Globes kick off awards season

By CAINE GARDNER

Film Critic

The Hollywood awards season will kick off this Sunday when the Golden Globes are announced. Looser than the Oscars, with actors sharing drinks and laughs, but one thing is for certain; when it comes to the Golden Globes, expect the unexpected.

Long thought of as a predictor of the Oscars, many times in recent years that hasn't been the case. Last season, Dream Girls made a strong statement at the Globes and was virtually shut out at the Oscars. This year the field is as wide open as ever and there are sure to be some surprises as the night unfolds.

Will we see Brad Pitt walk away with his first leading Globe award, could Kate Winslet come away with two awards on the night or could we see Danny Boyle and David Fincher duke it out for Best Director?

Here are my thoughts on who will win and who we be on the outside looking in at this year's Golden Globe ceremony.

2009 Golden Globe Predictions

Best Actress -- Drama

Anne Hathaway -- Rachel Getting Married

Angelina Jolie -- Changeling

Meryl Streep -- Doubt

Kristen Scott Thomas -- I've Loved You So Long

Kate Winslet -- Revolutionary Road

Winner: Anne Hathaway has found a role that will garner some much deserving hardware. Hathaway shows venerability and edge that is well beyond her years.

Best Actor -- Drama

Leonardo Dicaprio -- Revolutionary Road

Frank Langella -- Nixon/Frost

Sean Penn -- Milk

Brad Pitt -- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Mickey Rourke -- The Wrestler

Winner: Brad Pitt will finally be rewarded for an emotionally moving performance. Pitt has been overlooked for some quality performances in the past, but 2009 should be his year.

Best Picture -- Drama

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

Winner: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. This was a tossup, with Button and Millionaire battling to the finish. The epic feel of Button is what ultimately made the difference.

Best Actress -- Comedy/Musical

Rebecca Hall -- Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Sally Hawkins -- Happy-Go-Lucky

Frances McDormand -- Burn After Reading

Meryl Streep --Mamma Mia!

Emma Thompson -- Last Chance Harvey

Winner: Meryl Streep can't be nominated twice and walk away empty handled. Not a performance that knocks your socks off, but the Globes love Streep and this year should be no exception.

Best Actor -- Comedy/Musical

Javier Bardem -- Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Colin Farrell -- In Bruges

James Franco -- Pineapple Express

Brendan Gleeson -- In Bruges

Dustin Hoffman -- Last Chance Harvey

Winner: James Franco will outlast Dustin Hoffman to take the award. Wonderful performances from Farrell and Gleeson will nullify each other and Bardem dominated the awards last season, so it will be between Hoffman and Franco.

Best Picture -- Comedy/Musical

Burn After Reading

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Winner: Mamma Mia! will have its praises sung by the HFPA, despite a crooning of Pierce Brosnan. Barcelona could give Mamma Mia! a run for its money, but there seems to be much love for Streep and the flick. On a personal note, Burn After Reading should not have been nominated in this or any other categories. With the Coen Brothers name on the cover, it must be good right? I'm still begging for the time I lost watching it.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Amy Adams -- Doubt

Penelope Cruz -- Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis -- Doubt

Marisa Tomei -- The Wrestler

Kate Winslet -- The Reader

Winner: Kate Winslet is another double nominee, but this is the performance everyone is buzzing about. She quickly moved to the top of critics lists after delivering a powerful performance and should have a Golden glow when the evening is over.

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Tom Cruise -- Tropic Thunder

Robert Downey Jr. -- Tropic Thunder

Ralph Fiennes -- The Duchess

Philip Seymour Hoffman -- Doubt

Heath Ledger -- The Dark Knight

Winner: Heath Ledger. I said it from the moment I viewed The Dark Knight and I will say it again, this performance is the real deal. Not a product of hype or the reaction to tragedy, Ledger gives us the most deliciously decadent performance ever put on the screen.

Best Animated Feature

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall*E

Winner: Wall*E is taking the top spots on many critics list and I think it could just as easily be put in the Best Picture category and left off Best Animated. At times you forget your watching a computer generated robot and the emotional moments in the film are some of the most powerful of any offering out there.

Best Foreign Language Film

The Baader Meinhof Complex (Germany)

Everlasting Moments (Sweden, Denmark)

Gomorrah (Italy)

I've Loved You So Long (France)

Waltz With Bashir (Isreal)

Winner: Gomorrah was chosen as my winner my simple process of elimination. Eni-meni-minni-mo.

Best Director

Danny Boyle -- Slumdog Millionaire

Stephen Daldry -- The Reader

David Fincher -- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard -- Frost/Nixon

Sam Mendes -- Revolutionary Road

Winner: David Fincher will walk away with the trophy for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but I'm not certain that will mean a strong showing at the Oscars. Beautifully shot with dazzling special effects, Button has it all -- interesting story, great performances and the only movies that seems tailor-made for award season.

Final Cut: While there are a myriad of strong performances and movies that touched us this year, the Globes and subsequent Oscar races are wide open, which will result in some interesting selections. There will be a little over a month between the two awards shows, so get up, get out and get down with some quality flicks.

Tune in to the Golden Globes this Sunday at 8 p.m. on NBC.