( CNN ) -- The nominations for the Academy Awards were presented Thursday morning , and as always there were trends and surprises . Here are a few things we learned : . 1 . Make way for older women . It 's not for nothing that one of best jokes from Tina Fey and Amy Poehler at the Golden Globes referred to the lack of meaty roles for actresses of a certain age : `` Meryl Streep ( is ) so brilliant in 'August : Osage County , ' proving that there are still great parts in Hollywood for Meryl Streeps over 60 , '' said Fey . And yes , Streep was nominated for an Oscar ( for best actress ) as well . But also nominated were Judi Dench , 79 , and perhaps more surprisingly , June Squibb , 84 . Squibb is a longtime character actress -- you may remember her as Elderly Woman in `` Far From Heaven '' or Mrs. Cone in an episode of `` Curb Your Enthusiasm '' -- who got a chance to shine as Bruce Dern 's exasperated yet caring wife in `` Nebraska . '' In fact , of the 10 actresses nominated for either best actress or best supporting actress , six are over 40 and two others -- Amy Adams and Sally Hawkins -- are in their late 30s . Think you can pick the winners ? Check out the Oscar ballot . 2 . Diversity , but no diversity . This year featured a number of notable movies starring or directed by people of color , including `` Lee Daniels ' The Butler , '' `` Fruitvale Station , '' `` 42 , '' `` Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom '' and `` 12 Years a Slave . '' But of that group , only `` 12 Years '' got any support from the Oscars , with nine nominations . `` Mandela '' picked up a nod for a U2 song ; `` Fruitvale '' -- despite showcasing rising talents Michael B. Jordan and director Ryan Coogler -- got nothing . And despite a $ 100 million box office -- and raves for performers Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey -- `` The Butler '' also came up with zero . During the Globes show , there was a Twitter hashtag protesting the lack of diversity : # notbuyingit . You 'll probably see it again on Oscar night . 2014 awards season : Does diversity matter more than wins ? 3 . Where 's Tom Hanks ? What about Oprah ? Tom Hanks is one of the most beloved film stars in Hollywood . He 's a successful producer and two-time Oscar winner . After a sluggish few years , marked by `` Cloud Atlas , '' `` Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close '' and `` Larry Crowne , '' he was back in the good graces at the box office and with critics , thanks to `` Captain Phillips '' and `` Saving Mr . Banks . '' The result ? No Oscar nominations . Maybe he split the vote ; maybe voters just were n't that impressed . ( They certainly were n't by `` Mr . Banks . '' ) As for Winfrey -- also a successful producer and personality -- the theory is that `` The Butler 's '' summer release hurt its chances . But it was still a surprise that her name was n't listed for either the Oscars or the Golden Globes . Better luck at the Screen Actors Guild Awards , Oprah . 4 . There are no sure things . The handicappers were wrong about a lot . Take a gander : . • Snubbed : Robert Redford , `` All Is Lost . '' An almost wordless solo performance goes for naught at the Oscars . `` Lost , '' indeed . • Snubbed : The Coen brothers , `` Inside Llewyn Davis . '' Despite their offbeat production , Ethan and Joel have become Oscar favorites -- even if it 's just a scriptwriting nod . Not this year . Llewyn Davis will have to keep walking the streets ( probably with a waterlogged shoe ) . • Snubbed : Emma Thompson , `` Saving Mr . Banks . '' So much for `` Banks '' despite its Disney pedigree . • Snubbed : James Gandolfini , `` Enough Said . '' The academy thought `` Enough '' was apparently too much , since neither Julia Louis-Dreyfus nor Nicole Holofcener 's script were picked , either . • Surprise ! : Sally Hawkins , `` Blue Jasmine . '' The academy loves Woody Allen screenplays ( he got nominated , too ) , and Hawkins was n't overlooked . • Surprise ! : `` Philomena . '' A small , character-driven movie about a woman searching for her son ? Best picture , best actress ( Dench ) and best adapted screenplay nominations are the prizes . Special coverage : All things awards season . 5 . Love for `` Dallas Buyers Club . '' Perhaps `` Hustle , '' `` 12 Years '' and `` Gravity '' will duke it out for best picture . But remember `` no sure things , '' because when it came to audience response at the nominations , `` Dallas Buyers Club '' was the clear winner , greeted with cheers for every nomination . It has an Oscar-friendly subject -- a heroic battle against AIDS -- and strong performances by Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto . It received a surprising six nominations . The Academy Awards are March 2 . Confessions of an Oscar freak .
Older women shine at Oscar nominations . Films highlighting diversity were mostly overlooked . Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey are on outside looking in .