Martin Scorsese's Hugo leads the Oscar nominations with 11 nods.
The 84th annual Academy Award selections were announced this morning in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.
Jennifer Lawrence and Tom Sherak - president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences - announced the list, with Hugo leading the pack.
Scorsese's first foray into family films is in the running for the coveted best film prize, as is War Horse, The Artist, Moneyball, The Descendants, The Tree of Life, Midnight in Paris, The Help and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.
Hugo was also named in the best director and best adapted screenplay categories respectively.
Michel Hazanavicius's critically-acclaimed The Artist garnered a respectable ten nominations, coming in a close second place and continuing its domination over the major Hollywood film events.
Bennett Miller's Moneyball took six nominations, with Alexander Payne's The Descendants up for five prizes.
The Artist's stars have been praised for their roles, with Jean Dujardin in the running for best actor and Brnice Bejo nominated for the supporting actress award.
Others battling it out to be named best actor are Demian Bichir, George Clooney, Gary Oldman and Brad Pitt.
Brnice is in the running for best supporting actress alongside Jessica Chastain, Melissa McCarthy, Janet McTeer and Octavia Spencer, while the male version of the prize includes Kenneth Branagh, Jonah Hill, Nick Nolte, Christopher Plummer and Max von Sydow.
For the coveted best actress award, Glenn Close, Rooney Mara, Viola Davis, Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams are all named.
Scorsese is battling it out for best director with Michel Hazanavicius, Alexander Payne, Woody Allen and Terrence Malick.
The 84th annual Academy Awards will be presented in a ceremony on 26 February presented by Billy Crystal.
2012 Academy Awards nomination main categories:
Actress in a Supporting Role
Brnice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help
Actor in a Supporting Role
Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max von Sydow, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Actress in a Leading Role
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Rooney Mara, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Viola Davis, The Help
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Actor in a Leading Role
Demian Bichir, A Better Life
George Clooney, The Descendants
Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Brad Pitt, Moneyball
Best Director
Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist
Alexander Payne, The Descendants
Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
Terrence Malick, The Tree of Life
Best Original Screenplay
The Artist
Bridesmaids
Midnight in Paris
Margin Call
A Separation
Best Adapted Screenplay
The Descendants
Hugo
The Ides of March
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Best Foreign Feature
Bullhead
Footnote
In Darkness
Monsier Lazhar
In Separation
Best Animated Feature
A Cat in Paris
Chico & Rita
Kung Fu Panda 2
Puss in Boots
Rango
Best Picture
War Horse
The Artist
Moneyball
The Descendants
The Tree of Life
Midnight in Paris
The Help
Hugo
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.