Hollywood picks

The Golden Globe nominees were announced Thursday by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "Birdman" stars Michael Keaton as a failed action actor who tries to make a comeback on Broadway. It also features Zach Galifianakis, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts.

"Birdman" is hotly trailed by "Boyhood" and "The Imitation Game," which each received five nominations. "Boyhood" by director Richard Linklater is an impressive cinematic experiment that captures the essence of American childhood by tracing the same cast of actors over a 12-year period. Linklater won the Silver Bear for Best Director for the coming-of-age drama at this year's Berlin International Film Festival.

Meanwhile, the British-American historical thriller "The Imitation Game" tells the story of the British computer scientist Alan Turing, who was a key code-breaker for the Allies during World War II but was later persecuted for his homosexuality. Benedict Cumberbatch stars in the lead role.

"Boyhood" and "The Imitation Game" will be competing against "Foxcatcher," "Selma" and "The Theory of Everything" in the best drama category. "Birdman" is vying for the title of best picture, comedy or musical together with "St. Vincent," "Grand Budapest Hotel," "Into the Woods" and the independent British film "Pride."

"Grand Budapest Hotel" turned up in additional categories, with nominations for lead Ralph Fiennes as best actor and Wes Anderson for screenplay and director.

The Golden Globes will be presented in a ceremony on January 11 in Beverly Hills. Recognized as one of Hollywood's most coveted accolades, they often serve as a barometer for the Oscars in February.

kbm/gsw (Reuters, AFP, AP)