Nominations for the 77th Academy Awards were announced this morning and "The Aviator", with 11 nominations, leads the pack. Among the film's many nods are best picture, best director for Martin Scorsese, and best acting for Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as supporting actors Alan Alda and Cate Blanchett.

Of the many nominations, Scorsese issued the following statement: "Bringing 'The Aviator' to the screen took years of effort by an extraordinary group of individuals, and I am thrilled that so many of the people who poured their heart into the film have been recognized by the Academy. It is a thrill for me to know that the efforts of so many talented members of the cast and crew have been honored with nominations."

Following close behind with 7 nominations each are the J.M. Barrie biopic, "Finding Neverland," and Clint Eastwood's dark boxing drama, "Million Dollar Baby." Both are up for best picture, best actor (Eastwood and Hilary Swank for "MDB" and Johnny Depp for "Neverland"), and Eastwood also received a nod for best director, pitting him once again against Scorsese.

Actor Jamie Foxx is considered the frontrunner for best actor, for his role in the biopic, "Ray," but he also garnered a second nomination for supporting actor in "Collateral."

In best actress category, Swank and Annette Bening ("Being Julia") not only reprise their Golden Globe face-off, from earlier this year, where Bening won best actress in a musical or comedy, and Swank best actress in a drama. It also offers a rematch of the same Oscar category from 1999. That year, Bening was considered a shoo-in for her role in "American Beauty," but Swank won instead for "Boys Don't Cry." Bening is again considered the front-runner, so it'll be interesting to see who wins this round.

When the final nominations were announced, some of this year's surprises came not from those nominated, but from those who didn't get a nomination.

The most glaring omission was that of Paul Giamatti, from "Sideways," who was left out of the best actor race, though his co-stars Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen were both honored. Liam Neeson, who had the title role in "Kinsey," also failed to get a nod, though his co-star Laura Linney did.

In the Foreign Language Film category, the most notable omissions were "House of Flying Daggers" and "The Motorcycle Diaries," though expected nominees "Les Choristes" (which grabbed a surprise Best Song nomination) and "The Sea Inside," which won the Golden Globe in this category, did make the cut.

And the non-campaigns from Mel Gibson for "Passion of the Christ" and Michael Moore for "Fahrenheit 9/11" worked -- neither received major nominations. Gibson's film received nods for cinematography, makeup and original score, while Moore's film was shut out entirely. At least they can't complain they got overlooked for trying.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Frank Pierson and Oscar®-winning actor Adrien Brody announced all the nominees beginning at 5:30am PST this morning. Though nominees in most categories are chosen by specific branches of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the full academy membership of about 5,800 is eligible to vote in all categories for the actual awards.

The 77th Academy Awards show airs live on ABC, Sunday, February 27, from Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, beginning at 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. EST with a half-hour arrival segment. Chris Rock is the show's host, the first time in nine years that either Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg or Steve Martin has not been master of ceremonies. Presenters already announced include Orlando Bloom, Renee Zellweger and Charlize Theron. For more information, please visit Oscar.com.

The following nominees will compete for statuettes. If you'd like to cast your own ballot, or talk about the nominees, visit this thread in the forums.

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The Nominations for the 77th Academy Awards
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Best motion picture of the year:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
A Forward Pass/Appian Way /IMF Production
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax)
A FilmColony Production
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.)
A Warner Bros. Pictures Production
“Ray” (Universal)
A Universal Pictures/Bristol Bay Production
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox)
A Sideways Productions, Inc. Production; Michael London, Producer

Performance by an actor in a leading role:

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

Performance by an actor in a supporting role:

Alan Alda in “The Aviator”
Thomas Haden Church in “Sideways”
Jamie Foxx in “Collateral”
Morgan Freeman in “Million Dollar Baby”
Clive Owen in “Closer”

Performance by an actress in a leading role:

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

Performance by an actress in a supporting role:

Cate Blanchett in “The Aviator”
Laura Linney in “Kinsey”
Virginia Madsen in “Sideways”
Sophie Okonedo in “Hotel Rwanda”
Natalie Portman in “Closer”

Best animated feature film of the year:

