Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition:

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is directed by Jason Woliner, marking his directorial debut. Stars Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova are nominated for their performances. The first “Borat” film won Cohen a Globe and was nominated for this prize back in 2006.

Hamilton is directed by Thomas Kail, and I’m not sure this can be really be called a film. He won a Tony Award in 2016 for directing the stage production. Star Lin-Manuel Miranda is nominated for his performance.

Music is directed by Sia, marking her directorial debut. Star Kate Hudson is nominated for her performance. Sia does have two previous nominations, for songs from “Annie” and “Burlesque.”

Palm Springs is directed by Max Barbakow, marking his directorial debut. Star Andy Samberg is nominated for his performance.

The Prom is directed by Ryan Murphy, marking his third feature film. Star James Corden is nominated for his performance. Murphy’s first film, “Running with Scissors,” earned one Globe bid, while a number of his TV work, including “Nip/Tuck,” “Pose,” and “American Horror Story,” has been cited.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture ten times years in a row, triumphing there twice, in 2011 for “The Artist” and last year for “Green Book.” Despite a musical being nominated almost every year since, the last such film to win this prize was “Les Miserables” in 2012. Two sequels have been nominated in recent memory. “Toy Story 2” won while “Mary Poppins Returns” did not.
What should win? I didn’t like “Music” and wasn’t overly infatuated with “The Prom.” I enjoyed “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and don’t think that “Hamilton” should be classified as a film, even though it is certainly good (I saw a stage production in LA and then the filmed version this past summer on Disney Plus). For me, it’s a no-brainer: “Palm Springs” is one of the best movies of the year.
What will win? I’d be overjoyed if someone “Palm Springs” managed to upset, but I think this is down to two possibilities. My bet is that Borat Subsequent Moviefilm triumphs over “Hamilton,” but it could just as easily go the other way.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Motion Picture – Drama

The competition:

The Father is directed by Florian Zeller, marking his directorial debut. It also contends for its screenplay and for performances from stars Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.

Mank is directed by David Fincher, marking his eleventh film. It is the nominations leader, with bids for directing, its screenplay, its score, and for performances from stars Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.

Nomadland is directed by Chloé Zhao, marking her third film. It also contends for its directing, screenplay, and star Frances McDormand’s performance.

Promising Young Woman is directed by Emerald Fennell, marking her directorial debut. It also contends for its directing, screenplay, and star Carey Mulligan’s performance.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 is directed by Aaron Sorkin, marking his second film. It also contends for its directing, screenplay, song, and for star Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to win the Oscar for Best Picture only four times in the past fifteen years, and only three times in the entire history of the Globes, most recently in 1963, has the winner been snubbed altogether at the Oscars. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is the only film here nominated for its ensemble at the SAG Awards. Only “The Father” is not nominated for directing, while, for the first time in thirty years, all five of the films in this category also have their screenplays cited.
What should win? I liked all of these films. My top three movies of the year are “Promising Young Woman,” “Mank,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” so I’d be thrilled to see any of them rewarded.
What will win? I think it could legitimately be any of these except for “The Father.” I’ll very cautiously pick The Trial of the Chicago 7 over “Nomadland” with “Promising Young Woman” as a serious risk to upset.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Director – Motion Picture

The competition:

David Fincher (Mank) directs his eleventh film, which earned him his fourth nomination. He won this prize in 2010 for “The Social Network” and was also nominated in 2008 for “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and in 2014 for “Gone Girl.” His film is the nominations leader, contending for Best Motion Picture – Drama, its screenplay, its score, and stars Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.

Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) directs her third film, which earned her two nominations, as she also contends for its screenplay. Her film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, its screenplay, and for star Frances McDormand’s performance.

Regina King (One Night in Miami) directs her first film. She has three previous nominations, for “American Crime” in 2016, “Seven Seconds” in 2018, and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” which won her the supporting actress trophy in 2018. Her film also contends for its performance from star Leslie Odom Jr. and its end credits song.

Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) directs her first film, which earned her two nominations, as she also contends for its screenplay. Her film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, its screenplay, and for star Carey Mulligan’s performance.

Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7) directs his second film, which earned him two nominations, as he also contends for its screenplay . He has an impressive seven previous nominations, all in the screenplay category, most recently in 2017 for “Molly’s Game.” He won in 2015 for “Steve Jobs” and in 2010 for “The Social Network.” The film is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, a song, and star Sacha Baron Cohen’s performance.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to win the corresponding Oscar eight times out of the past fifteen years, with only Ben Affleck missing out on a nomination altogether. In all but two cases, the winner of this race has also won the corresponding top prize (drama, comedy, or foreign). This is the first time that more than one female director has been nominated in the same year. The last and only woman to win this prize was Barbra Streisand for “Yentl” in 1983. Only “One Night in Miami” is not nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

Who should win? This is an extremely strong list. I can appreciate the formidable work that Zhao and King are doing even though they’re not at the top of my picks for the year. I’d be happy with any of them winning, though I’d probably choose Fincher or Fennell.
Who will win? Based on her absolute domination of critics’ prizes, I think this goes to Zhao and would be legitimately surprised by anyone else.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

The competition:

The Father was written by Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton. This is the first nomination for director Zeller, while Hampton previously contended in this race in 2007 for “Atonement.” The film also contends for Best Motion Picture – Drama and stars Anthony Hopkins and Olivia Colman.

Mank was written by Jack Fincher, earning his first Globe nomination almost eighteen years after his death for writing a film directed by his son David. The film is the nominations leader, contending for Best Motion Picture – Drama, its director, its score, and stars Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried.

Nomadland was written by Chloé Zhao, who is also nominated this year for Best Director. This marks her first nomination. The film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and star Frances McDormand.

Promising Young Woman was written by Emerald Fennell, who is also nominated this year for Best Director. This marks her first nomination. The film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and star Carey Mulligan.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 was written by Aaron Sorkin, who is also nominated this year for Best Director. He has an impressive seven previous nominations in this category, most recently in 2017 for “Molly’s Game.” He won in 2015 for “Steve Jobs” and in 2010 for “The Social Network.” The film is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, a song, and star Sacha Baron Cohen.

Additional notes: The winner of this category has gone on to win one of the two corresponding Oscar prizes nine times in the past fifteen years, and only once in that time has ended up being snubbed altogether. A Best Director nomination isn’t crucial here to a win, but it does help. This is the first time in thirty years that all five of these nominees have also been up for Best Motion Picture – Drama.
What should win? Though “The Father” is well-written, it’s not one of my top choices. The same goes for “Nomadland.” I very much appreciated both “Mank” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” but the most formidable script of this bunch is certainly “Promising Young Woman.”
What will win? This category feels uncertain, but I think Sorkin prevails for The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Animated Film

The competition:

The Croods: A New Age comes from DreamWorks Animation. The studio has been nominated nine times before, winning for “How to Train Your Dragon 2” in 2014. The first film was nominated for this prize in 2013. This is the first nomination for director Joel Crawford.

Onward comes from Pixar, a studio that has dominated this category with eight wins since its inception in 2006 and is also nominated this year for “Soul.” This is the first nomination for director Dan Scanlon.

Over the Moon comes from Netflix Animation, the streaming giant’s first nomination in this category. This is the first nomination for director Glen Keane.

Soul comes from Pixar, a studio that has dominated this category with eight wins since its inception in 2006 and is also nominated this year for “Onward.” Co-director Pete Docter has won on both of his previous nominations in this category, for “Up” and “Inside Out,” while co-director Kemp Powers, earning his first Globe nomination this year, also wrote “One Night in Miami,” which contends for three Globes.

Wolfwalkers comes from Cartoon Saloon, previously nominated for “The Breadwinner.” This is the first nomination for directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart.

