Rings leads surprising field

By Tom Brook BBC, New York

Peter Jackson is a Globe winner - can he add an Oscar to his tally?

The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King, with its 11 nominations, has had its Oscar frontrunner status officially confirmed.

It is widely expected the epic fantasy will now go on to win the best picture trophy and the best director prize for Peter Jackson, as well as picking up a host of Oscars in technical categories.

Awards historian Tom O'Neil declared The Return of The King has now become "unstoppable" in the Oscars race.

One of the biggest surprises was the exclusion of the war torn romantic epic Cold Mountain in key nomination categories.

Anthony Minghella's picture picked up seven nominations but failed to make the best picture and best director shortlists.

It's fair to say that Cold Mountain is less well liked among Academy members in the US as opposed to their British counterparts. Some Oscar voters have reportedly found the film oppressive and austere.

Cold Mountain is distributed in America by Miramax, veterans in conducting Oscar campaigns. Today's announcement may cause some soul-searching among Miramax executives over why their picture didn't do better.

Penn in front

Apart from Jude Law the other British nominee in the best actor category was Sir Ben Kingsley for his role as an exiled Iranian colonel trying to realise the American dream in House Of Sand and Fog - a film that earned three nominations.

But the frontrunner for best actor is Sean Penn, for his much revered leading role in Clint Eastwood's crime drama Mystic River.

Charlize Theron is strongly tipped to win

The real surprise among British nominees is Samantha Morton, who got a nod in the best actress race for her role as an Irish immigrant wife and mother in director Jim Sheridan's In America.

The film also picked up nominations for actor Djimon Honsou for his supporting role as a spiritual man who is dying, and for the collective efforts of Jim Sheridan's family for writing the screenplay.

In America appears to have made a deep impression on Oscar voters.

Mark Roberts, a 82-year-old veteran of the Academy's actors branch says, "In America was quite touching, the theme was so strong of how people help people in the most expected ways."

Another nomination that drew a few gasps was for 13-year-old New Zealander Keisha Castle-Hughes, the youngest best actress nominee in Academy history.

The film was well received by US critics and her nomination, although well deserved, may have come about because its US distributor, Newmarket Films, handed out DVD screeners of the picture early in the awards season, increasing its exposure to critics and Academy members.

Among the other leading actresses is South-African born Charlize Theron, who is nominated for her portrayal of the infamous Aileen Wuornos, a multiple- murderer executed in Florida in 2002.

Theron, a former model, physically transformed herself for this far from glamorous role and she's widely perceived as the frontrunner in the best actress race.

Brazilian film City of God, the story of a young photographer who escapes the slums of Rio De Janeiro, earned an unexpected four nominations including one for director Fernando Meirelles.

The film benefited from a Miramax promotional campaign, which appears to have been successful.

Family history

A little bit of Oscars history was made with Sofia Coppola becoming the first female US director ever to be nominated.

I'm looking forward to the journey - I've got to get another dress, more shoes, another purse Patricia Clarkson Best supporting actress nominee

If she wins the Coppola family would become the second three-generation family, after the Hustons: Walter, John and Angelica, to win Oscars.

Master and Commander: The Far Side of The World with its 10 nods ranked second in overall nominations, but leading man Russell Crowe failed to get a nod.

Some pundits think Crowe, a previous Oscar winner, was in a role that showcased his physicality but not necessarily his acting technique.

While many nominations surprised Hollywood, others were greeted with joy.

Patricia Clarkson, the well-liked and highly respected American actress, was nominated for her supporting role as a mother battling cancer in Pieces of April.

She said: "I'm so thrilled, it's a very small film and this might shine a light on it again."

Clarkson is already thinking of next month's Oscars ceremony.

"I'm looking forward to the journey. I've got to get another dress, more shoes, another purse. It's exciting."

Overall there is general agreement that with one or two exceptions the Oscar nominations have gone to talent that deserved it.

With the shortlist now announced campaigning by studios and production companies will kick into high gear.

But it's doubtful whether promotional efforts can make much difference to a race where The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King looks set to win the coveted best picture and best director trophies - and Sean Penn and Charlize Theron should, if predictions are right, take home the prizes for best actor and best actress.