The road to the Oscars did not become any clearer at the 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards, with the top prizes being divided among several films. The most popular award show leading up to the Academy Awards, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which hosts the Golden Globes, is seen as a harbinger for predicting not only the Oscars, but the Emmy Awards for television as well.
Honors for Best Motion Picture – Drama went to Steve McQueen's harrowing slavery drama "12 Years a Slave," which came into the night with seven nominations. Taking the award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, "American Hustle," won an unusually competitive category that included other critical and audience favorites: "Nebraska," "Her," "Inside Llewyn Davis" and "The Wolf of Wall Street." The 1970s crime farce directed by David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook") also took home awards for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy (Amy Adams), and Best Supporting Actress went to Jennifer Lawrence, who won her second Golden Globe in two years.
Rather than going to the filmmaker of a Best Motion Picture winner, the honor for Best Director went to Alfonso Cuaron for the groundbreaking space thriller, "Gravity." The award for Best Screenplay went to Spike Jonze for futuristic romantic comedy "Her."
The award for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy went to perennial Oscar snub Leonardo DiCaprio, who joked that he "never thought he'd win a Golden Globe for a comedy." On the drama side, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, Matthew McConaughey won the award for Best Actor in a Drama for his role as HIV/AIDS activist Ron Woodroof in "Dallas Buyers Club." McConaughey's co-star in the film, Jared Leto, also won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama. Rounding out the acting categories, Cate Blanchett continued her march to an Oscar by winning Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Woody Allen's "Blue Jasmine."
In the television categories, newcomer "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" is the surprise winner of the night, taking home the award for Best Comedy Series and Best Actor in a Comedy for star Andy Samberg.
"Breaking Bad" continued its climb into the pantheon of television history winning Best Drama Series and the first Best Actor in a Drama Golden Globe for Bryan Cranston.
Another big winner was HBO's Liberace biopic "Behind the Candelabra," taking home awards for Best Movie or Mini-Series and acting awards for stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon.
The Golden Globes are most notable for the often bizarre and hilarious speeches winners give on its stage. The most memorable speech of the night was delivered by Best Supporting Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie winner Jacqueline Bisset, generating a storm of Twitter activity. Also notable was "Saving Mr. Banks" star Emma Thompson's boozy presentation of the award for Best Screenplay, which she performed barefoot with a martini in hand. The Globes are commonly considered the most "fun" part of awards season, and this year they did not disappoint.
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