The runners and riders for the 87th annual Academy Awards are in - and they are not without controversy. Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel lead the pack with nine nods each while Benedict Cumberbatch's The Imitation Game got eight. In a year where big box office earnings failed to translate into critical acclaim, the nominees included more art-house films such as Boyhood, Whiplash and The Theory of Everything. Though civil rights movie Selma made the best film shortlist, the film's director Ava DuVernay was snubbed for the top directing award and critics were quick to point out not a single black actor made the shortlist in any of the acting categories. Top left to right, the Oscar nominees are Bradley Cooper, Julianne Moore and Benedict Cumberbatch. Bottom left to right: Reese Witherspoon, Eddie Redmayne and Patricia Arquette. Read more
