It seems much too soon for awards season to be upon us, but here we are! Following a year filled with myriad controversies, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) will be announcing the winners of the 79th Annual Golden Globes on Sunday, January 9. Unlike previous years, the awards show will not be televised. Instead, the ceremony will be a private event, sans media and celebrities. Winners will be announced via social media and goldenglobes.com beginning at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET.
This year’s nominations are…fine? No big surprises or glaring omissions, really. If I was to nitpick, I would have included The Lost Daughter in Best Picture – Drama. With both Olivia Colman and Maggie Gyllenhaal receiving noms, it’s a little surprising that the film as a whole wasn’t recognized. I would maybe slide Colman Domingo into Supporting Actor as he was the best thing about Zola, and I would have included Tessa Thompson in Actress – Motion Picture Drama for her performance in Passing. In Animated Feature, I would have liked to have seen The Mitchells vs. The Machines receive recognition. But overall, this year’s nominations seem pretty in tune with the current awards season conversation.
Personally, I am thrilled for Andrew Garfield. He probably had the best 2021 with multiple films being released: Mainstream, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, tick, tick…BOOM!, as well as a little Marvel indie. Tick, tick…BOOM! wound up being my favorite film of the year, and I’d love to see it walk away with awards this evening.
We have a few more hours before this year’s Golden Globes winners are announced, so I’ve put together my personal picks and predictions. Please note: I will place an asterisk (*) next to the films that I have yet to see.
Best Picture – Drama
Belfast
CODA
Dune
King Richard
The Power of the Dog
KC pick: CODA
Will win: Belfast
Best Picture – Musical/Comedy
Cyrano*
Don’t Look Up
Licorice Pizza
tick, tick…BOOM!
West Side Story*
KC pick: tick, tick…BOOM!
Will win: West Side Story
Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama
Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
Lady Gaga, House of Gucci
Kristen Stewart, Spencer
KC pick: Jessica Chastain
Will win: Olivia Colman
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama
Mahershala Ali, Swan Song
Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
Will Smith, King Richard
Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth*
KC pick: Will Smith
Will win: Will Smith
Best Actress – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Marion Cotillard, Annette
Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
Jennifer Lawrence, Don’t Look Up
Emma Stone, Cruella
Rachel Zegler, West Side Story (2021)*
KC pick: Emma Stone
Will win: Rachel Zegler
Best Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Leonardo DiCaprio, Don’t Look Up
Peter Dinklage, Cyrano*
Andrew Garfield, tick, tick…BOOM!
Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza
Anthony Ramos, In The Heights
KC pick: Andrew Garfield
Will win: Andrew Garfield
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture
Caitriona Balfe, Belfast
Ariana DeBose, West Side Story (2021)*
Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
Ruth Negga, Passing
KC pick: Caitriona Balfe
Will win: Ariana DeBose
Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar
Jamie Dornan, Belfast
Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
Troy Kotsur, CODA
Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog
KC pick: Jamie Dornan
Will win: Jamie Dornan
Best Director Motion Picture
Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
Steven Spielberg, West Side Story (2021)*
Denis Villeneuve, Dune
KC pick: Jane Campion
Will win: Kenneth Branagh
Best Screenplay Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up
Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos
KC pick: Belfast
Will win: Don’t Look Up
Best Picture – Animated
Encanto
Flee
Luca
My Sunny Maad*
Raya and the Last Dragon
KC pick: Flee
Will win: Encanto
Best Picture – Non-English Language
Compartment No. 6, Germany/Russia/Finland*
Drive My Car, Japan*
The Hand of God, Italy*
A Hero, Iran/France*
Parallel Mothers, Spain*
KC pick: Abstaining from making a personal pick, as I’ve not yet seen any of the films in the category.
Will win: Drive My Car
Best Score Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat, The French Dispatch
Germaine Franco, Encanto
Jonny Greenwood, The Power of the Dog
Alberto Iglesias, Parallel Mothers*
Hans Zimmer, Dune
KC pick: Alexandre Desplat, The French Dispatch
Will win: Hans Zimmer, Dune
Best Song Motion Picture
“Be Alive,” King Richard
“Dos Oruguitas,” Encanto
“Down to Joy,” Belfast
“Here I Am (Singing My Way Home),” Respect
“No Time To Die,” No Time To Die
KC pick: “No Time to Die,” No Time to Die
Will win: “Be Alive,” King Richard
Probably at the Movies 