A Holly Blush and a 'Golden' Rush!

Every year, since 1961, within the decadent chambers of the Beverly Hiton Hotel in California, champagne bring in the effervescence in spirits, fois-gras, caviar and canapés are doled out in epicurean abundance and twinkling stars of the Hollywood constellation descend with a shower of confetti and fairy-dust upon a red carpet that glimmers with style, oomph and pizzazz! And we aren’t even sneaking behind the scenes here! At a wizened age of 68 years, the Golden Globes ceremony happens to be the glitziest party of the season, and this year, things aren’t likely to differ!

Hobnobbing thespians, divas and dandies preening and careening at the same tables and for once, the sight of size-obsessed celebs actually stuffing their mouths… that, messrs and  mademoiselles, is Gold Rush enough! However, once the misty allure celebrity razzmatazz fades, we get to the more serious rewarding bit, too! And this year, particularly, has been an interesting year for cinema, with small indie projects overtaking the ho-hum blockbusters to stand resolute in the winner’s circle. Here is our analytical prediction of the top categories…

The Concerto!

In a year speckled with sheer sparkling show of versatility, less was more as smaller indie favourites trumped over heave-ho-hum blockbusters! Gone are the days when the Titanics and Gladiators, alongside winning over the box-office, also pocketed a free visa to the award frontline! Having said this, one can’t possibly spurn the HFPA for its selection of all contenders for the Comedy or Musical category, which are stinks as egregiously as the Drama noms sparkle! 

Should win: Seriously, Alice in Wonderland? Red? Burlesque? The Tourist? Some of the worst reviewed films of the year, possibly lined up for Razzie glory, make a beeline here! 

The Kids are Alright seems a sureshot victor for the Comedy or Musical category. 

As for Drama, the contention is as heated as can get! Considering the eerie avant garde vanguard that Black Swan is, it deserves to win!

Will Win: While The Kids are Alright will, and should, rightfully win, the two-horse race between The King’s Speech and The Social Network is the mystery of year.

Considering the number of ‘likes’ it has received, The Social Network won’t be breaking its head on its ‘wall’ with a likely victory.

The Auteurs

In the most diverse group of auteurs ever to have been selected in this plush suite, each nominee here has made a cinematic statement, defying norms at their own accord! 

Christopher Nolan

With Nolan’s brain-teasing dreamscape, Russell’s raw livewire intensity, Hooper’s Brit subtlety and nuanced meticulousness, Aronofsky’s frenetic vigour and Fincher’s razor-sharp precision, the choices seem to be deadlocked!

David O Russell

Should win: Aronofsky has waited long enough! He ought to have garnered at least two of these by now! While Requiem For a Dream remains an epochal work, The Wrestler's coup de grace remained unrewarded!

Darren Aronofsky

Will Win: While Fincher’s  ‘network’ seems fairly large now, he may have ‘added’ quite a few ‘friends’ in the marquee! No Fight Clubs or Curious Cases here… just sheer quicksilver wit!

David Fincher

The Primo Uomo!

Some foul and some fair, some regular and some rare, some as human as blood and flesh, some as explosive as a fanatic’s HESH! The men this year are a curious mix of veterans, newbies and promising starlets. However, while we shall love him till death shall do us apart,  the ignominy of watching Depp twice nominated (Alice… and The Tourist! Are we in wonderland?) is gargantuan! However, in the Supporting and Dramatic categories, the talent shines bright!

Johnny Depp in The Tourist

Should win: It is Firth’s year for revenge! After being left a single man by Bridges crazy heart(!), Firth’s kingly speech will surely get all the ears in the Drama category! 

Colin Firth in The King's Speech

And as for his compatriots, the rather young brigade is led by Mr. Chameleon James Franco and indie devotee Jesse Eisenberg  for 127 Hours and The Social Network. 

James Franco in 127 Hours 

While a critic fave Ryan Gosling has also sneaked in for Blue Valentine, they'll all watch from the wings!

Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine

For the Comedy of Musical tenors, Paul Giamatti’s genius turn in Barney’s Version deserves the clinch as much as Kevin Spacey's sharp, incisive motormouth in Casino Jack. Bale's heart-wrenching turn in The Fighter is yet another feather in his well-plumed hat.

Paul Giamatti in Barney's Version

Will Win: The Firth-a-thon is on and he shall be the victor! However, considering they loved Depp enough to shower him two noms, he might be a serious (ugh!) contender and score a win for his muchiest Mad Hatter! 

Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland

However, Spacey's corrupt politics will give him a tough run. 

Kevin Spacey in Casino Jack

As for the supporting turns, Christian Bale’s troubled Dicky Englund will rise like the dark knight to fight the others to victory!

Christian Blae in The Fighter

The Prima Donna!

After 2002, this has been the strongest and proudest year for women. With a category packed with heart-wrenching, nuanced turns, Drama nominees are a showcase in histrionic genius. In a comeback of sorts, Kidman’s grieving mother won raves as she went down Rabbit Hole. 

Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole

While Portman’s Swan Lake take made no mistake, her aplomb seems destined for an ovation. And Jennifer Lawrence simply broke hearts with her cold, calculated sorcery of a performance in the bleak Winter’s Bone.

Jennifer Lawrence in Winter's Bone

Should win: For the Comedy and Musical category, Bening deserves a trophy for her lesbian matriarch in The Kids are Alright. Her onscreen partner, Julianne Moore also deserves mention. 

Annette Bening and Julianne Moore in The Kids are Alright

However, what in God’s name is Jolie doing here? Sure, her hair and eyelashes careened and twirled in The Tourist, much more than she did (!) but she clearly didn’t ACT! 

Angelina Jolie in The Tourist

In any case, Portman’s performance of a lifetime deserves the best gong... in fact she'd clinch the best performance of the year, too if I were the judge. My heart does go out for Kidman's beautifully underplayed Becca and Lawrence's Ree, but then, another year for them, I guess. 

Natalie Portman in Black Swan

As for the Supporting acts, Melissa Leo roared with her earth-shattering mother, in parts strong and in parts vulnerable, in The Fighter.

Melissa Leo in The Fighter

Will Win: Bening, for sure, will be 'alright', as Portman will prove herself the prima donna here! In the supporting turns, The Fighter’s women, Melissa Leo and Amy Adams, will fight it out, white trash style, with the prim and proper turn by Helena Bonham Carter for The King’s Speech. Leo will, however, roar!

Helena Bonham Carter in The King's Speech

The Libretto and the Aria!

Should win: In a year of sharp and incisive writing, Aaron Sorkin’s Facebook saga sparkled the most. While Nolan’s mindbender, Inception will contend hard, 127 Hours will only wait and The King’s Speech will remain mum on the Best Screenplay front. 

Musically, Hans Zimmer’s brassy, brazen and booming wonder of a score in Inception is a marvel. 

However, Clint Mansell’s mastery over Tchaikovsky's notes in Black Swan, knitting a myriad yarn alternating between grandeur and sinister silence, should get him his due. 

As for the song of the year, Gwyneth Paltrow's 'Coming Home' from Country Strong should score a win.

Will Win: Sorkin for The Social Network will rule this year. And, Zimmer will boil and not just simmer! Though while there are much more deserving candidates, Burlesque's power ballad, 'You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me' will win, though just for the Cher-factor.

Also Adagio!

The French animated film, The Illusionist’s heart-rending soul along with the charm of 2D animation deserves a win for Best Animated Feature. 

However, considering its past record, Pixar will pocket it comfortably with Toy Story 3’s success (which deserves a Best Comedy or Musical nom AND win much more than the horrendous current nominees!). 

The luscious and indulgent I Am Love’s visual mastery, notwithstanding Tilda Swinton's very presence, should gain acknowledgement, in the Best Foreign Language Film Category.

Alejandro Gonzalez’s Biutiful also seems prepped for victory, riding on Bardem’s Cannes win. 

We wouldn't, however, count out France's The Concert, considering the divisive views on the former two.

So, just two days left! Let's place our bets! Do you agree with my predictions?