The 74th annual Golden Globes will air this Sunday, January 8 at 8:00 pm EST. CineFiles has already made a full list of predictions of who and what will win in the film categories. But here are some highlights from those articles in true tl;dr fashion.

 

Sure Things:

Best Picture – Comedy or Musical

The Best Picture category for Comedy/Musical is the easiest choice of the entire program. La La Land is prepared to win in a landslide, and it will likely clean up in a few other categories as well.

 

Best Actress

Best Actress being split into two categories makes both of them sure picks. Natalie Portman in Jackie in the Drama category and Emma Stone in La La Land in the Musical/Comedy category. The chips will fall this way barring a major upset.

 

Best Supporting Actress

Viola Davis is poised to take this award for her mesmerizing performance in Fences. The category has lots of talent, but Davis losing would be a shock.

 

Best Original Song & Best Original Score

Both of the music awards, most appropriately, will land in the pockets of La La Land. The music from Justin Hurwitz makes the film what it is, and nothing else in the categories can truly compare.

 

Two-Horse Races

Best Picture – Drama

While the Musical or Comedy category is cut and dry, Best Picture – Drama has two heavy contenders. The award could just as easily go to Manchester by the Sea as Moonlight. Both films are quite brilliant, and it is a true toss up as to which one will pull ahead.

 

Best Actor – Drama

The Best Actor award will almost certainly go to Casey Affleck for his performance in Manchester by the Sea. But there could be an upset from Denzel Washington. It is an unlikely outcome, but it is a possibility, especially if the HFPA gives the edge to Moonlight over Manchester by the Sea in the Best Picture category.

 

Best Supporting Actor

I know what my pick would be in this category—Mahershala Ali. However, his role in Moonlight is rather brief, and thus the votes could tip toward the critical darling Hell or High Water. Jeff Bridges gives a scene stealing performance in that film, and it would be a safe upset pick to choose him over Ali. Either could take this category.

 

Best Foreign Language Film

Elle was the favorite Foreign Language film a month ago when the Golden Globes nominations were released. Since then, the Academy Awards narrowed their field of Foreign films to 10, and Elle is not among the lot. The next favorite would be Toni Erdmann, which is most likely to take the Oscar as of today. However, the HFPA could still give the edge to Elle.

 

Best Actor – Comedy or Musical

This category will most likely go to Ryan Gosling. The Critics Choice gave a lot of love to Ryan Reynolds, however, for his crass turn in Deadpool. While it seems an impossibility that such a performance would garner award season attention, given the film lacks the traditional prestige of films honored by the HFPA, anything is possible. The film was given much praise, particularly for Ryan Reynolds pivotal role in getting the film made and making it successful.

 

Wide Open

Best Director

The majority of these wide open races are caused by the three-pronged Oscar race that is shaping up. La La Land will win a Best Picture award. Moonlight or Manchester by the Sea will win the other. The three of them will be facing off in the combined Oscar category a few months down the road. What remains is a Golden Globe director race that includes the three men behind the films in contention. Any of them could win; I would give a significant edge to Damien Chazelle.

 

Best Screenplay

Similarly as Best Director, the Best Screenplay race is down to three. La La Land could take it and sweep a number of categories. But in terms of screenplay, I see a better output from the likes of Moonlight and Manchester by the Sea. Any three could win. My personal choice would be Moonlight, but that does not account for much. I think the actual battle is between Manchester by the Sea and La La Land with Manchester edging out a win in the end.

 

Best Animated Picture

I could almost say that this is a two-horse race, yet there is a substantial possibility of upset from a third party. The clear frontrunner is Zootopia, followed closely by Kubo and the Two Strings. But I would not count Moana out of the running.

 

As always, thanks for reading!

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—Alex Brannan (@TheAlexBrannan)