It was just a few years ago when the Globes scandal hit that they had no membership of color in their voting body, which at the time was below 100. Since then, they lost a televised year, and were bought out. So now they have owners, nd their membership is above 300. With a tripled membership, it’s becoming harder and harder to predict what the Globes of your would have voted for. This year, they leaned more into international, and maybe that’s the future. If it is, they need to catch up on accessibility for international product. So, join me as I try and predict what another 100 new members might have voted for. Just remember, this voting body has no known overlap with the Oscars. i do say known, since they just added a bunch of new members this year, but this group previously has never overlapped.

BEST BOX OFFICE ACHIEVEMENT

The dumb new category. voting for this is odd, as what are you voting for? Realistically, Sound Of Freedom should be on here, as it far out grossed what it should have made. It’s akin to having this award, and not nominating The Blair witch Project or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I could argue Skinamarink deserves a spot, as that film was made for next to nothing, and made far more.

Winner: Barbie

Possible Upsets: Oppenheimer, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse

I’d Be Shocked: Taylor Swift: The Ears Tour

BEST ORIGINAl SCORE

Two international nominees here, and this category is a bit of a toss up. Honestly, this group might be even better than what the Oscars end up with, as there really isn’t a weak link here. My guess is the most popular wins.

WINNER: Oppenheimer

Possible Upsets: Spider-Man: Across The Spiderverse, Poor Things

Dark Horse: Killers Of The Flower Moon

ORIGINAL SONG

Three songs from Barbie, and three not. That Bruce Springsteen song is DOA. Even if Barbie vote split, it wouldn’t go to that. No one saw that movie, and the song isn’t on the shortlist, which hasn’t stopped them before. However, when they have picked something the Oscars ignored, like See you Again, it felt like something the Oscars snubbed, not just something the Oscars didn’t nominate. Based on the inclusion of Peaches (also, not shortlisted), I picked a specific Barbie song as the possible upset. But, I think the pop star wins this in a walk.

WINNER: What Was I Made For (Barbie)

Possible Upset: I’m Just Ken (Barbie)

Dark Horses: Road To Freedom (Rustin), Peaches (The Super Mario Bros Movie)

ANIMATED FEATURE:

Wish’s Vegas odds should make you Elon Musk rich. It has zero chance. Zero. That film doesn’t even have positive scores with critics or fans. It’s like nominating Strange World. Why it’s even here is mind boggling. They must really hate the Ninja Turtles. So the other five films, Mario ain’t winning. The Crunchyroll film would be a stronger contender, if it wasn’t up against a Studio Ghibli film, and while Elemental is Pixar, it’s not their best work.

Winner: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse

Only Possible Upset: the Boy And the Heron

SCREENPLAY:

People think this is going to Tony Macnamara for Poor Things, and while that’s not out of the realm of possibility, there are other factors. I don’t think Poor Things is winning Comedy. The nomination for Anatomy Of A Fall is nice, and I see it. However, there are two people here nominated in both writing and directing, as well as I do believe Oppenheimer is going to have a strong night.

WINNER: Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach (Barbie)

Possible Upsets: Selene Song (Past Lives), Christopher Nolan and… (Oppenheimer)

BEST DIRECTOR:

Everyone here has a film in the Picture race.For Selene Song, being included here is basically the win. Her film started at Sundance, and it’s a debut. She’s not a front runner for an Oscar spot, so I’m sure she’s just happy to be here. Bradley Cooper isn’t winning, but that’s a nice nomination, and he tried really hard this time to be seen as a director. I just don’t see Yorgos winning, though there is a significant focus on international here, which could help him with those looking to reward a non-American director. So I have a top three. All three aren’t great at campaigning because on some level, they either complain about superheroes, streaming, or something else that other directors are doing wrong. Good news, no directors are voting here, so it’s possible that the front runner, Christopher Nolan is uninterrupted. However, this is one award where I could see him not getting it. I think he’s a lock for the BAFTA and Oscar, but the Globe?

WINNER: Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer)

Possible Upsets: Martin Scorsese (Killers Of The Flower Moon) and Greta Gerwig (Barbie)

INTERNATIONAL FILM:

As I’ve mentioned, the Globes are going Global. While not nominated here, The Boy and the Heron is a foreign title that did manage two nominations.And it’s not even the only anime title in the feature race. I’ll Capitano is very much the odd one out here. It doesn’t even have the benefit of Netflix’s push like Society of The Snow would have. Falling Leaves did get an Actress nomination. However, there are three films here in a Best Picture race. The Zone Of Interest is also in Drama, but managed a score nomination as well. Anatomy Of A Fall, has Drama, Actress, and Screenplay, but one film has a bit more. Drama, Actress, Director, and Screenplay. Our International winner may not even be international.

