The 2012 Oscar Nominations (A Pajiba Prediction)

The 84th Annual Academy Award Nominations were announced this morning by two of last year’s winners, Colin Firth and Melissa Leo. Eddie Murphy is set to host the awards this year; Brett Ratner will produce.

Among the nominations, there weren’t a lot of surprises, and in fact a couple of unworthy films (in my opinion) were among the leaders of the field thanks to big names (Steven Spielberg) and the Oscar’s need, in the wake of The Blindside, to shoehorn a feel-good flick into contention. The other films with multiple nominations among the major awards were The Ides of March, Moneyball and the dark-horse, Martha Marcy May Marlene. As usual, however, the very best films of the year were nominated in the screenplay categories.

Here are the 2012 Oscar Nominations. As always, these choices were made by the Academy or Arts and Sciences. Please do not shoot the messenger.

Best Picture

The Ides of March

War Horse

J. Edgar

The Help

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Moneyball

Tree of Life

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Actress

Elisabeth Olsen, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady

Viola Davis, The Help

Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn

Best Actor

Brad Pitt, Moneyball

Leonardo DiCaprio, J. Edgar

Ryan Gosling, The Ides of March

Michael Fassbender, Shame

George Clooney, The Descendants

Best Supporting Actress

Octavia Spencer, The Help

Jessica Chastain, The Help

Sandra Bullock, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Judi Dench, J. Edgar

Evan Rachel Wood, The Ides of March

Best Supporting Actor

Christopher Plummer, Beginners

Albert Brooks, Drive

Nick Nolte, Warrior

George Clooney, The Ides of March

John Hawkes, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Best Director

Steven Spielberg, War Horse

George Clooney, The Ides of March

Terrence Malick, Tree of LIfe

Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar

Bennett Miller, Moneyball

Best Writing — Adapted Screenplay

Richard Curtis, Lee Hall, War Horse

George Clooney, Grant Heslov, The Ides of March

Aaron Sorkin, Steven Zallian, Moneyball

Steven Zallian, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Bridget O’Connor, Peter Straughan, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy

Best Writing — Original Screenplay

Dustin Lance Black, J. Edgar

Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris

Will Reiser, 50/50

Sean Durkin, Martha Marcy May Marlene

Diablo Cody, Young Adult