Oscar nominations 2009: it's been a good day for...

Brad Pitt and David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leads the field with a lucky 13 nominations, while the dynamic duo are nominated, respectively, for best actor and best director. They look pretty pleased with themselves too Photograph: Reuters

OK, so it has been a ludicrously good day for Melissa Leo – who hitherto was barely a household name in the house of Leo. Her acclaimed turn in the Canadian drama Frozen River has bagged her a best actress nominations. This makes her the official wild card of the 2009 Oscar season Photograph: AP

Tropic Thunder casts Robert Downey Jr as a self-obsessed thespian, who blacks his face, stays infuriatingly "in character" and argues that "I don't read the script, the script reads me". It is a role that has bagged him a surprise best supporting actor nomination - a case of life imitating art imitating life. Or something Photograph: Reuters

And yes, it has been a very good day for the cast and crew of Slumdog Millionaire, the bookies' favourite to win best film. Here they are clutching some other awards, though one guesses they'd trade the lot for a shot at Oscar. Photograph: AFP

Mickey Rourke has known some bad days in recent times, like when he was making films like Shergar and Cousin Joey, and living in a trailer with his dogs, dancing for nickels and eating out of trash-cans (possibly). Now he's right back on top, courtesy of his turn in The Wrestler Photograph: Rex Features

The Academy giveth with one hand and it takes with the other. Yes, Angelina Jolie won a best actress nomination for Changeling. But former darling Clint Eastwood found himself snubbed in the director category, and likewise ignored for his role in Gran Torino. A good day for one; a duff one for the other Photograph: Universal Pics

He can smile all he likes; he is fooling no one. It has not been a good day for Sam Mendes, who saw his Revolutionary Road miss the cut for best picture and his star Leonardo DiCaprio shunned in the best actor category. And yes, his dearly beloved Kate Winslet was indeed nominated for the best actress award ... but for an entirely different film Photograph: Getty