Predicting the 2016 Golden Globe Awards: Who Will Win and Who Should Win
Award season kicks into gear this Sunday when the 73rd annual Golden Globes are given out during a glitzy ceremony in Los angeles. It'll be hosted for the fourth time by Ricky Gervais and is the first major award show of the season and promises to be — as always — an evening of unpredictable results. With that said, below is an attempt to second guess the Hollywood Foreign Press, who vote for the awards, and are known to not follow trends.
Best Motion Picture - Drama
Carol
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Room
Spotlight
Should Win: The Revenant | Will Win: Spotlight
Although it received fewer Golden Globe nominations than Carol, Spotlight will likely come out the winner. It's building up a strong following heading into this award show and should have enough in the tank to shake off competition from Carol and The Revenant. George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road is the outsider but can certainly cause the upset. In recent weeks it has leap frogged many to earn itself the reputation of being a genuine contender. It won Best Picture at the National Board of Review awards and earned itself a coveted nomination for Best Picture at the PGA awards. Look out!
Best Performance By An Actor in Motion Picture - Drama
Bryan Cranston (Trumbo)
Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs)
Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl)
Will Smith (Concussion)
Should Win: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) | Will Win: Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant)
I'm caught between two minds with this one. Leonardo DiCaprio gives a emotional and punishing performance in The Revenant that is a brutal watch. Yet Michael Fassbender is fantastic as Steve Jobs giving a complexed portrayal of the Apple founder and it's not easy to make Aaron Sorkin's words your own either. DiCaprio will likely walk away the winner, but Fassbender deserves just as many plaudits.
Best Performance By An Actress in Motion Picture - Drama
Cate Blanchett (Carol)
Brie Larson (Room)
Rooney Mara (Carol)
Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn)
Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl)
Should Win: Brie Larson (Room)| Will Win: Take your pick!
This is without a doubt the most competitive category. This past year was a strong year for female leads, and it is a near impossible task to separate all five nominees. The odds are favouring Brie Larson to land the award but don't be surprised if Saoirse Ronan sneaked in and stole it away. Also, Cate Blanchett is a darling with critics, so never rule her out.
Best Motion Picture - Comedy of Musical
The Big Short
Joy
The Martian
Spy
Trainwreck
Should Win: The Big Short | Will Win: The Big Short
The Big Short, Adam McKay's black comedy about the Wall Street crash of 2008, has seemingly come from nowhere to be a genuine challenger this award season. Given its strong cast list and favourable reviews, it's riding a wave of momentum heading into the Golden Globes that I can't see subsiding. When nominations where announced The Martian was the clear favourite. I'm still finding it hard to class The Martian in the genre of either comedy or musical when it's so blatantly a sci-fi drama, but it still has a big chance at winning. This is a clear two horse race.
Best Performance By An Actor in Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Christian Bale (The Big Short)
Steve Carell (The Big Short)
Matt Damon (The Martian)
Al Pacino (Danny Collins)
Mark Ruffalo (Infinitely Polar Bear)
Should Win: Matt Damon (The Martian)| Will Win: Matt Damon (The Martian)
Matt Damon does deserve a win. He's charismatic in The Martian and turns in a true Hollywood A-lister performance, which will tick many boxes with voters. On another note, great to see Mark Ruffalo get a nom for Infinitely Polar Bear — one of the most underrated movies of last year.
Best Performance By An Actress in Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
Jennifer Lawrence (Joy)
Amy Schumer (Trainwreck)
Melissa McCarthy (Spy)
Maggie Smith (The Lady in the Van)
Lily Tomlin (Grandma)
Should Win: Lily Tomlin (Grandma)| Will Win: Amy Schumer (Trainwreck)
Lily Tomlin delivers in a big way in Grandma, which is arguably her best performance of her career. She's been busy trying to get award glory ever since Grandma debuted at Sundance last year. Maybe her hard will finally pay off? Tomlin's biggest threat comes in the form of Amy Schumer, who had a helluva year. I personally enjoyed her performance in Trainwreck and would not be surprised if she rocked up and nabbed the gong from under Tomlin's nose.
Best Performance by Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Jane Fonda (Youth)
Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight)
Helen Mirren (Trumbo)
Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)
Kate Winslet (Steve Jobs)
Should Win: Jennifer Jason Leigh (The Hateful Eight) | Will Win: Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina)
No actor had a bigger year than Swedish star Alicia Vikander. She's the favourite to win this and it would be one of the shocks of the night if she didn't — she was simply brilliant in Ex Machina. Vikander's biggest challenge will come from Jennifer Jason Leigh who returned to the fold in a major way in Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight. Kate Winslet deserves props for her turn in Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs, however, both will likely have to settle for a runner-up spot.
Best Performance by Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Paul Dano (Love & Mercy)
Idris Elba (Beast of No Nation)
Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Michael Shannon (99 Homes)
Sylvester Stallone (Creed)
Should Win: Michael Shannon (99 Homes) | Will Win: Mark Rylance (Bridge of Spies)
Can only one see Mark Rylance winning here. Yes, Sylvester Stallone would be a clear fan favourite but playing the same character for the seventh time around will be a tough sell. Simply being nominated is enough recognition for Stallone (although don't rule him out). I really liked Michael Shannon in 99 Homes and he is the actor I would personally give the award, but I wouldn't be aggrieved if Rylance walked away victorious.
BEST DIRECTOR
Todd Haynes (Carol)
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant)
Tom McCarthy (Spotlight)
George Miller (Mad Max: Fury Road)
Ridley Scott (The Martian)
Should Win: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu (The Revenant) | Will Win: Ridley Scott (The Martian)
Although I do believe Spotlight will rack up the most wins, I don't see them handing Tom McCarthy the prize here. He's up against three movies (The Revenant, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Martian) that are visually and technically stronger than Spotlight. Although the popular winner would be George Miller, I can see the Hollywood Foreign Press handing the award to Ridley Scott for old time sake. Plus, The Martian was a comeback of sorts for Scott.
BEST SCREENPLAY
Room
Spotlight
The Big Short
Steve Jobs
The Hateful Eight
Should Win: The Hateful Eight (or Steve Jobs) | Will Win: Spotlight
Given the Golden Globes make a big fuss over their acting awards (having four individual acting categories), as well as having two categories for Best Film, it's a wonder why they don't have separate categories for Best Original and Adapted Screenplays. Nonetheless, they don't, which makes this category hard to call. Comparing an adapted screenplay with an original one is like comparing apples with bananas. Either way, Spotlight will win this as it continues it merry way on collecting the most awards of the night. It should go to either Quentin Tarantino for The Hateful Eight or Steve Jobs by Aaron Sorkin. The Big Short wouldn't be a bad call either. All three do a fine job at crafting engaging stories with their own brands of snappy dialogue. Spotlight paints by numbers at times.
Best Foreign Language Film
The Brand New Testament
The Club
The Fencer
Mustang
Son of Saul
Should Win: Son of Saul | Will Win: Son of Saul
Can't see this going any other way. Son of Saul has picked up every variation of this honour throughout award season to date. It will remain on track of a clean sweep heading into the Oscars this February.
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Anomalisa
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie
The Good Dinosaur
Snoopy and Charlie: The Peanuts Movie
Should Win: Anomalisa | Will Win: Inside Out
Pixar will pick this one up for their box office darling Inside Out. Animation is a genre that is still creating great strides within its visual interpretation of narrative. It has endless capabilities and for that reason, Anomalisa should win Best Animated — it's the most striking and engaging animated film of the year. However, I can't see the Hollywood Foreign Press giving the honour to an animated film that features a sex scene and full frontal male and female (puppet) nudity.
