WELL, this is becoming interesting.

No sooner had the Academy Awards left Ben Affleck out of the running for best director than America's Broadcast Film Critics Association named him as such at the weekend.

This has now been followed by a clutch of Golden Globes for Argo, Affleck's Iranian hostage drama, including best director.

Might Uncle Oscar be embarrassed come February 24?

At this time of year there seem to be as many awards ceremonies as there are cases of the common cold.

Popular wisdom once had it that the race was all over bar the blubbing once the Golden Globes were announced.

Didn't they point the way to who was going to win an Oscar? In reality, they rarely did.

This year, the Academy even brought its nominations announcement forward, to make it plain that its voters were not influenced by who won at the GGs.

That the Globes, decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, should go for Argo over Lincoln for best drama was a typical Globes surprise.

After its 12 Oscar nominations, Spielberg's biopic looked like sweeping all before it. Not so far, though. With one notable exception, that is.

If you have a farm to bet, Daniel Day-Lewis now looks like a safe punt for the best actor Oscar.

Otherwise, the prizes fell where they were expected, between Anne Hathaway for Les Miserables and Amour for foreign film.

That left the speeches and the hosts to supply the gasps and laughs. Adele did Queen and country proud with her "I'm just a mum here for a night out" speech, while Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's naughty but nice double act meant that Ricky Gervais was not missed.

Roll on the Baftas, where both Argo and Lincoln are up for best film.

Let battle commence – again.