Tis the Season: The Golden Globes

Here's a biggie! No, the Golden Globes are not always automatic indicators of what the Academy Award nominations will be but they are certainly the second biggest awards show of the season and usually a pretty good time. Their nominations have officially been announced and here is what jumps out at me right away. UP IN THE AIR leads with six nominations, including one for Best Picture. This Jason Reitman film is a lock for a Best Picture nomination now, along with Jason Reitman and George Clooney. It isn't certain that the love will trickle down to Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga but both ladies earn nods here so that helps. PRECIOUS earns a nod for Best Picture but director, Lee Daniels misses out. That's going to hurt his Oscar odds somewhat. Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique get their recognition though so their chances just improved even more. Sorry, Mariah; I think your early buzz is dead. Three actors earn double nods. Sandra Bullock continues the best year of her career with a nod for THE PROPOSAL and THE BLIND SIDE. She will not be considered for an Oscar for THE PROPOSAL but her odds just greatly increased for THE BLIND SIDE. Meryl Streep takes two nods for JULIE & JULIA and IT'S COMPLICATED. Her JULIE & JULIA odds increasing exponentially by the day now. And Matt Damon grabs a nod for THE INFORMANT and a supporting nod for INVICTUS. Of the three, he is the only one who has chances of scoring both nods at the Oscars as well. NINE earns a lot of love here but that could be because the Globes honour comedies and musicals separately. It isn't a sure thing that this support will carry over come Oscar time. And AVATAR gets its first award season love, scoring nods for Picture and Director. It could end up being a surprise at the Oscars depending on what happens after it officially launches in theatres this weekend.

Here is a full list of the major nominees. Click on any highlighted title to read the Black Sheep review.

BEST PICTURE - DRAMA

AVATAR
THE HURT LOCKER
INGLORIOUS BASTERDS
PRECIOUS
UP IN THE AIR

BEST PICTURE - COMEDY

(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
THE HANGOVER
IT'S COMPLICATED
JULIE & JULIA
NINE

ACTOR - DRAMA

Jeff Bridges, CRAZY HEART
George Clooney, UP IN THE AIR
Colin Firth, A SINGLE MAN
Morgan Freeman, INVICTUS
Tobey Maguire, BROTHERS

ACTRESS - DRAMA

Emily Blunt, THE YOUNG VICTORIA
Sandra Bullock, THE BLIND SIDE
Helen Mirren, THE LAST STATION
Carey Mulligan, AN EDUCATION
Gabourey Sidibe, PRECIOUS

ACTOR - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Matt Damon, THE INFORMANT
Daniel Day-Lewis, NINE
Robert Downey Jr., SHERLOCK HOLMES
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
Michael Stuhlberg, A SERIOUS MAN

ACTRESS - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Sandra Bullock, THE PROPOSAL
Marion Cotillard, NINE
Julia Roberts, DUPLICITY
Meryl Streep, IT'S COMPLICATED
Meryl Streep, JULIE & JULIA

DIRECTOR

Kathryn Bigelow, THE HURT LOCKER
James Cameron, AVATAR
Clint Eastwood, INVICTUS
Jason Reitman, UP IN THE AIR
Quentin Tarantino, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Matt Damon, INVICTUS
Woody Harrelson, THE MESSENGER
Christopher Plummer, THE LAST STATION
Stanley Tucci, THE LOVELY BONES
Christoph Waltz, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Penelope Cruz, NINE
Vera Farmiga, UP IN THE AIR
Anna Kendrick, UP IN THE AIR
Mo'Nique, PRECIOUS
Julianne Moore, A SINGLE MAN

SCREENPLAY

DISTRICT 9
THE HURT LOCKER
IT'S COMPLICATED
UP IN THE AIR
INGLORIOUS BASTERDS

ANIMATED FEATURE

CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS
CORALINE
FANTASTIC MR. FOX
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
UP!

The Golden Globe winners will be announced on January 17, 2010.

Source: Variety