March 1, 2011 - 10:15pm
Golden Predictions: Daily Arts Editors guess the outcomes of the Globes
BY JENNIFER XU AND KAVI SHEKHAR PANDEY
FILM — Jennifer Xu
Best Motion Picture – Drama
“Black Swan”
“The Fighter”
“Inception”
“The King’s Speech”
“The Social Network”
Should Win: “The Social Network”
Will Win: “The King’s Speech”
OK, I am just going throw out this out there, just so I can say “I told you so” — I really, truly believe that “The Social Network” has the momentum to win Best Picture on Oscar night. And I believe that it is a good choice — there is no movie this year more in-the-moment, in-your-face, hilarious, compelling or wildly deserving than Aaron Sorkin’s masterpiece. But the Globes are sugary and fluffy — much like “The King’s Speech” itself. The HFPA loves awarding stars for no more reason than being stars, and what “The King’s Speech” has going for it is a crapload of stars — Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter, Geoffrey Rush, Guy Pearce. Basically every single British star that doesn’t have a prior engagement to “Harry Potter.”
Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
“Alice in Wonderland”
“Burlesque”
“The Kids Are All Right”
“Red”
“The Tourist”
Should and Will Win: “The Kids Are All Right”
I have no words for this category. Considering that three-fifths of these nominees will likely make the Razzies shortlist, the default answer is going to be the one actually made by a legitimate filmmaker.
Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, “Black Swan”
David Fincher, “The Social Network”
Tom Hooper, “The King’s Speech”
Christopher Nolan, “Inception”
David O. Russell, “The Fighter”
Should and Will Win: David Fincher, “The Social Network”
Yes, a lot of credit for the film can be attributed to Sorkin’s rapid-fire dialogue, but Fincher is the one responsible for bringing the story of a lonely computer nerd to life. “The Social Network” isn’t a perfect movie, but the auteur stamp upon it is unmistakable – a chilly, intellectual atmosphere saturating each frame.
Best Actress – Drama
Halle Berry, “Frankie and Alice”
Nicole Kidman, “Rabbit Hole”
Jennifer Lawrence, “The Last Station”
Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”
Should Win: Jennifer Lawrence, "Winter's Bone"
Will Win: Natalie Portman, “Black Swan”
OK, seriously, Jennifer Lawrence is officially the under-buzzed actress of the year. Which is a shame, because any other year she would have been a shoo-in for the award — her ingénue status, her de-prettifying role, the sheer genius of her performance. But the momentum of Natalie Portman just can’t be matched. This year, Portman has a lot of things going for her: her name, the amount of weight she lost for the role, that creepy red eye in the trailer that haunts our dreams to this day. But most importantly, she’s pregnant. That’s totally worth a couple hundred votes.
Best Actor – Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, “The Social Network”
Colin Firth, “The King’s Speech”
James Franco, “127 Hours”
Ryan Gosling, “Blue Valentine”
Mark Wahlberg, “The Fighter”
Should and Will Win: Colin Firth, "The King’s Speech"
This win will be in part an acknowledgment of the sheer genius of Firth’s performance as King George VI, and in part an apology that he wasn’t given the award for his equally electrifying role in last year’s “A Single Man.” Plus, he’s just an awesome guy. Yes, Jesse Eisenberg might put up a little fight, but everybody knows that this is Firth’s year.
Best Actress – Comedy or Musical
Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
Anne Hathaway, “Love and Other Drugs”
Angelina Jolie, “The Tourist”
Julianne Moore, “The Kids Are All Right”
Emma Stone, “Easy A”
Should Win: Emma Stone, “Easy A”
Will Win: Annette Bening, “The Kids Are All Right”
For me, this is a very personal decision. Outside of the Globes, Emma Stone has been nominated for a grand total of zero awards, while Bening has been for seven, but oh how does she deserve one! It’s extremely difficult for the pretty young things of Hollywood today to play natural, but Stone exudes so much charm, cheer and deadpan it’s easy to overlook how hard playing such a role can be. Bening is a shoo-in for the award — her matriarch in “Kids” is both sassy and vulnerable, but come on, HFPA, spread the love.
Best Actor – Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp, “Alice in Wonderland”
Johnny Depp, “The Tourist”
Paul Giamatti, “Barney’s Version”
Jake Gyllenhaal, “Love and Other Drugs”
Kevin Spacey, “Casino Jack”
Should and Will Win: Johnny Depp, “Alice in Wonderland”
There’s obviously no good roles in this category if Johnny Depp’s going to be going against himself in two not-very-good roles. Regardless, he’ll probably win, and the rest of the performances are so unremarkable I have no problem with him taking the Globe home.
Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, “The Fighter”
Helena Bonham Carter, “The King’s Speech”
Mila Kunis, “Black Swan”
Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”
Jacki Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”
Should and Will Win: Melissa Leo, “The Fighter”
I’ve been a fan of Melissa Leo since her frigid turn in last year’s “Frozen River.” She feels real in this boxing biopic – a feral mother that protects her boxing sons like a lioness watching over her cubs. On that note, I’d also like to add that I am very, very impressed with the HFPA’s consideration of Jacki Weaver. She’s never going to actually win the whole award, but this will totally to increase viewage to the criminally underseen Australian drug film “Animal Kingdom”
Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, “The Fighter”
Michael Douglas, “Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps”
Andrew Garfield, “The Social Network”
Jeremy Renner, “The Town”
Geoffrey Rush, “The King’s Speech”
Should and Will Win: Christian Bale, “The Fighter”
Christian Bale is the Brando-esque method actor of the decade. From dropping down to 121 pounds in “The Machinist” to bulking up to 220 in “Batman Begins” to again falling to 140 for this particular film, Bale portrays the crack-addicted Dicky Ward to soul-punching ethos. Together, he and Leo make the rather uneven “Fighter” a pleasure to watch.
