While Oscar season began in late November, January is the beginning of the televised and guild awards season, so as we do every year, we’re looking at the Golden Globe Awards. here are our predictions and our commentary to go along with them.

GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS

Best Picture, Drama

The Irishman (Peter, Tripp, Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Marriage Story
1917 (Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Joker
The Two Popes

Wesley Lovell: Things have been slowly shifting from 1917 to The Irishman as folks get to see the film. Either here or at BAFTA, the Oscar race will be upended and 1917 will take the lead and I suspect it will be here that it happens. Then again, Netflix knows how to campaign (bribe), so I could imagine this group going with the Martin Scorsese film instead.
Peter J. Patrick: The most likely winner is The Irishman, one of three Netflix entries, but if they don’t want to reward Netflix with the big prize, then 1917 seems a much more likely winner than Joker.
Tripp Burton: You could make a case for any of these winning, but the HFPA does have a love for big, classically made epic, and this will be a battle between frontrunner The Irishman and the emerging contender 1917.
Thomas LaTourette: I have not seen 1917 yet, but it sounds like it would be the best of the films that stand a chance of winning. My favorite so far is The Two Popes which stands little chance of success. So I think the HFPA will go with the big name Martin Scorsese film.

Best Picture, Comedy/Musical

Dolemite Is My Name
Jojo Rabbit (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Knives Out (RU:Peter)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Rocketman (RU:Tripp)

Wesley Lovell: It isn’t that the comedy/musical races feature unimpressive movies. This is probably the best reviewed slate the Globes has ever nominated. That said, they like certain kinds of films and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is the most Globish film I think they’ve nominated in some time. As to what could run in second? Jojo Rabbit or Rocketman seem like decent bets. Knives Out just doesn’t seem like their cup of tea.
Peter J. Patrick: Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood seems unbeatable here. If they want to surprise, Knives Out would certainly be that.
Tripp Burton: This is a safe bet for Tarantino’s Hollywood epic to pick up a win here. It is about movies, one of the most acclaimed films of the year, and gets a celebrity on stage picking up the prize. What more could the Globes ask for?
Thomas LaTourette: Jojo Rabbit would be my choice, but I think it will go to Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood.

Best Picture, Animated

Frozen II (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (RU:Tripp)
The Lion King
Missing Link
Toy Story 4 (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: All of the nominees have their supporters and detractors, but Toy Story 4 is a tradition and I suspect that film will ultimately win out, but any of the others (except The Lion King) really could win this.
Peter J. Patrick: Either the third sequel to Toy Story or the first to Frozen will take this. Toss a coin and wait for the envelope to be opened.
Tripp Burton: Oscar frontrunner Toy Story 4 seems like a safe bet here, as the Globes and Oscars match up pretty well in this category, but they did give a surprise award to the second How to Train Your Dragon movie and could surprise us again.
Thomas LaTourette: Four of the films are sequels or remakes, which could give Missing Link an advantage. I just do not see that film winning, so expect the unneeded Toy Story 4 to prevail.

Best Director

Bong Joon-ho – Parasite (Tripp, RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Sam Mendes – 1917 (Wesley)
Todd Phillips – Joker
Martin Scorsese – The Irishman (Peter, Thomas, RU:Tripp)
Quentin Tarantino – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: While the Globes like celebrities, this isn’t a category with many celebrities. I’m going out on a limb and giving this to Sam Mendes if his film is going to win Best Picture, but Scorsese and Tarantino are both celebrities, so either could win.
Peter J. Patrick: Scorsese has already won this award three times. A fourth may not be in the cards. If not, look for Bong to take it.
Tripp Burton: I’m at a loss of how this category will go. It could easily be Bong Joon-ho, a year after Alfonso Cuaron took this, but it could also be legends like Scorsese or Tarantino. There is also a chance that 1917 does really well and Sam Mendes wins here. Todd Phillips is the only winner I don’t expect to possibly see on the stage.
Thomas LaTourette: This probably comes down to a race between Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, though I wonder if Parasite’s Korean director might sneak in for a win. This will be a close category.

Best Actor, Drama

Christian Bale – Ford v Ferrari
Antonio Banderas – Pain and Glory (Tripp, RU:Peter)
Adam Driver – Marriage Story (Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Joaquin Phoenix – Joker (Thomas, RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)
Jonathan Pryce – The Two Popes (Peter)

Wesley Lovell: While all of these actors are well respected, none of them could be considered major celebrities. Quality might win out here, which would give Adam Driver the race; however, this group might go with the more popular Joker.
Peter J. Patrick: The smart money may be on Joaquin Phoenix, but I have a hunch it will go to one of the first-time nominees, either Pryce or Banderas.
Tripp Burton: The Globes love a good campaigner, and the much loved Banderas seems tailor-made for this group. He could surprise here (much like Isabelle Huppert a few years ago) and cement himself an Oscar nod. If not, go with the much-praised Joaquin Phoenix to pick up his second Globe.
Thomas LaTourette: Physically transforming roles have a habit of winning, which is why I think Phoenix will win here. Truthfully, I did not care for the movie, but people will remember his manic character. Driver had quite the year headlining several movies and could win for sheer quantity, as well as being very good in Marriage Story. Jonathan Pryce and Antonio Banderas are more deserving but will not win.

