What They're All Fighting Over
Here at Female First, we've been predicting who we think will win at the Golden Globes this weekend. So, here's another different set of predictions here, and may I just say, these are what I think will win, not my personal favourites.
Best Picture (Drama) -
Up In The Air
2009 has been a great year for movies, but not those that you'd think off as normal 'awards films', meaning that the films of the summer are able to g
et a look in.
Even so, it looks as if the usual sort of movie could still triumph iin the shape of drama Up In The Air.
Although my personal favourite off the list would be the majestic Avatar (with Hurt Locker a close second), I think that the latest movie from Jason Reitman has all the ingredients for an award winner.
Having taken four years to hit the screen, the script was written in 2002, the film has a brilliance in it's timing, coming at the height of the global recession.
A powerful, character driven story and strong performances throughout and a not sunshine and rainbows attitude all shout winner.
Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) -
Nine
A hard catagory to judge this year, but it looks as if musical Nine may just be the first past the post.
With cast of awards favourites, featuring Daniel Day Lewis, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard, Nine stands a real chance of taking home the bacon come Sunday night.
A movie based off a musical based off a another movie (the Italian film 8 1/2 ) Nine sees an Italian director have to confront the all the women in his life while making his new film.
Again, not my favourite out of the list by a long way, both (500) Days of Summer and The Hangover were brilliant, but with a solid gold cast list and this being the return of Rob Marshall, who powered his way to victory with Chicago, the momentum behind Nine seems too much for this category.
Best Director -
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Anything but prolific, 
Kathryn Bigelow has the chance to make history this year, becoming only the second ever woman to win the prize of best director at the Golden Globes, the first since Barbra Streisand won for Yentl in 1984.
Her nail-bitingly tense war movie about a bomb disposal team in Iraq is perhaps her best film to date, and this year, her clear simple direction and striking photography in the movie should be rewarded.
The best choice politically, always something to keep in mind when thinking of awards shows, Bigelow is also the best choice as a whole managing to make a breathtaking feature on the sort of budget that would buy James Cameron's sandwiches for a month.
Best Actor for Drama -
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney's performance in Up In The Air may be turning many heads, but with this being the fourth nomination for Bridges, him never winning a major award and this being the role of his life it looks like George may be left wanting.
This year Jeff Bridges looks hard to beat with his performance as Bad Blake, a washed up Country music star who decides to get his life back in order.
The judges of any catagory always love a biopic performance, and even though Bad Blake only lives within the pages of the Crazzy Heart novel, his portrayal of an old man picking up his guitar once again in bound to wow the judges.
Best Actress for Drama -
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Whilst Carey Mulligan's breakthrough role in An Education has got many people talking of her for the future, Sandra Bullock's much vaunted performance in The Bright Side has set the US a-light.
Unfortunately, the film isn't out over here until March, but on weight of publicity, Sandra Bullock must rank amongst the favourites.
As with Bridges, with Bullock playing a biographical part, she stands in good stead to finally win an award.
With America's love of a sports movie, she may just have a chance to win her first major award.
Best Actor for Musical/Comedy -
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - (500) Days of Summer
After milling around for years gaining acclaim for his roles in dramas Mysterious Skin and Stop-Loss, Joseph Gordon-Levitt may finally get the prize he deserves for what is undoubtedly the performance of his career.
His turn as the broken hearted Tom, a man who embarks on a doomed relationship with the girl of his dreams was utterly compelling and easily stood out as one of the best performances of the year.
Best Actress for Musical/Comedy -
Meryl Streep - It's Complicated
Meryl Streep has to rank as the most successful actress of all time. With her getting her 24th and 25th Golden Globe nominations this year, she shows no sign of letting anyone else near the big trophies.
With her comedic turn in It's Complicated, a rom-com with a refreshingly senior set of players, Streep looks a good shout to bag yet another award.
Really, her main competition this was in the shape of her other nominated performance in Julie and Julia but her charming display in It's Complicated may just get the nod.
Best Supporting Actress -
Mo'Nique - Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire
The former worker of a phone sex line has come a long way to get to where she is now.
Originally a television actor and a stand up comedian, Mo'Nique, she became an American television personality quickly, becoming firstly the host of Showtime At The Apollo, a famous R n' B music TV show and setting up her own beauty contest for 'plus-sized' women.
It should come as a shock then that a woman praised as a great model appears in Precious. She plays Precious' abusive, hateful mother with such ability that you forget about the bubbly woman underneath.
Some people just transform on screen, and Mo'Nique's is so drastic and complete, that the prize seems only just for her efforts.
Best Supporting actor -
Christoph Waltz - Inglorious Basterds
One of those that everyone agrees on.
This venerable Austrian actor is perhaps one of Hollywood's oldest new-comers, hitting the stage with his breath-taking turn in Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds.
Picked from obscurity by Tarantino to play the enigmatic Hans Landa, Christoph stole the show completely from the household names with a performance that made it OK to not hate a character called 'The Jew Hunter.'
Portraying easily the most charismatic, charming bad guy in recent years, Christoph Waltz is a sure fire hit for the award. He may need all of his German, French and English speaking skills to accept all the awards he'll win this year.