TELEVISION — Kavi Shekhar Pandey
Best Television Series – Drama
“Boardwalk Empire”
“Dexter”
“The Good Wife”
“Mad Men”
“The Walking Dead”
Should Win: “Boardwalk Empire”
Will Win: “Mad Men”
Despite my vocal support for the cause of the undead, I’m gunning for “Boardwalk Empire,” which kicked seven different kinds of fanny with stellar acting, directing, writing, production design and every other possible department. Still, “Mad Men” will win the award for the fourth year in a row because it has sex, alcohol and attractive people — just like the Golden Globes themselves.
Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical
“30 Rock”
“The Big Bang Theory”
“The Big C”
“Glee”
“Modern Family”
“Nurse Jackie”
Should Win: “3o Rock”
Will Win: “Modern Family”
I’m automatically disqualifying two series from this list. I’ve spent enough laughless hours watching “Nurse Jackie” to confidently say that it’s as funny as a piece of Styrofoam. The same holds for “The Big C.” “Glee” would normally be the frontrunner, but it has been grossly inconsistent this year. My personal favorite is “30 Rock” — not only has it been as uproarious as ever, I support any circumstance that gets a drunk Tracy Morgan in front of an audience on live television. The show is so 2009 for the voters, though, and will likely lose to the eternally charming “Modern Family.”
Best Actress – Drama
Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Piper Perabo, “Covert Affairs”
Katey Sagal, “Sons of Anarchy”
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”
Should Win: Katey Sagal, “Sons of Anarchy”
Will Win: Julianna Margulies, “The Good Wife”
On a show about an illegal arms-dealing motorcycle gang, the most magnetic presence belongs to Katey Sagal — who is a woman! Though Elisabeth Moss also stands strong in a total testosterone-fest, the men she is surrounded by create advertising campaigns, tending to avoid turf wars with white separatists. Sagal wins my vote for sheer bad-assery — though my vote doesn’t count and Julianna Margulies will win the whole shebang. I’m sure she’s great; I just haven’t seen her show yet because I’m one of those pretentious hipsters (redundant?) that automatically label all CBS dramas as crap.
Best Actor – Drama
Steve Buscemi, “Boardwalk Empire”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Hugh Laurie, “House M.D.”
Should Win: Hugh Laurie, “House M.D.”
Will Win: Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
I’m rooting for Hugh Laurie on principle — he’s the only one that plays a character that isn’t a bootlegging gangster, drug cooker/distributor, sex-obsessed jerkface or serial killer. Dr. House may be smug and snarky, but at least he’s making a valuable contribution to society on a daily basis. The final tally will come down to Cranston vs. Hamm (mmmm … cranberry ham) but Hamm will win because he’s much better looking, and that’s how the Globes work.
Best Actress – Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette, “United States of Tara”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Laura Linney, “The Big C”
Lea Michele, “Glee”
Should Win: Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Will Win: Laura Linney, “The Big C”
The three actresses on Showtime “comedies” enter Thunderdome. Only one woman leaves — the lady with the highest star wattage, Laura Linney. As a three-time Oscar nominees and seasoned veteran of “Love Actually” and “Congo,” Linney puts the stomp on Toni Collette (“About a Boy” = weak sauce) and Edie Falco, a (shudder) television actress. Linney then moves on past Tina Fey — she’s talented as ever, but Sarah Palin was so 2008 — and the gorgeous voice of Lea Michele, who is only hampered by the terrible writing for her character.
Best Actor – Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Thomas Jane, “Hung”
Matthew Morrison, “Glee”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Should Win: Thomas Jane, “Hung”
Will Win: Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
I’m really OK with anybody besides the wretched Matthew Morrison winning the award, especially after the giant pit stain that was his performance in the “Rocky Horror” episode of “Glee.” Steve Carell and Alec Baldwin gave boss performances as usual, but I like Thomas Jane the best, for the same reason that I like his character on “Hung” — he’s the loveable, highly talented underdog. Regardless, Parsons is sure to follow up his Emmy win with the Golden Globe, seeing as his show is the hottest comedy in television.
Best Supporting Actress
Hope Davis, “The Special Relationship”
Jane Lynch, “Glee”
Kelly MacDonald, “Boardwalk Empire”
Julia Stiles, “Dexter”
Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
Should Win: Hope Davis, “The Special Relationship”
Will Win: Sofia Vergara, “Modern Family”
This is an especially bizarre category that essentially sums up how meaningless the Golden Globes are — they pit supporting actresses from miniseries, TV movies, comedy/musical shows and drama shows all into one category.
Rant aside, I’d like to see Hope Davis win, who was pitch-perfect as Hilary Clinton during her First Lady days, slightly edging Kelly MacDonald, arguably the moral center of “Boardwalk Empire.” For the win, I’m predicting Sofia Vergara over Jane Lynch in a minor upset, only because Sue Sylvester had very little to do in the current season of “Glee.”
Best Supporting Actor
Scott Caan, “Hawaii Five-O”
Chris Colfer, “Glee”
Chris Noth, “The Good Wife”
Eric Stonestreet, “Modern Family”
David Strathairn, “Temple Grandin”
Should and Will Win: Chris Colfer, “Glee”
See above about why I also hate this category. But I’ll play along.
Caan is the best part about “Hawaii Five-O,” but I’m sure even he knows that so many more actors were more deserving of the nomination, like Neil Patrick Harris on “How I Met Your Mother” or Michael Pitt on “Boardwalk Empire.”
Really, the other four are irrelevant, since Chris Colfer is taking home the trophy. From Kurt’s soul-crushing first kiss to meeting Blaine for the first time to singing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to his hospitalized father — it’s signed, sealed, delivered for Colfer.
