Golden Globes 2014 Prediction

The awards season is now upon us with the 71st annual Golden Globes happening on Sunday. Here I'll make my predictions, and provide some analysis on the 25 categories, including who I think will win, some other nominees to look at, etc. So with that, dim down the lights, and here we go (random Ryan Seacrest line....just disregard that...)

Best Actor In a Supporting Role For Television:
Josh Charles - The Good Wife
Rob Lowe - Behind The Candelabra
Aaron Paul - Breaking Bad
Corey Stoll - House of Cards
Jon Voight - Ray Donovan

Breaking Bad seems poised to take in a lot of awards coming off its series finale (and justly so). Aaron Paul seems to be frequently underrated for his performance on Breaking Bad, but I think he gets recognized here, especially for his role towards the end. Another name to watch out for here is Josh Charles, who recently won a People's Choice Award for his work in The Good Wife, which has been possibly the best its ever been.

Best Actress In A Supporting Role For Television:
Jacqueline Bisset - Dancing On The Edge
Janet McTeer - White Queen
Hayden Panettiere - Nashville
Monica Potter - Parenthood
Sofia Vergara - Modern Family

Monica Potter deserves this Golden Globe for her work on Parenthood over the last year, from her character going through Breast Cancer to fighting back and (unsuccessfully) running for mayor. The realism that she brought to that storyline last season was unforgettable and featured some of the best TV acting you'll see. Some other names to watch for are Jacqueline Bisset for Dancing On The Edge and Janet McTeer for The White Queen.

Best Actor In A Miniseries or Motion Picture Made For TV:
Matt Damon - Behind The Candelabra
Michael Douglas - Behind The Candelabra
Chitwetel Eijofor - Dancing On The Edge
Idris Elba - Luther
Al Pacino - Phil Spector

Michael Douglas seems poised to take this for his well reviewed role in Behind The Candelabra. He took home the Emmy for the same role. Other names to look for are Douglas's co-star Matt Damon, and Luther's Idris Elba.

Best Actress In A Miniseries Or Motion Picture Made For TV:
Helena Bonham Carter - Burton and Taylor
Rebecca Ferguson - The White Queen
Jessica Lange - American Horror Story: Coven
Helen Mirren - Phil Spector
Elisabeth Moss - Top Of The Lake

I'll admit, this is a bit of a wild-card, but I'm going with Elisabeth Moss for her well regarded role in Top Of The Lake. She won a critic's choice television award for this role, and I think she takes home the Golden Globe as well. Other names to watch for are Helena Bonham Carter and Rebecca Ferguson.

Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made For Television:
American Horror Story: Coven
Behind The Candelabra
The White Queen
Dancing On The Edge
Top Of The Lake

Behind The Candelabra seems poised to keep up hauling in awards. It took home 3 emmy awards and a handful of creative arts emmy's. I don't foresee an upset happening here.

Best Actor In A Television Series: Comedy or Musical:
Jason Bateman - Arrested Development
Don Cheadle - House of Lies
Michael J. Fox - The Michael J Fox Show
Jim Parsons - The Big Bang Theory
Andy Sambereg - Brooklyn Nine-Nine

He took home the Emmy this year and I think Parsons will continue at the Golden Globes here. The development and evolution of the character Sheldon over the past few years has been incredible from Parsons. Another name to watch for here is Don Cheadle.

Best Actress In A Television Series: Comedy Or Musical:
Zooey Deschanel - New Girl
Lena Dunham - Girls
Edie Falco - Nurse Jackie
Julia Louis - Dreyfus - Veep
Amy Poehler - Parks and Recreation

She took home an emmy award this year, and I think the success continues for Veep's Julia Louis Dreyfus. The way she portrays Selina Meyer is just brilliant. Other name to watch for is Lena Dunham, as Girls has been finally getting noticed.

