2010 Golden Globe Nominations Announced

Here is a run down of the key 2010 Golden Globe nominations (for film), and my thoughts:


Best Motion Picture, Drama

Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The King's Speech and The Social Network

Notable exclusions here are Winter's Bone, 127 Hours and True Grit.
As I am yet to see Black Swan, The Fighter and The King's Speech I can't accurately gauge this category, but based on reports the inclusion of Black Swan and The King's Speech were expected. But The Fighter, which is based on the professional career of boxer "Irish" Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), is a surprise inclusion for me. I love Inception and I think it is one of the best films of the last decade, but I expect either Black Swan or The Social Network to win this.

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy

Alice in Wonderland, Burlesque, The Kids Are All Right, Red, The Tourist

Notable exclusions here are...well, I don't know. But hell, Exit Through the Gift Shop and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World are better than four of these films.
This is a disgraceful category. Alice and Red were awful, and all reports are that The Tourist is disappointing. Is it any wonder when you cast Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie as the leads. The Kids Are All Right, which is an excellent film and a likely Best Picture (Oscars) nominee, will win this.

Best Director -  Motion Picture

Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan), David Fincher (The Social Network), Tom Hooper (The King's Speech), Christopher Nolan (Inception), David O. Russell

No Danny Boyle or The Coens here, much like their films' exclusions in the Best Picture, Drama category. Inception is Nolan's greatest film, and I have heard lots of positives about Tom Hooper for The King's Speech. But I expect Darren Aronofsky, who was sadly overlooked for his work in The Wrestler (2008), to win this category for Black Swan. 

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama

Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Colin Firth (The King's Speech), James Franco (127 Hours), Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine), Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter)

No real surprises here, but I expect Marky Mark to be the outsider. Gosling is great, so I'm happy he has been nominated for the much anticipated Blue Valentine, also starring Michelle Williams. Franco is usually very solid also, and due for recognition. Eisenberg was outstanding in The Social Network, and would win any other year. But all the reports are that Colin Firth, who was shamefully overlooked last year for A Single Man, will win for The King's Speech.


Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama


Halle Berry (Frankie and Alice), Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone), Natalie Portman (Black Swan), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine).


Nicole Kidman bores me and I don't know very much about Rabbit Hole. Or Frankie and Alice. I loved Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone. I thought she was excellent. I'm a Michelle Williams fan also, but I expect Natalie Portman to win this for Black Swan.

Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Johnny Depp (Alice in Wonderland), Johnny Depp (The Tourist), Paul Giamatti (Barney's Version), Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs), Kevin Spacey (Casino Jack). 

I really have no idea! Johnny Depp (especially for Alice) has no chance here. Reports are that Jake and Anne deliver quality performances in Love and Other Drugs, so Jake may be the pick here. Having said that, he is opposed to the always-excellent veterans Paul Giamatti and Kevin Spacey.

Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy

Anne Hathway (Love and Other Drugs), Julianne Moore (The Kids are All Right), Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Emma Stone (Easy A), Angelina Jolie (The Tourist) 

The Kids Are All Right is one of the best acted films of the year, and while Julianne Moore was exceptional also, Annette Bening's performance was the stand-out, and she is likely to win here. I have heard positive responses to Anne Hathaway's performance in Love and Other Drugs, playing a woman suffering from Parkinson's disease. But I think Bening deserves this.

Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture 

Christian Bale (The Fighter), Michael Douglas (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps), Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Jeremy Renner (The Town), Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech) 

No Mark Ruffalo for The Kids Are All Right. Disgraceful. He was my favorite to win for most of the year. Michael Douglas was the best thing about Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps but he shouldn't be here. Andrew Garfield was exceptional in The Social Network, but I can't see him beating out Christian Bale (who reportedly delivers his best performance since American Psycho) and Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech. The latter is likely to clean up all the acting awards so I'm going with Rush here.


Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Amy Adams (The Fighter), Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech), Mila Kunis (Black Swan), Melissa Leo (The Fighter), Jackie Weaver (Animal Kingdom) 

For the same reason as above I am going to go with Helana Bonham Carter for The King's Speech. Jackie Weaver was fantastic in Animal Kingdom and is a definite chance. I love the nomination for Amy Adams (overlooked for Junebug and Doubt in recent years), but as I am yet to see The Fighter I can't be sure about her or Melissa Leo.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture 

127 Hours, The Kids Are All Right, The King's Speech, The Social Network, Inception

The Kids Are All Right features a fantastic screenplay, and Christopher Nolan's managed to make the brilliant complexities of Inception effortlessly concise for the audience. But Aaron Sorkin's screenplay for The Social Network will win here, no doubt about it. He had it after the first scene, really.

Best Animated Feature Film

Despicable Me, How to Train Your Dragon, The Illusionist, Toy Story 3, Tangled

I didn't like Despicable Me, and I never saw How to Train Your Dragon but I believe it is very good. It's got to go to Toy Story 3 though, doesn't it? One of the years best films and likely Best Picture nom.

Best Original Score - Motion Picture

Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech), Danny Elfman (Alice in Wonderland), A. R Rahmin (127 Hours), Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross (The Social Nework), Hans Zimmer (Inception) 

A really interesting category this year. I loved Trent Reznor's work in The Social Network, but this has to go for Hans Zimmer for Inception, which I think is one of the greatest scores I have ever experienced in a film.