Sunday Salon: Golden Globes!

Happy Golden Globes Day! It may not be a holiday to most, but I adore the Globes. They combine film and television, the sparkling wine is always flowing, and it's an awards show where the celebrities actually relax and have fun. 

I started the day with a wonderful brunch. The Wine Bar and Bistro on Lark, one of my favorite Albany restaurants, started serving Sunday brunch today, and it was divine. I'm spending the afternoon reading Hamlet, then I have my sparkling wine chilled to sip along with the stars as I watch the Globes tonight. Here are my picks (and my hopes) for the awards tonight:


(update: winners are in bold)


Best Picture, Drama
Black Swan
The Fighter - my pick
Inception
The King's Speech 
The Social Network - my prediction


I really waffled between The Fighter and The King's Speech. Both are phenomenal films, and I'll be ecstatic if either wins. I'd be happy for Black Swan too.


Best Actress, Drama
Halle Berry, Frankie and Alice
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan - my prediction
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine 


Three of these movies haven't made it to Albany yet, so it's difficult to pick. I've heard amazing things about Michelle Williams, but Blue Valentine won't open here until later this month. Natalie Portman was fantastic, and I will cheer her on when she wins. Plus, who doesn't love an on-set romance success story?


Best Actor, Drama
Jesse Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech - my prediction and pick
James Franco, 127 Hours
Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine
Mark Wahlberg, The Fighter


I won't be upset if any of these names are called, but my money is on Colin Firth who should have won last year for A Single Man.


Best Picture, Comedy
Alice in Wonderland - my pick
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right  - my prediction
Red
The Tourist


I am apparently the only person who disliked The Kids Are All Right. The acting was phenomenal, but I really didn't like the film. I did, however, adore Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, a feminist re-working that was majestic.


Best Actress, Comedy
Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right- my prediction
Anne Hathaway, Love & Other Drugs - my pick
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right
Emma Stone, Easy A


This category is filled with performance I adored in movies I didn't. I did love The Tourist, and I enjoyed Easy A, but I think Emma Stone's nomination is more a sign of the lack of coemdic parts for women than the exceptional quality of her performance. I'm happy with anyone but Emma Stone winning (no disrespect, you've got a long career ahead of you, Emma.)


Best Actor, Comedy
Johnny Depp, Alice in Wonderland - my pick and prediction
Johnny Depp, The Tourist
Paul Giamatti, Barney's Version
Jake Gyllenhaal, Love & Other Drugs
Kevin Spacey, Casino Jack


Barney's Version and Casino Jack haven't made it to Albany yet either, but my money is still on Johnny Depp. I would love to see Jake Gyllenhaal win, but I think a great performance in a great film trumps a great performance in a bad film, so I'm picking Johnny.


Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Mila Kunis, Black Swan
Melissa Leo, The Fighter -my pick and prediction
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom


They're all lovely, but after seeing documentary footage of the real Alice, I don't think anyone can beat Melissa.


Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter - my pick and prediction
Michael Douglas, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps
Andrew Garfield, The Social Network
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Geoffrey Rush, The King's Speech


In almost any other year, I could argue for each of these men to win, but Christian Bale's performance was in another league. 


Best Animated Film
Despicable Me - my pick
How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3 - my prediction


As one of the only people who was underwhelmed with Toy Story 3 (the second one was better), I'm rooting for Despicable Me but don't think it will win. Possible dark horse: The Illusionist because it is the Hollywood Foreign Press.


Best Foreign Language Film
Biutiful 
The Concert
The Edge
I Am Love - my prediction
In a Better World


Best Director
Darren Aronofsky, Black Swan- my pick
David Fincher, The Social Network
Tom Hooper, The King's Speech
Christopher Nolan, Inception  - my prediction
David O. Russell, The Fighter


Best Screenplay
127 Hours
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech - my pick
The Social Network - my prediction


Without distinguishing between original and adapted, I expect Aaron Sorkin to win this one.


Best Original Score
The King's Speech
Alice in Wonderland - my pick
127 Hours
The Social Network - my prediction
Inception


Best Original Song
"Bound to You," Burlesque - my prediction
"Coming Home," Country Strong  - my pick
"I See The Light," Tangled
"There's A Place For Us," The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
"You Haven't Seen the Last of Me," Burlesque


Best TV Drama
Boardwalk Empire- my prediction
Dexter
The Good Wife - my pick
Mad Men
The Walking Dead


I still think The Good Wife is the best show on tv, and my fingers are crossed.


Best TV Actress, Drama
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife  - my pick & prediction
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Piper Perabo, Covert Affairs
Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer


Best TV Actor, Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire - my pick & prediction
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House


Best TV Series, Comedy
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family - my pick & prediction
Nurse Jackie


Best TV Actress, Comedy
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Laura Linney, The Big C -my prediction
Lea Michele, Glee


Isn't it nice to be a funny woman on Showtime? I'm happy with any of these ladies winning for so many different reasons. 


Best TV Actor, Comedy
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock - my pick
Steve Carell, The Office
Thomas Jane, Hung
Matthew Morrison, Glee
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory - my prediction


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


Best Actress, Mini-Series or TV Movie
Hayley Atwell, Pillars of the Earth
Claire Danes, Temple Grandin - my pick & prediction
Judi Dench, Return to Cranford
Romola Garai, Emma
Jennifer Love Hewitt, The Client List


Best Actor, Mini-Series of TV Movie
Idris Elba, Luther - my pick & prediction
Ian McShane, Pillars of the Earth
Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack
Dennis Quaid, The Special Relationship
Edgar Ramirez, Carlos


Best Supporting Actress, TV
Hope Davis, The Special Relationship
Jane Lynch, Glee - my prediction
Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire
Julia Stiles, Dexter - my pick
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family


I find this category ridiculous, as supporting roles in series, mini-series and tv movies are all eligible, regardless of genre.


Best Supporting Actor, TV
Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-O
Chris Colfer, Glee
Chris Noth, The Good Wife - my pick
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family - my prediction
David Strathairn, Temple Grandin


How did I do? I correctly predicted 16 of the 25 awards. In the film awards, I was 10/14, while I fared less well in the television awards with 6/11.


Coming up on the blog this week:

• another much-anticipated spring novel from an author I've loved in the past as my Waiting on Wednesday pick
• my review and diatribe about why The Social Network is not my favorite movie of the year
• a review of Small Wars, the latest novel from Sadie Jones
• my first five-star book review of the year
• a review of Please Give, a film I wish more people would see
• a review of the graphic novel French Milk