'Hugo' receives 11 nods in 2012 Oscar nominations

Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" surged to the top of the Oscar pack with 11 nominations, pulling slightly ahead of the presumed favorite, "The Artist," and leaving this year's wide-open awards race without an obvious front-runner.

"Hugo," a 3-D children's film, landed in the all-important best picture category, which this year features nine movies, including the silent film "The Artist," which earned 10 nominations, and "The Descendants," which received five, including one for George Clooney as best actor.

Those hoping for a clearer Oscar picture following the recent Golden Globes ceremony, where 11 winners split 14 awards, did not get one when the 84th Academy Awards nominations were announced Tuesday in Los Angeles. Two movies that seemed to have little momentum, Steven Spielberg's "War Horse" and the sports drama "Moneyball," jockeyed for third place with six Oscar nods each. "The Descendants," despite winning the coveted Globe for best dramatic picture -- often a predictor of the best picture Oscar -- trailed in fourth place.

Clint Eastwood's somber biopic "J. Edgar" was shut out, as was Spielberg's animated "The Adventures of Tintin." By contrast, "Bridesmaids" fared impressively well for a raunchy comedy, earning a supporting actor nod for Melissa McCarthy and an original screenplay nod for co-writer Kristen Wiig.

Overall, the major Oscar contenders seem to be critical darlings that lack widespread public support, making it tough to pick a winner. What's more, "Hugo" could be a weaker front-runner than it appears, with about half of its 11 nods in low-profile technical categories.

The 84th Academy Awards ceremony airs Feb. 26 on ABC.