The 66th Golden Globes - JXM Picks the Winners

Best Motion Picture - Drama
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

JXM Picks: Toss up - Frost/Nixon and Slumdog Millionaire
Frost/Nixon is one of Ron Howard’s best work and will probably be heavily overlooked by many critics and audiences. This tightly pulled political drama set in a very audience friendly world of talking heads deserves much more recognition than its bound to get. With outstanding performances by Frank Langella as Nixon and the English born Michael Sheen as David Frost, Howard chronicles the days leading up to and including the infamous tapings of the Frost/Nixon interview that has permanently left Nixon’s last impression on the American public.

Slumdog Millionaire is also one of Danny Boyle’s finest work. Though Boyle is often reliant on camera trickery or “cool” shots, Slumdog is clean and engrossing from shot one. Slumdog chronicles the life of Jamal Malik as he is tortured and interrogated for his underdog performance in the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Suspected of fraud, Jamal is forced to explain his answers and thus recount all the moments in his life as an orphaned and homeless child on the dirty streets of India. Full of heart and fueled by his love for his only childhood friend, Latika, Jamal becomes a contestant on the show for the sole purpose of being seen by her. As heartwarming as it all sounds, Boyle beautifully ties in Jamal’s loss of innocence, loneliness and the gang violence that consumes his older brother. The entirely foreign cast set in a remarkably real India, Slumdog proves the film conglomerates wrong – minorities and non-westernized settings alike are fully capable of carrying a great film, one of the best in fact.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas - I've Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep - Doubt
Kate Winslet - Revolutionary Road

JXM Picks: Meryl Streep
Though all the rage has been about Anne Hathaway’s adult performance as the drug-addicted time bomb in Rachel Getting Married, her nomination alone is meant to set recognition for her evolving talent. As convincing as she was, stepping outside of the box of Disney-esque characters and fresh-faced idealists, Hathaway is simply just not there yet. Streep’s performance in Doubt is bone chilling and cited as one of her best performances of all-time. Now top that Hathaway. It’s Meryl Streep for crying out loud.

But don’t be surprised if the Globes pulls the rug out from under you and awards the statue to Miss Hathaway instead. Wink, wink.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio - Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella - Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn - Milk
Brad Pitt - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

JXM Picks: Toss up - Frank Langella and Mickey Rourke
Our hearts are set on Rourke taking home the Globe for his heartbreaking performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler. Rourke transforms into the washed up Randy the Ram who now struggles to make ends meet as a professional wrestler in the amateur division and at the deli counter of the local grocery store. The subtlety in his performance as a broken man with a lifetime of regrets is bound to put Rourke back on the map.

Langella, on the other hand, pulls out a performance where Langella is Nixon and Nixon is Langella. From the voice, to the posture, to the furrowed brow, Langella has got it down to a T. Embracing his role as one of the most hated men in American politics, Langella somehow manages to pull sympathy. The combination of his stellar performance and a long overdue statue, Langella is sure to be one of the top contenders.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

JXM Picks: In Bruges
We know, we know. In Bruges is up against a tough bunch. Really tough. But we believe! Going up against heavyweights like the Cohen Brothers for Burn After Reading and Woody Allen for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (one of his best works in the past decade - that’s really got to put a punch in the gut), but In Bruges were both funny and dramatic. It has all the elements that make for a widely entertaining film – love, betrayal, action, death, and fun times. It is here where we think the Globes will deliver the highly anticipated surprise of awarding the underdog.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Rebecca Hall - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins - Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand - Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep - Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson - Last Chance Harvey

JXM Picks: Frances McDormand
This is the award where Miss Streep can gladly step aside and let McDormand through. Almost always recognized for her dramatic performances, McDormand is definitely not one to overlook in the comedic department. Remember her gosh darnit cute performance in Fargo? Well the Cohen Brothers are her lucky charm when it comes to comedy. As the aging and loveably daft personal trainer, McDormand convinces with an innocence only known to child actors.

We’re also giddy with joy to see Rebecca Hall getting recognized, but unfortunately Vicky Cristina Barcelona is not the film to secure the statue. Having watched her young career grow from the little known English film Starter for 10, Hall is sure to be on the ballot again soon with her ability to pull comedy and drama (she was the suicidal wife of turn of the century magician Alfred Borden in The Prestige) and when the time is right, we’re sure that the little Golden Globe will make its way into her hands.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Javier Bardem - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell - In Bruges
James Franco - Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson - In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman - Last Chance Harvey

JXM Picks: Colin Farrell
As adorably stupid as Franco’s portrayal of Saul Silver in Pineapple Express is, it just gets slightly topped by Farrell as the nervous and jittery Ray in the underrated UK action comedy film In Bruges. Farrell overcomes his actorly baggage of the greasy, suave playboy and pulls off a performance of a lifetime. His nervous twitches, shifting eyes and heavy breathing is clearly no comedic performance like that of say Will Farrel, but that’s just it – comedy isn’t always about the absurd.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams - Doubt
Penelope Cruz - Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis - Doubt
Marisa Tomei - The Wrestler
Kate Winslet - The Reader

JXM Picks: Kate Winslet
Winslet, here will be rewarded for her bold role in The Reader, a woman who is locked in an affair with a teenager half her age in this post WWII drama. Set in Germany, the film tells the tale of their affair, it's mysterious end, and their reunion in a courtroom where she stands on trial for Nazi war crimes. Winslet’s performances have always shown a mature and emotional range, but here it shines brightly, even outbidding her own performance in Revolutionary Road where she is also recognized with a nomination.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Tom Cruise - Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr. - Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes - The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Doubt
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

JXM Picks: Heath Ledger
Hands down Ledger will take the Globe home in his name. Though Downey, Fiennes and Hoffman have all had stellar performances this past year, Ledger trumps them all with his dark, disturbing, and fresh take as the Joker. Though we fear his death is what has brought his performance so much attention and will lead to the win, we could only hope that if he were still alive he would still take the award home. Ledger is entirely invisible and he plays it with ease. Every nuance is taken into account into making the Joker a truly bonefide villain, to the smacking of his lips, the long roll in his eyes, and the hunch in his back. In a role with the potential to go so wrong and become (no pun intended) a joke, Ledger pulls out all the stops and puts fear into Gotham City – and us.

Best Animated Feature Film
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
Wall-E

JXM Picks: Wall-E
It’s a film that pulls at heartstrings, makes you laugh and cry without hardly saying a word. The animation is superb, and this adult-themed, 2001 Space Odyssey for kids also makes you think. As fun as Kung Fu Panda and Bolt both were, Wall-E just happens to have that little something more.

Best Director Motion Picture
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry - The Reader
David Fincher - The Curious Case of Bejamin Button
Ron Howard - Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes - Revolutionary Road

JXM Picks: Danny Boyle
We know this to be a long shot but Boyle is both deserving, and an award has been a long time coming. His work hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention that it deserves, though his work has fallen into cult status. And as Slumdog illustrates, sometimes the underdog can come out on top.

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Eric Roth - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
John Patrick Shanley - Doubt
Peter Morgan - Frost/Nixon
David Hare - The Reader
Simon Beaufoy - Slumdog Millionaire

JXM Picks: Peter Morgan
Like so many other political dramas, they are heavily dependent on clean and clear lines and storytelling and Morgan writes a fine script on a topic that can appeal to generations that have no clue about the Nixon/Watergate scandal. And with a topic that can become so convoluted, Morgan writes an engaging and thoroughly interesting script.

Best Television Series – Drama
Dexter
House
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood

JXM Picks: Toss up - Mad Men and Dexter
Mad Men picked up the Globe last year and they can possibly take it again this year. Though season two didn’t have the same chutzpa as season one, it did go in a darker direction. But its seemingly abrupt season finale puts it in a race with Dexter. And though season one Dexter is almost incomparable to the sanitized season three, it still managed to engage and entertain from episode to episode. Its smart timing and dark approach puts it ahead of its competitors such as True Blood. A series that we, in fact, are floored to see on the ballot. This Allan Ball drama was a huge disappointment to us with its cheese-filled lines and many poorly performed performances.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama
Sally Field – Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay – Law & Order
January Jones – Mad Men
Anna Paquin – True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick – The Closer

JXM Picks: Sally Field
It is the year of the “mature” woman. And you really like her. Though we think Sedgwick comes in a close second.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama
Gabriel Byrne – In Treatment
Michael C. Hall – Dexter
Jon Hamm – Mad Men
Hugh Laurie – House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors

JXM Picks: Jon Hamm
Like his series, Hamm took the Globe last year and we think he’s deserving of taking it again this year. We’re a fan of his cool and clean performance as the 60’s ad man who is both introspective and stone cold.

Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy
30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds

JXM Picks: 30 Rock
It’s the little engine that could. Since its paltry debut, it’s been gaining steam and now moving full force ahead. It stole the show last year, everyone crying wolf when Extras nabbed the award. But this year it will be holding the statue with confident hands.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Christina Applegate – Samantha Who?
America Ferrara – Ugly Betty
Tina Fey – 30 Rock
Debra Messing – The Starter Wife
Mary-Louise Parker – Weeds

JXM Picks: Tina Fey
It’s the year of the Fey. Her nomination is not only in recognition for her work in 30 Rock, but as well as her hilarious and uncanny impressions of this past year’s vice-presidential candidate, Sarah Palin. But be on the lookout for possible scene-stealer, Christina Applegate to walk home with the award.

Best Performance by and Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Steve Carell - The Office
Kevin Connolly - Entourage
David Duchovny - Californication
Tony Shalhoub - Monk

JXM Picks: Alec Baldwin
Baldwin was overlooked last year for his role as the over zealous, crass and downright ridiculous Jack Donaghy. He plays the absurdity of his lines with such conviction it’s scary. And handing the statue back to Duchovny seems both wrong and dirty.