Additional notes: Two out of nine previously nominated sequels have won this award, with three of them losing last year to an original film. This is the second time two Pixar films are nominated in the same year, and last time, one of them still won – “Inside Out.”
What should win: I hadn’t even remembered watching the original, but I liked “The Croods: A New Age” much more than I expected. Honestly, all of them were great. I think I’d be happiest with “Over the Moon” or “Wolfwalkers.”
What will win: I see this being Soul without much trouble.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Original Song

The competition:

Fight for You (Judas and the Black Messiah) was written by D’Mile, H.E.R., and Tiara Thomas. This is the first nomination for all three. This film is also nominated for supporting actor Daniel Kaluuya.

Io Si (Seen) (The Life Ahead) was written by Diane Warren, Niccolò Agliardi, and Laura Pausini. Warren has five previous nominations, winning on her most recent time a song from “Burlesque” a decade ago. This is the first nomination for Agliardi and Pausini. This film is also nominated for Best Foreign Film.

Speak Now (One Night in Miami) was written by Leslie Odom Jr. and Sam Ashworth. This is the first nomination for both, and Odom is also nominated for his performance in the film, which additionally contends for Best Director.

Hear My Voice (The Trial of the Chicago 7) was written by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste. This is the fourth nomination for Pemberton, who contended previously for the scores for “Motherless Brooklyn” in 2020 and “Steve Jobs” in 2015, and for a song from “Gold” in 2016. This is the first nomination for Celeste. This film is up for Best Motion Picture – Drama and three other awards.

Tigress and Tweed (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) was written by Andra Day and Raphael Saadiq. This is the first nomination for Day, who is also nominated for her performance in the film. Saadiq was previously nominated for a song from “Mudbound” in 2017.

Additional notes: Only “Tigress and Tweed” missed the fifteen-wide finalist list for the corresponding Oscar category. The winner of this award has gone on to win the Oscar seven times out of the past fifteen years, though six of the remaining times the winner wasn’t even nominated there. Cynthia Erivo, Mary J. Blige, and Bjork were nominated in 2019, 2017 and 2000, respectively, for acting and songwriting, and in all three cases, they lost, but Lady Gaga, who was nominated in 2018, did succeed in winning this award.
What should win? After listening to these five songs a number of times, my clear favorites are “Io Si” and “Speak Now.”
What will win? I’m going to pick Speak Now over “Io Si” but I’m not entirely confident about that choice..

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Original Score

The competition:

Mank was composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, marking their fourth nomination as well as their fourth nominated collaboration with director David Fincher after bids for “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “Gone Girl” and a win for “The Social Network.” The duo is also nominated in this category for “Soul.” Their film is the nominations leader.

The Midnight Sky was composed by Alexandre Desplat, who was nominated last year for “Little Women,” in 2018 for “Isle of Dogs,” and won in 2017 for “The Shape of Water.” He has eight other previous nominations, including another win, for “The Painted Veil” for 2006. This is the only nomination for his film. This is his fourth collaboration with director George Clooney.

News of the World was composed by James Newton Howard. He was previously nominated for “King Kong” in 2005 and for “Defiance” in 2008. His film has only additional nomination for supporting actress Helena Zengel. This is his first collaboration with director Paul Greengrass.

Soul was composed by Jon Batiste, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. This is the first nomination for Batiste and the fifth for the other two, who also contend this year for “Mank.” This is the only nomination for his film. This is their first collaboration with directors Pete Docter and Kemp Powers. This film is also nominated for Best Animated Film.

Tenet was composed by Ludwig Göransson, who was previously nominated for “Black Panther” in 2018. This is the only nomination for his film. This is his first collaboration with director Christopher Nolan.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to win the corresponding Oscar ten times in the past fifteen years, failing to receive a nomination just three times. All five of these scores made the fifteen-wide finalist list for this year’s Oscar category. The last time an animated film won this prize was way back in 1994 for “The Lion King.” Composers have been nominated for multiple projects in the same year before and have sometimes triumphed.

