2016 Golden Globe nominations topped by 'Carol,' 'Big Short'

(CNN)"Carol," Todd Haynes' film about a lesbian affair in 1950s New York, led the nominations for the 73rd Annual Golden Globes on Thursday morning, earning five overall.

The film picked up nods for best drama, actresses Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, director Haynes and its score.
Golden Globes: The fast facts
Also making out well in the nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association: the comedy "The Big Short," about the 2008 financial crisis; "The Revenant," the Leonardo DiCaprio movie about a 19th-century explorer left for dead; and "Steve Jobs," the Aaron Sorkin-penned drama about the Apple founder. Each received four nominations.
But the sheer number of Globe nominations didn't necessarily establish hard-and-fast front-runners.
"The Martian," the hit film about an astronaut stranded on Mars, picked up three nods, but they were big ones: best comedy or musical, star Matt Damon and director Ridley Scott.
The inclusion of "The Martian" in the comedy/musical division was a source of controversy to start with. It will compete against "The Big Short," "Trainwreck," "Joy" and "Spy."

Aside from "Carol," the best drama nominees are "The Revenant," "Spotlight," "Room" and "Mad Max: Fury Road."

Bounty for some, surprises for others:

Some Globe nominees woke to find themselves with more than they expected.
Swedish actress Alicia Vikander had a big day.
She was nominated for both best actress in a drama for her performance in "The Danish Girl" and best supporting actress as the human-seeming robot in "Ex Machina."

Mark Rylance, who dazzled as spy Rudolf Abel in "Bridge of Spies," earned a nomination for that film performance, as well as a nomination for his performance in the TV miniseries "Wolf Hall."

Amy Schumer picked up a best actress in a comedy nomination for her performance in "Trainwreck."
The film, which she co-wrote, also earned a nomination for best comedy or musical.

(Amy Schumer ✔@amyschumer
Me with my first globe predicting this moment #tbt Holy hell!
Thank you Hollywood foreign press!!
This is a dream).