British romance Atonement leads Golden Globe nominees

The historical romance Atonement, based on Ian McEwan's bestselling novel, led a vast field of nominees Thursday morning for the Golden Globe Awards, one of Hollywood's highest honours and an important precursor to the Oscars.

The Second World War saga scored a leading seven nominations, including best motion picture drama and acting nods for stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, at an early morning announcement at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Vying against Atonement for best dramatic film are legal drama Michael Clayton,early oil-boom epic There Will Be Blood,inspirational college tale The Great Debaters and crime thrillers American Gangster, No Country for Old Men and Eastern Promises, the latest from Canadian film auteur David Cronenberg.

Nominees for best motion picture comedy or musical include the Beatles-inspired Across the Universe,Afghan war tale Charlie Wilson's War, the musical adaptationsHairspray and Sweeney Todd and teen pregnancy comedy Juno.

Montreal-born director Jason Reitman's sophomore effort, Juno was among the morning's multiple nominees, also winning recognitionfor its first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody and its Canadian star, Ellen Page.

Page, who in recent weeks has won accolades from several critics groups for playingthe whip-smart titular teen who finds herself pregnant, will compete for best actress in a film comedy or musical against Amy Adams (Enchanted), Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray), Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) and Marion Cotillard (La Vie En Rose).

Aside from Knightley, contenders for best actress in a dramatic film include Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth: The Golden Age), Julie Christie (Away From Her), Jodie Foster (The Brave One) and Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart).

Atonement's McAvoy faces stiff competition in the dramatic film actor category from the likes of George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Denzel Washington (American Gangster) and Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises).

Canadian actor Ryan Gosling, star of the quirky but sweet Lars and the Real Girl, will vie for the Golden Globe trophy for best actor in a motion picture comedy or musical. His competition includes Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd), Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War), Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages) and John C. Reilly (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story).

Canadians had many reasons to cheer Thursday, including for Hollywood icon Julie Christie's best actress nomination for her turn in Sarah Polley's feature film debut, Away From Her, as well as for Gosling, who has increasingly won critical acclaim for his film performances overthe past few years.

Canadian actors were also among the Golden Globe television contenders, including Adam Beach and Anna Paquin for their performances in the TV movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, William Shatner for his continuing role on Boston Legal and Donald Sutherland for the new series Dirty Sexy Money.

Composer Howard Shore will also compete in the race for the best original score trophy for his work on Cronenberg's Eastern Promises.

Other film nominees include:

• Director: Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd; Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men; Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; Ridley Scott, American Gangster; Joe Wright, Atonement.
• Screenplay: Diablo Cody, Juno; Ethan Coen and Joel Coen, No Country for Old Men; Christopher Hampton, Atonement; Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Wilson's War.
• Foreign language: 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days; The Diving Bell and the Butterfly; The Kite Runner; Lust, Caution; Persepolis.
• Animated film: Bee Movie; Ratatouille; The Simpsons Movie.
• Supporting actress: Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There; Julia Roberts, Charlie Wilson's War; Saoirse Ronan, Atonement; Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone; Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton.
• Supporting actor: Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford; Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men; Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War; John Travolta, Hairspray; Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton.

In the television categories,a host ofshows scored multiple nominations, including the TV movie Bury My Heartat Wounded Knee, drama series such as The Tudors, Mad Men, Big Love and House, as well as comedies 30 Rock, Pushing Daisies, Extras, Entourage and Californication.

Television nominees include:

• Drama series: Big Love; Damages; Grey's Anatomy; House; Mad Men; The Tudors.
• Actress, drama: Patricia Arquette, Medium; Glenn Close, Damages; Minnie Driver, The Riches; Edie Falco, The Sopranos; Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters; Holly Hunter, Saving Grace; Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer.
• Actor, drama: Michael C. Hall, Dexter; Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Hugh Laurie, House; Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors; Bill Paxton, Big Love.
• Series, musical or comedy: 30 Rock; Californication; Entourage; Extras; Pushing Daisies.
• Actress, musical or comedy: Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?; America Ferrera, Ugly Betty; Tina Fey, 30 Rock; Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies; Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds.
• Actor, musical or comedy: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Steve Carell, The Office; David Duchovny, Californication; Ricky Gervais, Extras; Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies.
• Miniseries or movie: Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; The Company; Five Days; Longford; The State Within.
• Actress, miniseries or movie: Bryce Dallas Howard, As You Like It; Debra Messing, The Starter Wife; Queen Latifah, Life Support; Sissy Spacek, Pictures of Hollis Woods; Ruth Wilson, Jane Eyre.
• Actor, miniseries or movie: Adam Beach, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; Ernest Borgnine, A Grandpa for Christmas; Jim Broadbent, Longford; Jason Isaacs, The State Within; James Nesbitt, Jekyll.
• Supporting actress, series, miniseries or movie: Rose Byrne, Damages; Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters; Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy; Samantha Morton, Longford; Anna Paquin, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee; Jaime Pressly, My Name Is Earl.
• Supporting actor, series, miniseries or movie: Ted Danson, Damages; Kevin Dillon, Entourage; Jeremy Piven, Entourage; Andy Serkis, Longford; William Shatner, Boston Legal; Donald Sutherland, Dirty Sexy Money.

Notably missing from this year's list of film nominees were Judd Aptow's raunchy comedy hits Knocked Up and Superbad, while the lone Sopranos contender for a Golden Globe is actress Edie Falco.

Presented each year by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the Golden Globes are known for celebrating a wider range of films than the Academy Awards and more television newcomers than the Emmy Awards.

Considered the second-biggest film honours in Hollywood, the Golden Globes seem to hold significant sway over many Academy Awards voters, so the annual prize is considered one of the most prominent indicators of which films will go on to be Oscar nominees.

The Golden Globe Awards will be presented Jan. 13, just over a week before the Oscar nominations are announced. The televised gala will also include a tribute to Steven Spielberg, who is set to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement.