Christopher Nolan's Batman film, which has earned nearly $1 billion worldwide, was expected to be the first superhero film nominated for best picture but voters favored a multicultural mix of highbrow fare and historical commentary: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon," "Milk," "The Reader" and "Slumdog Millionaire" will compete for best picture.

 

The comic book film was recognized in just one key category. As expected, Heath Ledger was posthumously nominated as best supporting actor for his performance as the charismatic Joker. In the end the movie received seven other nominations in technical categories.

 

As for "Button," a time-tripping fantasy inspired by a F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, well, it turned into the leader with 13 nominations, including acting honors for Brad Pitt and supporting actress Taraji P. Henson, and a directing nod for David Fincher. The film reached the performance of ranking just behind "Titanic" and "All About Eve," which scored 14 nominations apiece, and is tied with "Gone With the Wind" and "From Here to Eternity."

 

Pitt's life-partner, Angelina Jolie, is also an acting nominee, as the mother of a kidnapped boy in Clint Eastwood's "Changeling." But Eastwood's recent "Gran Torino," scripted by Twin Cities writer Nick Schenk, was shut out.

 

"Slumdog Millionaire," a Mumbai-based romance, echoed its theme. Despite its out-of-nowhere origins, Hindi-heavy script and a cast of unknowns, the film came in second with 10 nominations, including a directing slot for Danny Boyle.