Avatar on Track for Oscar Domination

The movie, which won the awards for best movie and best director, was the third highest grossing film in US history, making $491 million in a mere 3 weeks and dethroning Star Wars from the same position in the process. Avatar's win also saw the more critically-acclaimed Hurt Locker and Up in the Air sidelined. Nine received 5 nominations as well, but no wins.

At the same awards, Toni Collette received a Golden Globe for best actress in a television series comedy or musical for her role in United States of Tara. The series depicts a woman's struggle with dissociative identity disorder and her own dysfunctional family. The win is her first, although she has been nominated 3 times previously.

Fellow Australians Simon Baker (The Mentalist) and Rose Byrne (Damages) did not fare as well in their respective categories for best performances in a drama TV series and in a supporting role in a series, miniseries or tele-movie.

Host Ricky Gervais pulled no punches with Mel Gibson, saying, "I like a drink as much as the next man... unless the next man is Mel Gibson."