Nominations for the Golden Globes are fresh off the presses, wires or whatever. This is an indication of the other awards to follow.
Best actor, to my mind, is George Clooney’s to lose for his performance in The Descendants, although Michael Fassbender deserves to be there for his performance in the alarming and haunting Shame. Ryan Gosling is flavour of the month but I don’t think The Ides of March will win it for him. Leonardo di Caprio’s J Edgar is a noble effort in a lesser movie.
Best actress is a shoot out between Meryl Streep as Maggie T in The Iron Lady and Tilda Swinton for Kevin. Rooney Mara is a marker for future films, Viola Davis a creditable mention and Glenn Close, although excellent, cross dressing in Albert Nobbs, has not had sufficient exposure.
The comedy or musical categories throw up some interesting options: Jean Dujardin for the lead role in the exquisite The Artist and Brendan Gleeson for one of my favourites of the year, The Guard. In the Actress category, Michelle Williams as Marilyn in My Week With Marilyn and Kristen Wiig for Bridesmaids. But these are comedies and musicals and not to be taken seriously for Oscars!
Best Film and Best Director offer a curious selection. The Descendants, The Help, Hugo and War Horse I would expect. Moneyball and The Ides of March seem a bit tepid. The Artist is a worthy candidate, nay, winner but I doubt the capacity of a French film to woo sufficient of the critics, however charming, delightful, zestful and life affirming it is. Midnight in Paris is respectful. My Week With Marilyn is Hollywood honouring Hollywood (even though it is a British film). 50/50 and Bridesmaids suggests a much younger, earthier taste being recognised. No chance!
Best director: Woody Allen & Martin Scorsese are good and solid (but no Spielberg for War Horse), George Clooney for The Ides of March would be an outside chance but my hunch is either Alexander Payne for The Descendants or, if the critics do choose to follow their collective heart (watch the granite melt!) Michel Hazanavicius for The Artist.
No notable omissions for the Golden Globes but I would expect the BAFTAs to feature and indeed, reward Vanessa Redgrave as Best Supporting Actress for Coriolanus. There should also be reference made to Tyrannosaur for Peter Mullen’s tour de force performance.
Most of these have either been in the programme in the last couple of months or are in the new programme which will be published next week. I know what an awards film looks like but am hopeless at predicting winners. Please do not stake your life savings on my hunches.
