The Golden Globes are one of the biggest film and television awards in the world. Winning an award from them will almost always top the C.V.s of anyone involved in film. 2012 has been one of the best years in film for a long time, with many films being deemed 'instant classics'. Although, of course, that's said every year, with just a quick glance at the calibre of performances, narrative and cinematography this year it's easy to see why it's being said.

2012's nominations were revealed today with few surprises. The favourites during speculation included Argo, Lincoln, Zero Dark Thirty and The Master, and they haven't failed to impress in the Globes' nominations. Lincoln's set to be a big winner with seven nominations, while Argo has 5 nominations, Zero Dark Thirty has 4 and The Master has 3. All four, except The Master, are also in the running for Best Motion Picture, competing alongside Ang Lee's Life of Pi and Quentin Tarantino's re-envisioning of a slave narrative, Django Unchained

Tarantino's film received 5 nominations, which included two in the category for Best Supporting Performance by an Actor, for Christoph Waltz and Leonardo Dicaprio, which proves to us that it's more than worth the watch. Best Director nominations mirrors the Best Motion Picture, and include Ben Affleck (Argo), Stephen Spielberg (Lincoln), Ang Lee (Life of Pi), Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained), which is no surprise really. 

Britain's Downton Abbey also received three nominations in the categories of Best Television Series, Best Performance by an Actress for Michelle Dockery and Best Supporting Performance by an Actress for Dame Maggie Smith.

Here's the full rundown for a few of the other main categories:

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A DRAMA MOTION PICTURE 

Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY)
Marion Cotillard (RUST AND BONE)
Helen Mirren (HITCHCOCK)
Naomi Watts (THE IMPOSSIBLE)
Rachel Weisz (THE DEEP BLUE SEA)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A DRAMA MOTION PICTURE

Daniel Day-Lewis (LINCOLN)
Richard Gere (ARBITRAGE)
John Hawkes (THE SESSIONS)
Joaquin Phoenix (THE MASTER)
Denzel Washington (FLIGHT)

BEST MOTION PICTURE - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
LES MISERABLES
MOONRISE KINGDOM
SALMON FISH IN GIN THE YEMEN
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

BRAVE
FRANKENWEENIE
HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS
WRECK-IT RALPH