Why no love for Clint and "Gran Torino"?

In my Sunday column, I go into detail on why I believe Clint Eastwood got snubbed at the Academy Awards nominations this year.
Not that he needed my endorsement, but I was really hoping Clint would get some credit from Academy Awards voters for his latest film, “Gran Torino.”
When the nominees were announced Thursday, Clint's movie was shut out entirely — a shame considering rumors that this could be his final acting role, but also considering the quality of the film itself.
Also, no love for "Dark Knight," which I only recently saw but I thought was excellent. Sure, Heath Ledger is a lock for best supporting actor, but the film and director Christopher Nolan deserved a better look. The movie will probably walk away with all the technical awards, but it's a shame that at least Nolan wasn't recognized.
And if this is Clint's last acting role, the Academy should have recognized the moment.