84th Annual Academy Award Nominations: BEST PICTURE

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS

A nine-year-old amateur inventor, Francophile, and pacifist searches New York City for the lock that matches a mysterious key left behind by his father, who died in the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

Director: 

Stephen Daldry

Writers: 

Eric Roth (screenplay), Jonathan Safran Foer(novel)

Stars:

 Thomas Horn, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock

The DESCENDANTS

A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident.

Director: 

Alexander Payne

Writers: 

Alexander Payne (screenplay), Nat Faxon(screenplay)

Stars:

 George Clooney, Shailene Woodley and Amara Miller

HUGO

Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.

Director: 

Martin Scorsese

Writers: 

John Logan (screenplay), Brian Selznick (book)

Stars:

 Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz and Christopher Lee

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

A romantic comedy about a family traveling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

Director: 

Woody Allen

Writer: 

Woody Allen

Stars:

 Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates

MONEYBALL

The story of Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball club on a budget by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

Director: 

Bennett Miller

Writers: 

Steven Zaillian (screenplay), Aaron Sorkin(screenplay)

Stars:

 Brad Pitt, Robin Wright and Jonah Hill

THE HELP

An aspiring author during the civil rights movement of the 1960s decides to write a book detailing the African-American maid's point of view on the white families for which they work, and the hardships they go through on a daily basis.

Director: 

Tate Taylor

Writers: 

Tate Taylor (screenplay), Kathryn Stockett(novel)

Stars:

 Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer

THE ARTIST

Hollywood, 1927: As silent movie star George Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he sparks with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.

Director: 

Michel Hazanavicius

Writer: 

Michel Hazanavicius (scenario and dialogue)

Stars:

 Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo and John Goodman

THE TREE OF LIFE

The story centers around a family with three boys in the 1950s. The eldest son witnesses the loss of innocence.

Director: 

Terrence Malick

Writer: 

Terrence Malick

Stars:

 Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain

WAR HORSE

Young Albert enlists to service in WWI after his beloved horse, Joey, is sold to the cavalry. Albert's hopeful journey takes him out of England and across Europe as the war rages on.

Director: 

Steven Spielberg

Writers: 

Lee Hall (screenplay), Richard Curtis (screenplay)

Stars:

 Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson and David Thewlis