The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards - Picks & Predictions

I am taking a break from my Grammy picks and predictions coverage to embrace this years offerings from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Their little shindig is usually a good precursor to the Oscars and always an awesome Hollywood party. It is also where movie and television stars congregate. Ricky Gervais hosts the awards again (he was quite funny last year) and the telecast is set for Live on Sunday, January 16, 2011 at 8pm on NBC.

Predicting is actually sort of pointless, because nobody hardly knows who the 90+ membership of this sordid group consists of, but I will for the sake of being able to score myself after all is said and done. However, I know one thing for sure, I am not a member of the HFPA, so I will also provide my personal pick (in other words, who my vote would go to IF I were casting a ballot). Historically, I haven't always agreed with their choices. No sense in staring now.

Here goes..

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

My Pick: BLACK SWAN

My Prediction: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

I am so sure that GG will go along with just about every other tawdry critic's groups choices and select The Social Network film of the year. *YAWN* I sure hope they surprise us.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

My Pick & Prediction: NATALIE PORTMAN, Black Swan

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

My Pick: MARK WAHLBERG, The Fighter

My Prediction: COLIN FIRTH, The King's Speech

"Trophy roles" seem to win the lead categories in these things anymore. Firth's spot on performance is the dictionary's equivalent to such. I think he will also win the Oscar.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

My Prediction: ALICE IN WONDERLAND

All I know is that it sure as hell won't be Burlesque. Sure I love Cher and maybe even Christina Aguilera, but the film's nod here is almost laugh worthy.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick & Prediction: ANNETTE BENING, The Kids Are All Right

Bening may FINALLY get that Oscar that has been alluding her all these years - but I get the feeling it will be more for her life's work and not this little film. Portman seems more like the Golden girl; if the two were to go head to head, but we'll give Bening this one.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick: JOHNNY DEPP, Alice in Wonderland

My Prediction: Johnny Depp, The Tourist

Why, oh Why is Johnny Depp up against himself here? Got to love the HFPA here. They are setting the poor guy up to cancel himself out. However, while that would normally be the case, I think Depp will actually win this one. It is just a matter of which film.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

My Pick & Prediction: Toy Story 3

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

My Pick: I AM LOVE (IO SONO L’AMORE) (Italy)

My Prediction: BIUTIFUL (Mexico/Spain)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

My Pick: Amy Adams, The Fighter

My Prediction: Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech

Either Adams or Bonham Carter would make my day, and something tells me to not count out this Jackie Weaver.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

My Pick & Prediction: Christian Bale, The Fighter

Bale totally plunged into the heart of his role and deserves any and every little thing his work in The Fighter brings him. Performances like that make me proud to be an actor.

BEST DIRECTOR

My Pick: David O. Russell, The Fighter

My Prediction: David Fincher, The Social Network

I say Russell because I feel a great director pulls forth great performances and he got four amazing ones out of his cast. Fincher's film makes some sort of statement that is all today, or so they say - so I am thinking the momentum will go his way - and again I HOPE I AM WRONG! Nothing against Fincher, I just don't get what is so fricking fantastic about that film - other than the screenplay.

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

My Pick: Christopher Nolan, Inception

My Prediction: Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

BEST ORIGINAL MUSIC SCORE

My Pick & Prediction: A.R. Rahman, 127 Hours

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

My Pick: "Bound to You" from Burlesque - Music by: Samuel DixonLyrics by: Christina Aguilera, Sia Furler

My Prediction: "There's a Place for Us" from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - Music & Lyrics by: Carrie Underwood, David Hodges, Hillary Lindsey

WOW! The thought that Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera and Sia Furler could actually all be in Oscar contention is exciting enough for me. I am really pulling for Sia here. It is about time she got some recognition. I think she is one of today's most fascinating singer-songwriters and any award would be some much deserved recognition.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA

My Pick & Prediction: BOARDWALK EMPIRE --HBO.

Move over, Mad Men, there's a new gang in town.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

My Pick: Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy

My Prediciton: Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

I will literally gag if Katey Sagall wins. SHE DESERVES IT! I am glad HFPA recognized her with a nomination. She is a phenomenal actress and the recognition is long overdue.

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA

My Pick & Prediction: Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick: MODERN FAMILY--ABC.

My Prediction: GLEE --FOX.

BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick: Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie

My Prediction: Laura Linney, The Big C

BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION COMEDY OR MUSICAL

My Pick: Matthew Morrison, Glee

My Prediction: Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

...and I never count out Steve Carell - he is very Hollywood these days with his recent box office successes.

BEST MINISERIES OR MADE FOR TELEVISION MOVIE

My Pick & Prediction: TEMPLE GRANDIN --HBO.

Interesting that the way the eligibility years work out, HFPA has this past years Emmy winners for Best Miniseries (The Pacific) going head to head with the Emmy winner for Best Made for Television Movie (Temple Grandin) - both were riveting television and could have actually done well on the big screen. It will be interesting to see if wither one wins or if the get upset by another film. I am just about solid Temple Grandin has the edge.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

My Pick & Prediction: Claire Danes, Temple Grandin

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

My Pick: Idris Elba, Luther

My Prediction: Al Pacino, You Don't Know Jack

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

My Pick: Jane Lynch, Glee

My Prediction: Sofia Vergara, Modern Family

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

My Pick: Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

My Prediction: Scott Caan, Hawaii Five-O

For a complete list of nominees and full coverage, please visit the Golden Globe Awards website. Check out their history - great site.