Golden Globe Predictions - Who Will Win? Who Should Win?

The Golden Globes are always a good time - lots of big name winners, lots of booze, and this year's hosts (Amy Poehler and Tina Fey) are sure to give us many a drunken laughs. But to get serious, here are my predictions as to who will win tonight.

FILM

BEST PICTURE: DRAMA
Best Chance: LINCOLN
Second Place: ZERO DARK THIRTY
Eh... Probably not: ARGO and LIFE OF PI
At least you can put it on the DVD: DJANGO UNCHAINED
My personal fav: ZERO DARK THIRTY


BEST PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Best Chance: LES MISERABLES
Second Place: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Eh... Probably not: MOONRISE KINGDOM and EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL
Just be happy you were nominated: SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN
My personal fav: SILVER LININGS, but MOONRISE would be a sweet win too.


BEST DIRECTOR
Best Chance: Steven Spielberg for LINCOLN
Second Place: Kathryn Bigelow for ZERO DARK THIRTY
Eh... Probably not: Ben Affleck for ARGO and Ang Lee for LIFE OF PI
Just be happy you were nominated: Quentin Tarantino for DJANGO UNCHAINED
My personal fav: Kathryn Bigelow - duhhh.


BEST ACTOR: DRAMA
Best Chance: Daniel Day-Lewis in LINCOLN
Second Place: Joaquin Phoenix in THE MASTER
Eh... Probably not: Denzel Washington in FLIGHT and John Hawkes in THE SESSIONS
Just be happy you were nominated: Richard Gere in ARBITRAGE
My personal fav: Joaquin!


BEST ACTRESS: DRAMA
Best Chance: Jessica Chastain in ZERO DARK THIRTY
Second Place: Naomi Watts in THE IMPOSSIBLE
Eh... Probably not: Marion Cotillard in RUST & BONE
Just be happy you were nominated: Helen Mirren in HITCHCOCK and Rachel Weisz in THE DEEP BLUE SEA
My personal fav: I got a fever, and the only prescription is more Chastain!


BEST ACTOR: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Best Chance: Bradley Cooper in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Second Place: Hugh Jackman in LES MISERABLES (this is one of the closest races)
Just face it - no one voted for you...: Jack Black in BERNIE, Ewan McGregor in SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN, and Bill Murray in HYDE PARK ON HUDSON
My personal fav: Bradley Cooper was the shit.


BEST ACTRESS: MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Best Chance: Jennifer Lawrence in SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Second Place: There is no 2nd place for this category... sorry, ladies.
You're all great, but...: Meryl Streep in HOPE SPRINGS, Judi Dench in THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, Emily Blunt in SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN, and Maggie Smith in QUARTET
My personal fav: Is this even a questions? Jennifer.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Best Chance: Tommy Lee Jones in LINCOLN
Second Place: Philip Seymour Hoffman in THE MASTER
Eh... Probably not: Alan Arkin in ARGO and Christoph Waltz in DJANGO UNCHAINED
Just be happy you were nominated: Leonardo DiCaprio in DJANGO UNCHAINED
My personal fav: Philip Seymour Hoffman... makes me sad THE MASTER isn't getting a whole lot of recognition.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Best Chance: Anne Hathaway in LES MISERABLES
Second Place: Sally Field in LINCOLN
Eh... Probably not: Helen Hunt in THE SESSIONS and Amy Adams in THE MASTER
Just be happy you were nominated: Nicole Kidman in THE PAPERBOY
My personal fav: Annie.


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Best Chance: AMOUR
Second Place: RUST & BONE
Eh... Probably not: THE INTOUCHABLES and A ROYAL AFFAIR
Who are you?!: KON-TIKI
My personal fav: THE INTOUCHABLES!!! (Though, I haven't seen AMOUR yet.)


