Golden Globe Nominations

The nominations have been announced and as with every year there are some surprises and some snubs. Below is the complete list with my opinions on who will and/or should win. Of course, we'll have to wait until January 16th to find out for sure!

Best Motion Picture- Drama
- "Black Swan"
- "The Fighter"
- "Inception"
- "The King's Speech"
- "The Social Network"

Personally, I would love to see "Inception" win here. This is a movie that continues to twist audiences brains and illicit deep conversation. "Black Swan" is an amazing film, and if it is going to win any of the major awards in the U.S., the Golden Globe is it. Voted on by the Hollywood Foreign Press (HFP), this movie has done very well over seas and has a very European feel to it.

Best Performance by an Actress- Drama
- Halle Berry ("Frankie and Alice")
- Nicole Kidman ("Rabit Hole")
- Jennifer Lawrence ("Winter's Bone")
- Natalie Portman ("Black Swan")
- Michelle Williams ("Blue Valentine")

This is Portman's to lose. I've heard amazing things about Williams but am with holding judgement until I see "Blue Valentine". Berry and Kidman play other versions of past winners and Lawrence should just be excited for the nomination.

Best Performance by an Actor- Drama
- Jesse Eisenberg ("The Social Network")
- Colin Firth ("The King's Speech")
- James Franco ("127 Hours")
- Ryan Gosling ("Blue Valentine")
- Mark Wahlberg ("The Fighter")

This is going to be a tough race. I would put my money on Franco and his extremely honest performance, but we may be surprised by Firth or Eisenberg. Wahlberg does a wonderful job in "The Fighter" (my full review will be posted later today), but the star of that show is really Christian Bale.

Best Motion Picture- Comedy or Musical
- "Alice in Wonderland"
- "Burlesque"
- "The Kids Are All Right"
- "Red"
- "The Tourist"

These are some weird nominees. Recently, it seems like the HFP is just grabbing at straws for enough films to fill this category. That being said, I think "The Kids Are All Right" is the clear winner. "Alice" was all style, no substance. "Burlesque" hasn't won raves for anything. "Red" may be a surprise here, but I didn't like it. And, why is "The Tourist" in this category? Is it funny? If so, maybe I misjudged it but I think others will be confused as well.

Best Performance by an Actress- Comedy or Musical
- Annette Bening ("The Kids Are All Right")
- Anne Hathaway ("Love and Other Drugs")
- Angelina Jolie ("The Tourist")
- Julianne Moore ("The Kids Are All Right")
- Emma Stone ("Easy A")

Holy f-ing Batman, Batman! Stone is nominated for "Easy A"? I'm tickled pink over this even though I don't think she will win. What a coup for her and "R" rated comedy though. My monies on Bening.

Best Performance by an Actor- Comedy or Musical
- Johnny Depp ("Allice in Wonderland")
- Johnny Depp ("The Tourist")
- Paul Giamatti ("Barney's Version")
- Jake Gyllenhaal ("Love and Other Drugs")
- Kevin Spacey ("Casino Jack")

Hmmm.... I'm not in love with any of these. Depp may cancel himself out, though I did like his performance in "Alice". Giamatti is an award show favorite but not enough people have seen his movie. I didn't even know it was out yet, though it does look good. Gyllenhaal has been overshadowed by Hathaway and Spacey has been off the radar for too long and no one saw that movie. It's a coin flip.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
- Amy Adams ("The Fighter")
- Helena Bonham Carter ("The King's Speech")
- Mila Kunis ("Black Swan")
- Melissa Leo ("The Fighter")
- Jackie Weaver ("Animal Kingdom")

I have heard amazing things about "Animal Kingdom" but it's not out in my market yet. Melissa Leo (Oscar nominated in 2009) should win this hands down. Her turn as a deluded mother/manager in "The Fighter" was brilliant.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
- Christian Bale ("The Fighter")
- Michael Douglas ("Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps")
- Andrew Garfield ("The Social Network")
- Jeremy Renner ("The Town")
- Geoffrey Rush ("The King's Speech")

I feel bad for everyone not named Christian Bale this year. He was mesmerizing. It takes a lot for us to forget we're watching Batman, but he is able to do it.

Best Animated Feature
- "Despicable Me"
- "How to Train Your Dragon"
- "The Illusionist"
- "Tangled"
- "Toy Story 3"

I don't watch a lot of modern animated movies. For me, everything after "The Secret of Nihm" is lost to me. So, I will defer to my friends who said "Despicable Me" was amazing.

Best Foreign Language Film
- "Biutiful" (Mexico, Spain)
- "The Concert" (France)
- "The Edge" (Russia)
- "I Am Love" (Italy)
- "In a Better World" (Denmark)

I have to vote for "I Am Love" simply because I cannot deny my platonic love for Tilda Swinton. She can do no wrong! Close second for Javier Bardem"Biutiful" and "In a Better World".

Best Director- Motion Picture
- Darren Aronofsky ("Black Swan")
- David Fincher ("The Social Network")
- Tom Hooper ("The King's Speech")
- Christopher Nolan ("Inception")
- David O. Russell ("The Fighter")

Another race I'm glad to not be a part of. Who the heck is going to win?! I'm betting on Aronofsky. He is a true auteur and made an exceptionally beautiful and haunting film. Nolan seems destined to be the bridesmaid again this year, but I might but a little action on him. Russell and Hooper are out. The only person who could upset this is Fincher.

