The 71st Annual Golden Globe Awards nominations have just been released, and the nominees are hardly a surprise. Celebrating the best in film and Television, the Globes is generally seen as less pretentious than its big brother the Oscars.

While the TV shows get some press, the Globes is really all about the films. Whoever wins usually has a good chance of repeating that success at the Oscars. That said, 12 Years a Slave and American Hustle lead the way with an impressive 7 nominations each. While both are nominated for Best Motion Picture 12 Years a Slave is included in the Drama category whereas American Hustle is in the Comedy/Musical slot. Expect both of those films to win Best Motion Picture in their respective categories and duke it out for the Best Picture Oscar down the road.

12 Years a Slave is also in prime position to win in the Screenwriting, Lead Actor in a Motion Picture, and Director categories. Steve McQueen, the director behind 12 Years a Slave has been on an upward trend ever since his 2008 directorial debut, Hunger, lit up the Cannes Film Festival. With a win here he would become the most in demand filmmaker in Tinseltown.

Reigning Best Actress (Drama) winner Jennifer Lawrence finds herself front and center at the Globes again. America's favorite actress and media darling can do no wrong thanks to her scintillating turn as Rosalyn Rosenfeld in American Hustle. Expect her to runaway with the Supporting Actress win here.

Things get trickier when trying to pinpoint a winner in the female lead acting (drama) categories. In the Drama section, Sandra Bullock's turn as doctor-turned-astronaut Ryan Stone in the critical and commercial smash hit Gravity gives her a slight lead. One would think she would be in good position to win her second Globe after her 2009 triumph in The Blind Side. But esteemed actresses Cate Blanchett, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench and Kate Winslet join Bullock in a crowded group with all having been nominated before.

Who do you think will win? Let us know in the comments.

The Golden Globes air Jan. 12, 2014 on NBC.