Golden Globe Predictions

And awaaaaay we go...

Best Motion Picture, Drama - The King's Speech 

The Social Network has been the critical darling all awards season long and one would surely think it would and will win here, but that is not necessarily the case.  The Globes awarded Atonement over No Country For Old Men (a film similarly lauded by critics, myself included) a few years back and I think this year will follow suit with The King's Speech taking top honours.  I still think The Social Network will win the Oscar though.  But then again, the year end awards no longer have much of the surprise factor as they once did, so perhaps picking a surprise to win this one is a somewhat poor idea.

Best Motion Picture, Comedy/Musical - Alice in Wonderland 

The race here is between the good, though not great Kids and the horrible, and nothing but Alice.   There is no doubt in my mind that The Kids Are All Right should take home this award.  Though it wasn't a great film (many claim it was) it is certainly heads and shoulders (as they say) above the competition here.  Why far superior comedies such as Easy A or City Island or Greenberg or even The Other Guys were not nominated in place of the other dreck or semi-dreck, we may never know.  In the end though, I think the Globes are going to go populist over credibility here and give the award to Alice in Wonderland. 

Best Director - David Fincher for The Social Network

Even though I think the man's film is going to get beaten out for the top award, Fincher will still probably win the Director award, especially considering King's director Tom Hooper is a virtual unknown.  We could see a surprise in Aronofsky (I would love that) but I think this is Fincher's award to win.

Best Actor, Drama - Colin Firth in The King's Speech

Last year, Jeff Bridges lesser work in Crazy Heart beat out Firth's far superior work in A Single Man, so this should be Firth's award this time around - and his performance as the stammering King George VI is indeed worthy in its own right, even without the make-up votes.  Of course James Franco could give him a bit of competition since he holds his picture together pretty much single-handedly.

Best Actress, Drama - Natalie Portman in Black Swan

Although personally I would give this award to Michelle Williams (I would pretty much give any award or anything for that matter, to Michelle Williams) I cannot see anyone but Natalie accepting the Globe here.

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical - Kevin Spacey in Casino Jack

Two nominations for Johnny Depp?   And in two of his worst roles/performances!?  Where is Ben Stiller in Greenberg?  Andy Garcia in City Island?  Even Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim.  Anyway, I don't think any of these nominees are even in the Oscar race, so this is a total free-for-all.  I suppose Depp winning for Alice isn't out of the question though - people do love the guy, even in lesser work.

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical - Annette Bening in The Kids Are All Right

This should cement the whole Natalie vs. Annette Oscar showdown that is surely coming in a month.  I would love to see Emma Stone steal this away from La Bening but it ain't gonna happen.

Best Supporting Actor - Christian Bale in The Fighter

Probably the one and only true lock in any of the acting categories.  It would be a huge huge huge surprise to hear any name other than Christian Bale called.   Not much more to say on this one.

Best Supporting Actress - Amy Adams in The Fighter

As much of a lock that Supporting Actor is, that's how up in the air this one is.  I would not be surprised at hearing any of these names called out.  I think Adams will prevail though since she jumps out of her normal comfort zone with this role and that always impresses.

Best Screenplay - Aaron Sorkin for The Social Network

I don't really see this one going any other way (a fantastic screenplay and already an Oscar shoo-in) but we probably shouldn't count out Kids or even King's, but it should be Sorkin all the way.

Best Animated Feature - Toy Story 3

Though I would love to see The Illusionist win this one, but Pixar has NEVER lost this award and they are not about to do so with what may very well be their most popular movie ever.

Best Foreign Language Film - Biutiful

This is a race between Biutiful and I Am Love and I have gone back and forth between the two several times and decided to just flip a coin (I didn't really flip a coin, I just thought that sounded better).  Seriously though, the Globes are much better at this category than the Oscars usually are, awarding such things as The White Ribbon and Waltz With Bashir, so perhaps I should go back to I Am Love instead.

Best Original Score - Alexandre Desplat for The King's Speech 

I would love love love to see The Social Network take this one.  That way Trent Reznor would be a Golden Globe winner.  Alas, though, the award will probably go to the safer (but still rather good in many ways) King's Speech score.  Of course they could always toss a bone to Inception and give it to Hans Zimmer.

Best Original Song - You Haven't Seen the Last of Me from Burlesque

 

I really have no idea about this one (the Oscar equivalent is the same) so I just decided to pick the one sung by Cher.  Who knows? 

See ya Sunday night...  


*addendum (post show recap):

And I only got 8 right (and 6 wrong!?).  Granted, I went out on a limb predicting The King's Speech to beat The Social Network (I didn't think the HFPA would get it right) and who would have thought they would hand an award to Trent Reznor (!?).  Anyway, not a great prediction rate, but my Oscar predix will be better, since I probably won't go out on any more limbs.