Awards Page Index * OSCAR coverage here
'08 Golden Globe Winners
by Nathaniel R

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Best DIRECTOR

Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire	Stephen Daldry The Reader	David Fincher The Curious Case of Benjamin Button	Ron Howard Frost/Nixon	Sam Mendes Revolutionary Road
Boyle won. On to Oscar... even if Slumdog miraculously loses I'm thinking he still wins Director. The Predictions I'm going with a Picture/Director split and saying Boyle takes this for Slumdog... but loses best picture Nominations I scored 3/5 for my predictions missing Mendes & Daldry (for Van Sant & Demme). I was quite surprised to see Milk snubbed in most major categories. It looks like Fincher will take this given the momentum of the film. Before Nominations I Said... In past years even when their drama choices have been somewhat sound they've snubbed major talents (Cronenberg for A History of Violence even with his film nominated, Anderson for There Will Be Blood) but honestly I've never been able to make much sense of their director nominations. So I'm just making five wild guesses, including one wishful thinking candidate (Demme) and one semi-bizarre choice (Fincher)because for reasons I can't even explain to myself I've neglected to include the film in my Best Drama predictions. That's the way to approach the Globes. Toss the names into the air. Alternates obviously include Chris Nolan (The Dark Knight), Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), John Patrick Shanley (Doubt), Edward Zwick (Defiance), Woody Allen (Vicky Christina Barcelona --more like than I think people realize for Oscar play... given that the screenplay AND an acting category are givens), Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road) and Clint Eastwood (Changeling or Gran Torino)

Best SUPPORTING Actress

Amy Adams Doubt	Penélope Cruz Vicky Cristina Barcelona	Viola Davis Doubt	Marisa Tomei The Wrestler	Kate Winslet The Reader
A double win for Winslet at the Globes. A pretty shocking development in what's been a strange but big year for her (what with the on and off precursor support)... It'll be interesting to see what happens with Oscar both nomination wise (a double nod? a surprise snub for one of the roles?) and when it comes to the win. The precursors have all but begged Oscar to finally give her a gold boy. The Predictions Oscar might go to Winslet to make it up to her for all those losses at such a young age or Davis to give Doubt a major prize but I think, Oscar or no, Penélope Cruz gets the Globe. I could be wrong of course but she seems like such a Globe bingo. The Nominations I scored 4/5 missing Winslet and thinking they'd go with DeWitt for Rachel Getting Married who has I think this is very close to what we'll see at Oscar, minus Amy Adams. Her spot to be filled by either DeWitt (Rachel) or Henson (Button). I'm guessing Cruz wins handily here. Before the nominations I said... They're not above throwing a big star in here just to do so (see Julia Roberts for Charlie Wilson's War last year)... so I'm guessing this is where Amy Adams makes her big move for Doubt (though I think it ends there in terms of awardage). Otherwise DeWitt is vulnerable (not a big star) and so is Tomei --it all depends on what they thought of the Wrestler itself I'm guessing. Alternates: Beyonce (Cadillac Records), Kathy Bates (Revolutionary Road), Debra Winger (Rachel Getting Married), Kate Winslet (The Reader) and Taraj P Henson (Benjamin Button)

 

Best SUPPORTING Actor

Tom Cruise Tropic Thunder	Robert Downey Jr Tropic Thunder	Ralph Fiennes The Duchess	Phillip Seymour Hoffman Doubt	Heath Ledger The Dark Knight
Ledger takes another posthumously The Predictions I think every awards group wants their in memoriam moment so it's Heath Ledger. However, since this is the Globes and their often the most surprising awards show, I could see Downey Jr winning. We'll see. The Nominations This is where the Globes really threw curveballs. I scored only 2/5 having guessed both Milk men (Brolin & Franco) and Pitt for Burn After Reading... a film that I was correct would be loved by the Globes. In their place TOM CRUISE (!) for his one joke (albeit very funny joke) in Tropic Thunder . Downey Jr for the same film (I had predicted him in lead since the Globes can be wishy washy about categories) and the out of nowhere Raph Fiennes --was this a way to give another nod to The Reader which they seemed to love? Before the nominations I said I feel confident about 3 of these choices, Brolin, Hoffman and Ledger. Robert Downey Jr I placed in Lead just because. But it wouldn't surprise me if he were here instead. So sub him for James Franco if it makes you feel better. The Brad Pitt selection is a complete wild guess... he doesn't really have what's called "traction" but he is a beloved star and if they don't have room for him in Best Actor maybe here? He's really funny in the Coen Bros undervalued satire. If he's not there I'd expect to see James Franco for Milk If you see Dev Patel here he's probably getting an Oscar nomination (sigh). I didn't hate his performance but I really think the love for the film is blurring people's vision as to what constitutes "best" acting.