What should win? These are all great choices, and I’ve spent a lot of time listening to them after seeing the films. I do think that “Tenet” would get my vote since it’s just something else.
What will win? I don’t think it’s locked up, but I’ll bet on Tenet for now.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Foreign Language Film

The competition:

 
Another Round (Denmark) is directed by Thomas Vinterberg, marking his thirteenth feature film and third Golden Globe nomination after previous bids in this category in 1998 for “The Celebration” and in 2013 for “The Hunt.” As far as I can tell, Denmark has been nominated ten times in the past, winning in 1988 for “Pelle the Conqueror” and in 2010 for “In a Better World.” This film is on the Oscar shortlist as Denmark’s submission for Best International Feature.

La Llorona (Guatemala) is directed by Jayro Bustamante, marking his third film. This is the first Globe citation for Guatemala. This film is on the Oscar shortlist as Guatemala’s submission for Best International Feature.

The Life Ahead (Italy) is directed by Edoardo Ponti, marking his third film. As far as I can tell, Italy has thirty-five previous nominations and nine wins, most recently in 2013 for “The Great Beauty.” While this film is not was not selected as Italy’s submission for Best International Feature, it is on the corresponding shortlist for Best Original Song, which also serves as a second Globe nomination.

Minari (USA) is directed by Lee Isaac Chung, marking his fourth film. This is the sixth time that a film cited as being only from the USA has been nominated. None of them have won, though “Letters from Iwo Jima” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” billed as being from the USA and another country, did prevail in 2006 and 2007. This is the film’s only Globe nomination, though it is up for three SAG Awards.

Two of Us (France) is directed by Filippo Meneghetti, marking his feature debut. As best as I can tell, France has been nominated a whopping eighty-one times and has been credited with twelve wins. This film is on the Oscar shortlist as France’s submission for Best International Feature.

Additional notes: All three Oscar-eligible films are on the shortlist for the Oscar Best International Feature category. Last year, all three of the nominees here who were submitted at the Oscars ended up getting nominated there. The past two winners of this category, “Parasite” and “Roma,” won the corresponding Oscar, while the two before that, “In the Fade” and “Elle,” weren’t even nominated. Only seven winners in this category have gone on to win the corresponding Oscar in the past fifteen years.
What should win? These are all good choices. I would choose “Minari” over the rest.
What will win? This is the first time in a few years that there’s no set frontrunner, and even though Minari didn’t earn other bids here, I think it’s safe to say that it has the edge.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

The competition:

Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy) plays grandmother Mamaw Vance. She has thirteen previous acting nominations, winning in 2004 for “The Lion in Winter,” in 2007 for “Damages,” and in 2018 for “The Wife.” She is the lone representative from her film.

Olivia Colman (The Father) plays devoted daughter Anne. Colman is a double nominee this year and has won on all three of her past nominations: in 2019 for “The Crown,” for which she contends again, in 2018 for “The Favourite,” and in 2016 for “The Night Manager.”

Jodie Foster (The Mauritanian) plays lawyer Nancy Hollander. She has seven previous nominations, including two wins, for “The Accused” in 1988 and in 1991 for “The Silence of the Lambs,” in addition to having received the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2012. Her costar Tahar Rahim is also nominated this year.

Amanda Seyfried (Mank) plays actress Marion Davies. This is her first Globe nomination. Her film is the nominations leader.

Helena Zengel (News of the World) plays orphan Johanna Leonberger. This is the first Globe nomination for the twelve-year-old actress. Her film is also nominated for Best Original Score.

Additional notes: Close, Colman, and Zengel are also nominated for individual SAG Awards, while Close, Colman, and Seyfried are up for Critics Choice Awards, where Zengel is a nominee in the Young Actor/Actress category. Only four times in the entire history of this category has the winner gone on not to be nominated for an Oscar, and the most recent time was more than forty years ago. All but four times in the past fifteen years, the winner of this category has also won the Oscar, and several of those instances involved different nominees and category placements.
Who should win? None of these performances are at the top of my list, but I think I’d choose Seyfried.
Who will win? It’s hard to know with popular critics’ pick Maria Bakalova in a different category – probably Close?

