The biggest blockbuster in recent memory and the sleeper hit of the year found themselves on even playing ground as the Chicago Film Critics Association announced its nominees for their 2008 awards. Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” the epic continuation of the Batman saga, and Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire,” an enchanting comedy-drama about a young man recounting the twists and turns of his life while trying to prove that he didn’t cheat on a game show, each scored six nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. In a very tight year, four films--“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Doubt,” “Milk” and “WALL*E” -- each tied for second place with five nominations. Jonathan Demme’s “Rachel Getting Married” came in third in the nomination count with four while the Swedish vampire film “Let the Right One In” came away with three.

The members of the CFCA are currently in the midst of their second and final round of voting and the winners will be announced on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 18 on WGN-TV in three chunks at 6:50 am, 7:50 am and 8:50 am with Richard Roeper, Dean Richards and CFCA President Dann Gire. They will be released to the public immediately afterwards.

2008 Chicago Film Critics Association NOMINEES

BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Slumdog Millionaire
WALL*E

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle--Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher--The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Christopher Nolan--The Dark Knight
Andrew Stanton--WALL*E
Gus Van Sant--Milk

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood--Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins--The Visitor
Frank Langella--Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn--Milk
Mickey Rourke--The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway--Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins--Happy-Go-Lucky
Angelina Jolie--Changeling
Melissa Leo--Frozen River
Meryl Streep--Doubt

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Downey Jr.--Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman--Doubt
Bill Irwin--Rachel Getting Married
Heath Ledger--The Dark Knight
Michael Shannon--Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams--Doubt
Penelope Cruz--Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis--Doubt
Rosemarie DeWitt--Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet--The Reader

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
In Bruges--Martin McDonagh
Milk--Dustin Lance Black
Rachel Getting Married--Jenny Lumet
Synecdoche, N.Y. --Charlie Kaufman
WALL*E--Andrew Stanton & Jim Reardon

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--Eric Roth
The Dark Knight--Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Doubt--John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon--Peter Morgan
Slumdog Millionaire--Simon Beaufoy

BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM
The Band’s Visit
Che
A Christmas Tale
I’ve Loved You So Long
Let the Right One In

BEST DOCUMENTARY
American Teen
Dear Zachary
IOUSA
Man On Wire
Standard Operating Procedure

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung-Fu Panda
Tale of Desperaux
WALL*E
Waltz with Bashir

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Australia--Mandy Walker
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight--Wally Pfister
The Fall--Colin Watkinson
Slumdog Millionaire--Anthony Dod Mantle

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button--Alexandre Desplat
The Dark Knight--Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard
Milk--Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire--A.R. Rahman
WALL*E--Thomas Newman

MOST PROMISING PERFORMER
Russell Brand--Forgetting Sarah Marshall
David Kross--The Reader
Lina Leandersson--Let the Right One In
Dev Patel--Slumdog Millionaire
Brandon Walters--Australia

MOST PROMISING FILMMAKER
Tomas Alfredson--Let the Right One In
Lance Hammer--Ballast
Courtney Hunt--Frozen River
Martin McDonagh--In Bruges
Steve McQueen--Hunger