Best Foreign Film -
Broken Embraces
The latest film from Spanish maestro Pedro Almodóvar is an ensemble piece, with strings of drama coming together to form a whole story about love, desire, jealousy and an old, blind filmmaker.
After the Academy honoured Almodóvar with an Oscar for his script in his 2002 movie Talk To Her and a nomination for best film, Broken Embraces has a great chance to win the prize for foreign film.
Best Animated Film -
Up
This is possibly the easiest award to pick a winner for, with evryone and their mum picking the same movie.
Pixar's latest family film was a massive hit with both critics and fans, and should easily breeze this category.
That is nothing against the opposition; both Coraline and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs would have stood a very good chance any other year. But with Up signalling Pixar's tenth feature film and the studio having a flawless track record at the Golden Globes in the animated category, Up looks the only logical choice.
Best Screenplay -
Up In the Air
It may be the easy route, going for the screenplay for my favourite to snag the best film prize, but Up In The Air is a film all about it's screenplay, a piece so strong that Clooney and co could use it to it's fullest.
In this writers heart of heart though, District 9 had one of the finest screenplays in years, making sci-fi about more than lasers and aliens.
This type of film also usual gets the awards, not distracting you with shiny special effects and extended bouts of explosions.
There you have it, my predictions for the winners at the Golden Globes this Sunday.
Female First Cameron Smith
Here at Female First, we've been predicting who we think will win at the Golden Globes this weekend. So, here's another different set of predictions here, and may I just say, these are what I think will win, not my personal favourites.
Best Picture (Drama) -
Up In The Air
2009 has been a great year for movies, but not those that you'd think off as normal 'awards films', meaning that the films of the summer are able to get a look in.
Even so, it looks as if the usual sort of movie could still triumph iin the shape of drama Up In The Air.
Although my personal favourite off the list would be the majestic Avatar (with Hurt Locker a close second), I think that the latest movie from Jason Reitman has all the ingredients for an award winner.
Having taken four years to hit the screen, the script was written in 2002, the film has a brilliance in it's timing, coming at the height of the global recession.
A powerful, character driven story and strong performances throughout and a not sunshine and rainbows attitude all shout winner.
Best Picture (Musical/Comedy) -
Nine
A hard catagory to judge this year, but it looks as if musical Nine may just be the first past the post.
With cast of awards favourites, featuring Daniel Day Lewis, Penelope Cruz and Marion Cotillard, Nine stands a real chance of taking home the bacon come Sunday night.
A movie based off a musical based off a another movie (the Italian film 8 1/2 ) Nine sees an Italian director have to confront the all the women in his life while making his new film.
Again, not my favourite out of the list by a long way, both (500) Days of Summer and The Hangover were brilliant, but with a solid gold cast list and this being the return of Rob Marshall, who powered his way to victory with Chicago, the momentum behind Nine seems too much for this category.
Best Director -
Kathryn Bigelow - The Hurt Locker
Anything but prolific, Kathryn Bigelow has the chance to make history this year, becoming only the second ever woman to win the prize of best director at the Golden Globes, the first since Barbra Streisand won for Yentl in 1984.
Her nail-bitingly tense war movie about a bomb disposal team in Iraq is perhaps her best film to date, and this year, her clear simple direction and striking photography in the movie should be rewarded.
The best choice politically, always something to keep in mind when thinking of awards shows, Bigelow is also the best choice as a whole managing to make a breathtaking feature on the sort of budget that would buy James Cameron's sandwiches for a month.
Best Actor for Drama -
Jeff Bridges - Crazy Heart
George Clooney's performance in Up In The Air may be turning many heads, but with this being the fourth nomination for Bridges, him never winning a major award and this being the role of his life it looks like George may be left wanting.
This year Jeff Bridges looks hard to beat with his performance as Bad Blake, a washed up Country music star who decides to get his life back in order.
The judges of any catagory always love a biopic performance, and even though Bad Blake only lives within the pages of the Crazzy Heart novel, his portrayal of an old man picking up his guitar once again in bound to wow the judges.
Best Actress for Drama -
Sandra Bullock - The Blind Side
Whilst Carey Mulligan's breakthrough role in An Education has got many people talking of her for the future, Sandra Bullock's much vaunted performance in The Bright Side has set the US a-light.
Unfortunately, the film isn't out over here until March, but on weight of publicity, Sandra Bullock must rank amongst the favourites.
As with Bridges, with Bullock playing a biographical part, she stands in good stead to finally win an award.
With America's love of a sports movie, she may just have a chance to win her first major award.
Best Actor for Musical/Comedy -
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - (500) Days of Summer
After milling around for years gaining acclaim for his roles in dramas Mysterious Skin and Stop-Loss, Joseph Gordon-Levitt may finally get the prize he deserves for what is undoubtedly the performance of his career.
His turn as the broken hearted Tom, a man who embarks on a doomed relationship with the girl of his dreams was utterly compelling and easily stood out as one of the best performances of the year.
Tagged in Golden Globes