Rex’s Reactions

Here are the reactions to last night’s Golden Globe winners from lemonwade’s movie-awards expert, Rex Okpodu.

We all know Oscar predicting is not science; it is however a concentrated art form which takes in what the critics and the guilds say and mixes it all up to indicate the trend Oscar voters might be taking us in a given year. Due to the shortened season, the Globes no longer impact the Oscars but they serve as an audition for a possible opportunity on Oscar’s stage

* Best Picture, Drama: Slumdog Millionaire

No longer the year’s underdog – no pun intended! However, it could all go wrong from Oscar nomination day till feb 22nd. Chances are it would not as America seems to have turned a corner with Obama’s election and the desire to wipe the slate clean. A victory for the dog will indicate a willingness to rejoin the world community

* Best Picture, Comedy Musical: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
No doubt that this will not make the list of best picture nominees and I will eat my hat if it does.

* Best Director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Boyle is on a roll. He will most likely win the DGA and this will indicate a win for him and his film at the Oscars

* Best Actor, Drama: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
Was a bit of a surprise that Rourke beat Penn at the Globes. This merely indicates that Milk was not as well received by the Hollywood Foreign Press as the big three guilds: SAG, PGA and DGA. The Oscar is still Penn’s to lose.

* Best Actress, Drama: Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Thus was a very good night for Winslet and while the Globes do not impact the Oscar noms, she might win for either movie in either category and even if nominated (a likely possibility – remember Soderbergh’s double nomination for director in 2000 for Traffic and Erin Brokovitch) in the lead for The Reader and Rev Road

* Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
There is a reservoir of goodwill from how Brokeback fared in 2005. That plus the guilt the industry feels for letting one of their brightest stars slip through the cracks makes him a slam dunk in this category

* Best Supporting Actress: Kate Winslet, The Reader
See comments for best actress above. Winslet will probably make history in 2009 for either joining the illustrious list of two time nominee in the same year or securing 2/5 of the nominations for best actress i.e she will be nominated for best actress for two films

* Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy: Slumdog Millionaire
If the dog is on a mini sweep as is looking likely, then he is in with a shout

* Best Foreign Language Film: Waltz With Bashir
I assumed in error that the HFP might not be thinking kindly towards Israel as a result of the ongoing war in Gaza. The Oscar is either going to Israel or Italy (Gomorrah)

* Best Animated Feature: WALL·E
As good a shoo in as Heath is for best supporting actor

* Best Actor, Musical/Comedy: Colin Farrell
If only there were some weeks between the Globes and the Oscar nominations but barring that, Farrell has chance at Oscar whatsoever

* Best Actress, Musical/Comedy: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Could dislodge the female half of Brangelina or Melissa Leo — the two who had SAG approval — and might make Oscar’s list in the lead category

* Best Original Score: A.R. Rahman, Slumdog Millonaire
See the dog’s mini sweep in screenplay above

* Best Original Song: Bruce Springsteen, The Wrestler
Another shoo-in for the win

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