lead the pack

(NEWSER) - Exactly a year after his death, Heath Ledger has been nominated for an Academy Award, AP reports. Ledger's Supporting Actor nod was the only nom for The Dark Knight, while The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire rose to the top with 13 and 10 nominations respectively. Other nominees:

• Best Picture: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader, Slumdog Millionaire
• 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

(NEWSER) - Is the so-called "Oscar bump" fading? Academy favorites like Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon are stalled at the box office this year; only The Reader has filled more seats since being nominated. Yes, a stream of bona fide Hollywood hits has held them back, but it's more than that, Patrick Goldstein writes in the Los Angeles Times. No one cares about the gold statuettes anymore. "The Oscars have become a hollow brass ring." More»

Still-grieving kin celebrate Joker nomination

(NEWSER) - Heath Ledger's three sisters are still struggling with the loss of their brother, but they are grateful for the legacy he left behind, they tell the Sydney Morning Herald. His death a year ago "seems like nearly yesterday, and we are all nursing broken hearts," said sis Kate, speaking on the same beach where Ledger's wake was held. But Ledger's Oscar nomination yesterday is cause for joy rather than sorrow, she added. More»

Pitt's Benjamin Button scores 13 Oscar nods; Jolie scores for Changeling

(NEWSER) - Oscar was kind to Brangelina today, with both halves of the power couple landing nominations, People reports. Brad Pitt received a best actor nod for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, while Angelina Jolie is in the best actress running for Changeling. “I’m especially happy for David Fincher, for without him there would be no Ben Button,” Pitt said of the director whose film earned 13 nominations overall. More»