This morning, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominations for this year's Oscars. In terms of snubs and surprises, there were plenty to go around. Still, the favorites hung in: Clooney for best actor; Streep for best actress; and "The Artist," "The Descendants," and "Hugo" (which received 11 nominations) for best picture.
SURPRISE: Popular plus-sized TV star Melissa McCarthy made it all the way to the Oscars with her outrageous, heartfelt performance in "Bridesmaids." Audible gasps!
SURPRISE: "Superbad" no more. Popular comedy star Jonah Hill is finally taken seriously with his supporting role opposite Brad Pitt in "Moneyball."
[Related: Click for a full list of the nominees ]
SNUB: Sorry, Leo: You put on a dress as "J. Edgar," you kissed a really cute man, you acted in period costume for Clint Eastwood -- it all screamed so Oscar. And then you didn't get a nomination!
SNUB: "The Adventures of Tintin," directed by Steven Spielberg, looked like a front-runner for best animated picture, but even a cute dog couldn't save it! And Spielberg -- no best-director love at all for "War Horse."
SNUB: Director David Fincher didn't win last year for "The Social Network," and it seemed like he had such momentum for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." Not only was he shut out of the directors' circle, but his film didn't make the top nine. Only Rooney Mara made the cut.
SNUB: Poor Shailene Woodley. The teen really gave a terrific performance opposite George Clooney in "The Descendants" -- those teary eyes, the angry reveal -- but she lost her slot to Janet McTeer for "Albert Nobbs."
SNUB: Albert Brooks seemed to be the main competition for Christopher Plummer in the best-supporting-actor race. He was the last great hope for the popular movie "Drive," and they both crashed and burned.
SURPRISE: George Clooney got some "Ides of March" props for his screenplay, co-authored with Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon. He also directed the political drama and co-starred. George: We love you for your mind as well as for your body (of work).
[ Related: Full Academy Awards coverage from Oscar.com ]
SURPRISE: While "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" has been extremely quiet on the awards circuit so far, it pulled through with a best-pic nomination, as well as a best-supporting-actor nod for Max von Sydow.
SURPRISE: Long shot Demian Bichir from "A Better Life" nabbed a nom for best actor, along with Gary Oldman for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy," which also added a nomination for best adapted screenplay.
SURPRISE: Sure, Woody Allen was a shoo-in for best original screenplay for "Midnight in Paris," but the comedy also got a best-picture nom and scored Allen a big boost: best director.
SURPRISE: Fans of "The Tree of Life" got vindication for the baffling American art film starring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. It's about everything from the dawn of time to small-town American family life, and it nabbed both a best-picture nomination and best-director recognition for Terrence Malick.