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Supporting Role

The competition:

Sacha Baron Cohen (The Trial of the Chicago 7) plays defendant Abbie Hoffman. Cohen won a Globe in 2006 for the first “Borat” movie and is also nominated this year for his performance in the sequel, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm.” Both films are nominated for in other categories and for the top prizes. This is third year in a row that Cohen has been a Globe nominee after TV bids for “Who Is America?” and “The Spy.”

Daniel Kaluuya (Judas and the Black Messiah) plays activist Fred Hampton. Kaluuya was previously nominated in 2017 for “Get Out.” His film also contends for Best Original Song.

Jared Leto (The Little Things) plays murder suspect Albert Sparma. He won this prize in 2013 for “Dallas Buyers Club.” He is the lone representative from his film.

Bill Murray (On the Rocks) plays eccentric father Felix Keene. He has six previous nominations, most recently earning two bids in 2014 and winning in 2003 for “Lost in Translation.” He is the lone representative from his film.

Leslie Odom Jr. (One Night in Miami) plays singer Sam Cooke. This is his first Globe nomination, and he also contends for a song from his film, which earned a third bid for Best Director. Odom also stars in two nominees for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical this year, “Hamilton” and “Music.”

Additional notes: All but Murray are nominated for individual SAG Awards, and all but Leto are up for Critics Choice Awards. Only once in the past forty years has the winner of this category gone on not to be nominated for an Oscar (Aaron Taylor-Johnson in 2016), and the victor here also claimed the Oscar all but four times in the past fifteen years.
Who should win? I’m not sure why Leto is here but the rest are all great choices.
Who will win? I really don’t know. It could be any of them except Murray, and I think Leto may actually take it, baffling as that might be to believe.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition:

Maria Bakavola (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) plays Kazakh traveler Tutar Sagdiyev. This is her first Globe nomination. She is joined by costar Sacha Baron Cohen and her film contends for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.

Kate Hudson (Music) plays recovering addict Zu Gamble. She won a Globe twenty years ago for “Almost Famous.” Her film contends for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.

Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) plays heiress Frances Price. She has seven previous nominations, most recently for “The Wizard of Lies” in 2017, and won in 1989 for “The Fabulous Baker Boys.” She is the lone representative from her film.

Rosamund Pike (I Care a Lot) plays advocate-criminal Marla Grayson. She was previously nominated in 2018 for “A Private War” and in 2014 for “Gone Girl.” She is the lone representative from her film.

Anya Taylor-Joy (Emma.) plays matchmaker Emma Woodhouse. This is her first time being nominated for a Globe, and she also contends for her starring role in the limited series “The Queen’s Gambit.” She is the lone representative from her film.

Additional notes: Only Bakalova is nominated for a SAG Award and Critics Choice Award this year, in the supporting category. The winner of this award has gone on to be nominated for an Oscar all but three times in the past fifteen years, with five victors going on to win the Oscar.
Who should win? None of these actresses are on my own ballot, but I think I’d probably pick Pike or Bakalova.
Who will win? I think Bakalova should be clear to win here.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition:

Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat Subsequent Moviefilm) plays Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev. Cohen won this award in 2006 for the first “Borat” movie and is also nominated this year for his performance in “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” Both films are nominated for in other categories and for the top prizes. This is third year in a row that Cohen has been a Globe nominee after TV bids for “Who Is America?” and “The Spy.”

James Corden (The Prom) plays over-the-top actor Barry Glickman. This is Corden’s first nomination. His film contends for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.

Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) plays founding father Alexander Hamilton. He was nominated in this category two years ago for “Mary Poppins Returns” and in 2016 for a song from “Moana.” His filmed stage production is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.

Dev Patel (The Personal History of David Copperfield) plays the famed title character. He was previously nominated in 2016 for his performance in “Lion.” He is the only representative from his film.

