Ah, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. How you beguile and seduce us with your partying and extravagant ways. Just when we think we can take no more you do something to surprise us. You chose Ricky Gervais as the Golden Globes host. And after Gervais decides to move on after three years you convince Tina Fey and Amy Phoeler to replace him causing the jaws of every Academy producer for the past five years to hit the floor after they practically begged Fey to co-host the Oscars on numerous occasions (OK, maybe we should be giving NBC more credit in landing them, but we’re playing naive here). Last year you recognized a classic such as “A Separation” for best foreign language film (unthinkable a decade ago) and two years ago you chose the under recognized performance of Paul Giamatti in “Barney’s Version” for best actor in a comedy or musical (we’re going to ignore the fact that Johnny Depp was nominated for “The Tourist” in the same category). And that’s not even taking into account how your membership continually gives critically acclaimed shows their first recognition. “Homeland,” “Glee” and “Boardwalk Empire” each found love with the Globes months before Emmy voters could consider them (sure, that’s how the calendar worked out, but first is first, right?).
This year? On the movie side we may witness you ignore “Beasts of the Southern Wild” and “Amour’s” acclaimed performances. You may provide Katy Perry with her first Globe nomination (no, you cannot nominate Madonna for “best tour”) and pit Jennifer Lawrence against Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Barbara Streisand (who could all be her Grandmother). Ah, how we’ve missed you HFPA (not that we haven’t checked out those fantastic spreads in the Four Seasons before your press conferences). Still, we expect you’ll tow the line and reward “Argo,” “Lincoln,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Les Miserables” and “Django Unchained” like all the consultants, er, “your consciences and good taste” are telling you too.
If you just can’t get enough of Hollywood’s favorite 80-something member critics group (cough), check out the best movie predictions you’ll find for the 70th Golden Globes anywhere below (no joke). For Dan Fienberg’s TV nominations predictions, click here.