2013 Golden Globe Predictions

On Sunday, don't forget to drop everything and watch the Golden Globe awards, because Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting! Here are my totally 100% accurate predictions about who will win this weekend.

MOVIES

Best Motion Picture — Drama
Argo
Django Unchained
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty

I’ve seen 3 of these 5 (Argo, Django, and Lincoln), and of those 3, I’d say Lincoln is the clear winner. Before today’s Oscar nominations, I would have said that Zero Dark Thirty was building momentum, but now it looks more like Lincoln’s year.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis, Lincoln
Richard Gere, Arbitrage
John Hawkes, The Sessions
Joaquin Phoenix, The Master
Denzel Washington, Flight

Daniel Day-Lewis is the only one I’ve seen, and he’s the only one I feel the need to see. The man is an acting savant.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Drama
Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard, Rust & Bone
Helen Mirren, Hitchcock
Naomi Watts, The Impossible
Rachel Weisz, The Deep Blue Sea

Jessica Chastain. But I’m totally rooting for Jennifer Lawrence at the Oscars.

Best Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Les Miserables
Moonrise Kingdom
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Silver Linings Playbook

After a very mixed/negative critical reaction to Les Miserables, Silver Linings Playbook should win this easily. Since it’s my favorite film of the year, I have no problems with this outcome :] It’ll be interesting to see the comedy and drama films in the same category at the Oscars though.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Emily Blunt, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
Judi Dench, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook
Maggie Smith, Quartet
Meryl Streep, Hope Springs

Easiest category by far: J-Law all the way.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture — Comedy Or Musical
Jack Black, Bernie
Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman, Les Miserables
Bill Murray, Hyde Park on Hudson
Ewan McGregor, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Personally, I’d pick Bradley Cooper, but Hugh Jackman is also very good and had a flashier role. I think Jackman will probably take it, but I’d rather see Cooper win for a more subtle and poignant performance.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Amy Adams, The Master
Sally Field, Lincoln
Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables
Helen Hunt, The Sessions
Nicole Kidman, The Paperboy

Mia Thermopolis Anne Hathaway!

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Alan Arkin, Argo
Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master
Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln
Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Huh. This is a tough category; I’ve seen 4 out of 5 nominees, and they were all pretty great. Considering the Globes tend to prefer movie stars, I want to go with Leonardo DiCaprio, but he was snubbed by the Oscars this morning. (Keep in mind, though, that the Globes were voted on before Oscar nominations came out.) Part of me still wants to say DiCaprio, but another part of me wants to pick probable Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones, whose plays a much more likable character. I’ll go out on a limb and stick with DiCaprio though.

Best Director — Motion Picture
Ben Affleck, Argo
Kathryn Bigelow, Zero Dark Thirty
Ang Lee, Life of Pi
Steven Spielberg, Lincoln
Quentin Tarantino, Django Unchained

Oooh, this is interesting. I think they might want to give it to Kathryn Bigelow, since she didn’t win here for The Hurt Locker… but I could also see Ben Affleck or Steven Spielberg winning for more mainstream movies. Right now, I’m going to predict Spielberg.

Best Screenplay — Motion Picture
Argo, Chris Terrio
Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino
Lincoln, Tony Kushner
Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell
Zero Dark Thirty, Mark Boal

Once again, what a tough category. All 4 of the nominees I’ve seen have boasted incredible screenplays, and I’m willing to bet Zero Dark Thirty’s is pretty great as well. I guess I’ll go with Lincoln here, since its script is probably the most showy.

Best Original Score — Motion Picture
Anna Karenina, Dario Marianelli
Argo, Alexandre Desplat
Cloud Atlas, Tom Tykwer, Johnny Klimet & Reinhold Heil
Life of Pi, Michael Danna
Lincoln, John Williams

Beasts of the Southern Wild, but it’s not nominated. That oversight makes me think that the HFPA don’t actually listen to these scores before voting, but I guess I’ll pick Dario Marianelli/Anna Karenina.

