There can only be one winner on the day. But some Hollywood stars didn't even make the starting line up for next year's Golden Globes.
The Globes may not be the most glamorous awards of the year - but they're the first - and, personally, my favourite.
They lead the charge and set the tone for the awards season - and the speeches are better thanks to the free-flowing booze that sets the Globes apart from the much drier Oscars.
There's rarely a year that the Oscar nominations don't mirror the Globes. The one notable exception was 2006 - when Crash didn't feature once on the Globes rundown but went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Still, that's one exception in decades. So it's pretty fair to say those nominated today have a good shot at Oscar gold. And those who didn't make the cut are unlikely to get the call up later on.
Which will be a bitter blow for those who had been revelling in their "early Oscar buzz".
Clint Eastwood received a rare snub this year, with his latest directorial effort Hereafter shut out completely. Both he and his leading man Matt Damon earned Oscar nods for Invictus last year (a particularly mediocre film) but didn't rate a mention this time around.
Slumdog Millionaire director - and former toast of the town - Danny Boyle was also snubbed for his new drama, 127 Hours. Although his star - and next year's Oscar host - James Franco scored a best actor nod.
Ben Affleck's second directorial effort The Town earned glowing reviews when it debuted in October but was largely shut out of the nominations. Only Jeremy Renner (from The Hurt Locker) was singled out for best supporting actor.
Affleck has long struggled to be taken seriously in Hollywood, where people tend to think of him as Matt Damon's drippy sidekick and J-Lo's ex, rather than the accomplished filmmaker he's trying so hard to be.
Likewise, Justin Timberlake might have impressed audiences as the egotistical Sean Parker in The Social Network - but the Hollywood Foreign Press is still to be convinced. (As will anyone who goes to see him as Boo Boo in Yogi Bear...)
Leonardo DiCaprio was also missing from the list of accolades - despite two stellar performances this year in Shutter Island and Inception - marking one of the first times he hasn't scored a Golden Globe nod.
And the Coen brothers were left on the bench for their new Western, True Grit - which also saw this year's Oscar winner Jeff Bridges left off the nominee list.
Of course there can only be so many nominees. But it must hurt a bit to find out Johnny Depp and Anglina Jolie are both nominated for their roles in the critically-savaged thriller The Tourist.
Still, at least they can console themselves knowing four out of every five nominees will be a loser on the night.
As we all know, awards don't count for poppycock. Until you win one.
Check out the full list of Golden Globe nominations here.
Read more of Joanna Hunkin's articles.
