'Birdman,' 'Budapest' top Oscar noms with 9 nods each

Beverly Hills, Calif. — Two extravagant comedies, "Birdman" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," tied for the most Oscar nominations Thursday morning with nine nods each, including best picture.

They were joined in best-picture nominations by "Boyhood," "Whiplash," "The Theory of Everything," "The Imitation Game," "American Sniper" and "Selma." Nominations for the 87th annual Academy Awards were announced from Beverly Hills, where they were broadcast and streamed live.

World War II code-breaker thriller "The Imitation Game," about unsung hero Alan Turing, trailed close behind with eight nominations. Clint Eastwood's Navy SEAL drama "American Sniper" did especially well, landing six nods including best actor for Bradley Cooper.

Also with six nominations was Richard Linklater's coming-of-age epic "Boyhood," which remains the best-picture favorite. On Sunday, the 12-years-in-making drama won best drama at the Golden Globes.

But Wes Anderson's old Europe caper "The Grand Budapest Hotel," which also won best comedy or musical at the Globes, has emerged as the most unexpected awards heavyweight. With $59.1 million at the North American box office (opening all the way back in March), it's also the most money-making best-picture entry in an especially modestly sized batch of nominees. That, however, is likely to change soon after "American Sniper" expands nationwide this weekend.

"The Grand Budapest Hotel" managed nine nominations without a single acting nod. Instead, it was repeatedly cited for Anderson's meticulous craft in categories like directing, production design, makeup and screenplay.

The nominees for best actor are: Cooper, Steve Carell ("Foxcatcher"), Benedict Cumberbatch ("The Imitation Game"), Michael Keaton ("Birdman") and Eddie Redmayne. David Oweloyo, who stars as Martin Luther King Jr. in "Selma," was left out.

Ava DuVernay's civil rights drama, at one point considered a major contender, faded even after its late debut. The film, which has been nagged by criticism over its portrayal of President Lyndon Johnson, managed just two nominations. (The second was for best song.)

Marion Cotillard for the French-language "Two Days, One Night" was the surprise nominee for best actress. She was joined by Felicity Jones ("The Theory of Everything"), Julianne Moore ("Still Alice"), Rosamund Pike ("Gone Girl") and Reese Witherspoon ("Wild"). That left Jennifer Aniston's pained and grieving performance in "Cake" on the outside.

The eight best-picture nominees left out two wild cards that might have added a dose of darkness to the category: the creepy Jake Gyllenhaal thriller "Nightcrawler" and the tragic wrestling drama "Foxcatcher." In the three previous years since the category was expanded (anywhere between five and 10 film may be nominated), there were nine movies contending for best picture.

"Foxcatcher" helmer Bennett Miller (previously nominated for "Capote") did squeak into best director. Joining him and Anderson are Linklater ("Boyhood"), Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Birdman") and Morten Tyldum ("The Imitation Game").

One of the most notable snubs came in the best animation category, usually a particularly staid category. Despite critical love and major box office, "The Lego Movie" failed to join nominees "Big Hero 6," "The Boxtrolls," "How to Train Your Dragon 2," "Song of the Sea" and "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya."

This year's smaller sized but much-beloved favorites — "Boyhood," "Birdman" — have been largely locked in as front runners throughout much of the ever-expanding industrial complex of Hollywood's lengthy awards season. As studios have focused more and more on easily marketed blockbusters, Oscar season increasingly exists apart from the regular business of the movies, in its own highfalutin, red-carpeted realm.

Ratings, though, are on the rise. Last year's Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, drew 43 million viewers, making it the most-watched entertainment telecast in a decade. "12 Years a Slave" took best picture. This year's ceremony on Feb. 22 will be hosted by Neil Patrick Harris.

The nominees for best foreign language film are: "Ida" (Poland), "Leviathan" (Russia), "Tangerines" (Estonia), "Timbuktu" (Mauritania) and "Wild Tales" (Argentina).

