DRAMA
“The Father”
“Mank”
“Nomadland”
“Promising Young Woman”
“The Trial of the Chicago 7”
Will win/should win: “Chicago 7”
There’s not a stinker in this bunch: “Mank” is all about old-school Hollywood, “The Father” is a profound look at dementia, “Promising Young Woman” is a female-fueled revenge thriller, and “Nomadland” is a tale of modern Americana. “Chicago 7,” however, has a parade of stellar star power – which the Globes usually loves – and there’s a definite electricity in Aaron Sorkin’s 1960s-set courtroom drama.
COMEDY OR MUSICAL
“Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
“Hamilton”
“Music”
“Palm Springs”
“The Prom”
Will win: “Borat.”
Should win: “The Prom.”
Individual nominations for Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova probably give the raucous “Borat” sequel an edge over its competitors like “Hamilton,” which won tons of Tonys for the production now streaming on Disney+. This time, the trophy should go to another Broadway vehicle: Ryan Murphy’s Netflix adaptation of “The Prom” is an earworming delight that warms the heart and lifts the spirits with its inclusive message.
ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”
Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Anthony Hopkins, “The Father”
Gary Oldman, “Mank”
Tahar Rahim, “The Mauritanian”
Will win/should win Boseman.
Any other year, Hopkins wins this hands down – his portrayal of a man with dementia trying to make sense of his memory loss is one of the best things he’s ever done. However, with Boseman’s role as a self-centered musician being a career highlight – and his passing last year way too early at 43 – a posthumous, undefeated run toward Oscar is both a highly likely outcome and the right way to honor his legacy.
ACTRESS IN A COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Maria Bakalova, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”
Kate Hudson, “Music”
Michelle Pfeiffer, “French Exit”
Rosamund Pike, “I Care A Lot”
Anya Taylor-Joy, “Emma”
Will win: Bakalova
Should win: Pike
Bakalova might be the Cinderella story of this awards season, holding her comedic own with the likes of Cohen and getting through that cringe-y scene with Rudy Giuliani. (She deserves some honor for that.) That said, Pike is back on her “Gone Girl” game in “I Care a Lot,” vaping up a storm and ruling the screen as a sinister con woman and grifting caregiver you love to hate.