Best Actress, Drama

Cynthia Erivo – Harriet
Scarlett Johansson – Marriage Story (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)
Saoirse Ronan – Little Women
Charlize Theron – Bombshell (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Renée Zellweger – Judy (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson are bona fide celebrities and Renée Zellweger isn’t far behind them. The race likely comes down to these three women with the celebrity impersonation of Judy Garland winning in the end.
Peter J. Patrick: They will likely see giving it to Zellweger as awarding both her and Judy Garland. If not, Johansson would be the likely recipient.
Tripp Burton: Renee Zellweger seems to be leading the pack here, but Charlize Theron in Bombshell is another transforming performance that feels like a Globe pick. If they aren’t looking to continue the Renee narrative, then Theron could win.
Thomas LaTourette: It would be a huge upset if anyone but Zellwegger wins. She was dynamic as Judy Garland and should easily win. Theron is getting a lot of buzz for Bombshell and is probably her closest competition.

Best Actor, Comedy/Musical

Daniel Craig – Knives Out
Roman Griffin Davis – Jojo Rabbit
Leonardo DiCaprio – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Peter, Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Taron Egerton – Rocketman (Wesley, RU:Peter, RU:Tripp)
Eddie Murphy – Dolemite Is My Name (Tripp, RU:Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: The comedy/musical category is an embarrassment of riches this year and while Leonardo DiCaprio is the biggest celebrity on the list, Eddie Murphy isn’t a slouch in that department. That said, Taron Egerton’s performance in Rocketman ticks a lot of boxes for this group and the more outlandish performance is likely to win.
Peter J. Patrick: DiCaprio seems most likely, but if they don’t want to give him a fourth award just yet, then Egerton should be the beneficiary.
Tripp Burton: The Globes love getting big stars on their stage, and Eddie Murphy picking up an award would be huge. If not him, then the eager campaigner Taron Egerton could win here, much like Rami Malek last year.
Thomas LaTourette: This is a difficult category to predict as there are three distinct possibilities. Murphy is having a career comeback with Dolemite and the critics are loving it. I have not had a chance to see it yet, so it is hard to judge. Taron Edgerton was phenomenal in Rocketman, and did his own singing, which could lead him to a win. Though I am thinking that DiCaprio is the closest to Hollywood royalty in the bunch, and the HFPA does like its stars. DiCaprio wins in a very close race.

Best Actress, Comedy/Musical

Ana de Armas – Knives Out (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Awkwafina – The Farewell (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Cate Blanchett – Where’d You Go, Bernadette
Beanie Feldstein – Booksmart (RU:Peter)
Emma Thompson – Late Night (RU:Wesley)

Wesley Lovell: Cate Blanchett and Emma Thompson are incredibly well known but their films were duds. Ana de Armas and Beanie Feldstein are really young and that doesn’t always work to their advantage. While I’m leaning towards Awkwafina simply because her film is more international in nature, I suspect that any of the others could upset since none of them see like sure things.
Peter J. Patrick: Awkwafina seems to have this one sown up with Feldstein next in line.
Tripp Burton: Awkwafina feels like the safest bet to win all night.
Thomas LaTourette: Awkwafina has had the most press for her performance and that should carry over to a win here. It might also breathe some new life into her sagging Oscar chances. The others were all good, though I would list newcomer de Armas as her only serious competition.

Best Supporting Actor

Tom Hanks – A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
Anthony Hopkins – The Two Popes (Peter, RU:Tripp)
Al Pacino – The Irishman (RU:Wesley)
Joe Pesci – The Irishman (RU:Thomas)
Brad Pitt – Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Wesley, Tripp, Thomas, RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: When Joe Pesci is the least well known name on the list, you know the deck is stacked. This is the kind of nomination slate that has no winners or losers. That said, I suspect that Brad Pitt being the biggest celebrity of the bunch should win, but don’t count out Al Pacino, Anthony Hopkins, or Tom Hanks. Even then, it’s possible for Joe Pesci to win as well.
Peter J. Patrick: Pitt would seem to be the likeliest choice but he’s a former winner while honorary award winner Hopkins has never won for a single performance – they could see this as a chance to correct that.
Tripp Burton: There is a steady narrative to getting Brad Pitt his first acting Oscar this year, and this feels like an important step in that direction. These are a lot of big names in this category, but he should win handily.
Thomas LaTourette: This is probably Pitt’s to lose, and I do not see that happening. He has never won an Oscar, and this could be sending him down that route. It’s a strong category, so he might not win. Al Pacino had the showier role in The Irishman, but Pesci turned in the better performance. If Pitt loses, it will probably go to one of them.