BEST SCREENPLAY
Best Chance: ZERO DARK THIRTY
Second Place: LINCOLN
Well, maybe...: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Eh... Probably not: ARGO
Just be happy you were nominated: DJANGO UNCHAINED
My personal fav: SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Best Chance: LINCOLN
Second Place: LIFE OF PI
Eh... Probably not: ARGO
Just be happy you were nominated: ANNA KARENINA and CLOUD ATLAS
My personal fav: ANNA KARENINA


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Best Chance: BRAVE
Second Place: WRECK-IT-RALPH
Eh... Probably not: RISE OF THE GUARDIANS and FRANKENWEENIE
Just be happy you were nominated: HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA
My personal fav: None. Didn't see any of these.


BEST ORIGINAL SONG
Best Chance: "Skyfall" from SKYFALL
Second Place: "Suddenly" from LES MISERABLES
Eh... Probably not: "Safe and Sound" from THE HUNGER GAMES
Just be happy you were nominated: "Not Running Anymore" from STAND UP GUYS and "For You" from ACT OF VALOR
My personal fav: Adele, y'all! (SKYFALL)

TELEVISION


BEST TELEVISION SERIES: DRAMA
Best Chance: HOMELAND
Second Place: DOWNTON ABBEY
Eh... Probably not: BOARDWALK EMPIRE and BREAKING BAD
Just be happy you were nominated: THE NEWSROOM
My personal fav: C'mon! HOMELAND!!!!!!!!


BEST TELEVISION SERIES: MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Best Chance: GIRLS
Second Place: MODERN FAMILY
Eh... Probably not: SMASH and EPISODES
Just be happy you were nominated: THE BIG BANG THEORY
My personal fav: GIRLS!


BEST MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Best Chance: GAME CHANGE
Second Place: HATFIELDS & McCOYS
Um... I don't even know who you are: THE GIRL, THE HOUR, and POLITICAL ANIMALS
My personal fav: Didn't see any!


BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES: DRAMA
Best Chance: Damian Lewis in HOMELAND
Second Place: Bryan Cranston in BREAKING BAD
Eh... Probably not: Jeff Daniels in THE NEWSROOM, Steve Buscemi in BOARDWALK EMPIRE, and Jon Hamm in MAD MEN
My personal fav: Sgt. Brody! (Damian Lewis)


BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES: DRAMA
Best Chance: Claire Danes in HOMELAND
Second Place: Connie Britton in NASHVILLE
Eh... Probably not: Julianna Margulies in THE GOOD WIFE and Glenn Close in DAMAGES
Just be happy you were nominated: Michelle Dockery in DOWNTON ABBEY
My personal fav: Claire Fucking Danes. <3 p="p">

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES: COMEDY
Best Chance: Louis C.K. in LOUIE
Second Place: Matt LeBlanc in EPISODES
Eh... Probably not: Jim Parsons in THE BIG BANG THEORY and Alec Baldwin in 30 ROCK
Just be happy you were nominated: Don Cheadle in HOUSE OF LIES
My personal fav: Honestly, I don't care. Louie, I guess haha.


BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES: COMEDY
Best Chance: Lena Dunham in GIRLS
Second Place: Amy Poehler in PARKS AND RECREATION
Eh... Probably not: Julia Louis-Dreyfus in VEEP and Zooey Deschanel in NEW GIRL
Just be happy you were nominated and so excited for your hosting!: Tina Fey in 30 ROCK
My personal fav: LENA BABY


BEST ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Best Chance: Kevin Costner in HATFIELDS & McCOYS
Second Place: Woody Harrelson in GAME CHANGE
Eh... Probably not: Clive Owen in HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN and Toby Jones for THE GIRL
Just be happy you were nominated: Benedict Cumberbatch in SHERLOCK
My personal fav: Don't know. Don't care.


BEST ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Best Chance: Julianne Moore in GAME CHANGE
Second Place: Jessica Lange in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM
Eh... Probably not: Nicole Kidman in HEMINGWAY & GELLHORN and Sigourney Weaver in POLITICAL ANIMALS
Just be happy you were nominated: Sienna Miller in THE GIRL
My personal fav: Jessica Lange! Sistah Jude!


