The Academy Awards is just around the corner and the nominations were announced on Thursday. "Birdman," "The Theory of Everything," "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "American Sniper" are just some of the strongest contenders for Best Picture at the 87th Oscar Awards.
The 2015 Oscars will happen on Feb. 22, with Neil Patrick Harris as the host. Many are quite satisfied with the nominations for Best Picture and Best lead actors and actresses.
Here is a rundown of this year's Oscar award contenders:
Best Picture
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"American Sniper"
"Whiplash"
"The Theory of Everything"
"Selma"
"Whiplash"
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Best Lead Actor
Benedict Cumberbatch for "The Imitation Game"
Bradley Cooper for "American Sniper"
Steve Carell for "Foxcatcher"
Eddie Redmayne for "The Theory of Everything"
Michael Keaton for "Birdman"
Best Lead Actress
Rosamund Pike for "Gone Girl"
Marion Cotillard for "Two Days, One Night"
Julianne Moore for "Still Alice"
Reese Wtiherspoon for "Wild"
Felicity Jones for "The Theory of Everything"
Animated Feature Film
"How to Train Your Dragon 2"
"The Boxtrolls"
"Big Hero 6"
"The Tale of the Princess Kaguya"
"Song of the Sea"
Best Director
Bennett Miller for "Foxcatcher"
Richard Linklater for "Boyhood"
Alejandro G. Iñárritu for "Birdman
Morten Tyldumfor "The Imitation Game"
Wes Anderson for "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Best Supporting Actor
J.K. Simmons for "Whiplash"
Mark Ruffalo for "Foxcatcher"
Ethan Hawke for "Boyhood"
Robert Duvall for "The Judge"
Edward Norton for "Birdman"
Best Supporting Actress
Meryl Streep for "Into the Woods"
Keira Knightley for "The Imitation Game"
Patricia Arquette for "Boyhood"
Emma Stone for "Birdman"
Laura Dern for "Wild"
Best Original Song
"Glory," "Selma"
"Everything is Awesome," "The Lego Movie"
"Lost Stars," "Begin Again"
"I'm Not Gonna Miss You," "Glen Campbell... I'll Be Me"
"Grateful," "Beyond the Lights"
There are also some films that many felt should have been made it to the list. Here are a few films that were "snubbed" by the award giving bodies:
"The Lego Movie"
An animation picture produced in Australia, the highly popular, "The Lego Movie," did not make the cut for Best Animated Feature Film. Two not-so-popular animation pictures did, which are "The Tale of Princess Kaguya" and "Song of the Sea." However, The Lego Movie's catchy theme song, "Everything is Awesome," was nominated for Best Original Song.
"Selma"
The lead star and director of the heartwarming biopic about Martin Luther King Jr. failed to please the Oscar award giving bodies. Lead actor Dave Oyelowo did not get a nomination for best actor, nor did film director Ava DuVernay for the Best Director category. "Selma," however, was included in the Best Picture and Best Original Song line-up.
