While “12 Years a Slave” and “American Hustle” (with seven noms each in the the 71st annual Golden Globes) had the most reason to celebrate, the biggest adrenaline rushes were for “Rush,” “Philomena,” “Mandela: The Long Walk to Freedom” and “Labor Day,” which scored more than expected. However, “Dallas Buyers Club” and “Saving Mr. Banks” must be feeling short-changed with two and one noms, respectively, while”Lee Daniels’ The Butler,” Lone Survivor” and “Fruitvale Station” were shut out completely.

But whether filmmakers are feeling confident or glum, they should remember that the Globes in this past decade have proven a fairly unreliable predictor of Oscar. However, they are invaluable as a promotional tool to the general public.

Golden Globes Nominations: The Full List

Runners-up in the noms were Paramount’s Alexander Payne film “Nebraska,” with five bids, and “Captain Phillips” and “Gravity,” with four apiece. Those top five scorers were also nommed for director. Landing three bids a piece were CBS Films’ “Inside Llewyn Davis,” the Weinstein Co.’s duo of “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” and “Philomena,” and Warner Bros.'”Her.” Sony led studios with 11, followed by TWC with nine; Searchlight and Par, eight apiece and WB, seven.

Nominations for motion picture drama are “12 Years a Slave,” “Captain Phillips,” “Gravity,” “Philomena” and “Rush.” In the comedy/musical were “American Hustle,” “Her,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “Nebraska” and “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

PHOTOS: Stars React to the Golden Globe Nominations

Due to rules of the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., there are only three animated contenders: “The Croods,” “Despicable Me 2” and “Frozen.” However, Oscars will have five in that category. The HFPA does not consider foreign-language toons, which is why “The Wind Rises” is in the foreign-language category, rather than feature animation. The HFPA began the toon category with the films of 2007, and this is the first time that Pixar hasn’t made the cut, as “Monsters University” was AWOL.

It’s interesting that the HFPA, consisting of journalists writing for non-U.S. publications, chose five of the most high-profile foreign-language releases this year: “Blue is the Warmest Color,” “The Great Beauty,” “The Hunt,” “The Past” and the animated “The Wind Rises.”

Golden Globes Nominations: “Homeland,” “Mad Men” Shut Out

While half of the nominations are devoted to TV (see separate story), the film side gets more attention, because of the Globes are part of the awards season culminating in the Academy Awards. But in general, the Globes’ wide range of nominees is confirmation of what we already knew: There are a lot of good films this year and no clear front-runner for Oscar.

Fox Searchlight’s “12 Years a Slave” and Warner Bros.’ “Gravity” continued their long trek toward Oscar, being touted as possible front-runners since early September. But several December openers are giving them a run for their money, including Sony’s “American Hustle,” as well as “Inside Llewyn Davis,” and Paramount’s “The Wolf of Wall Street,” which scored for comedy and lead Leonardo DiCaprio, but not for supporting Jonah Hill or director Martin Scorsese. And the Weinstein Co.’s “August: Osage County” earned bids for comedy lead Meryl Streep and supporting Julia Roberts, but not direction, script or best comedy film.

But “Osage,” “Dallas Buyers Club” and “The Butler” can take heart: On Wednesday, they received noms for the SAG Ensemble award (along with “Hustle” and “12 Years”) and last year four of the five ensemble contenders went on to an Oscar best-pic nomination.

‘Good Wife’: Carrying Kudos Flag for Big 4 Dramas

With so many good films this year, there were few shock inclusions, but the Globes recognized some work that had generally been under appreciated this season, including comedy lead Greta Gerwig and Joaquin Phoenix, and supporting Sally Hawkins. Robert Redford bounced back with a nom for “All is Lost,” after being ignored in the SAG Awards noms of Wednesday. The Weinstein Co.’s “Philomena” seemed like a sure bet for actress Judi Dench, but its noms for best-pic and screenplay (by Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope) were bonuses. And when “Nebraska” bowed at Cannes, the buzz centered on Bruce Dern, but the Globes voters recognized it in other key categories as well, including comedy pic, director (Payne), script (Bob Nelson) and supporting actress (June Squibb).

Universal’s “Rush” made a big comeback. After its splashy Toronto launch, it was touted as an awards hottie, and its recognition for supporting actor Daniel Bruhl at SAG and Globes, and today’s drama-pic nom means it’s back in the race.

For years, the Globes touted themselves as an accurate gauge of the Academy Awards, and from 1995-2002, that was true: one of the two Globe winners (either drama or musical/comedy) went on to win the best picture Oscar 87% of the time.

Golden Globes: 17 Biggest Movie Snubs and Surprises

But for 2003-2011, the percentage was only 33%. The change began when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences moved the ceremony a month earlier. The Globes used to be held in the middle of Oscar balloting; however, for the past decade, the Globes have been held after Oscar voting has closed. Perhaps they had served as a reminder of what Oscar voters needed to see, and thus there was a correlation.

