The nominees for the 2009 Critics’ Choice Awards have been announced.

Leading the way were: Changeling, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Dark Knight, Frost/Nixon, Milk, Slumdog Millionaire, The Reader, Doubt, Wall-E, and The Wrestler, which are all up for Best Picture. Wall-E is also nominated for Best Animated Picture as well.

Josh Brolin and James Franco go head-to-head for the best supporting actor for their roles in Milk. Heath Ledger is also nominated in this category for his role as The Joker in The Dark Knight, so Brolin and Franco will have some stiff competition.  Also, Robert Downey Jr., is nominated for his role in Tropic Thunder.

Kate Beckinsale picks up a nomination for Best Actress for her role in Nothing but the Truth where she plays a journalist who outs a CIA agent while trying to keep her sources unnamed. Also, Angelina Jolie is nominated for her haunting role in Changeling, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’s Cate Blanchett is also in the running.

Surprisingly, there’s no mention of Revolutionary Road, which received three Golden Globe nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress (Kate Winslet), and Best Director (Sam Mendes). 

Over 200 members of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) voted on the categories including the newly-added Best Action Film category.  The winners will be announced on January 8th at 9 p.m. and the ceremony will be broadcast on VH1.

Here is the complete list of nominees:

Best Picture:

Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

Best Actor:

Clint Eastwood - Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins - The Visitor
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

Best Actress:

Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

Best Supporting Actor:

Josh Brolin - Milk
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight
James Franco - Milk

Best Supporting Actress:

Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Vera Farmiga - Nothing But the Truth
Taraji P. Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Best Acting Ensemble: 

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Milk
Rachel Getting Married

Best Director:

Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Christopher Nolan - The Dark Knight
Gus Van Sant -Milk

 —Jessica Delli Santi