Andy Samberg (Palm Springs) plays aimless day-experiencer Nyles. He won a Globe in 2013 for “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” His film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical.

Additional notes: None of these performances are nominated for SAG Awards. The winner of this category sometimes goes on to be nominated for an Oscar, and two victors – Jean Dujardin and Jamie Foxx – have actually won the Oscar. Two recent winners, Taron Egerton and James Franco, were ultimately not nominated for the Oscar, though in both cases, one man who lost to them did make the cut.
Who should win? I loved Samberg and it would be so great to see him win. Cohen is a fine choice too. Miranda does deserve awards but I’m not sold on this being a movie.
Who will win? I’m torn between Miranda and Cohen, opting tentatively for the latter.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

The competition:

Viola Davis (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) plays singer Ma Rainey. Davis won a Globe in 2016 for “Fences” and has four additional previous nominations, two for film and two for TV. She is joined this year by her late costar, Chadwick Boseman.

Andra Day (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) plays singer Billie Holiday. This is her first Globe nomination, but she also contends this year for a song from her film.

Vanessa Kirby (Pieces of a Woman) plays grieving mother Martha Weiss. This is her first Globe nomination, and she is the only representative from her film.

Frances McDormand (Nomadland) plays traveler Fern. She won this prize in 2017 for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” and has five additional previous nominations, along with an ensemble cast prize for “Short Cuts” in 1993. Her film is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and two other awards.

Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) plays revenge-seeker Cassie Thomas. She has one previous nomination, in this category in 2009 for “An Education.” Her film is nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and two other awards.

Additional notes: Everyone but Day is also nominated for an individual SAG Award, and all of them were cited by the Critics Choice Association. The winner of this category has gone on to win the Oscar seven times in the past decade.
Who should win? These are all superb performances. While I’d be happy to see any of them rewarded, my clear choice is Mulligan.
Who will win? I thought for a while that it was definitely going to be McDormand, but I think I’m going to predict Mulligan.

Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

The competition:

Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) plays drummer Ruben Stone. He was nominated previously in 2016 for his TV role in “The Night Of.” He is the lone representative of his film.

Chadwick Boseman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) plays musician Levee Green. This is his first Golden Globe nomination, received posthumously after his death from cancer this past August. His costar Viola Davis is also nominated.

Anthony Hopkins (The Father) plays the dementia-stricken Anthony. The Oscar winner has never actually won a competitive Globe despite seven previous bids, including last year for “The Two Popes,” and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award fifteen years ago. His film contends for Best Motion Picture – Drama and two other awards.

Gary Oldman (Mank) plays screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. He won this prize three years ago for “Darkest Hour.” His film is the nominations leader.

Tahar Rahim (The Mauritanian) plays detainee Mohamedou Ould Salahi. This is Rahim’s first Globe nomination, and he is joined by costar Jodie Foster.

Additional notes: All but Rahim are also received notes from SAG and the Critics Choice Association for these performances. The winner of this prize has gone on to win the Oscar every year since 2012.
Who should win? These are all very strong performances and any of them would deserve this win. I would choose Boseman, Ahmed, or Oldman.
Who will win? It could be Hopkins since his film obviously has support, but I think it’s likelier to be Ahmed or Boseman.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

My predictions: 4/5
Who’s missing? On the Rocks, Emma, The King of Staten Island

Technically, this category is close to what I predicted, but I’m still reeling from the shock of Music, a film directed by Sia that’s slated for release next week in IMAX for a night and then on VOD. It’s just a wholly unexpected inclusion, but I’m looking forward to seeing it. I’m sad that “The King of Staten Island” isn’t here and would have much preferred “On the Rocks” to The Prom, which doesn’t need to be here. I’m overjoyed that Palm Springs made the cut since that did not feel like a sure thing. Hamilton scored even though it’s questionably a movie, and Borat Subsequent Moviefilm did the best out of all the comedies with two acting bids.

