Yes, it’s that time of year again. A moment in our lives with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association breaks hearts and provides false hope to other struggling awards contenders. The Golden Globe nominations are almost upon us. Are you ready to bask in their glory?
Now, it goes without saying that the HFPA is a curious bunch. International “journalists” (granted, a few are quite reputable) that have different conflicting agendas and, arguably, barely watch enough television to actually hand out awards in those categories. Approximately a third of the HFPA’s 88 members don’t show up to screenings or respond to E-mails and it’s unclear how many members actually vote (did we mention up to five of them are usually suspended at any time but we don’t know who they actually are?). That’s a very small pool of people then to be given a huge marketing platform that hands out awards a week before the Oscar nomination ballots are due. But, let’s focus on the positive, shall we?
READ MORE: “Green Book” wins National Board of Review Best Film
As an organization, you can’t fault their charitable contributions. In all seriousness, they often are ahead of the curve (cough, the Academy) in donating money to film restoration projects, educational programs and global humanitarian efforts. That NBC money gets put to very good use. And, hey, they provide an apparatus that lets Hollywood’s studios and networks put on the best afterparties you’ll ever see.
Oh, but this year’s nominations. Just what is the HFPA thinking? Well, their TV thoughts are always unclear, but on the movie side, there are certain things we know. They love “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “A Star Is Born,” “The Favourite” and “Mary Poppins Returns.” They don’t love “Roma,” which is ineligible for Best Motion Picture – Drama because it’s not in English (archaic rule there), but not enough to embarrass themselves by snubbing Alfonso Cuaron in the Directing category. They love them some Nicole Kidman and that might mean she sneaks into the Best Actress – Drama race for “Destroyer” (whether that means a second not in Supporting for “Boy Erased” remains to be seen). There was also early buzz they loved Natalie Portman in “Vox Lux,” but we’re not sure we buy it.
And as for the rest, some sourced predictions for your pleasure.
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Likely
“A Star is Born”
“Black Panther”
“Bohemian Rhapsody”
“If Beale Street Could Talk”
Possible
“Blackkklasman”
“First Man”
Lowdown: Are the HFPA ready to snub Focus Features and “BlacKkKlansman”? They did so to “Phantom Thread” and “Darkest Hour” in this category last year, so…
Best Motion Picture – Comedy
Likely
“Crazy Rich Asians”
“The Favourite”
“Green Book”
“Mary Poppins Returns”
“Vice”
Lowdown: These should be your five. Any other selections would cause gasps during the announcement ceremony.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Likely
Lady Gaga, “A Star is Born”
Nicole Kidman, “Destroyer”
Melissa McCarthy, “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Felicity Jones, “On The Basis of Sex”
Borderline
Glenn Close, “The Wife”
Viola Davis, “Widows”
Julia Roberts, “Ben is Back”
Saoirse Ronan, “Mary Queen of Scots”
Lowdown: Surprise, the HFPA not only love Kidman but Felicity Jones in “On the Basis of Sex” as well. Who is the fifth then? Lots of longtime favorites to choose from. Our gut says Davis, but…
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Likely
Bradley Cooper, “A Star is Born”
Willem Dafoe, “At Eternity’s Gate”
Ryan Gosling, “First Man”
Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Borderline
Chadwick Boseman, “Black Panther”
Steve Carell, “Beautiful Boy”
Ethan Hawke, “First Reformed”
Lucas Hedges, “Boy Erased”
Hugh Jackman, “The Frontrunner”
John David Washington, “BlacKkKlansman”
Lowdown: Cooper, Gosling and Malek are likely a given. The last slot is simply too close to call.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy
Likely
Emily Blunt, “Mary Poppins Returns”
Olivia Colman, “The Favourite”
Constance Wu, “Crazy Rich Asians”
Borderline:
Elsie Fisher, “Eighth Grade”
Lily James, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again”
Regina Hall, “Support the Girls”
Charlize Theron, “Tully”
Lowdown: Fisher should make the cut, but anything is possible past Blunt, Colman and Wu.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy
Likely
Christian Bale, “Vice”
Viggo Mortensen, “Green Book”
Lin-Manuel Miranda, “Mary Poppins Returns”
Borderline
Henry Golding, “Crazy Rich Asians”
Steve Coogan, “Stan and Ollie”
Robert Redford, “Old Man and the Gun”
John C. Reilly, “Stan and Ollie”
Ryan Reynolds, “Deadpool 2”
Lowdown: Redford likely is the fourth selection here and watch out for Golding to potentially surprise at the fifth nominee.