CJ’s Golden Globe Predictions and Predilections
I admit it. Add awards season to my HUGE pile of guilty pleasures. Though I generally focus on the big two: the Golden Globe Awards and the Academy Awards.
For several years, I have posted my thoughts on Facebook to share with my friends and family. This year I was invited to write my predictions and predilections up for Dark Matter Zine. In the days following each awards ceremony, I will also be posting follow up thoughts with highlights and lowlights. Lowlights? I hear you ask. At a glamorous Hollywood event? Never. Right.
So without further ado or preamble, here are the nominations for the 72nd annual Golden Globe Awards complete with who I think will win and who I want to win. Sometimes the two will be the same nominee.
Best Motion Picture — Drama
- Boyhood
- Foxcatcher
- The Imitation Game
- Selma
- The Theory of Everything
I haven’t seen Boyhood, but I know that it is quite an innovative idea for a motion picture and award ceremonies love that. However, The Imitation Game is one of the best motion pictures I have seen. It manages to be inspiring, funny and heartbreaking all within two hours.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
- Jennifer Aniston (Cake)
- Felicity Jones (The Theory of Everything)
- Julianne Moore (Still Alice)
- Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl)
- Reese Witherspoon (Wild)
Julianne Moore’s performance in Still Alice looks remarkable just from watching the trailer. However, the Friends tragic in me just can’t help but root for Jennifer Aniston.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
- Steve Carell (Foxcatcher)
- Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game)
- Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler)
- David Oyelowo (Selma)
- Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything)
The other actors nominated may have given great performances. They may have given the best performances of their own careers. Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance in The Imitation Game is one of the best I have seen in the past 12 months, if not longer.
Best Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical
- Birdman
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
- Into the Woods
- Pride
- St Vincent
Into the Woods has the added advantage of being a Disney film to grab my attention. A stellar cast, a great soundtrack and fairy tale fun. However, while my heart goes with Disney, my head must not ignore just how many award categories Birdman has been nominated in.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical
- Amy Adams (Big Eyes)
- Emily Blunt (Into the Woods)
- Helen Mirren (The Hundred-Foot Journey)
- Julianne Moore (Maps to the Stars)
- Quvenzhané Wallis (Annie)
While I would love to see Emily Blunt win a Golden Globe for her wonderful performance in Into the Woods, I can’t ignore the potential for Quvenzhané Wallis to win for her portrayal of the titular character in Annie.
[Really? I think Julianne Moore will win because Maps to the Stars was such a horrendous movie based on Hollywood life from a Litteratchure novel; if she loses, comments WILL BE MADE about people taking themselves too seriously. — Editor]
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical
- Ralph Fiennes (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
- Michael Keaton (Birdman)
- Bill Murray (St Vincent)
- Joaquin Phoenix (Inherent Vice)
- Christoph Waltz (Big Eyes)
At the time of writing this article, Birdman has not yet been released in Australia. However, everything I have seen and read and heard about Birdman leads me to believe that Michael Keaton’s portrayal is nothing short of fantastic. That doesn’t stop me rooting for the Ghostbuster though.
Best Animated Feature Film
- Big Hero 6
- The Book of Life
- The Boxtrolls
- How to Train Your Dragon 2
- The LEGO Movie
The LEGO Movie has been one of the most talked about and quoted animated films of the past 12 months.
Best Foreign Language Film
- Force Majeure (Sweden)
- Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem (Israel)
- Ida (Poland/Denmark)
- Leviathan (Russia)
- Tangerines (Estonia)
I’m going to be honest with you, dear reader. I have no idea on this one.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
- Patricia Arquette (Boyhood)
- Jessica Chastain (A Most Violent Year)
- Keira Knightley (The Imitation Game)
- Emma Stone (Birdman)
- Meryl Streep (Into the Woods)
It’s Meryl.