Best Original Song — Motion Picture
“For You” from Act of Valor
“Not Running Anymore” from Stand Up Guys
“Safe and Sound” from The Hunger Games
“Suddenly” from Les Miserables
“Skyfall” from Skyfall

The safe pick would be “Suddenly” from Les Miz, since it’s a musical that actually uses the song in the context of the movie. Taylor Swift is super famous, so maybe “Safe and Sound” has a shot. But I think Adele will win for “Skyfall” because she’s universally respected, and her song is actually pretty good.

Best Animated Film
Brave
Frankenweenie
Hotel Transylvania
Rise of the Guardians
Wreck-It Ralph

Ugh, probably Brave. That’s the only one I’ve seen, but I’ve heard Wreck-It Ralph is quite good, but then…

Yeah, I honestly don’t care about this category.

Best Foreign Language Film
Amour
The Intouchables
Kon-Tiki
A Royal Affair
Rust & Bone

Amour is supposedly brilliant, and the HPFA will want to make sure it appeals to highbrow standards.

TELEVISION

Best Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
The Big Bang Theory
Episodes
Girls
Modern Family
Smash

Smash! I kid, I kid… Seriously, though, why did Smash get nominated instead of Parks and Rec or New Girl? Shameful. Anyway, Modern Family always wins here anyway, so I guess it doesn’t really matter that much.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Zooey Deschanel, New Girl
Lena Dunham, Girls
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep
Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation

I always pick Amy Poehler in this category at the Globes and Emmys, even though she never wins. Team Poehler 4ever!

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series — Comedy Or Musical
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Don Cheadle, House of Lies
Louis C.K., Louis
Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

Weirdly, Matt LeBlanc actually won last year, so this could really go to anyone. Don Cheadle this year?

Best Television Series — Drama
Boardwalk Empire
Breaking Bad
Downton Abbey
Homeland
The Newsroom

Maybe Downton Abbey, but I think the Globes will want to be consistent with the Emmys and go with Homeland.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Jeff Daniels, The Newsroom
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Damian Lewis, Homeland

Damian Lewis anchored season 2 of Homeland, and after being denied last year, I think he’ll win this year.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Connie Britton, Nashville
Glenn Close, Damages
Claire Danes, Homeland
Michelle Dockery, Downton Abbey
Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife

Claire Danes

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Game Change
The Girl
Hatfield & McCoys
The Hour
Political Animals

Game Change, I guess. But where’s Sherlock?? :(

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Costner, Hatfields and McCoys
Benedict Cumberbatch, Sherlock
Woody Harrelson, Game Change
Toby Jones, The Girl
Clive Owen, Hemingway and Gellhorn

I’m always Team Benny, but I think Kevin Costner or Woody Harrelson would be more likely to win. I’ll predict Costner... But if Benny shows up and starts talking in his velvet jaguar voice, all bets are off.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Nicole Kidman, Hemingway and Gellhorn
Jessica Lange, American Horror Story: Asylum
Sienna Miller, The Girl
Julianne Moore, Game Change
Sigourney Weaver, Political Animals

Julianne Moore

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Max Greenfield, New Girl
Ed Harris, Game Change
Danny Huston, Magic City
Mandy Patinkin, Homeland
Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

First of all, how bizarre is it that this category compares Schmidt from New Girl to John McCain in Game Change? Anyway, I’m going to go out on a limb and pick Mandy Patinkin.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Hayden Panettiere, Nashville
Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sarah Paulson, Game Change
Maggie Smith, Downton Abbey 
Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

It would be unwise to bet against Maggie Smith.

Clowning Around 'The Office'

Dactyl informs me that she doesn't have time to enlighten the world with a post today, so I've decided to fill in with something short and sweet.

Yesterday, while searching for other pop culture blogs (similar in nature to PopPen), I came across OfficeTally, a fansite for the NBC comedy The Office. The video clip in this post made me laugh so I'm sharing it with all of you today.

Enjoy the shenanigans of Brian Baumgartner and Rainn Wilson!

Dancing Through Life

Every once in a while, if I feel down in the dumps or just simply bored, I’ll watch this clip of Gene Kelly in the film “Singin’ in the Rain,” performing the eponymous song.

