Golden Globe Winners Draw First Blood as Oscars Approach

Despite playing in only 683 theatres nationwide, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain swept the Golden Globes and will cut a tremendous figure in the upcoming Academy Awards. Indeed, while many believed that the film would only catch Best Director or Best Film, leaving Fernando Meirelles's The Constant Gardener and Woody Allen's Match Point to compete for the other Globe, Brokeback stunned its competition, taking home four of its seven nominations: Best Director, Best Screenplay, Best Original Song, as well as Best Film.

Other seeming Oscar heavyweights included Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Talented Mr. Ripley) for his starring role in Capote as well as Joaquin Phoenix (Signs) and Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde) for their roles in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, which is also a sure contender for Best Picture at the Oscars.