If you thought The Artist was an awards season juggernaut, then in the words of B.T.O., you ain't seen nothin' yet. As I casually segue from quoting a mid-‘70s rock band, this morning brought the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award nominations and much to no one's surprise, The Artist leads the way with a whopping 12 nominations.

The Artist will contend with The Descendants, Drive, The Help and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy for best picture. Stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo were nominated in the lead acting categories while Michael Hazanavicius picked up a directing nomination. He'll contend with Martin Scorsese (Golden Globe winner for Hugo), Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), Tomas Alfredson (Tinker, Tailor…) and Lynne Ramsay (We Need to Talk About Kevin).
 
The rest of the actors that will be up against Dujardin are George Clooney (Golden Globe winner for The Descendants), Brad Pitt (Moneyball), Michael Fassbender (Shame) and Gary Oldman (Tinker, Tailor…). Actresses contending with Bejo are Meryl Streep (Golden Globe winner for The Iron Lady), Michelle Williams (Golden Globe winner for My Week with Marilyn), Tilda Swinton (We Need to Talk About Kevin) and Viola Davis (The Help).
 
While the Academy Awards, which will announce their nominations next week, don't necessarily take their lead from the BAFTAs, the four categories mentioned above seem like locks for Oscar nominations.
 
The full list of nominees is below. BAFTA winners will be announced February 12.
 
Best Film: The Artist, The Descendants, Drive, The Help, Tinker Tailor Solider, Spy
 
Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, The Artist; George Clooney, The Descendants; Brad Pitt, Moneyball; Gary Oldman, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; Michael Fassbender, Shame
 
Best Actress: Berenice Bejo, The Artist; Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady; Michelle Williams, My Week with Marilyn; Tilda Swinton, We Need to Talk About Kevin; Viola Davis, The Help
 
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, Beginners; Jim Broadbent, The Iron Lady; Jonah Hill, Moneyball; Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn; Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Ides of March
 
Best Supporting Actress: Carey Mulligan, Drive; Jessica Chastain, The Help; Judi Dench, My Week With Marilyn; Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids; Octavia Spencer, The Help
 
Best Director: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist; Nicolas Winding Refn, Drive; Martin Scorsese, Hugo; Tomas Alfredson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; Lynne Ramsay, We Need To Talk About Kevin
 
Best Original Screenplay: Michael Hazanavicius, The Artist; Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo, Bridesmaids; John Michael McDonagh, The Guard; Abi Morgan, The Iron Lady; Woody Allen, Midnight in Paris
 
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants, The Help, The Ides of March, Moneyball, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
 
Best Animated Film: The Adventures of Tintin; Arthur Christmas; Rango
 
Best Foreign Film: Incendies, Pina, Potiche, A Separation, The Skin I Live In
 
Best Documentary: George Harrison: Living in the Material World, Project Nim, Senna
 
Best Original Music: The Artist, The Girl with Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse
 
Best Cinematography: The Artist, The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, Hugo, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, War Horse
 
Outstanding British Film: My Week with Marilyn, Senna, Shame, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, We Need to Talk About Kevin
 
Outstanding Debut: Joe Cornish, Attack the Block; Will Sharpe, Tom Kingsley, Sarah Brocklehurst, Black Pond; Ralph Fiennes, Coriolanus; Richard Ayoade, Submarine; Paddy Considine, Diarmid Scrimshaw, Tyrannosaur
 
Orange Wednesdays Rising Star Award: Adam Deacon, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Chris O'Dowd, Eddie Redmayne
 
BAFTA Fellowship Award: Martin Scorsese