“The Incredibles”
“Shark Tale”
“Shrek 2”

Achievement in directing:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Martin Scorsese
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.) Clint Eastwood
“Ray” (Universal) Taylor Hackford
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox) Alexander Payne
“Vera Drake” (Fine Line Features, Alain Sarde and UK Film Council in association with Inside Track Films) Mike Leigh

Achievement in art direction:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Art Direction: Dante Ferretti /Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax)
Art Direction: Gemma Jackson/Set Decoration: Trisha Edwards
“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Paramount and DreamWorks)
Art Direction: Rick Heinrichs/Set Decoration: Cheryl A. Carasik
“The Phantom of the Opera” (Warner Bros.)
Art Direction: Anthony Pratt /Set Decoration: Celia Bobak
“A Very Long Engagement” (Warner Independent Pictures)
Art Direction: Aline Bonetto

Achievement in cinematography:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Robert Richardson
“House of Flying Daggers” (Sony Pictures Classics) Zhao Xiaoding
“The Passion of the Christ” (Icon and Newmarket ) Caleb Deschanel
“The Phantom of the Opera” (Warner Bros.) John Mathieson
“A Very Long Engagement” (Warner Independent Pictures) Bruno Delbonnel

Achievement in costume design:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Sandy Powell
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax) Alexandra Byrne
“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Paramount and DreamWorks) Colleen Atwood
“Ray” (Universal) Sharen Davis
“Troy” (Warner Bros.) Bob Ringwood

Best documentary feature:

“Born into Brothels” (THINKFilm)
A Red Light Films, Inc. Production; Ross Kauffman and Zana Briski
“The Story of the Weeping Camel” (THINKFilm)
A Hochschule für Fernsehen und Film München Production; Luigi Falorni and Byambasuren Davaa
“Super Size Me” (Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn Films)
A Kathbur Productions/The Con Production; Morgan Spurlock
“Tupac: Resurrection” ( Paramount )
An MTV - Amaru Entertainment, Inc. Production; Lauren Lazin and Karolyn Ali
“Twist of Faith”
A Chain Camera Pictures Production; Kirby Dick and Eddie Schmidt

Best documentary short subject:

“Autism Is a World”
A State of the Art Production; Gerardine Wurzburg
“The Children of Leningradsky”
A Hanna Polak Production; Hanna Polak and Andrzej Celinski
“Hardwood”
A Hardwood Pictures and National Film Board of Canada Production; Hubert Davis and Erin Faith Young
“Mighty Times: The Children’s March”
A Tell the Truth Pictures Production; Robert Hudson and Bobby Houston
“Sister Rose’s Passion”
A New Jersey Studios Production; Oren Jacoby and Steve Kalafer

Achievement in film editing:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.) Thelma Schoonmaker
“Collateral” (DreamWorks and Paramount ) Jim Miller and Paul Rubell
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax) Matt Chesse
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.) Joel Cox
“Ray” (Universal) Paul Hirsch

Best foreign language film of the year:

“As It Is in Heaven” (A GF Studios Production)
Sweden
“The Chorus (Les Choristes)” (A Galatée Films/Pathé Renn/France 2 Cinema/Novo Arturo Films/Vega Film AG Production)
France
“Downfall” (A Constantin Film Production)
Germany
“The Sea Inside” (A Sogecine and Himenóptero Production)
Spain
“Yesterday” (A Videovision Entertainment Production)
South Africa

Achievement in makeup:

“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events”
( Paramount and DreamWorks) Valli O’Reilly and Bill Corso
“The Passion of the Christ”
(Icon and Newmarket ) Keith Vanderlaan and Christien Tinsley
“The Sea Inside”
(Fine Line Features and Sogepaq) Jo Allen and Manuel García

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original score):

“Finding Neverland” (Miramax) Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (Warner Bros.) John Williams
“Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events” (Paramount and DreamWorks) Thomas Newman
“The Passion of the Christ” (Icon and Newmarket ) John Debney
“The Village” ( Buena Vista ) James Newton Howard

Achievement in music written for motion pictures (Original song):