Best documentary nods went to "CitizenFour," "Finding Vivian Maier," "Last Days in Vietnam," "The Salt of the Earth" and "Virunga." The last gave Netflix its second Oscar nomination. (It last year released the nominated documentary "The Square.")

List of 87th annual Academy Award nominations

Here's the complete list of 87th annual Academy Award nominations announced Thursday:

1. Best picture: "American Sniper"; "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; "Boyhood"; "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "The Imitation Game"; "Selma"; "The Theory of Everything"; "Whiplash."

2. Actor: Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"; Bradley Cooper, "American Sniper"; Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"; Michael Keaton, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything."

3. Actress: Marion Cotillard, "Two Days, One Night"; Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"; Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"; Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"; Reese Witherspoon, "Wild."

4. Supporting actor: Robert Duvall, "The Judge"; Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"; Edward Norton, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"; J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash."

5. Supporting actress: Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"; Laura Dern, "Wild"; Keira Knightley, "The Imitation Game"; Emma Stone, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods."

6. Directing: Alejandro G. Inarritu, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"; Bennett Miller, "Foxcatcher"; Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; Morten Tyldum, "The Imitation Game."

7. Foreign language film: "Ida"; "Leviathan"; "Tangerines"; "Timbuktu"; "Wild Tales."

8. Adapted screenplay: Jason Hall, "American Sniper"; Graham Moore, "The Imitation Game"; Paul Thomas Anderson, "Inherent Vice"; Anthony McCarten, "The Theory of Everything"; Damien Chazelle, "Whiplash."

9. Original screenplay: Alejandro G. Inarritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr. and Armando Bo, "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"; E. Max Frye and Dan Futterman, "Foxcatcher"; Wes Anderson (screenplay) and story by Wes Anderson and Hugo Guinness, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; Dan Gilroy, "Nightcrawler."

10. Animated feature film: "Big Hero 6"; "The Boxtrolls"; "How to Train Your Dragon 2"; "Song of the Sea"; "The Tale of the Princess Kaguya."

11. Production design: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "The Imitation Game"; "Interstellar"; "Into the Woods"; "Mr. Turner."

12. Cinematography: "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "Ida"; "Mr. Turner"; "Unbroken."

13. Sound mixing: "American Sniper"; "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; "Interstellar"; "Unbroken"; "Whiplash."

14. Sound editing: "American Sniper"; "Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)"; "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"; "Interstellar"; "Unbroken."

15. Original score: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "The Imitation Game"; "Interstellar"; "Mr. Turner"; "The Theory of Everything."

16. Original song: "Everything Is Awesome" from "The Lego Movie"; "Glory" from "Selma"; "Grateful" from "Beyond the Lights"; "I'm Not Gonna Miss You" from "Glen Campbell … I'll Be Me""; "Lost Stars" from "Begin Again."

17. Costume design: "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "Inherent Vice"; "Into the Woods"; "Maleficent"; "Mr. Turner."

18. Documentary feature: "CitizenFour"; "Finding Vivian Maier"; "Last Days in Vietnam"; "The Salt of the Earth"; "Virunga."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Crisis Hotline: Veterans Press 1"; "Joanna"; "Our Curse"; "The Reaper (La Parka)"; "White Earth."

20. Film editing: "American Sniper"; "Boyhood"; "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "The Imitation Game"; "Whiplash."

21. Makeup and hairstyling: "Foxcatcher"; "The Grand Budapest Hotel"; "Guardians of the Galaxy."

22. Animated short film: "The Bigger Picture"; "The Dam Keeper"; "Feast"; "Me and My Moulton"; "A Single Life."

23. Live action short film: "Aya"; "Boogaloo and Graham"; "Butter Lamp (La Lampe Au Beurre De Yak)"; "Parvaneh"; "The Phone Call."

24. Visual effects: "Captain America: The Winter Soldier"; "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes"; "Guardians of the Galaxy"; "Interstellar"; "X-Men: Days of Future Past."