The Oscar nominations were announced this morning in L.A. and while there are some expected nods (like Michelle Williams and Meryl Streep) there are a few awful surprises. For instance, why is everyone in “The Help” nominated? Why is “Tree of Life” nominated for Best Picture when it should have been a film gone straight to DVD? It also sucks that Ryan Gosling was robbed, so I’m going to have to write a letter to the Academy.

The only good surprise stemming from this roster of nominations is Melissa McCarthy for her supporting role in “Bridesmaids”. My money’s on Melissa, although realistically, she’ll probably lose to one of the 573097654 actresses in “The Help”.

Here’s a look at some of the nominations. * indications my pick. You can read the full list here.

Best Picture
“The Artist” *
“The Descendants”
“Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”
“Hugo”
“Midnight in Paris”
“The Help”
“Moneyball”
“War Horse”
“The Tree of Life”

Best Actress
Glenn Close, “Albert Nobbs”
Viola Davis, “The Help”
Rooney Mara, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo”
Meryl Streep, “The Iron Lady”
Michelle Williams, “My Week With Marilyn” *

Best Supporting Actor
Kenneth Branagh, “My Week With Marilyn”
Jonah Hill, “Moneyball”
Nick Nolte, “Warrior”
Christopher Plummer, “Beginners” *
Max Von Sydow, “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close”

Best Supporting Actress
Berenice Bejo, “The Artist”
Jessica Chastain, “The Help”
Melissa McCarthy, “Bridesmaids” *
Janet McTeer, “Albert Nobbs”
Octavia Spencer, “The Help”

Best Director
Woody Allen, “Midnight in Paris” *
Michel Hazanavicius, “The Artist”
Terrence Malick, “The Tree of Life”
Alexander Payne, “The Descendants”
Martin Scorsese, “Hugo”
Steven Spielberg, “War Horse”

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As previously reported, Woody Allen’s European film adventure will take its next stop in Italy. Penelope Cruz signed onto the project last week, and now the full cast of the film has been revealed.

Perezhilton.com reports that Alec Baldwin, Jesse Eisenberg, and Ellen Page have jumped aboard the Allen train. The film will take place in Rome but all other plot details are being kept very secret.

From the looks of it we can expect a comedy. Most likely Baldwin and Cruz will have some sort of romance and the same goes with Page and Eisenberg. Page and Eisenberg have that natural eccentric chemistry due to their indie credibility.

Hopefully more details will be revealed soon perhaps a menage a trois is in the works a la Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

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Woody Allen has added Nicole Kidman to the all-star cast of his latest film, which will begin shooting in London this summer.

According to Variety, the actress joins a cast that includes Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts and Freida Pinto of “Slumdog Millionaire” fame.

No plot details have been released for the as-yet-untitled project.

Meanwhile, acclaimed director Allen will release his already-completed film, “Whatever Works,” into theatres on June 19. The movie, which stars Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood, will premiere at next month’s Tribeca Film Festival.

Kidman, who most recently starred in the epic romance “Australia,” will next appear in “Nine.” The Rob Marshall-directed musical will hit theatres in November.

The Academy Award-winning actress was one of four Australian stars – alongside Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Geoffrey Rush – honoured last month with special edition stamps by their country’s post office.

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Antonio Banderas is the latest addition to the star-studded cast of Woody Allen’s next film.

The still-untitled project, which will begin shooting this summer in London, has already recruited Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Anthony Hopkins and “Slumdog Millionaire” actress Freida Pinto.

As is Allen’s modus operandi, nothing has been revealed about the plot of the film, which will be Banderas’ first collaboration with the veteran director.

The movie’s producer, Mediapro, was also behind Allen’s “Vicky Christina Barcelona,” which garnered a best supporting actress win for Penelope Cruz at last week’s Oscars.

The next Allen film to hit theatres will be “Whatever Works,” starring Evan Rachel Wood, Henry Cavill and Patricia Clarkson. The New York-shot comedy is set for release in June.

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Adam Sandler and his former “Saturday Night Live” co-stars Chris Rock, Rob Schneider and David Spade are planning a comedy flick alongside “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” actor Kevin James.

The film will follow five high school buddies who reunite on a July 4 holiday weekend after 30 years. Sandler co-wrote the comedy that will be directed by “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” director Dennis Dugan according to Variety.

In other news, rapper Snopp Dogg has sealed a deal with MTV to host a variety show called “Dogg After Dark.” The show will feature celebrity interviews, performances by artists and sketch comedy. “Dogg After Dark” will air for seven Tuesdays consecutively starting February 14, according to E! Online.

Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins and Oscar nominee Josh Brolin are set to join an ensemble cast for Woody Allen’s next movie. The film written by Allen will start filming this summer in London.

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Now that she’s engaged to Canadian hunk Ryan Gosling, Scarlett Johansson may be becoming too big for her britches.

Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper reports that Johansson was absent from the premier of her new Woody Allen film at Cannes because the studio refused to meet her ridiculous demands.

She insisted that her $7,800-a-day make-up artist be paid to accompany her. She also refused to stay at the same hotel where Allen and co-star Penelope Cruz were staying, instead saying she required a hotel 30 miles outside of Cannes.

An executive close to the film said that “it wasn’t acceptable that Scarlett would be having to come in from that distance every day, most likely turning up late and it would have thrown schedules into a lot of confusion.”

Allen, normally quite enamoured with Johansson, is said to be annoyed that she’s not being a team player.

Johansson’s rep blamed conflicting schedules for Johansson’s absence.

The film, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” which features a kiss between Johansson and Cruz, received a ten-minute standing ovation at the festival.

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Filmmaker WOODY ALLEN has shocked fans with the announcement he is to direct an opera in California.

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo, general director of the Los Angeles opera, has invited Allen to direct an epic in September 2008.

Allen says, “I have no idea what I am doing. But incompetence has never prevented me from plunging in with enthusiasm.”

Allen will direct Gianni Schicchi, part of Puccini’s Il Trittico opera trio.

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