The Golden Globes did not go against the grain in picking their top five dramas. Each one of their nominees is a major Oscar contender and each one could potentially shift the momentum of the race with a victory on Sunday.
Argo (Directed by Ben Affleck)
Ben Affleck's film has picked up some momentum over the last few weeks and is a major contender to win this award. It is a full-throttle suspense thriller with comic touches that represents the best Hollywood has to offer. Its big precursor wins and Academy Award nomination for Best picture makes this an attractive film for the Globes to pick. While it is no longer the main front-runner after losing out on a Director nomination at the Oscars, the Globes already submitted their votes prior to the Academy nomination announcement and as the Critics choice demonstrated, Argo is still the critics' darling.
Django Unchained (Directed by Quentin Tarantino)
Tarantino's slavery-era spaghetti western is also an action packed affair with top performances from Leonard DiCaprio and Christoph Waltz. The film has not received much awards buzz from the critics and its violent nature may make it a hard sell for the Hollywood Foreign Press' top award. Of the five films on this list, "Django" is one with the smallest chance of winning this award.
Life of Pi (Directed by Ang Lee)
Another film that represents top end Hollywood product. In many ways, this film is the complete opposite of Argo's relentless pace. The film comes off as a more meditative and reflective, making it the tamest film of the lot. This artfulness could potentially sway the HFP but the main impediment for this film is the lack of awards buzz it has otherwise garnered. "LIfe of Pi" has a strong outside chance to win, but do not count on it.
Lincoln (Directed by Steven Spielberg)
For an awards organization that loves celebrities, it likely does not get better than this. The HFP would love nothing more than to see Steven Spielberg step up to their podium to accept the top award they have to offer. "Lincoln" received more nominations than any other film at the Globes and could be an indication of which film the HFP favors. The main obstacle for this film is "Argo." Even though "Lincoln" is a product of the Hollywood system, it is the antithesis of anything Spielberg has ever created. It is slow, talky, and not showy. Unlike the Oscars, the Globes usually opt for pizzazz in their film selections. In 2011, they picked "Social Network" over the more stately "The King's Speech." In 2008, the went with the emotional "Atonement" over the subdued "No Country for Old Men."In 2010 the Globe was given to "Avatar" over the eventual Oscar winner "The Hurt Locker." If this pattern were to continue, then look for "Argo" to defeat "Lincoln." Otherwise, Spielberg should win.
Zero Dark Thirty (Directed by Kathryn Bigelow)
This is the ultimate wild card. No other film has won more precursors than "Zero Dark Thirty" but its gritty style could turn off the Globes. Back in 2010, Bigelow's "The Hurt Locker" won almost every major award, including the Best Picture Oscar, but was completely ignored by the HFP. It is possible that they find more merit in this film, but it is also easier for them to pick more popular films such as "Argo" and "Lincoln."
Prediction: "Argo" will win. "Lincoln" will take home a lot of other awards, but the Globes will honor Ben Affleck for his greatest achievement yet and for what has been a remarkable turnaround in his career.
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