In my humble opinion, it’s a surefire way to beat the doldrums. Kelly is a masterful performer, and according to folklore (i.e. IMDB trivia), he ad-libbed most of this dance in just one take- all while suffering from a fever of over 101.  As a dancer, he’s noted for the energy of his distinctive style and his muscular athleticism. For him, dancing is not just a form of art- it’s a sport.

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His contemporaries include the graceful Fred Astaire, the acrobatic Nicholas Brothers (their no-hands splits are INSANE), and female counterparts such as Cyd Charisse and Ginger Rogers. But who follows in their footsteps today?

On Broadway there are plenty, naturally- Monsieur Wolverine comes to mind- but you don’t see many singing, dancing, and acting sensations like that on the small or silver screens. There are certainly actors who can sing well, such as Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, the leads of Moulin Rouge; or Neil Patrick Harris, star of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. There are actors who are pretty good dancers, as those in the movie Step Up and its sequels. There are also excellent singers who can dance quite well, who have dipped their toes into acting, including Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez. But I would argue that none of them have made their careers by doing all three in the same manner as Kelly or Astaire.

Even on a “musical comedy-drama” television show like Glee, the “kids” clearly have specific talents. Lea Michele and Amber Riley are the powerhouse wailers, while Harry Shum, Jr. and Heather Morris are the ones with the moves. Off Broadway, the most singing and dancing you’ll see in coexistence are in music videos, especially those of hip-hop and R&B. (I can’t exclude a link to Beyonce’s legendary “Single Ladies” video… or the SNL skit.)

Speaking of which, you see that bearded gentleman in the black leotard? That’s right, Justin Timberlake. Let me think: he sings, he acts, and clearly he dances (to some degree). He’s got those three crucial talents for triple threat magic. If you ask me, it’s time for JT to bring those elements together and… well, maybe not reinvent the musical, but at least make Gene Kelly proud.

In Which I Gush About Anne Hathaway

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I am distraught and appalled that the first mention of the amazing and multi-talented Anne Hathaway on this blog was Dactyl’s off-hand remark, “Sure, Anne Hathaway’s faux-English accent in Becoming Jane irritated me,” in this post. Gaspeth! Now I must defend her honor... but where do I begin?

1. Since she's adept at both drama and comedy, I could start with the fact that she's a very talented and beloved actress- my favorite, in fact. She's at her angsty best as a self-absorbed addict named Kym in Rachel Getting Married (which was an Oscar-nominated role, mind you). 

2. We already know she can embody the perfect geek-turned-chic sweetheart, as nerdy Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries or the-once-dowdy Andy in The Devil Wears Prada. 

3. Speaking of which.. can you believe The Princess Diaries was her film debut??! Not many actors or actresses can carry a commercial hit on their first try. I'm predicting a Julia Roberts-esque career in her future.

3. She's a legitimate triple threat- man can she sing! (Here at the Oscars with Hugh, from 4:00 to 5:45; here without.) Classically trained soprano, damn straight.

4. I could rave about how cheery and funny she seems in real life, not to mention very down-to-earth and honest about herself (see: recent 2011 interview that I enjoy). Let it be known that I mostly blame the 2011 Academy Awards hosting fiasco on the half-dead James Franco. Sorry, dude... I still think you're cool! (On an unrelated note, he's teaching a class at NYU this fall.. omg.)

5. And have you ever seen her in the tabloids? Oh wait, let me think... no. (except for that one scandal with her ex-boyfriend, which had nothing to do with her.) (Don't make me eat my words, Anne.) With all the Snookis and other bad role models in society today, we could use more respectable people like Anne Hathaway.

And there you have it- I've ended before I've even started. Now excuse me while I go retreat into a corner and have a spaz attack or something, as I continue to wait for my favorite actress to make a guest appearance on my favorite television show (i.e. Glee).

Favorite Actor?

Ever since Batman Begins came out in 2005, I’ve been telling people that my favorite actor is Christian Bale. As a movie junkie, I needed to have a cool answer to this question, and he was the perfect embodiment of the “serious actor” – a brooding cult icon waiting to be devoured by mainstream audiences. (The recent memory of Bruce Wayne’s shirtless push-ups didn’t hurt either.) I even sat through the endlessly tedious Empire of the Sun in order to prove my devotion to Mr. Bale, marveling at his ability to handle a starring role in one of Spielberg’s lousiest films a Spielberg film at the tender age of 12.

