Leigh Paatsch's guide to who'll win, and who'll plaster on a fake smile at Monday's Golden Globes

WHO will walk away victorious from Monday's Golden Globes, and who will head home disappointed? Leigh Paatsch takes his best shot

Sandra Bullock in the movie Gravity.

TOMORROW morning Australian time, the biggest buzz in the film world will be coming from a star-studded awards dinner in Los Angeles.

In recent times, the Golden Globes have set the agenda for who will dominate the Hollywood awards season, which traditionally culminates at the Oscars in early March.

Australian film fans following the Globes will be closely monitoring the Best Actress (Drama) category, where Cate Blanchett is a wildly popular nominee for her acclaimed performance in Blue Jasmine.

VOTE: Who do you think should win? Follow this link and have your say.

Should Blanchett win as expected at the Globes, she will become a virtual certainty to win the coveted Best Actress Oscar.

The major categories are dominated by American Hustle, Gravity and 12 Years a Slave, with the latter pair expected to be duelling for Best Picture at the Oscars depending on how they fare here.

The Golden Globe Awards will be broadcast live on FOX 8 on Monday. Red Carpet coverage commences at 11am, and the ceremony at noon. FOX 8 will repeat the broadcast at 8.30pm that evening.

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Best Motion Picture, Drama

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

Philomena

Rush

And the winner is ...

12 Years a Slave. A complex, challenging true story told with great passion, empathy and outrage, 12 Years a Slave would be a standout movie in any year. Though its graphic depiction of the abuse of African American slaves in the mid-1800s is not as palatable to Globes voters as the sedate sci-fi charms of Gravity, the sheer impact of the production should get it across the line.

Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical

American Hustle

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

The Wolf of Wall Street

And the winner is ...

American Hustle. Ticks all the right boxes for this category. An all-star ensemble all brought their A-game. The true-ish crime caper story was clever, funny and absolutely gripping. And most importantly of all, the film was electrifyingly entertaining from start to finish. Only the controversial The Wolf of Wall Street has a vague shot at causing a boilover.

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

And the winner is ...

Alfonso Cuaron. Though Gravity will not prevail over 12 Years a Slave in the Best Picture (Drama) contest, a strong case can be made for the Mexican Cuaron to trump the British McQueen. Cuaron's innovative work looks certain to wield a seismic influence on cinematic storytelling in the years to come.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years A Slave

Idris Elba, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

Tom Hanks, Captain Phillips

Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Robert Redford, All Is Lost

And the winner is ...

Chiwetel Ejiofor. The strongest line-up in this category for many years. Ejiofor should get the nod for not putting a foot wrong in the demanding 12 Years a Slave. The British actor is in virtually every scene of the picture, and conveys the enduring sorrow and dignity of his character with great force.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama

Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock, Gravity

Judi Dench, Philomena

Emma Thompson, Saving Mr Banks

Kate Winslet, Labour Day

And the winner is ...

Cate Blanchett. Australia, your next Oscar winner is ready! A blazing, career-best display from Blanchett in Blue Jasmine has been the gold standard in the Best Actress categories for the entire awards season so far. As the hottest favourite of the Globes' ceremony, Blanchett should rightly consider this a dress rehearsal for the Academy Awards.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Christian Bale, American Hustle

Bruce Dern, Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf Of Wall Street

Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis

Joaquin Phoenix, Her

And the winner is ...

Bruce Dern. The closest contest of the night pits the respected veteran character actor Dern against the established contemporary star power of DiCaprio. As the Globes' voters are a conservative bunch, Dern's depiction of a cantankerous coot chasing a lottery prize looks a preferable option to Leo's abrasive money mogul.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Amy Adams, American Hustle

Julie Delpy, Before Midnight

Greta Gerwig, Francis Ha

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Enough Said

Meryl Streep, August: Osage County

And the winner is ...

Amy Adams. A clear winner in what can only be described as an esoteric field of contenders. Adams was a subtle anchoring presence in American Hustle, handling both the hilarious and the heavy stuff with deceptive ease. Four prior Globes noms for no wins is the only hurdle she needs to clear.

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture

Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips

Daniel Bruhl, Rush

Bradley Cooper, American Hustle

Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave

Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club

And the winner is ...

Jared Leto. After several years in the Hollywood wilderness, the talented Leto is back in the game big-time after his virtuoso showing as a transsexual AIDS victim in the indie biopic Dallas Buyers Club. Bookies will be hoping he doesn't win: Leto has been the subject of a global betting plunge to also win the equivalent Oscar since Globes nominations were released.

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

And the winner is ...

Lupita Nyong'o. Many pundits had Jennifer Lawrence as a total lock for her sizzling display in American Hustle, but she might have to take a back seat to a total newcomer. Kenyan-raised Nyong'o issues a heartbreaking portrayal in 12 Years A Slave that will not be forgotten by all who witness it.

Best Animated Feature Film

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Frozen

And the winner is ...

Frozen. In a rare awards year where Pixar Studios is not a factor, the way should be clear for a resurgent Disney animation division to take the spoils here. The winter wonderland conjured by Frozen looks amazing in 3D, and a catchy book of original songs should seal the deal.

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