Update: Predicting the Golden Globes

Update: So I guess I should just stop trying to predict the realms of television, cause on that front I was 2-9, but in terms of film I was at the least 7-7. Seeing as how the Globes tend to like to go out on a limb, I based my predictions on that factor; some of 'em, like my predicting Robert Downey, Jr., panned out, my others like predicting Penelope Cruz, not so much. I did say that the Globes have tended to lean more towards commercialism in recent years, as is evident by the big haul from Avatar winning both Best Director and Best Picture-Drama. Really, as a whole the Globes kind of played it safe this year, mimicking the rest of the award's circuit in giving Best Actress-Drama to Sandra Bullock, over my personal favorite Carey Mulligan, but what can you do. I do have to say I wasn't too terribly surprised to see The Hurt Locker kind of being overlooked entirely, seeing as how it is an American made film about the most unpopular American war in my known knowledge.

Overall, the show was a blast to watch. In all actuality, they made all this big deal about having a host for this year's show, and apart from a short little speech to kick the night off, Ricky Gervais did nothing of any particular interest, I'd actually say Kristen Chenoweth had more to do at the Critic's Choice the other night. The true highlight of the night was seeing Marty Scorsese receive the honorary, Cecil B. Demil Award, not to mention Arnold Schwarzenager introducing Avatar. Really, I was satisfied to see Avatar be the big winner, but with Up in the Air only showing up for Screenplay both tonight and at the Critic's Choice Friday, I think it's safe to say the Oscar race is pretty much down between Critic's Choice champion The Hurt Locker and Golden Globes king of the world, Avatar. Time will tell, but it's exciting. Not to mention, Best Director is split down the middle at the moment between these two films, perhaps the DGA can mend it in the coming weeks.

Original Post: When in regards to award's season, the Golden Globes tend to be a completely different machine than the Oscars. The Golden Globes is voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press, which basically means a bunch of respecting overseas film & television critics. The Hollywood Foreign Press rarely matches up with the Academy, part of this is due to them splitting up the major categories between Best Drama and Best Comedy/Musical (save for Directing and Writing, which I find odd), for this reason alone it is impossible to see it an exact precursor to the Oscars. Not to mention, in recent years the Hollywood Foreign Press has started to lean more towards commercial filmmaking rather than the arthouse and indie circuits that the Oscars and stuff like the Critic's Choice tend to favor.

For what it's worth, I'm extremely excited for this year's show. For the first time since the early '90s, there will be a host, comedian Ricky Gervais. That alone is worth the price of admission, not to mention this is the only award show out of all of them this year that if there is to be an out-of-left-field surprise, this is where it will be. So I've decided to sit down and try my best to decipher the Golden Globes and predict who I think the winners of each respective category will be. Let's get going:

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Michael Emerson, Lost

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series, or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Lynch, Glee

Best Actor in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens

Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Grey Gardens

Best Actor in a Television Series-Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Best Actress in a Television Series-Comedy or Musical
Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Best Television Seris-Comedy or Musical
30 Rock

Best Actor in a Television Series-Drama
John Hamm, Mad Men

Best Actress in a Television Series-Drama
Glenn Close, Damages

Best Television Series-Drama
Mad Men

Best Original Song-Motion Picture
"I Want to Come Home," Everybody's Fine

Best Original Score-Motion Picture
Michael Giacchino, Up

Best Screenplay-Motion Picture
Quentin Tarrantino, Inglorious Ba****ds

Best Directing-Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Best Foreign Language Film
Broken Embraces (Spain)

Best Animated Feature Film
Up

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Christoph Waltz, Inglorious Ba***ds

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Penelope Cruz, Nine

Best Actor in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical
Robert Downey, Jr., Sherlock Holmes

Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical
Julie & Julia

Best Actor in a Motion Picture-Drama
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Best Actres in a Motion Picture-Drama
Carey Mulligan, An Education

Best Motion Picture-Drama
Avatar

Alright, that does it for my predictions. What do ya'll think? Sound off in the comments below if you have any thoughts, and if not, join in with me tonight in watching the Golden Globes on NBC to see who won.