Best Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates – Richard Jewell (RU:Peter)
Annette Bening – The Report
Laura Dern – Marriage Story (Wesley, Peter, RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Jennifer Lopez – Hustlers (Tripp, Thomas, RU:Wesley)
Margot Robbie – Bombshell

Wesley Lovell: Jennifer Lopez is a star, which could help her win, but Margot Robbie’s star is ascendant and Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, and Laura Dern are all hugely popular. If Marriage Story goes over well with this group, Laura Dern is sure to land the award, especially since she and Bening could be considered overdue for Oscar recognition.
Peter J. Patrick: Dern, who has two Globes for her TV work, is the likeliest winner, but Bates could surprise.
Tripp Burton: Laura Dern feels like the frontrunner this season, but the Globes will easily throw a curve ball if it will bring a superstar to the stage, and Lopez is as big a catch as they get.
Thomas LaTourette: Lopez will win for her flashier role as a stripper in Hustlers, which will make for an interesting Oscar race. Dern may have the edge at the Oscars, and it would not be too surprising if she won here. The person to watch out for is Margot Robbie who turned in two strong performances this year and could win off the goodwill created by that.

Best Screenplay

The Irishman (RU:Peter)
Marriage Story (Thomas, RU:Tripp)
Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Parasite (RU:Wesley)
The Two Popes

Wesley Lovell: The best written film isn’t always the one this group goes with. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is an opportunity to recognize Quentin Tarantino when they won’t likely do it in Best Director. That said, Parasite and Marriage Story are well regarded screenplays, so watch out for either of them to win over Once.
Peter J. Patrick: Tarantino is poised to pick up his third Globe for Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood. If he doesn’t then Steven Zallian would be a good bet to pick up his second.
Tripp Burton: Tarantino has two of these already and I don’t see him not getting a third this year.
Thomas LaTourette: Cases could be made for any of the nominees to win. Noah Baumbach will probably win for his talky drama, Marriage Story. Both The Irishman and Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood have their fans and will give it stiff competition, with Hollywood probably having the best chance to sneak in for a win.

Best Original Score

Joker (RU:Tripp, RU:Thomas)
Little Women (RU:Wesley, RU:Peter)
Marriage Story
Motherless Brooklyn
1917 (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)

Wesley Lovell: Globes voters have often gone with an off-the-beaten-path choice in this category, meaning the most bombastic. I suspect that Joker could win on that merit alone, though 1917 is also a strong possibility. 1917 is probably the best bet, but who knows for sure. That said, Little Women has a noted composer in the peak of his career, so I suspect that could win. However, I wouldn’t bet on anyone specific in this category.
Peter J. Patrick: Thomas Newman’s score for 1917 should take this, with Alexandre Desplat’s score for Little Women the closet of the runners-up.
Tripp Burton: 1917 is looking to be a below-the-line juggernaut this season, and Thomas Newman could lead that charge here. If not, this may be the best chance to honor Joker all night.
Thomas LaTourette: From all I hear, the score of 1917 fully suits the movie and should go on to win. Joker is being talked up, but the movie might be too divisive to win here.

Best Song

Beautiful Ghosts – Cats (Tripp)
I’m Gonna Love Me Again – Rocketman (Wesley, Peter, Thomas)
Into the Unknown – Frozen II (RU:Wesley, RU:Thomas)
Spirit – The Lion King (RU:Tripp)
Stand Up – Harriet (RU:Peter)

Wesley Lovell: Elton John is a legend and I suspect Globe voters will go gaga for his song. The nominees for Frozen II, The Lion King, and Stand Up could also win.
Peter J. Patrick: I’m guessing the Elton John song from Rocketman with Cynthia Erivo’s song from Harriet its closest competition.
Tripp Burton: This award tends to go to big pop stars, so look for a battle between Taylor Swift and Beyonce.
Thomas LaTourette: I find it funny, that one of the most difficult categories to forecast is also one of the most obscure. Any of the songs could win. The HFPA does like stars, and they have in the mix Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Cynthia Erivo, and Elton John. Swift’s film bombed and Beyonce seems unlikely to show up to claim an award, so I will go with Elton John’s new song for Rocketman. The fact that “Let It Go” surprisingly did not win the Golden Globe for the original Frozen might make them want to make up for it this time around. It will be a close race.

Best Foreign Language Film

The Farewell (RU:Wesley, RU:Tripp)
Les Misérables
Pain and Glory (RU:Peter, RU:Thomas)
Parasite (Wesley, Peter, Tripp, Thomas)
Portrait of a Lady on Fire

Wesley Lovell: Parasite is probably the only contender at the Globes that has a lock on a win. It would be a major upset if it did not take this prize. The Farewell or Pain and Glory might spoil.
Peter J. Patrick: Parasite should take this one with Pain and Glory as likely as any to upset.
Tripp Burton: Nothing is beating Parasite here.
Thomas LaTourette: Parasite is the darling of the moment and will win. It would be shocking if anything else managed to do that. I enjoyed both Pain and Glory and The Farewell more, but do not see them winning. I have heard good things about the other two, but totally expect Parasite to triumph.