Best Screenplay- Motion Picture
- "127 Hours" (Simon Beaufoy, Danny Boyle)
- "Inception" (Christopher Nolan)
- "The Kids Are All Right" (Stuart Blumberf, Lisa Cholodenko)
- "The King's Speech" (David Seidler)
- "The Social Network" (Aaron Sorkin)

I really want this to be "Inception". What a marvelous piece of writing. His ability to keep it all straight in his head should be reason enough to reward Nolan. Sorkin however is also a good bet, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Best Score- Motion Picture
-"The King's Speech" (Alexandre Desplat)
- "Alice in Wonderland" (Danny Elfman)
- "127 Hours" (A. R. Rahman)
- "The Social Network" (Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross)
- "Inception" (Hans Zimmer)

Who wouldn't love to see Trent Reznor on stage accepting a Golden Globe. I'm pretty sure it's the 2nd sign of the apocalypse and fraking cool! Elfman has never won and I think is hardly going to with this effort. Rahman won last year for "Slumdog" and this However, I think the award goes to Zimmer. He made something simply amazing and my sister's boyfriend (and budding Zimmer himself) says he is the man. I agree.

Best Original Song- Motion Picture
- "Bound to You" ("Burlesque")
- "Coming Home" ("Country Strong")
- "I See The Light" ("Tangled")
- "There's a Place for Us" ("Chronicles of Narnia")
- "You Haven't Seen The Last of Me" ("Burlesque")

I have no idea... "Burlesque"?

Best TV Series- Drama
- "Boardwalk Empire"
- "Dexter"
- "The Good Wife"
- "Mad Men"
- "The Walking Dead"

Finally, competition for "Mad Men". I would really love to see "Boardwalk" take this one home (though the safe money is still on "Mad Men"). As much as I love zombies, I don't think the voters will.

Best Performance by an Actress- TV Drama
- Julianna Margulies ("The Good Wife")
- Elisabeth Moss ("Mad Men")
- Piper Perabo ("Covert Affairs")
- Katey Sagal ("Sons of Anarchy")
- Kyra Sedgwick ("The Closer")

I'm thinking about making "Gemma for President" shirts so I can show my support of the fantastic Katey Sagal. It's about time she gets some recognition! PS- I totally watch "Covert Affairs" and cannot believe it was nominated. It's like "Alias" but kind of funny.

Best Performance by an Actor- TV Drama
- Steve Buscemi ("Boardwalk Empire")
- Bryan Cranston ("Breaking Bad")
- Michael C. hall ("Dexter")
- Jon Hamm ("Mad Men")
- Hugh Laurie ("House")

Someone bring Cranston down! There should be a rule that the same person cannot win "x" years in a row. I'm sending all my good juju to Buscemi and his brilliantly sympathetic and frightful "Nucky" Thompson.

Best TV Series- Comedy or Musical
- "30 Rock"
- "The Big Bang Theory"
- "The Big C"
- "Glee"
- "Modern Family"
- "Nurse Jackie"

All hail "Modern Family"!

Best Performance by an Actress- TV Comedy
- Ton Collette ("United States of Tara")
- Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie")
- Tina Fey ("30 Rock")
- Laura Linney ("The Big C")
- Lea Michele ("Glee")

I love Laura Linney and hope she gets it. Her show makes me a bit crazy, but she does a great job on it. Otherwise, it's a fight to the death between Collette and Falco.

Best Performance by an Actor- TV Comedy
- Alec Baldwin (30 Rock")
- Steve Carell ("The Office")
- Thomas Jane ("Hung")
- Matthew Morrison ("Glee")
- Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory")

It's Parsons for the win, but who wants to make side bets on whether or not Jane shows up with shoes on or not?

Best Mini-Series or Made for TV Movie
- "Carlos"
- "The Pacific"
- "Pillars of Earth"
- "Temple Grandin"
- "You Don't Know Jack"

While I would like to see "The Pacific" win, I think it will go to Emmy-winning "Temple Grandin"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series
- Hayley Atwell ("Pillars of Earth")
- Claire Danes ("Temple Grandin")
- Judi Dench ("Return to Cranford")
- Romola Garai ("Emma")
- Jennifer Love Hewitt ("The Client List")

Big money again on Danes, though I am pleased to see the inclusion of Garai. She is an actress I have liked for a long time and am glad to see her get some due.

Best Performance by and Actor in a Mini-Series
- Idris Elba ("Luther")
- Ian McShane ("Pillars of Earth")
- Al Pacino ("You Don't Know Jack")
- Dennis Quaid ("The Special Relationship")
- Edgar Ramirez ("Carlos")

Another tough race. I hope Elba wins. He was amazing in "Luther" on BBC America. Really, any of them could win and I'd be happy.

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress- TV
- Hope Davis ("The Special relationship")
- Jane Lynch ("Glee")
- Kelly MacDonald ("Boardwalk Empire")
- Julia Stiles ("Dexter")
- Sofia Vergara ("Modern Family")

Please be Lynch, please be Lynch, please be Lynch. She is the best (and possibly only) reason to watch "Glee". maybe there can be a tie between her and MacDonald!

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor- TV
- Scott Caan ("Hawaii Five-O")
- Chris Colfer ("Glee")
- Chris Noth ("The Good Wife")
- Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family")
- David Strathairn ("Temple Grandin")

Make that two reasons to watch "Glee". Colfer is amazing, but I think it's more about the writing. Caan is the best thing about his show too, but it's too new. Money on Stonestreet with a possible upset by Strathairn. I just love him, although I always think he might smell a bit. Can't explain it.

There you go! Who would you vote for?