“Accidentally In Love” from “Shrek 2” (DreamWorks)
Music by Adam Duritz, Charles Gillingham, Jim Bogios, David Immergluck, Matthew Mallery and David Bryson
Lyric by Adam Duritz and Daniel Vickrey
“Al Otro Lado Del Río” from “The Motorcycle Diaries” (Focus Features and Film Four)
Music and Lyric by Jorge Drexler
“Believe” from “The Polar Express” (Warner Bros.)
Music and Lyric by Glen Ballard and Alan Silvestri
“Learn To Be Lonely” from “The Phantom of the Opera” (Warner Bros.)
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyric by Charles Hart
“Look To Your Path (Vois Sur Ton Chemin)” from “The Chorus (Les Choristes)” (Miramax)
Music by Bruno Coulais
Lyric by Christophe Barratier

Best animated short film:

“Birthday Boy” An Australian Film, TV and Radio School Production
Sejong Park and Andrew Gregory
“Gopher Broke”
A Blur Studio Production
Jeff Fowler and Tim Miller
“Guard Dog”
A Bill Plympton Production
Bill Plympton
“Lorenzo”
A Walt Disney Pictures Production
Mike Gabriel and Baker Bloodworth
“Ryan”
A Copper Heart Entertainment & National Film Board of Canada Production
Chris Landreth

Best live action short film:

“Everything in This Country Must”
A Six Mile LLC Production; Gary McKendry
“Little Terrorist”
An Alipur Films Production; Ashvin Kumar
“7:35 in the Morning ( 7:35 de la Mañana)”
An Ibarretxe & Co. Production; Nacho Vigalondo
“Two Cars, One Night”
A Defender Films Limited Production; Taika Waititi and Ainsley Gardiner
“Wasp”
A Cowboy Films Production; Andrea Arnold

Achievement in sound editing:

“The Incredibles” ( Buena Vista ) Michael Silvers and Randy Thom
“The Polar Express” (Warner Bros.) Randy Thom and Dennis Leonard
“Spider-Man 2” (Sony Pictures Releasing) Paul N.J. Ottosson

Achievement in sound mixing:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Tom Fleischman and Petur Hliddal
“The Incredibles” ( Buena Vista )
Randy Thom, Gary A. Rizzo and Doc Kane
“The Polar Express” (Warner Bros.)
Randy Thom, Tom Johnson, Dennis Sands and William B. Kaplan
“Ray” (Universal)
Scott Millan, Greg Orloff, Bob Beemer and Steve Cantamessa
“Spider-Man 2” (Sony Pictures Releasing)
Kevin O’Connell, Greg P. Russell, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Joseph Geisinger

Achievement in visual effects:

“Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” (Warner Bros.)
Roger Guyett, Tim Burke, John Richardson and Bill George
“I, Robot” (20th Century Fox)
John Nelson, Andrew R. Jones, Erik Nash and Joe Letteri
“Spider-Man 2” (Sony Pictures Releasing) John Dykstra, Scott Stokdyk, Anthony LaMolinara and John Frazier

Adapted screenplay:

“Before Sunset” (Warner Independent Pictures)
Screenplay by Richard Linklater & Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke
Story by Richard Linklater & Kim Krizan
“Finding Neverland” (Miramax)
Screenplay by David Magee
“Million Dollar Baby” (Warner Bros.)
Screenplay by Paul Haggis
“The Motorcycle Diaries” (Focus Features and Film Four)
Screenplay by José Rivera
“Sideways” (Fox Searchlight/20th Century Fox)
Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor

Original screenplay:

“The Aviator” (Miramax, Initial Entertainment Group and Warner Bros.)
Written by John Logan
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (Focus Features)
Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman
Story by Charlie Kaufman & Michel Gondry & Pierre Bismuth
“Hotel Rwanda” (United Artists in association with Lions Gate Entertainment through MGM Distribution Co.)
Written by Keir Pearson & Terry George
“The Incredibles” ( Buena Vista )
Written by Brad Bird
“Vera Drake” (Fine Line Features, Alain Sarde and UK Film Council in association with Inside Track Films)
Written by Mike Leigh

So do you agree or disagree with the picks? Please visit this thread in the forums and let your thoughts be known.