The Awards race heated up today with Anthony Minghella's civil war drama, Cold Mountain gaining no less than eight nominations in this year's Golden Globes. The nominations gave Minghella's film an early lead, pulling ahead of the pack closely followed by Mystic River and indie fave Lost In Translation, which gained five nods each. Peter Jackson staked his claim, gaining four nominations for The Return of the King while Tim Burton received a similar number for Big Fish. The Return of the King may not have swept the categories but it has made its mark in the two that count - Best Director and Best Film, leaving hope that Peter Jackson's seven-year endeavour will reap its just rewards. It's also pleasing to see Johnny Depp's role in Pirates of the Caribbean present, as well as Jack Black for School of Rock - who'd have thought? All in all the Brits did pretty well out of the nominations with nods for Minghella, Helen Mirren, Jude Law, Ben Kingsley, Richard Curtis and Albert Finney and two nominations in the Best Picture - Musical or Comedy - category for Bend It Like Beckham and Love, Actually. 'I am absolutely delighted to be in such great company,' beamed Law today when told of his nomination. 'I am also thrilled that the film which I am so proud of is being recognized." ** The full list of nominees:** Best Picture - Drama Cold Mountain The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Mystic River Seabiscuit
Best Picture - Musical/Comedy Bend it like Beckham Big Fish Finding Nemo Lost in Translation Love Actually Best Director Sofia Coppola, Lost in Translation Clint Eastwood, Mystic River Peter Jackson, ROTK Anthony Minghella, Cold Mountain Peter Weir, Master and Commander Best Actor - Drama Russell Crowe, Master and Commander Tom Cruise, The Last Samurai Ben Kingsley, House of Sand and Fog Jude Law, Cold Mountain Sean Penn, Mystic River Best Actor - Musical/Comedy Jack Black, School of Rock Johnny Depp, Pirates of the Caribbean Bill Murray, Lost in Translation Jack Nicholson, Something's Gotta Give Billy Bob Thornton, Bad Santa Best Actress - Drama Cate Blanchett, Veronica Guerin Nicole Kidman, Cold Mountain Scarlett Johansson, Girl with Pearl Earring Charlize Theron, Monster Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Evan Rachel Wood, Thirteen Best Actress - Musical/Comedy Jamie Lee Curtis - Freaky Friday Scarlett Johansson - Lost in Translation Diane Keaton - Something's Gotta Give Diane Lane - Under The Tuscan Sun Helen Mirren - Calendar Girls Best Supporting Actor Alec Baldwin, The Cooler Albert Finney, Big Fish William H. Macy, Seabiscuit Tim Robbins, Mystic River Peter Sarsgaard, Shattered Glass Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai Best Supporting Actress Maria Bello, The Cooler Patricia Clarkson, Pieces of April Hope Davis, American Splendor Holly Hunter, Thirteen Renee Zellweger, Cold Mountain Best Screenplay Lost in Translation Love, Actually Mystic River Cold Mountain In America Best Foreign Film Barbarian invasions Goodbye Lenin Osama The Return Best Score Girl With A Pearl Earring Big Fish ROTK Cold Mountain The Last Samurai Best Song Mona Lisa Smile ROTK Big Fish In America Cold Mountain