'Avatar' eyes awards season gold at Golden Globes
Saturday, 16 January 2010
LOS ANGELES, Jan 15 (AFP): Hollywood's awards season cranks into overdrive Sunday with science-fiction epic "Avatar" hoping to score vital pre-Oscars momentum with victory at the 67th Golden Globe Awards.
James Cameron's 3-D spectacular has electrified the movie world since its release in mid-December, becoming the second highest-grossing movie of all time and earning more than 1.3 billion dollars in a matter of weeks.
The film -- about peace-loving blue aliens battling a greedy human corporation seeking to plunder their planet's resources -- is being talked about as a milestone in the history of cinema.
The 500 million dollar blockbuster is vying for four honors at this weekend's awards, which begin in Beverly Hills at 5.30 pm (0130 GMT).
As well as best picture, "Avatar" has nods for best director (Cameron), best original score and best original song.
However the film faces stiff competition from recession-era drama-comedy "Up In the Air", which has six nominations, as well as the gripping Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker", which has three nominations.
Nods for "Up In the Air" include best actor (George Clooney), best director (Jason Reitman) as well as nominations for Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.
In a quirk of fate, "The Hurt Locker's" director Kathryn Bigelow finds herself nominated for best director alongside ex-husband Cameron.
Quentin Tarantino ("Inglourious Basterds") and Clint Eastwood ("Invictus") complete the field.
James Cameron's 3-D spectacular has electrified the movie world since its release in mid-December, becoming the second highest-grossing movie of all time and earning more than 1.3 billion dollars in a matter of weeks.
The film -- about peace-loving blue aliens battling a greedy human corporation seeking to plunder their planet's resources -- is being talked about as a milestone in the history of cinema.
The 500 million dollar blockbuster is vying for four honors at this weekend's awards, which begin in Beverly Hills at 5.30 pm (0130 GMT).
As well as best picture, "Avatar" has nods for best director (Cameron), best original score and best original song.
However the film faces stiff competition from recession-era drama-comedy "Up In the Air", which has six nominations, as well as the gripping Iraq war drama "The Hurt Locker", which has three nominations.
Nods for "Up In the Air" include best actor (George Clooney), best director (Jason Reitman) as well as nominations for Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick.
In a quirk of fate, "The Hurt Locker's" director Kathryn Bigelow finds herself nominated for best director alongside ex-husband Cameron.
Quentin Tarantino ("Inglourious Basterds") and Clint Eastwood ("Invictus") complete the field.