Robin Pottratz2009 Golden Globe Film Predictions
January 11th 2009 20:58
The 2009 Golden Globes are Back
Tonight marks the beginning of the full on Oscar season. Many critics and industry insiders view the Golden Globes as little more than a popularity contest. This year, there are some valid complaints. No nominations in the best picture categories for either Milk or The Wrestler strain the credibility of the awards. Unlike last year's press conference due to the writers' strike, the party is back and should still be a fun night...even if it is not particularly important.
Here are my predictions in the various film categories:
Best Supporting Actor:
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
The fact that Tom Cruise was nominated in this category over Josh Brolin Milk or Michael Shannon Revolutionary Road just furthers the notion that the Globes are overly superficial. While I would give it to either Hoffman or Downey Jr. I believe that the Heath Ledger sentiment tour continues with a Globes win for his hammed up Joker.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Christina Barcelona
This may be the toughest category to call. I love all of these nominees and I think that they are all worthy of their nods. It will come down to either Cruz or Winslet with a potential Viola Davis upset. I am going with my gut and saying that they give the Globe to Kate Winslet.
Best Actor, Comedy or Musical:
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Colin Farrell, In Bruges
Javier Bardem, Vicky Christina Barcelona
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
James Franco, Pineapple Express
I would love to see James Franco's turn as a stoner on the run be rewarded with a Globe. However, I think it boils down like this: Franco: They don't want to give it to a stoner. Bardem: Won an Oscar and Globe last year...they would prefer not to do it 2 years in a row. Farrell and Gleeson are in the same film so they split the vote. This leaves the old veteran Dustin Hoffman to grab the limelight one more time to add another Golden Globe to an already stellar resume.
Best Actress, Comedy or Musical:
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Christina Barcelona
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
In this category, you have to go with the nominee who has the best chance at making the cut for an Academy Award. That would be Sally Hawkins in the critically acclaimed yet audience starved Happy-Go-Lucky.
Best Actress, Drama:
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Kristen Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep, Doubt
This race comes down to the young Hathaway as a trainwreck arriving for her sister's wedding and the veteran Streep for her performance as a disciplinarian nun who accuses a priest of child molestation. Just like at the Critics' Choice Awards, this could end up as a tie. That is unlikely so barring that...I saw that they give it to the bigger star...Streep.
Best Actor Drama:
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Sean Penn, Milk
This is a category where I could see 4 of the 5 nominees potentially winning (sorry Leo). Brad Pitt could win if they want to give it to a star. Frank Langella has strong buzz, but no hardware to show for his acclaimed performance as Richard Nixon. It realistically comes down to Mickey Rourke's comeback performance in The Wrestler or Sean Penn's embodiment of gay civil rights leader Harvey Milk in Milk. Rourke gets my vote...but not the votes of the Hollywood Foreign Press...Penn takes the Globe.
Best Original Song:
"Down to Earth," WALL-E - Performed by Peter Gabriel
"Gran Torino," Gran Torino - Performed by Clint Eastwood
"I Thought I Lost You" Bolt - Performed by Miley Cyrus
"Once in a Lifetime," Cadillac Records - Performed by Beyonce Knowles
"The Wrestler," The Wrestler - Performed by Bruce Springsteen
Its the Boss vs everyone else. I see Bruce taking home a Globe for this blue collar anthem about broken dreams and renewed hope.
Best 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
The two names with the most buzz in this category are noticeably absent: Jenny Lumet for Rachel Getting Married and Dustin Lance Black for Milk. With those names gone, the category gets a lot more difficult to pick. It comes down to either Peter Morgan or Simon Beaufoy. I think that Slumdog gets some love in this category and Beaufoy gets the win.
Best Director:
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Sam Mendes Revolutionary Road
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Throughout awards season, it has been between Danny Boyle and David Fincher. I think that the Globes gives it to the more commercial director...that means Fincher.
Best Animated Feature:
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E
Three nominees, Three Hits. The Hollywood Foreign Press must be so conflicted...this category can't just be a popularity contest because all of the nominees were popular. In this case, I give the edge to the critically acclaimed tale of a little robot with binocular eyes who stole my heart...WALL-E.
Best Picture, Comedy:
Burn After Reading
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Happy-Go-Lucky
Vicky Christina Barcelona
The temptation is to go for the most critically acclaimed films: Happy-Go-Lucky vs Vicky Christina Barcelona. However, we cannot count out the one mega-hit in this category Mamma Mia! I think that Vicky Christina Barcelona has a slight edge over Happy-Go-Lucky...but those two could be reversed.
Best Picture, Drama:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Its Slumdog vs Button. David Fincher's reverse aging pic had initial strong buzz, but that has given way to Slumdog Millionaire stealing the hearts of moviegoers and critics. I think that the Globes gives the nod to Benjamin Button but Slumdog finishes a close second.
Tonight is an event that is two years in the making. So if you are at home just watching the event on your couch. Just sit back, pop open some wine, champagne...or if you want champale, and enjoy the festivities. Sure this is all about Hollywood vanity...but that doesn't make it any less fun.
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