BEVERLY HILLS, Jan 22: Dark and violent themes coloured the Oscars nominations on Tuesday as crime thriller “No Country for Old Men” and epic oil industry drama “There Will Be Blood” topped the list of contenders for this year’s Academy Awards with eight nods each.

The two films edged out British historical drama “Atonement” and legal thriller “Michael Clayton”, which both scored seven nominations in the much-anticipated shortlist for the marquee film awards on Feb 24.

The nominations were revealed in an early morning ceremony on Tuesday at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science’s Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in front of several hundred media in Beverly Hills.

“No Country for Old Men” garnered nominations for film-making brothers Joel and Ethan Coen in the best director category, as well as nods for best picture, supporting actor and adapted screenplay.

“There Will Be Blood” also earned a best picture nomination along with quirky comedy “Juno”, “Atonement” and “Michael Clayton”. The acting categories for this year’s Oscars saw several surprises, with Australian icon Cate Blanchett scoring a double nomination in the actress and best supporting actress columns.

Blanchett, an Oscar winner in 2005 for “The Aviator”, was nominated as best actress for “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” and as best supporting actress for her portrayal of Bob Dylan in “I’m Not There”. Blanchett’s rivals in the best actress category include British veteran Julie Christie for her performance as a Alzheimer’s sufferer in “Away from Her” and French star Marion Cotillard, dazzling as tragic chanteuse Edith Piaf in “La Vie En Rose”. Other best actress nominees were Laura Linney “The Savages” and Ellen Page for “Juno”. Made for only $2.5 million, hit comedy “Juno” ended up with four nominations on Tuesday, including a best original screenplay nod for stripper-turned-writer Diablo Cody.

“It’s extremely exciting and I’m so happy for Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody,” Page said after being told of her nomination. “It’s extremely humbling to be recognised with these other actresses, people I respect and admire. It’s crazy.” In the men’s acting awards, British-born Daniel Day-Lewis is the clear favourite for his towering performance as a tyrannical oil prospector in “There Will be Blood”.—AFP