British hopes of cleaning up at the Oscars have been taken down a back alley by the American Academy, and given a sound thumping. Bafta favourite, Atonement, is still in the mix for Best Motion Picture of the Year. But the director, Joe Wright, and the actors, James McAvoy and Keira Knightley, all failed to make the cut.

Daniel Day-Lewis is clearly the actor to beat for his demented oil tycoon in There Will Be Blood, despite nominations for Johnny Depp’s singing psycho, Sweeney Todd, and Tommy Lee Jones’s retired soldier, In the Valley of Elah.

There is nothing remotely even-handed about these Oscar nominations. Frankly there never is. The Best Foreign Language Film nominations are almost entirely out of the blue.

The outstanding duel will be the shoot-out between the Coen Brothers and Paul Thomas Anderson. No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood odds-on to lift Best Picture and/or Best Director. The other overly-worthy contenders will be shredded by the cross-fire.

There are already prolific casualties. Tim Burton’s wonderfully dark musical, Sweeney Todd, was always going to be difficult to place. I’m stunned by the slim pickings offered to Andrew Dominik’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Brad Pitt doesn’t even merit a nomination despite delivering a career-best performance. His co-star, Casey Affleck, has deservedly won a nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, though by rights he ought to be considered for a Best Actor.

Ang Lee’s Lust, Caution is another big faller. His sexually graphic Chinese potboiler was obviously far too gamey for the tender stomachs of the ageing American Academy.

Despite Tilda Swinton’s nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her marvelous corporate bitch in Michael Clayton, it is Julie Christie who has the best chance of bringing an Oscar home for the Brits. She has a terrific chance of emulating Helen Mirren’s award-winning feats as The Queen for her aching performance as an Alzheimer sufferer in Away From Her. She has effortless glamour and immaculate art house credentials on her side. Britain expects.

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