Golden Globe Predictions

The Golden Girls

By Noelle Perera · UrbanWire
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It's confirmed – it's the Year of the Women again, judging from the list of nominees for the 61st Golden Globes. Strong female characters rule both the silver and TV screens, from the farewell brouhaha over 4 giggly and sexed up girls on TV to 6 (and not the usual 5) women nominated in the Best Actress in Drama and Musical or Comedy categories.

Thank heavens Cate Blanchett is back in the fray, and we see breakthrough actresses like Scarlett Johansson and Evan Rachel Wood joining the stellar women's club. Even a perennial overlooked Charlize Theron is now nominated. Old-time favourites Helen Mirren, Diane Keaton and Jamie Lee Curtis are similarly recognised for their comedic roles.

With a Best Actor in a Drama nominee list that screams bland, one continues to wonder why men are paid more when women obviously do better. Afraid of sounding too sexist, UrbanWire decides to do what's best – predict the outcome for the 61st Golden Globes instead.

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Seabiscuit Mystic River Cold Mountain [winner]

The final film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy seems the obvious winner here, but voters didn't seem to have had any problems brutally ignoring the previous 2 either. Master and Commander, starring Hollywood 's favourite brat Russell Crowe hasn't made enough of a splash, neither in the box office nor with the critics. For that matter, neither did Mystic River. Though it's the biggest name-dropper this year, Mystic River was a little too quiet. Not-so-dark horse Seabiscuit might just be able to pull a fast one and run off with the prize.

Cold Mountain seems the likely challenger to the masses' favourite LOTR but might just suffer a cold shoulder, though we think they deserve a shot.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy

Finding Nemo Big Fish Love Actually Bend it Like Beckham Lost in Translation [winner]

At first glance, it seems Nemo will be the catch of the day. But voters aren't likely to let a children's animated film win this one. It's been a while since we saw anything from Tim Burton , though Big Fish might be a little too surreal for voters' tastes.

Americans have never appreciated Brit humour, partly because they can't understand it, which isn't great for Love Actually, its A-list ensemble cast notwithstanding . And while Bend it Like Beckham introduced Keira Knightley to the world, voters are probably still going, Bend it Like who ?

Which leaves Lost in Translation to steal the limelight. Chronicling the relationship of a husband and a wife (not married to each other) stranded in a foreign land, this movie puts audiences in stitches.

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Drama

Russell Crowe – Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Tom Cruise – The Last Samurai Ben Kingsley – House of Sand and Fog Jude Law – Cold Mountain [winner] Sean Penn – Mystic River

This is perhaps the most boring list of nominees for a Best Actor award ever seen. We've seen all these names here before, with the exception of Jude Law, making him the most likely candidate to win.

Russell Crowe's prima donna attitude may be his undoing and Ben Kingsley's nomination for a quiet film isn't likely to garner a win, while Tom Cruise's performance is secondary and pales next to Ken Watanabe's.

After disastrous reviews for his previous film, I Am Sam , a win here for Sean Penn would do some good. Unfortunately, his anti-war sentiment makes him taboo. Jude Law has played the supporting roles for years and been nominated in this category twice but never won. It's about time.

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Drama

Cate Blanchett – Veronica Guerin Nicole Kidman – Cold Mountain Scarlett Johansson – Girl with a Pearl Earring Charlize Theron – Monster [winner] Uma Thurman – Kill Bill: Vol. 1 Evan Rachel Wood – Thirteen

Nicole Kidman could have gone much further with this role. Her performance was good, but considering her Oscar and Golden Globe wins last year, a lot more is expected of her, which she fails to deliver in Cold Mountain.

Uma Thurman's nomination is a travesty, unless the world has decided to reward bad delivery of lines and monotonous facial expressions. Scarlett Johansson won't win this, simply because her other nominated role for Lost in Translation , which she is likely to win for, was so much better. Evan Rachel Wood is the underdog here. In a scarily realistic role as a teenager desperate to be cool, Wood strikes fear in the heart of every parent who sees this film.

Charlize Theron and Cate Blanchett are the closest competitors here. While Veronica Guerin could have been much better, Blanchett's delivery managed to carry the entire film. And Theron's gripping portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos was eerily accurate. It's a close battle, but Theron will come out tops.

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Musical or Comedy

Jack Black – School of Rock Johnny Depp – Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl [winner] Bill Murray – Lost in Translation Jack Nicholson – Something's Gotta Give Billy Bob Thornton – Bad Santa

Jack Nicholson's the veteran here, but he's not bagging the prize because his performances in the past far surpass this one. Jack Black's surprisingly realistic portrayal of a rock-never-dies child of the 80s was good, but nothing else. And Billy Bob Thornton playing a mean Santa won't win him the award because one doesn't win awards by scaring young children, or annoying adults, for that matter.

Hence, it boils down to the real competition between Johnny Depp and Bill Murray. While many say that his performance in Lost in Translation is Murray's best ever, we'll all be in Davy Jones' s locker before we forget the über-camp Cap'n Jack Sparrow. For playing a character that wasn't depressed or sexually frustrated, Depp will commandeer this one.

Best Actress in a Leading Role – Musical or Comedy

Jamie Lee Curtis – Freaky Friday Scarlett Johansson – Lost in Translation [winner] Diane Keaton – Something's Gotta Give Diane Lane – Under the Tuscan Sun Helen Mirren – Calendar Girls

I don't know about you, but I'm still baffled by Jamie Lee Curtis's nomination. Since when does acting like a child qualify one for an award? Politicians have been doing this for years without any recognition or complaints, so there's absolutely no need to highlight Curtis's performance here.

Diane Lane, while always looking stunning, had a role that was completely forgettable in a movie that was even more so. It seems Something's Gotta Give is long-forgotten Diane Keaton's return to movie salvation and nothing else.

We hardly ever see Helen Mirren doing comedy, and when she does, she shines. As the leader of a bunch of old(er) women stripping for cash, Mirren goes all out to tickle and relax her stiff upper lip.

Despite the competition from actresses who have been in the business for decades, Scarlett Johansson, the only new face here, gets my bet. In a challenging role opposite Bill Murray, her brilliant performance as a lost and confused married woman in a foreign land is screaming for recognition. She'll get a trophy, along with a note asking her where on earth this talented and beautiful actress has been hiding all these years.

The 61st Golden Globes airs Jan 26 at 8 am on Ch 5.