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN ANYTHING TV
Best Chance: Mandy Patinkin in HOMELAND
Second Place: Eric Stonestreet in MODERN FAMILY
Eh... Probably not: Ed Harris in GAME CHANGE and Max Greenfield in NEW GIRL
Just be happy you were nominated: Danny Huston in MAGIC CITY
My personal fav: I might cry if Mandy wins.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN ANYTHING TV
Best Chance: Hayden Panettiere in NASHVILLE
Second Place: Maggie Smith in DOWNTON ABBEY
Eh... Probably not: Sofia Vergara in MODERN FAMILY, Archie Panjabi in THE GOOD WIFE, and Sarah Paulson in GAME CHANGE
My personal fav: Sarah Paulson, not for GAME CHANGE... I'll just chalk it up for AMERICAN HORROR STORY: ASYLUM

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress

Best of 2008: Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress

The women of 2008 have been so incredible that many great performances couldn't even make the top ten. The biggest names in Hollywood strut their stuff on the screen and the red carpet this year, and rightfully so.

Most of the acting I enjoy in the lead categories are of dramatic roles, however, two funny ladies made the cut. Rebecca Hall in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" was superbly sly and cunning opposite Scarlett Johansson. Hall played the woman with a wall blocking Javier's attempts and eventual triumph of woo, and turned her character into the more interesting one of the title roles. The other comedian, Sally Hawkins in "Happy-Go-Lucky," provides the funniest, soulful, and deeply hilarious performance of the year. She completely sparkles in the film and was terribly snubbed by SAG and the Oscars. Thank God she won a Golden Globe.

Then, there's the dramatic. The diva. The immaculate and untouchable. In three of the "simply complicated" roles, Melissa Leo, an actress I've never heard of, stars in "Frozen River" and delivers a punch as the desperate, surviving mom of two who will stop at nothing for the safety and health of her children - even transporting illegals over the frozen river on Canada's border. In "Rachel Getting Married," the abstruse relationships with everyone and Kym is what makes Anne Hathaway simmer. With enough teenage angst to create a "Catcher in the Rye" handbook, she is one of the five ladies I highly recommend to win. She's so damn empathetic, I can't even retell it. Finally, Michelle Williams' performance in "Wendy and Lucy" doesn't impale you with campaigning urgency right away. She sits in your stomach, working her way to your heart. An unforgettable role in the most simple of films, that, like her performance, blossoms into a complicated was with an unforgiving society. She's exceptional.

And now for the screamers - and I'm not including Jamie Lee Curtis. Meryl Streep proves that one can be happy in the sunshine and dancing on the beach during the summertime, and shift as winter grows colder, the leaves lie dead under the snow, and nothing can escape the chill. Her interpretation of "Doubt's" Sister Aloysius is phenomenal. She brings on the intensity, she gives us the accent, and she is so intimate with compassion. On paper, Aloysius is a complete bitch. Streep gave her humility, ambition, and weaknesses. I loved that. In "Revolutionary Road," Leo did most of the screaming, but Kate Winslet balanced with utter, eerie silence and blood-curdling blowouts. Her character was the most stimulating, escaping the housewife commonality into a world of dreams and hope. She fought as hard as she could to live a life they could love. She was painful and beautifully depressing. Last of the screamers is Angelina Jolie in "Changeling."

Finally, the two women who played the adult life of their characters, Hanna Schmitz for Kate Winslet (appearing for the second time on this list) and Daisy for Cate Blanchett. The two K(C)ate's take the art of acting to new levels, creating new stages with each scene, allowing their characters to flex and mold as age sets in and wrinkles cross their brow. Winslet, in a performance that nearly tops herself as Clementine in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," strips herself nude (literally and figuratively) to play a role destined for her in "The Reader." Blanchett surpasses beautiful, entering the realm of the insanely celestial. The brilliant cinematography of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" captured the royalty that is Blanchett.