Last year was an example of the mixed message. Warner Bros.’ “Argo” won the Globe and then the top Oscar; seven of the 10 Globe pic nominees (drama and musical/comedy) proceeded to earn Oscar noms. But in the directors race, only two contenders went on to Oscar bids (Ang Lee, Steven Spielberg), and the Globes’ eventual winner Ben Affleck (“Argo”) was not even nominated for an Oscar, as the world no doubt recalls.

However, as the HFPA’s oracle powers have diminished, their self-sufficient powers have grown. Studio execs sometimes grumble about the Globes, but always support them. TV is a key factor. The HFPA says the show is seen by 250 million viewers in 160 countries. The ceremony is a great place to tout the nominated films as well as upcoming releases; as long as the Globes deliver the audience, the studios will deliver the stars.

Final balloting begins Dec. 23, with a Jan. 8 deadline. Awards will be handed out Jan. 12 at the BevHilton, with Tina Fey and Amy Poehler again hosting the telecast, which will be broadcast live on NBC.

Complete list of nominees:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

Philomena

Rush

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

Cate Blanchett, “Blue Jasmine”

Sandra Bullock, “Gravity”

Judi Dench, “Philomena”

Emma Thompson, “Saving Mr. Banks”

Kate Winslet, “Labor Day”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

Chiwetel Ejiofor, “12 Years a Slave”

Idris Elba, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

Tom Hanks, “Captain Phillips”

Matthew McConaughey, “Dallas Buyers Club”

Robert Redford, “All Is Lost”

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

American Hustle

Her

Lleywn

Nebraska

The Wolf Of Wall Street

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Amy Adams, “American Hustle”

Julie Delpy, “Before Midnight”

Greta Gerwig, “Frances Ha”

Julia Dreyfus, “Enough Said”

Meryl Streep, “August: Osage County”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Christian Bale, “American Hustle”

Bruce Dern, “Nebraska”

Oscar Isaac, “Inside Llewyn Davis”

Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Wolf of Wall Street”

Joaquin Phoenix, “Her”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Frozen

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

Blue is the Warmest Color

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Past

The Wind Rises

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Sally Hawkins, “Blue Jasmine”

Jennifer Lawrience “American Hustle”

Lupita Nyong’o, “12 Years a Slave”

Julia Roberts, “August: Osage County”

June Squibb, “Nebraska”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

Barkhad Abdi, “Captain Phillips”

Daniel Brühl, “Rush”

Michael Fassbender, “12 Years a Slave”

Bradley Cooper, “American Hustle”

Jared Leto, “Dallas Buyers Club”

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

Alfonso Cuaron, “Gravity”

Paul Greengrass, Captain Phillips”

Steve McQueen, “12 Years a Slave”

Alexander Payne, “Nebraska”

David O. Russell, “American Hustle”

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

Her – Spike Jonze

Nebraska – Bob Nelson

Philomena – Jeff Pope, Steve Coogan

12 Years A Slave – John Ridley

American Hustle – Eric Warren Singer, David O. Russell

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

Alex Ebert, All Is Lost

Alex Heffes, Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom

John WIlliams, The Book Thief

Hans Zimmer, 12 Years A Slave

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

Atlas, Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Let It Go, Frozen

Ordinary Love, Mandela

Please Mr Kennedy, Inside Llewyn Davis

Sweeter Than Fiction, One Chance

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

The Good Wife

House Of Cards

Masters Of Sex

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

Julianna Nargulies, The Good Wife

Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black

Taylor Schilling, Orange Is The New Black

Kerry Washington, Scandal

Robin Wright, House Of Cards

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”

Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

Michael Sheen, “Masters of Sex”

Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”

James Spader, “The Blacklist”

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

The Big Bang Theory

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Girls

Modern Family

Parks & Recreation

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Zooey Deschanel, “New Girl”

Lena Dunham, “Girls”

Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”

Amy Poehler, “Parks & Recreation”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jason Bateman, “Arrested Development”

Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”

Michael J. Fox, “The Michael J. Fox Show”

Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”

Andy Samberg, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”

BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

American Horror Story: Coven

Behind The Candelabra

Dancing on the Edge

Top of the Lake

White Queen

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Helena Bonham Carter, “Burton and Taylor”

Rebecca Ferguson, “White Queen”

Jessica Lange, “American Horror Story: Coven”

Helen Mirren, “Phil Spector”

Elisabeth Moss, “Top of the Lake”

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Josh Charles, The Good Wife

Rob Lowe, Behind the Candelabra

Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad

Corey Stoll, House of Cards

Jon Voight, Ray Donovan

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Jacqueline Bisset, Dancing on the Edge

Janet McTeer, The White Queen

Hayden Panettiere , Nashville

Monica Potter, Parenthood

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

Matt Damon, “Behind the Candelabra”

Michael Douglas, “Behind the Candelabra”

Chiwetel Ejiofor, “Dancing on the Edge”

Idris Elba, “Luther”

Al Pacino, “Phil Spector”