Golden Globes - The results

So the Golden Globes were this past Sunday. Let's take a look back on my predictions and see where I was right (and wrong):

Best Picture - Drama
"Up in the Air"
"Precious"
"The Hurt Locker"
"Inglorious Basterds"
"Avatar"

Prediction: "Up in the Air"
Winner: "Avatar"
Analysis: This pick both took me by surprise and at the same time it didn't. I was pretty sure I was going to be wrong on this one, but I thought "The Hurt Locker" might come out on top. While the story is far from original and there are plenty of cliches to be found, James Cameron's "Avatar" is a great film. I just thought it was a LITTLE too mainstream to win. But this IS the Golden Globes, so I'm not really shocked at this outcome.

Best Picture - Comedy
"The Hangover"
"Julie & Julia"
"Nine"
"It's Complicated"
"(500) Days of Summer"

Prediction: "(500) Days of Summer"
Winner: "The Hangover"
Analysis: At the beginning of the year I would have bet the house on "Nine", but Rob Marshall's film didn't live up to expectations. After that I went with my heart and picked (500) Days of Summer, a touching and brutally honest story of love that is well needed in this day of sub-par romantic comedies. In the end, however, the winner was "The Hangover", and I should have known. It is the top grossing R-rated comedy of all-time and rightfully so: it delivers the goods in a "Reservoir Dogs"-type narrative structure coupled with excellent performances all around that leave you wanting to watch it again.
Best Actor - Drama
Jeff Bridges - "Crazy Heart"
Colin Firth - "A Single Man"
Morgan Freeman - "Invictus"
Tobey Maguire - "Brothers

Prediction: Jeff Bridges
Winner: Jeff Bridges
Analysis: This was an easy pick, even if I haven't seen "Crazy Heart". Bridges has long been overdue for a win and his performance has been lauded by all.

Best Actress - Drama
Carey Mulligan - "An Education"
Emily Blunt - "The Young Victoria"
Sandra Bullock - "The Blind Side"
Helen Mirren - "The Last Station"
Gabourey Sidibe - "Precious"

Prediction: Carey Mulligan
Winner: Sandra Bullock
Analysis: I have admittedly not seen "The Blind Side", so I can't say for certain that Sandra Bullock's win was well deserved (though going into the Globes she had a lot of momentum so I should have known based on that that she might win). However, I have seen "An Education", and I firmly believe that Carey Mulligan's natural performance as a bright young woman who puts her Oxford dreams on hold to pursue a life with an older man is the best I will see this year from an actress.

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical
Daniel Day-Lewis - "Nine"
Michael Stuhlbarg - "A Serious Man"
Robert Downey, Jr. - "Sherlock Holmes"
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - "(500) Days of Summer"
Matt Damon - "The Informant!"

Prediction: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Winner: Robert Downey, Jr.
Analysis: This pick both does and doesn't confuse me. I'm surprised because I wouldn't call "Sherlock Holmes" a comedy (though it has more than enough comedy in it) and therefore didn't even think to pick Downey, Jr. as the winner. But the man was do for some sort of award after returning to A-list status in 2008 with his roles in "Iron Man" and "Tropic Thunder", and with this race wide open and his performance as the infamous detective fitting him to a T this isn't too shocking. Once again I went with my favorite Indie movie of the year and its star and got burned.

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical
Meryl Streep - "It's Complicated"
Meryl Streep - "Julie & Julia"
Julia Roberts - "Duplicity"
Sandra Bullock - "The Proposal"
Marion Cotiallard - "Nine"

Prediction: Meryl Streep ("Julie & Julia")
Winner: Meryl Streep ("Julie & Julia")
Analysis: With her performance as Julia Child being the only thing close to an Oscar worthy performance from this group, picking Meryl Streep was a safe bet and sure enough she was the winner.

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon - "Invictus"
Stanley Tucci - "The Lovely Bones"
Christoph Waltz - "Inglorious Basterds"
Christopher Plummer - "The Last Station"
Woody Harrelson - "The Messenger"

Prediction: Christoph Waltz
Winner: Christoph Waltz
Analysis: Another surefire winner, Waltz has been the Oscar leader in this category since Cannes. Though he's facing some quality competition, it's a safe bet that he'll take home the Oscar.

Best Supporting Actress
Vera Farmiga - "Up in the Air"
Anna Kendrick - "Up in the Air"
Mo'Nique - "Precious"
Penelope Cruz - "Nine"
Julianne Moore - "A Single Man"

Prediction: Anna Kendrick
Winner: Mo'Nique
Analysis: This was my biggest mistake. Having seen both films and looking back on these performances I was criminally wrong. Kendrick is excellent, but Mo'Nique is monstrously good. What made me hesitant about her was her constant anger and hatred throughout the film, but her scene at the welfare center was something to behold, truly showing the audience that this was a character who was not only vile but desperate, and that scene is going to ensure I predict her come Oscar time.

Best Director
James Cameron - "Avatar"
Jason Reitman - "Up in the Air"
Quentin Tarantino - "Inglorious Basterds"
Clint Eastwood - "Invictus"
Kathryn Bigelow - "The Hurt Locker"

Prediction: James Cameron
Winner: James Cameron
Analysis: It takes a special talent to make a film with the epic scope of "Avatar", but James Cameron pulled it off, rightfully deserving his Best Director win.

Best Screenplay
"Up in the Air"
"District 9"
"Inglorious Basterds"
"The Hurt Locker"
"It's Complicated"

Prediction: "Up in the Air"
Winner: "Up in the Air"
Analysis: I thought of changing my prediction but I stuck with my gut and ended up correctly guessing the winner. While "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglorious Basterds" both had a shot, "Up in the Air" is at the top of the class in terms of this year's screenplays.

Best Animated Film
"Up"
"Fantastic Mr. Fox"
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"
"Coraline"
"The Princess and the Frog"

Prediction: "Up"
Winner: "Up"
Analysis: Was there ever any doubt? Pixar owns the animated film sector, and with it's newest film it has created yet another classic. "Up" is truly deserving of its win and is a pretty safe bet to take home the Oscar.