…
What? Seriously. That’s my reason. It’s MERYL.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
- Robert Duvall (The Judge)
- Ethan Hawke (Boyhood)
- Edward Norton (Birdman)
- Mark Ruffalo (Foxcatcher)
- J K Simmons (Whiplash)
Birdman has received countless rave reviews and has the most Golden Globe nominations this year. Also, Edward Norton is a consistently brilliant actor who puts heart and soul into the roles he plays.
Best Director — Motion Picture
- Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
- Ava Duvernay (Selma)
- David Fincher (Gone Girl)
- Alejandro González Iñárritu (Birdman)
- Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
Of all the directors nominated for this year’s Golden Globes, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman looks like the one most like the films I generally enjoy. However, Boyhood’s director has done something that most people wouldn’t have imagined, let alone pulled off.
Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
- Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel)
- Gillian Flynn (Gone Girl)
- Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris, Armando Bo (Birdman)
- Richard Linklater (Boyhood)
- Graham Moore (The Imitation Game)
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. The Imitation Game is inspiring. Funny. Heartbreaking.
Best Original Score — Motion Picture
- Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game)
- Jóhann Jóhannsson (The Theory of Everything)
- Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross (Gone Girl)
- Antonio Sanchez (Birdman)
- Hans Zimmer (Interstellar)
I loved the score for The Imitation Game, but can’t look past the science fiction score composed by Hans Zimmer for Interstellar.
Best Original Song — Motion Picture
- ‘Big Eyes’ (Big Eyes)
- ‘Glory’ (Selma)
- ‘Mercy Is’ (Noah)
- ‘Opportunity’ (Annie)
- ‘Yellow Flicker Beat’ (The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1)
I’m not really too interested in any of these songs, so I don’t have any that I particularly want to win. However, ‘Opportunity’ from Annie feels to be the most likely to win.
Best Television Series — Drama
- The Affair
- Downton Abbey
- Game of Thrones
- The Good Wife
- House of Cards
Game of Thrones is one of the most enthralling television shows I have ever watched. Judging by every form of social media I am signed up to, I’m not alone in this.
When it comes to television shows, I am going to be honest, I don’t watch a lot. Unfortunately, those that I do watch aren’t nominated for much this year. As a result, the remaining predictions are only based on what I have heard and seen.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Drama
- Claire Danes (Homeland)
- Viola Davis (How to Get Away with Murder)
- Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
- Ruth Wilson (The Affair)
- Robin Wright (House of Cards)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Drama
- Clive Owen (The Knick)
- Liev Schreiber (Ray Donovan)
- Kevin Spacey (House of Cards)
- James Spader (The Blacklist)
- Dominic West (The Affair)
Best Television Series — Comedy or Musical
- Girls
- Jane the Virgin
- Orange is the New Black
- Silicon Valley
- Transparent
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series — Comedy or Musical
- Lena Dunham (Girls)
- Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)
- Julie Louis-Dreyfus (Veep)
- Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin)
- Taylor Schilling (Orange is the New Black)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series — Comedy or Musical
- Louis C K (Louie)
- Don Cheadle (House of Lies)
- Ricky Gervais (Derek)
- William H Macy (Shameless)
- Jeffrey Tambor (Transparent)
Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Fargo
- The Missing
- The Normal Heart
- Olive Kitteridge
- True Detective
Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Maggie Gyllenhaal (The Honorable Woman)
- Jessica Lange (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
- Frances McDormand (Olive Kitteridge)
- Frances O’Connor (The Missing)
- Allison Tolman (Fargo)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Martin Freeman (Fargo)
- Woody Harrelson (True Detective)
- Matthew McConaughey (True Detective)
- Mark Ruffalo (The Normal Heart)
- Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo)
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black)
- Kathy Bates (American Horror Story: Freak Show)
- Joanne Froggatt (Downton Abbey)
- Allison Janney (Mom)
- Michelle Monaghan (True Detective)
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
- Matt Bomer (The Normal Heart)
- Alan Cumming (The Good Wife)
- Colin Hanks (Fargo)
- Bill Murray (Olive Kitteridge)
- Jon Voight (Ray Donovan)
