Golden Globe Predictions

The time is here! The awards show that no one really cares about but still watches to see celebrities get drunk: The Golden Globes! Years past have worked to transform the GG's from Oscar precursor to more or less a Hollywood hack (see The Tourist, Avatar, etc). Nonetheless, these awards still help to gain a clearer perspective on where voters may be looking, and overlaps between Golden Globes are not altogether rare. So without further ado, here are MoJo's predictions for tonight's gala:













BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) Hugo
2.) The Descendants
3.) The Help
4.) War Horse
5.) The Ides of March
6.) Moneyball

The Golden Globes have proven time again that they have a stronger appeal for flashy movies with big-name directors. In a year of films focusing on human drama, one film stands out. Hugo seems like the likely winner tonight, but based on the Hollywood Foreign Press's love for either George Clooney or The Help (both films with more nominations), any of the top three seem like viable contenders.


BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) The Artist
2.) Midnight In Paris
3.) Bridesmaids
4.) My Week With Marilyn
5.) 50/50

In what is perhaps the most assured winner of the night, The Oscar frontrunner should come out victorious over lighter fare like Bridesmaids (which still has a minute chance of pulling a Hangover upset). Woody Allen's Best Director nod could show stronger support that we may think for Midnight In Paris, but The Artist is considered locked.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) George Clooney - The Descendants
2.) Brad Pitt - Moneyball
3.) Michael Fassbender - Shame
4.) Ryan Gosling - The Ides of March
5.) Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar

Geoge and Brad are the only two nominees here guaranteed a spot come Oscar time, and it seems these two are the only viable winners tonight. Pitt is making a strong showing with what many predict may win him his first Oscar, but The Descendants received the second-most nominations of the evening, and with everyone a fan of Mr Clooney, it should not come as a surprise to see him win the award in a photo finish.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
1.) Viola Davis - The Help
2.) Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
3.) Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
4.) Tilda Swinton - We Need To Talk About Kevin
5.) Rooney Mara - The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Viola and Meryl, the two heavyweights from 2008's Doubt, will duke it out for the top prize here, and either one has a fair shot at winning. Meryl is a perennial nominee and winner and is a clear Globe favorite. The Help, however, showed stronger support with more nominations, and this would be Viola's first win. We predict Viola to take it by a hair, but don't be surprised (we won't!) if Meryl pulls it out in the end. This is the race to watch tonight.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) Jean Dujardin - The Artist
2.) Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50
3.) Owen Wilson - Midnight In Paris
4.) Brendan Gleeson - The Guard
5.) Ryan Gosling - Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Many see Dujardin as the only possible winner in this category and may see it as the biggest lock of the night. Don't count out Joseph Gordon-Levitt, though, already a Globe nominee from 500 Days of Summer and better known celebrity. His performance in 50/50 is said to be Oscar-worthy, and he could provide one of the night's most pleasant upsets and shouldn't be counted out of the race by any means.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL or COMEDY
1.) Michelle Williams - My Week With Marilyn
2.) Charlize Theron - Young Adult
3.) Kristin Wiig - Bridesmaids
4.) Kate Winslet - Carnage
5.) Jodie Foster - Carnage

This is a category that can be narrowed down slightly. The little-seen Carnage and it's two nominees will cancel each other out (sorry Kate and Jodie!), and Bridesmaids was not necessarily praised for Wiig's performance. Theron has a shot, as does Williams, who perhaps has a better one. Many people are crying category fraud, though - was My Week With Marilyn really a comedy? No - but for now she seems like the one to beat.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1.) Octavia Spencer - The Help
2.) Jessica Chastain - The Help
3.) Berenice Bejo - The Artist
4.) Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
5.) Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Here is a category where double nominations for a film may not work against it. Spencer has been building a rapport with the awards circuit and her powerful, comedic performance in The Help is not likely to go unnoticed. Chastain also has a fair shot at winning, having one of the best years of any actor in history. If love is great for The Artist, Bejo could walk with this, but I think the love for The Help will carry it to a supporting victory easily.


BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
1.) Christopher Plummer - Beginners
2.) Albert Brooks - Drive
3.) Kenneth Branagh - My Week With Marilyn
4.) Jonah Hill - Moneyball
5.) Viggo Mortensen - A Dangerous Method

Yawn, one of the most boring acting categories I can remember. Plummer wins on sentimentality alone.


BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE
1.) Martin Scorsese - Hugo
2.) Michael Hazanavicius - The Artist
3.) Alexander Payne - The Descendants
4.) Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris
5.) George Clooney - The Ides of March

It may be foolish putting Payne so low on the list, as he has a great chance of winning. I feel that the love for Hugo and The Artist may perhaps be stronger, though, and either seem like a worthy and likely winner. Who knows, they may go head over heels to welcome Woody Allen back into the circle and award him based on reputation alone.


BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Descendants
2.) Moneyball
3.) Midnight In Paris
4.) The Artist
5.) The Ides of March

Payne has won this category before and it seems likely that he will again for The Descendants. Moneyball is a close second, with last year's winner Aaron Sorkin penning what could be arguably a better screenplay than Social Network. Allen still gets the potential sympathy vote and wins by default, but for now, bet on Descendants.


BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Help - 'The Living Proof'
2.) Albert Nobbs - 'Lay Your Head Down'
3.) Gnomeo & Juliet - 'Hello Hello'
4.) W.E. - 'Masterpiece'
5.) Machine Gun Preacher - 'The Keeper'

This is the category that rarely matches with the Oscars and awarded Burlesque a Golden Globe last year. Your guess is as good as any, but the love for The Help seems like it will carry it to a win in this category, though the haunting theme for Albert Nobbs is equally deserving.


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE
1.) The Artist
2.) War Horse
3.) Hugo
4.) The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
5.) W.E.

The winner in this category has gone on to win the Oscar for the past 4 years running, so the most sensible choice is The Artist, whose score perfectly captures both the era and sound of silent pictures. John Williams would be a welcome winner with his rousing work on War Horse, or last year's winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, though it seems like they may wish to spread the love a little bit.


BEST ANIMATED FILM
1.) Rango
2.) The Adventures of Tintin
3.) Arthur Christmas
4.) Puss In Boots
5.) Cars 2

Yes, for the first time the Pixar nominee has absolutely zero chance of a win. As it has been all year, the award will be between Rango and Tintin, each deserving. I tip it in favor of Rango if only for the Golden Globe's love for all things Johnny Depp.


BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
1.) A Separation
2.) The Skin I Live In
3.) The Flowers of War
4.) In The Land of Blood and Honey
5.) The Kid With A Bike

A Separation seems like the only probable winner - a film that has been declared 'a masterpiece' by virtually every film critic living (and probably dead).


There you have it! Our predictions for the 2012 Golden Globe Awards. Let us know what you think!