The Film Scout – Golden Globe Predictions, 24′

Asking a movie enthusiast about their favorite films of the year will yield a diverse array of responses, and this year is no exception. One thing I’m eager to do in 2024 is attend film festivals, which I’ve never done outside of Columbus. While I appreciate the convenience of online viewing options, I’m ready to take my passion for cinema to the next level by meeting fellow filmmakers and attending festivals in person. My friend and fellow movie buff, Scott Phillips, has been an inspiration in this regard, as he’s now an official judge in some festivals. I aspire to follow in his footsteps and deepen my involvement in the world of film criticism.

Speaking of criticism, the 2024 Golden Globes are coming up and I figured I’d give some of my predictions.

Best Picture/Drama – Oppenheimer. Not only am I predicting this to win, but I’m guessing this will be Christopher Nolan’s year in general (which is long overdue). The amount of detail and time that went into this film is incredible. All of it was practically shot, which on its own is so amazing because as a video creator myself, one of the first things I always think about before going into a project is, ‘How can we shoot this without having to use VFX?’ I’ve always loved the practical effect. It just always looks good on camera, and it really challenges you as a filmmaker to be creative in the process. I say all this because award shows love movies that can “do more with less.” Case in point, last year’s award swiper, “‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,” is not only a great movie, but the creativity that went behind making it is almost just as amazing as the film itself.

Best Picture/Comedy – Barbie or Poor Things
This one honestly could go both ways. I haven’t seen “Poor Things” yet, so my pick would be “Barbie,” a movie I had a lot of fun watching in the theater. This is also a movie where the practical effects really stand out and are used in the best ways to tell this story. You can never go wrong with director Greta Gerwig behind the camera. It’s honestly kind of crazy that we have a Barbie movie written by her and husband Noah Baumbach, who is a fantastic writer/director in his own right.

Best Actress/Drama – Lily Gladstone
The word that comes to mind when I think of this actress is “pure,” and that’s exactly how I would describe her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” She was essentially the backbone of the movie and carries so much emotionally throughout the film. I think this is going to be her breakout year and I’m hoping to see a lot more of her in the future.

Best Actress/Comedy – Emma Stone
I think people might expect Margot Robbie to take the prize here, but Emma Stone acted her ass off in “Poor Things.” She was fiery, a little unhinged, and the perfect amount of bizarre – enough to strongly captivate the audience into not taking their eyes off her in this film.

Best Actor/Comedy – Paul Giamatti
While Joaquin Phoenix’s performance in “Beau is Afraid” is impressive (and one of my personal favorites this year), Giamatti’s underdog performance deserves recognition. If you’re looking for a wholesome holiday movie with a strong story and even stronger performances, “The Holdovers” is it. And it wouldn’t be anything without his performance.

Best Actor/Drama – Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy and Christopher Nolan have frequently collaborated, but this is Murphy’s first starring role in one of the famed director’s films. His portrayal of Dr. Oppenheimer was without question one of the best performances of the year, and with the film expected to sweep many of these categories, it would only be right if he picked up this award.

Supporting Actor – Robert Downey Jr.
By now, we all know RDJ can act. But his role in “Oppenheimer” is by far his best performance as a supporting actor, and it helps that he had such a standout talent as Cillian Murphy to act alongside. He’s so fantastic you literally forget he’s just playing a role. It’s great to see where his career has gone post-Endgame.

Best Director – Christopher Nolan or Bradley Cooper
It might be controversial to NOT pick Martin Scorsese for this category, but I think this is simply the year for Christopher Nolan. His execution with this film is immaculate. He has yet to win this category, but “Oppenheimer” is the perfect film to finally get him this accolade. Bradley Cooper is also a strong contender—if you’ve watched any of the interviews he’s done regarding the making of “Maestro,” you can tell his level of passion for creating this film. Do you know how incredibly hard it is to not only be a method actor for your own film, but to direct it as well? That’s a lot to juggle, and he seemed to do it effortlessly. The man can do it all, and I feel he’s incredibly underrated.

By John Houzer