WINNER: Past Lives

Possible Upsets: The Zone Of Interest, Anatomy Of A Fall

Dark Horse: Falling Leaves, Sciety Of The Snow

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Miss Divine Joy Randolph, then new Queen of 2023, has basically won every single possible pre-cursor. The old Globes loved surprises and they loved recognizing stars. this is a category that just a few years ago, not only surprised with the nomination of Jodie Foster, but giving her the trophy. While The Color Purple has started to pick up steam since its release, this is a voting body that did not give it a Picture nomination. without knowing exactly when their voting period was, I don’t think Brooks surprises. Foster did use win this like two years ago, this exact category. Moore (and Portman) are losing focus to a targeted Charles melton campaign. Could Emily Blunt sneak a win, or would that be over performing for Oppenheimer? I actually think the wildcard here is Rosamund Pike, who has won before, and this is not her films only nomination either. If they were to take a big swing, maybe it’s her?

WINNER: Divine Joy Randolph (The Holdovers)

Possible upsets: Rosamund Pike (Saltburn), Emily Blunt (Oppenheimer)

Dark Horse: Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple)

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

A lot of people are using phrases this Eason like “it’s their time”. What they forget, and why people like Aaron Taylor Johnson end up winning because of, is that only works with Oscar talk. No one ever is concerned with “it’s their time to win a Globe”, so really everyone is in play. Sure, at the Oscars, there would be multiple people previously nominated and without an Oscar. Here, Charles Melton has a much greater chance of winning. Actually, so does Gosling, as it feels like the kind of things the Globes would go for. DeNiro? I don’t know if his Gotham speech helped or hurt him. And I assume the Poor Things boys are vote splitting just enough for neither to win.

Luckily, Robert Downey Jr. isn’t just overdue, he’s also one of the most likable actors.

WINNER: Robert Downey Jr (Oppenheimer)

Possible Upsets: Charles Melton (May December) and Ryan Gosling (Barbie)

COMEDy ACTOR

I’m afraid Joaquin Phoenix is just the nomination, it would be wonky for Chalamet to win, and a dream scenario for Cage. See what I did there? Really, this is a battle of the curmudgeons and it’s a coin toss. I’m predicting a slight surprise here, as I think most people are leaning Giamatti.

WINNER: Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction)

Only Upset: Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers)

COMEDY ACTRESS

Lawrence is lucky to be nominated. She was great, but that’s not an awards film. That Falling Leaves surprise, is still just a surprise, unless the Globes are trying to prove a point. Natalie’s performance really isn’t comedic. I’m worried the Globes don’t love The Color Purple enough for Fantasia. This is a race of the human dolls. While I think Barbie is going to do quite well in terms of numbers, every single person who does or does not like Poor Things still thinks Emma is brilliant. Her only struggle is winning a second Oscar against a grouping of ladies that haven’t won ever. Again, this isn’t the Oscars, which helps Emma a lot.

WINNER: Emma Stone (Poor Things)

Possible Upset (Margot Robbie (Barbie)

DRAMA ACTOR:

Globes don’t have branches. Voters vote for everything. They nominate everything, and vote for everything. Keoghan and Scott are lucky to be here. Barring some massive flip from Oppenheimer to Killers, I think DiCaprio misses out, and sadly Rustin doesn’t have the steam for Domingo. That makes this a Cillian Murphy versus Bradley Cooper race, and while Oppenheimer is going to do well, I think the edge here goes to the person who was also a surprise directors nominee.

WINNER: Bradley Cooper (Maestro)

Possible Upset: Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer)

Dark Horse: Leonardo DiCaprio (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

DRAMA ACTRESS:

The lone nomination for Priscilla is big for that movie, since it could have gone to Hollywood royalty like Helen Mirren for Golda. But, sadly, Kayleigh Spaeny isn’t winning. Also, Annette’s entire campaign is about being overdue for an Oscar, not a Globe. Greta Lee would be a welcome surprise for many, but unlikely. Could Carey Mulligan surprise? Possibly. I think this is really between Gladstone and Hueller, and with the international lean, even though Sandra keeps acting like she doesn’t like awards, she might just win one.

WINNER: Sandra Hueller (Anatomy Of A Fall)

Possible Upset: Lily Gladstone (Killers Of The Flower Moon)

Dark Horse: Carey mulligan (Maestro)

MUSICAL or COMEDY

May December, despite being nominated 4 times, is really not a comedy. With some really strong contenders here, I can’t see it winning. I also can’t see Air, with just two nominations. I already let the cat out of the bag and said I don’t think this is swinging in the direction of Poor Things, and The Holdovers missed out on a screenplay nomination which it has been getting almost everywhere else. It also lacks a director nomination, which can be said of American Fiction. I have a feeling, we are all living in a Barbie world.

WINNER: Barbie

Possible Upsets: American Fiction, The Holdovers, Poor Things

DRAMA

While Cooper may win, and his film managed 4 nominations, I don’t think it has a real shot here. I’m worried that the international films are vote splitting too much. I need to acknowledge that I’ve predicted no wins for Killers, and I’m aware. The Globes could totally flip, and Oppenheimer could be very sad. I said early on, I think Oppenheimer wins. It’s largely the reason I picked it for Score. If I was 100% right, it would win four Globes, which is not a bad haul at all, while still giving trophies to other films, so no film truly swept.

WINNER: Oppenheimer

Possible Upset: One of the International Contenders actually breaking through.