Best Actor In A Television Series: Drama:
Bryan Cranston - Breaking Bad
Liev Schreiber - Ray Donovan
Michael Sheen - Masters of Sex
Kevin Spacey - House of Cards
James Spader - The Blacklist

Some of the most brilliant dramatic TV acting, Bryan Cranston deserves this recognition and I think he gets it. The evolution of Walter White's character was just astounding. A couple of dark horse candidates her though could be Kevin Spacey or James Spader (whose portrayal of Red somewhat mirrors Walter White one could argue).

Best Actress In A Television Series: Drama:
Julianna Margulies - The Good Wife
Tatiana Maslany - Orphan Black
Taylor Schilling - Orange is the New Black
Kerry Washington - Scandal
Robin Wright - House of Cards

This is another wide-open field it seems. With that, I'm going with the buzz and picking Taylor Schilling for her breakout role in Netflix's Orange Is The New Black. Other names to look for is the Emmy-snubbed Tatiana Maslany and of course Juliana Margulies.

Best Television Series: Comedy Or Musical:

The Big Bang Theory

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Girls

Modern Family

Parks and Recreation

The Big Bang Theory just keeps growing and growing, and I think it finally gets recognized here. While Modern Family has been the "critics darling", The Big Bang Theory is just pure comedy at its finest. Of course Modern Family is a nominee to watch for here, along with Girls, which is starting to get recognized.

Best Television Series: Drama:

Breaking Bad

Downton Abbey

The Good Wife

House of Cards

Masters of Sex

Breaking Bad seems poised to win big, coming off its final season. Just groundbreaking work and a spectacular drama that deserves anything and everything it gets. If there is any dark horse here, watch for the Netflix series House of Cards.

Best Original Score:

Hans Zimmer - 12 Years A Slave

Alex Ebert - All Is Lost

Steven Price - Gravity

Alex Heffes - Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom

John Williams - The Book Thief

This could be a big night for 12 Years A Slave, and it could start with the score. While Zimmer has had some amazing original scores (Inception), he hasn't won a Golden Globe since 2001 with Gladiator. His wonderful work here with 12 Years A Slave could get him recognized. However, you can never count out John Williams.

Best Original Song:

"Atlas" (Coldplay) - Hunger Games: Catching Fire

"Let It Go" (Kristin Anderson - Lopez & Robert Lopez) - Frozen

"Ordinary Love" (U2 and Danger Mouse) - Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

"Please Mr. Kennedy" (Ed Rush, George Cromarty, T Bone Burnett, Justin Timberlake, Joel & Ethan Coen) - Inside Llewyn Davis

"Sweeter Than Fiction" (Taylor Swift and Jack Antonoff) - One Chance

A tough field to predict from, but I'm going with Frozen's "Let It Go". In terms of Disney songs, "Let It Go" is right up there among the best. For the video I chose the original movie version performed by Idinia Menzel. Both the Menzel and Demi Lovato versions have been charting well. Another nominee to watch for is "Sweeter Than Fiction".

Best Screenplay:
Spike Jonze - Her
Bob Nelson - Nebraska
Jeff Pope and Steve Coogan - Philomena
John Ridley - 12 Years a Slave
Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell - American Hustle

A tough field to judge here for Screenplay, but I'm going to go with American Hustle here. Its the dialogue and writing from Singer and Russell that makes American Hustle really work. Also, watch for the buzzworthy Spike Jonze (Her) and of course John Ridley (12 Years a Slave).

Best Animated Feature Film:

The Croods

Despicable Me 2

Frozen

                     

This could be a runaway all awards season here. Frozen was far and away the most critically acclaimed animated film of the year, another hit for Disney. I'd be shocked if Frozen doesn't win here.

Best Foreign Language Film:

Blue Is The Warmest Color

The Great Beauty

The Hunt

The Past

The Wind Rises

Foreign Language Films are always a toss-up to predict, so I'm going with the one generating the most buzz in Blue Is The Warmest Color. Its received critical acclaim and has been one of the most talked about foreign films. It won big at the Cannes Film Festival. Another movie to watch for is The Wind Rises, another great work from Miyazaki. 