 

Best SCREENPLAY

Frost/Nixon	Benjamin Button	The Reader	Slumdog Millionaire	Doubt
It's Slumdog's world. The Predictions I think Slumdog has this but it's the Globes so who knows. I could see Doubt or Button winning, too. Pick a card... any card. The Nominations (I scored only 2/5 here incorrectly guessing rachel getting married, revolutionary road and vicky cristina barcelona) Rachel Getting Married and Milk took big hits from the Globes today only competing in lead acting category. But then again, the Globes combine this category unlike the Academy who differentiates (correctly) between wholly original pieces and adaptations. And whenever awards groups combine the two, Original pieces usually lose out. Not sure why that is but that's how it is. Before the nominations I said... Combining Original and Adapted means virtually any film can be snubbed. So these are quite random selections. Alternatives are too many to mention

 

 

Best FOREIGN FILM

I've Loved You So Long (France)	The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)	Waltz With Bashir (Israel)	Maria Larsson's Everlasting Moment (Sweden)	Gomorrah (Italy)
The Win Waltz With Bashir. I shouldn't have gotten cold feet with that prediction The Predictions LAST MINUTE CHANGE. I'm going to guess Gomorrah instead of the BFCA winner Waltz With Bashir The Nominations I scored 3/5 here I saw I've Loved You, Waltz and Gomorrah coming but missed the German and Swedish films (both of which I'd predicted for eventual Oscar nods because the Globes don't usually stick so closely to the Oscar submission list. HORRIFIC SNUB: France's Palme D'Or winner THE CLASS which is better than at least 3 of these (the ones I've seen) and probably the other 2 (the ones I haven't seen) Before the nominations I said... random predictions. They have different rules than Oscar here (see full Oscar submission list) so it's tough to know which films they might choose. Though it's usually some combo of films on the Oscar list and films that have actually played in the States this year to some degree of critical/box office success

 

Best ANIMATED FILM

Bolt	Kung Fu Panda	WALL•E
I scored 3/3 here. WALL•E will obviously emerge the winner. Will this also be the Oscar lineup, or will Waltz With Bashir make it over Bolt?

 

Best ORIGINAL Song

"Gran Torino " (Gran Torino)	"Down to Earth" (WALL•E)	"The Wrestler" (The Wrestler)	"I Though I Lost You" (Bolt)	"Once in a Lifetime" (Cadillac Records)
Yay Bruce! The Prediction When you're name is Bruce Springsteen (The Wrestler) it's not really a fair playing field. The only spoiler is if they want a Clint Eastwood moment... and they might. The Nominations I scored only 2/5 here in my predictions. Though nobody in their right mind couldn't have guessed those two so I can't really be proud: You'll also see The Wrestler and Down to Earth in Oscar's list. The Wrestler should have an easy time getting Bruce Springsteen an Oscar win this year. The song is so great and fits the movie perfectly. FRIGHTENING: I didn't realize that Clint Eastwood wrote an original song for Gran Torino. So technically he could end up with like 4 Oscar nods this January to add to his already stratospheric total.

 

Best SCORE

Rahman Slumdog Millionaire	Howard Defiance	Eastwood Changeling	Desplat Curious Case of Benjamin Button	Zimmer Frost/ Nixon
It's a Slumdog world. Are you living in it or do you want to get off? The Prediction I'm not sure how you vote against Slumdog given this particular shortlist but stranger things have happened. The Nominations I scored only 2/5 here. I saw the Eastwood and Desplat nominations coming. Though I hope Eastwood doesn't follow this to an Oscar nod. I'd agree with everyone that it's amazing he can do so many things... so props for that. But that still doesn't mean he's ever been one of the five best in terms of scoring. His scores are never as complex or interesting as those from the professional composers. Oscar Enthusiasts Take Note: The Globe lineup rarely matches Oscar well in this category. So don't get too excited about switching up your predictions on this evidence. Before the nominations I said... I'm totally "off" of my Oscar predictions in this category since the Globes rarely line up. Just guessing. Please don't take it too seriously.

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