Oscars

63rd Golden Globe Predictions

Predicting the Golden Globes is quite a different game than predicting the Oscars, but it can nevertheless be fun. So, in preparation for tomorrow night's ceremony, let's have a quick look at the nominations. That might also give me the opportunity to review the movies that I have yet to watch.

The great thing about the Golden Globes is the fact that they split the major categories into separate awards for Drama and Comedy/Musical. In the Drama category Brokeback Mountain is the clear favorite. The spoilers could be Woody Allen's latest - Matchpoint or, more likely the critically acclaimed Good Night and Good Luck. On the Comedy/Musical side, the frontrunner is the Johnny Cash story - Walk the Line. Predicting spoilers here is not easy as the Globe voters are likely to enjoy pretty much any of other movies. I would go with The Squid and the Whale though.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Capote) and Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain) are dueling for the lead actor in a drama award, while Joaquim Phoenix is the most likely to leave with the similar award for comedy/musical. As female lead in a dramatic role the battle seems to be between Felicity Huffman (Transamerica) and perhaps Charlize Theron in North Country. Reese Witherspoon on the other hand, should have little worries about not receiving the award in the parallel category for her role in Walk the Line.

Supporting actor/actress categories are quite open though. I would go with George Clooney for his role in Syriana and Scarlett Johansson in Matchpoint or Frances McDormand in North Country.

Best Director is another relatively open race. Ang Lee I believe has the first chance, but Woody Allen and George Clooney are well in contention. The screenplay award is a 5-way toss-up as far as I'm concerned

In the best foreign film category I have only seen Kung Fu Hustle which is tremendous fun and an interesting nomination, but an extremely unlikely winner. The only other film that I heard about is the Palestine movie Paradise Now which I predict as the winner.

Tune in tomorrow evening for the full show, including awards in Television categories.