So, I'd like to present the 2008 Top 10 Performances by a Leading Actress:

10. Cate Blanchett as Daisy in THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

9. Rebecca Hall as Vicky in VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

8. Angelina Jolie as Christine Collins in CHANGELING

7. Melissa Leo as Ray Eddy in FROZEN RIVER

6. Michelle Williams as Wendy in WENDY AND LUCY

5. Kate Winslet as April Wheeler in REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

4. Anne Hathaway as Kym in RACHEL GETTING MARRIED

3. Sally Hawkins as Poppy in HAPPY-GO-LUCKY

2. Meryl Streep as Sister Aloysius Beauvier in DOUBT

1. Kate Winslet as Hanna Schmitz in THE READER

Golden Globe Predictions - Who's Going to Win

On Sunday, the Golden Globes will be back after last year's "reading" of the winners due to the writer's strike. So, after watching the winners of the Critic's Choice Awards, and after viewing MOST of the films nominated, I think I have a pretty good shot of predicting the winners. Let's see how I do:

FILM
BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Prediction: Slumdog Millionaire
Correct!

BEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Prediction: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Correct!

ACTOR, DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Prediction: Sean Penn
Wrong... Rourke

ACTRESS, DRAMA
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Prediction: Anne Hathaway
Wrong... Winslet

ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell, In Bruges
James Franco, Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
Prediction: Dustin Hoffman
Wrong... Farrell

ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
Prediction: Sally Hawkins
Correct!

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Prediction: Heath Ledger
Correct!

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Prediction: Kate Winslet
Correct!

DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road
Prediction: Danny Boyle
Correct!

SCREENPLAY
Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire
David Hare, The Reader
Peter Morgan, Frost/Nixon
Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley, Doubt
Prediction: Simon Beaufoy
Correct!

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)
Everlasting Moments (Sweden)
Gomorrah (Italy)
I've Loved You So Long (France)
Waltz With Bashir (Israel)
Prediction: Waltz With Bashir
Correct!

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Prediction: WALL-E
Correct!

ORIGINAL SCORE
Alexandre Desplat, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Clint Eastwood, Changeling
James Newton Howard, Defiance
A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millionaire
Hans Zimmer, Frost/Nixon
Prediction: A.R. Rahman
Correct!

ORIGINAL SONG
"Down to Earth," WALL-E; music by Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman; lyrics by Peter Gabriel
"Gran Torino," Gran Torino; music by Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens; lyrics by Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
"I Thought I Lost You," Bolt; music & lyrics by Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
"Once in a Lifetime," Cadillac Records; music & lyrics by Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
"The Wrestler," The Wrestler; music & lyrics by Bruce Springsteen
Prediction: Bruce Springsteen
Correct!

TELEVISION
TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Dexter
House
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood
Prediction: True Blood
Wrong... Mad Men

ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
January Jones, Mad Men
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Prediciton: January Jones
Wrong... Paquin

ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
Prediction: Jon Hamm
Wrong... Byrne

TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds
Prediction: 30 Rock
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
Prediction: Tina Fey
Correct!

ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Prediction: David Duchovny
Wrong... Baldwin

MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
A Raisin in the Sun
Bernard and Doris
Cranford
John Adams
Recount
Prediction: John Adams
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Judi Dench, Cranford
Catherine Keener, An American Crime
Laura Linney, John Adams
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Susan Sarandon, Bernard and Doris
Prediciton: Shirley MacLaine '
Wrong... Linney

ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ralph Fiennes, Bernard and Doris
Paul Giamatti, John Adams
Kevin Spacey, Recount
Kiefer Sutherland, 24: Redemption
Tom Wilkinson, Recount
Prediction: Paul Giamatti
Correct!

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Prediction: Dianne Wiest
Wrong... Dern

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
Prediction: Tom Wilkinson
Correct!

Final Grade: 16/25 = 64%