This, of course, is complete bull. I admire Christian Bale as an actor, I really do. It takes a damn good performance to convince the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that you’re worthy of an Oscar, even more so when you have this hanging over your career. But Christian Bale is not really my favorite actor.

That distinction, I recently realized, belongs to James McAvoy.

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As a leading man, James McAvoy often plays the anti-Christian Bale – he is the affable, earnest hero to Bale’s dark, moody protagonists. But with a body of work that includes Atonement, The Last King of Scotland, The Last Station, and the widely-unseen-and-criminally-underrated Starter for 10, McAvoy has proven himself to be no less of an “actor” than Bale. Still, McAvoy could play the male lead in an endless series of Katherine Heigl chick flicks, and I’d still consider him my favorite actor. Because a favorite actor is not someone you have to admire, it’s someone you genuinely want to see on-screen. When I recently watched The Conspirator, I was completely riveted, even though that film is probably about as slow-paced as Empire of the Sun (and more dialogue-heavy to boot). A favorite actor is someone who can make a mediocre film good and a good film great. Sure, Anne Hathaway’s faux-English accent in Becoming Jane irritated me, but James McAvoy’s mere presence completely made up for that. And while this summer’s X-Men: First Class seemed like just another superhero movie, I saw it twice in theaters because James McAvoy (and the incredible Michael Fassbender, who will probably be mentioned many more times in subsequent posts) brought a sense of meaning and depth to a potentially hollow role.

Basically, James McAvoy is my favorite actor because I can’t help but root for him. Maybe it’s the big blue eyes, or the Scottish charm, or the short stature that naturally expresses “underdog.” Maybe it’s the clear bromance with the aforementioned Incredible Michael Fassbender. (As Saurus has so thoughtfully explained, never underestimate the power of a solid bromance.) Whatever the reason, he just comes off as a genuinely good guy – and in today’s golden age of crude comedies and Hollywood d-bags, this quality seems more and more difficult to find.

Dissecting the Bromance

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It’s present in nearly every television show or movie these days: two or more heterosexual males who demonstrate platonic love and affection for one another. Sometimes this intimate male friendship is referred to as “guy love” or even a “man crush,” but it’s more commonly known as the “bromance.”

Right off the top of my head, I could probably come up with a dozen examples. From television, we have J.D. and Turk of Scrubs; House and Wilson of House; Shawn and Gus of Psych; and the geeky quartet of Sheldon, Leonard, Raj, and Howard on The Big Bang Theory. In literature there’s Harry and Ron of the Harry Potter series, and Holmes and Watson of the Sherlock Holmes series. Perhaps the cinema displays the greatest number of bromances, from classics such as Star Trek and Lord of the Rings to modern-day Judd Apatow films. And you can’t forget real life bros of course: how about Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, who’ve known each other since childhood? Or, (and Dactyl will love this), Cameron and Damian from The Glee Project.

It’s easy to see why Hollywood loves to dwell on these male friendships.

In the ideals of classical society, men are to fulfill their traditional stereotype as stoic creatures. They are supposed to embody that “strong, silent” archetype which women supposedly desire. Thus, a man who shows warmth toward another man makes himself vulnerable to jeers of unmanliness or accusations of homosexuality, regardless of whether that is the case.

But today, a man who portrays such taciturn traits is like that pre-love-confessing Mr. Darcy- a cold and arrogant snob. Today, the media puts a different kind of straight man up on a pedestal- the single man, the family man, or even the “man-child” man- all of whom have a special, cherished connection with a special, straight, male someone. It’s not such a big deal for modern-day men to show their emotions, so it’s fine for guys to have close guy friends and express their affections toward them. There's nothing emasculating about it. In fact, I'd venture to say that it highlights a man's security in his own manliness that he can act in a traditionally effeminate, emotional manner. 

Plus, it’s kind of cute. And as we all know, Mr. Darcy was only interfering in Mr. Bingley’s love life out of genuine concern and protectiveness of his dear friend… and isn’t he all the more charming for it?