Best Supporting Actor:

Barkhad Abdi - Captain Phillips

Daniel Bruhl - Rush

Bradley Cooper - American Hustle 

Michael Fassbender - 12 Years a Slave

Jared Leto - Dallas Buyers Club

Leto has been emerging as somewhat of a favorite here over the past few weeks, and I think he takes the Golden Globe here. His work here and what he did for it is just astounding and deserves to be recognized. Michael Fassbender is another name to watch for (initial favorite). 

Best Supporting Actress:

Sally Hawkins - Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence - American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o - 12 Years a Slave

Julia Roberts - August: Osage County

June Squibb - Nebraska

This could come down to two nominees, but I'm going with Lupita Nyong'o here. As evidenced by the clip, just powerful work from her in 12 Years a Slave. The other name to watch for is of course Jennifer Lawrence, who at a young age, is starting to reel in awards and nominations like crazy.

Best Actor: Comedy or Musical:

Christian Bale - American Hustle

Bruce Dern - Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio - The Wolf of Wall Street

Oscar Isaac - Inside Llewyn Davis

Joaquin Phoenix - Her

An illustrious career from Bruce Dern will pay off here in a wide open field. He took the Cannes Film Festival award for Best Actor. Other names to watch for here are Oscar Isaac and Joaquin Phoenix.

Best Actress: Comedy or Musical:

Amy Adams - American Hustle

Julie Delpy - Before Midnight

Greta Gerwig - Frances Ha

Julia Louis - Dreyfus - Enough Said

Meryl Streep - August: Osage County

I think this is going to go to Amy Adams. This is a fairly wide-open field where she should take it. Of course, you can never count out Meryl Streep.

Best Actor: Drama:

Chiwetel Ejiofor - 12 Years a Slave

Idris Elba - Mandela:Long Walk to Freedom

Tom Hanks - Captain Phillips

Matthew McConaughey - Dallas Buyers Club

Robert Redford - All is Lost

Writing seems to be on the wall here for Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance in 12 Years a Slave. He'll likely head into the Oscars as the lead-on favorite. If there is a dark-horse here, watch for Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club (an equally powerful role for what he did to prepare for it).

Best Actress: Drama:

Cate Blanchett - Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock - Gravity

Judi Dench - Philomena

Emma Thompson - Saving Mr. Banks

Kate Winslet - Labor Day

Cate Blanchett should take this one. She'll also likely be the leading contender heading into the Oscars. Watch out for Sandra Bullock and Emma Thompson here as well.

Best Director:

Alfonso Cuaron - Gravity

Paul Greengrass - Captain Phillips

Steve McQueen - 12 Years a Slave

Alexander Payne - Nebraska

David O. Russell - American Hustle

A very competitive field here. While its tough to predict, I'm going with Steve McQueen for 12 Years a Slave. It took Mcqueen's exact direction to make 12 Years a Slave what it was. Someone else to look for here is David O. Russell for American Hustle.

Best Picture: Comedy or Musical:

American Hustle

Her

Inside Llewyn Davis

Nebraska

The Wolf of Wall Street  

American Hustle should and will take this. An elite cast, along with brilliant writing and directing from David O. Russell, American Hustle could be a leading contender heading into the Oscars. If there's a dark-horse here, watch for Inside Llewyn Davis and Her.

Best Picture: Drama:

12 Years a Slave

Captain Phillips

Gravity

Philomena

Rush

Long billed as a race between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity, 12 Years a Slave should take this. Such a powerful movie showing a dark past in our nation's history. Along with American Hustle, 12 Years a Slave should be a leading contender at the Oscar's. 

There you have it. Feel free to make your own predictions. And come Sunday Night, sit back, relax, get a drink, and let the awards season begin.