The Oscar race begins with this morning’s announcement of nominations.  Biggest surprises: only two nominees for best song, overlooking songs by Lady Gaga, Elton John, Chris Cornell, Sinead O’Connor, and Mary J. Blige, no Pixar film on the Best Animated Feature nominations — instead the little-seen “A Cat in Paris” and “Chico and Rita,” (I wish they had included “Rio”), no make-up nomination for “J. Edgar,” “A Separation” instead of “50/50″ for original screenplay, and Nick Nolte as best supporting actor for “Warrior” rather than Albert Brooks (“Drive”).  I’m thrilled to see the nomination for Melissa McCarthy (“Bridesmaids”) for supporting actress in what is, as usual, the toughest category.  Every actress in it deserves to win.

Best picture

War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best director

Michel Hazavanicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life

Best actress in a supporting role

Bérénice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

Best actor in a supporting role

Kenneth Branagh, My Week with Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Best actress in a leading role

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best actor in a leading role

Demián Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Best original Screenplay

The Artist
Bridesmaids
Margin Call
Midnight in Paris
A Separation

Best adapted screenplay

The Descendants
Hugo
Ides of March
Moneyball
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Best foreign language film

Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsieur Lazhar
A Separation

Best animated film

A Cat in Paris
Chico And Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Rango
Puss in Boots

Art direction

The Artist
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
War Horse

Cinematography

The Artist
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
The Tree of Life
War Horse

Costume design

Anonymous
The Artist
Hugo
Jane Eyre
W.E.

Documentary feature

Hell and Back Again
If A Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front
Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory
Pina
Undefeated

Documentary short subject

The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement
God is the Bigger Elvis
Incident in New Baghdad
Saving Face
The Tsumani and the Cherry Blossom

Film editing

The Artist
The Descendants
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball

Sound editing

Drive
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Sound mixing

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Hugo
Moneyball
Transformers: Dark of the Moon
War Horse

Visual effects

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
Hugo
Real Steel
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Make up

Albert Nobbs
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2
The Iron Lady

Music (original score)

The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
The Artist
Hugo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
War Horse

Music (original song)

The Muppets “A Man or a Muppet”
Rio “Real in Rio”

Short film (animated)

Dimanche / Sunday
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr Morris Lessmore
La Luna
A Morning Stroll
Wild Life

Short film (live action)

Pentecost
Raju
The Shore
Time Freak
Tuba Atlantic