Surprise, surprise. Ang Lee's gay cowboy drama leads the Oscars this year with 8 nominations. Surprisingly absent from the best picture category, 'Walk the Line,' the acclaimed Johnny Cash biography.

Gay and "transgender" Americans will also approve the recognition of 'Capote' (best picture, best actor, best supporting actress) the biography of homosexual journalist Truman Capote, and 'Transamerica' (best actress) the story of "[A] pre-operative male-to-female transsexual takes an unexpected journey when she learns that she fathered a son, now a teenage runaway hustling on the streets of New York" according to IMDB.

Interestingly, as CNN notes, none of the three films nominated for best animated feature were computer animated. Perhaps a good story still trumps amazing special effects.

Read the full report on CNN:  'Brokeback Mountain' leads Oscar nods.