Who will win? Though “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” could win this, I expect that it will go to Hamilton.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Motion Picture – Drama

My predictions: 4/5
Who’s missing? One Night in Miami, Da 5 Bloods, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, News of the World

This category didn’t offer up much in the way of surprises, with The Father being the only film to show up here without a corresponding director nomination. The film that missed out as a result was “One Night in Miami,” which still scored three nominations, while “Da 5 Bloods,” which was predicted by many, got shut out entirely. I don’t know if that will continue to be the case with SAG and the Oscars, but I’d say we have firm frontrunners in the other four. I’m personally very happy since my three favorite films of the year - Promising Young Woman, The Trial of the Chicago 7, and Mank - are all here. I also like both “The Father” and Nomadland, so this is a pretty solid list. They’re also all nominations leaders, the only films to score four or more bids. It will be interesting to see what wins here because I’m not sure that any one film is particularly ahead of the rest.

Who will win? I’m going to predict The Trial of the Chicago 7 for now.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Director – Motion Picture

My predictions: 5/5
Who’s missing? Florian Zeller (The Father), Lee Isaac Chung (Minari), Spike Lee (Da 5 Bloods)

I’m proud to have predicted this category accurately, one of just two perfect scores for me this year. It’s a major first to have more than one female nominee in this category, and this time there are actually three! I did guess correctly that Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) would be embraced along with her film, and Chloé Zhao (Nomadland) was a sure thing given her domination of critics’ prizes this season. It seems like Regina King (One Night in Miami) may have gotten in partially on her own reputation as an actress and a known quantity since her film was strangely absent from the Best Motion Picture – Drama and screenplay races. Despite not factoring in as emphatically as they could have to the precursor races, Aaron Sorkin (The Trial of the Chicago 7), a two-time Globe winner in the category, and David Fincher (Mank), the only past nominee (and winner) for directing, did make the cut.

Who will win? I might have said King if her film had performed better, so I’ll say Zhao has it in the bag.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

My predictions: 4/5
Who’s missing? One Night in Miami, Minari

If I had to guess which of the films I had predicted would be left off, it certainly wouldn’t be “One Night in Miami,” but for some reason that’s absent from this list. I had predicted that this list would match the Best Motion Picture – Drama field exactly, which it did, though I didn’t think that The Father would be one of those choices. This is first time in thirty years that such a match-up has happened between the two categories. I’m happy that Promising Young Woman made the cut because it was not a sure thing, and this only helps to bolster the general awards chances, both with this group and elsewhere, for the other three, Nomadland, Mank, and The Trial of the Chicago 7. It’s the kind of boost that “Minari” could have used.

Who will win? I suspect this could be Aaron Sorkin for The Trial of the Chicago 7.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Original Song

My predictions: 3/5
Who’s missing? Plenty of contenders

I haven’t had a chance to listen closely to these songs or many others, though I am sad that no music from “Over the Moon” made the cut. Interestingly, every film honored here boasts at least one other nomination, which isn’t always the case at all. Speak Now (One Night in Miami), Hear My Voice (The Trial of the Chicago 7), and Io Si (The Life Ahead) were the three I predicted, with Fight for You (Judas and the Black Messiah) and Tigress and Tweed (The United States vs. Billie Holiday) also making the cut. I’ll have more analysis on the musicians involved and the songs in general in my winner predictions – click the titles to listen to the songs on YouTube!

Who will win? I’m not sure, but I’ll pick Spirit for now.

Golden Globe Nominees: Best Original Score

My predictions: 3/5
Who’s missing? The Trial of the Chicago 7, Minari, Da 5 Bloods

I don’t have too much to comment here at this point but plan to listen to these scores as often as I can in the coming weeks. Soul managed to make the cut despite their not being a history of animated films nominated in this category, and both The Midnight Sky and Tenet, both expected to do well in technical races at the Oscars, showed up here without any other nominations. Mank helped to secure its nominations lead with a bid here, and News of the World rounds out the list. Lots of listening to do!

Who will win? I’m going to predict Soul.