They might not have quite the same prestige as the Academy Awards, but the Golden Globes remain a major event on the awards season calendar. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association organised Globes do, however, serve as a valuable early indicator of the people and films attracting particular attention as another cinematic year draws to a close. The awards also celebrate television achievements - a medium the Oscars strictly do not include.

Anyone who has been keeping an eye on the general critical mood is unlikely to be surprised by the nominations, with the likes of Gravity, 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle leading the charge. In terms of the drama category, Gravity, 12 Years a Slave, Rush, Captain Phillips and Philomena will be vying for Best Film. For musical or comedy, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, American Hustle, The Wolf of Wall Street and Her have received nominations. Both categories are dominated by the latest films from acclaimed and award-winning directors.

In terms of acting, the numerous acting categories feature a who's who of talent. One of the more interesting categories will see both Michael Douglas and Matt Damon 'face-off' in 'Best Actor in a Mini-Series or TV Movie' for their work in Behind the Candelabra.

One category looking a little sparse this year is 'Best Animated Feature Film', with only three films - Frozen, Despicable Me 2 and The Croods - making the cut. This is the first time since 2008 that only three films have been nominated. Particularly notable is the absence of Pixar for Monsters University. The studio has won all but one of the animation awards since the category's introduction in 2006, with Adventures of Tintin beating the poorly received Cars 2 two years ago. However, even Cars 2 received a nomination.

Some of the main categories are listed below, or check out the full list on the Golden Globes website.

Golden Globes 2014

Best Motion Picture (Drama)

• 12 Years a Slave
• Captain Phillips
• Gravity
• Philomena
• Rush

Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

• American Hustle
• Her
• Inside Llewyn Davis
• Nebraska
• The Wolf of Wall Street

Best Foreign Language Film

• Blue Is The Warmest Color (France)
• The Great Beauty (Italy)
• The Hunt (Denmark)
• The Past (Iran)
• The Wind Rises (Japan)

Best Director (Motion Picture)

• Alfonso Cuaron, Gravity
• Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips
• Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
• Alexander Payne, Nebraska 
• David O. Russell, American Hustle

Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy)

• Christian Bale, American Hustle
• Bruce Dern, Nebraska
• Leonardo Di Caprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
• Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
• Joaquin Phoenix, Her

Best Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) 

• Chiwetel Ejiofor,12 Years a Slave
• Idris Elba, Mandela
• Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips
• Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
• Robert Redford, All is Lost

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

• Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave
• Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
• Bradley Cooper, American Hustle
• Daniel Brühl, Rush
• Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama)

• Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
• Sandra Bullock, Gravity
• Judy Dench, Philomena
• Emma Thompson, Saving Mr. Banks
• Kate Winslet, Labour Day

Best Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Drama)

• Meryl Streep, August: Osage County
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said
• Amy Adams, American Hustle
• Julie Delpy, Before Midnight
• Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

• Sally Hawkins, Blue Jasmine
• Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
• Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave
• Julia Roberts, August Osage County
• June Squibb, Nebraska

Best TV Miniseries or Movie

• American Horror Story: Coven
• Behind the Candelabra
• Dancing on the Edge
• Top of the Lake
• White Queen