Avatar wins best film

Source:Rebekah van Druten and wires, ABCNews

The Oscars race began in earnest today, with James Cameron's Avatar being named best film drama and The Hangover claiming the top comedy trophy at the Golden Globes.

Box office blockbuster Avatar also earned Cameron the best director Globe.

The film has been hailed as a cinematic milestone for its use of state-of-the-art 3D cameras and motion-capture technology which Cameron has been instrumental in helping to develop.

"This is the best job in the world," he told the star-studded audience at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Earlier, Cameron said he had been expecting to lose out in the best director category to ex-wife Kathryn Bigelow, who was nominated for Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker.

"I'm unprepared," he admitted.

"Frankly I thought Kathryn was going to get this. But make no mistake, I'm very grateful."


Acting awards

Among Hollywood stars, Sandra Bullock earned the title of best drama actress for her role in The Blind Side, while Jeff Bridges was named best dramatic actor for his turn as a down-and-out country singer in Crazy Heart.

Bridges had been nominated for a Golden Globe on three previous occasions but never won.

"You're really screwing up my under-appreciated status," he joked before dedicating the award to his wife and family.

Robert Downey Jr won the Golden Globe for best comedy actor for Sherlock Holmes.

Meryl Streep, meanwhile, won her seventh Golden Globe for comedy Julie And Julia.

Inglourious Basterds' Chistoph Waltz was named best supporting actor. The 53-year-old Austrian has already won a slew of top honours for his performance as a sadistic Nazi army officer in Tarantino's bloody World War II revenge fantasy.

"Thank you very very much," he said.

"A year and a half ago I was exposed to the gravitational forces of Quentin Tarantino. He took my modest little world and with the power of his talent and his words, he flung it into his orbit. A dizzying experience."

Mo'Nique - going against her reputation as a comedienne and playing an abusive mother in Precious: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire - earned the best supporting actress Globe.

"Thank you God for this amazing ride that you're allowing me to go on," the emotional actress told the audience.

"I tell y'all - I'm shaking. I'm in the midst of my dream."

Disney adventure Up won two Golden Globes: best animated movie and best original score.

The White Ribbon scooped the Golden Globe for best foreign language film, while Up In The Air garnered writing honours for Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner.

The Golden Globes are given out by some 90 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to film and television stars.

A win today is likely will give movies the momentum they need in the race for the Oscars - the world's top film honours, which will handed out on March 7.


Aussie winners and losers

Among television awards, Mad Men claimed its third straight Golden Globe for best drama and Glee was named best comedy or musical.

Nominated Aussies had mixed success, with Toni Collette being named best actress in a TV comedy series but Rose Byrne and Simon Baker missing out in their categories.

"Gee thank you so much. This is a real pleasure," Collette said on accepting her award.

"The last time I came here 15 years ago I was on the loo and missed my whole category," she quipped.

Collette trumped Courteney Cox (Cougar Town), Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie), Tina Fey (30 Rock) and Lea Michele (Glee).

Baker was nominated for for best actor in a TV drama series for The Mentalist, but that Globe went to Michael C Hall for his role in Dexter.

Byrne got a nod for her the supporting role in drama Damages, but Big Love's Chloe Sevigny was the winner.

Australian actress Nicole Kidman opened today's proceedings with an appeal for donations to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

"I just want to say - on a serious note - a lot of people are wearing ribbons tonight in support of the people of Haiti and you can go to NBC.com to make your personal contribution," she said.

In other top TV awards, Julianna Margulies was named best actress in a drama for The Good Wife and 30 Rock's Alec Baldwin won the Golden Globe for best actor in a comedy.

Grey Gardens was named best made-for-TV movie and its star Drew Barrymore took home the best actress in a TV movie Globe.

Finally, Kevin Bacon was named best actor in TV movie for Taking Chance.