The Golden Globe nominations were announced today, and they are generally a barometer of the Oscar nominations to come. The Globes are voted on by THE HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIATION (the joke is nobody really knows who they are) and they have their favorites. Again you will see CLINT EASTWOOD nominated as best director, though I found INVICTUS virtually unwatchable, except for the rugby scenes. Penelope Cruz (best supporting actress NINE)is also a darling as are Helen Mirren(best actress drama THE LAST STATION) and Marion Cotillard(best actress musical NINE).

Some of the surprises? INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS received 4 nominations, including best picture and director for Quentin Tarantino. I mean the film was a kick– no one takes his time building up a scene, then slowly extracting every last ounce of dramatic tension from it better than Quentin. But here it’s in service of an outlandish and juvenile wish-fulfillment fantasy.

And how about Sandra Bullock being nominated in two categories for Best Actress?–one for the drama THE BLIND SIDE, and the other for the underrated comedy THE PROPOSAL. She was actually quite believable in both.

LA STREEP was nominated for two best actress performances as well, both comedies–IT’S COMPLICATED, which I saw tonight, and in which she glows as a giddily romantic girl of a certain age, and JULIE & JULIA– for which I am predicting she’ll win, unless she cancels herself out.

UP IN THE AIR (with the most nominations-six) stars George Clooney in an enormously charismatic performance; he will win, I think. The movie may also win Best Picture: Drama. It’s toughest competition is the Oprah and Tyler Perry-backed film PRECIOUS which has had a lot of buzz. THE HURT LOCKER –the best of the three–will most likely lose. But I do think comedian Mo’Nique in her first dramatic role may win best supporting actress as the abusive mother in PRECIOUS. As for the heartbreaking debut performance of Gabourey Sidibe as the eponymous “Precious”? She has only to beat Carey Mulligan as the knowing ingenue in AN EDUCATION.

I think NINE will take Best Picture: Comedy or Musical category, if for no other reason than Sophia Loren who is featured here singing, walking, breathing, and driving around Rome in an open convertible with Daniel Day-Louis. It is the Hollywood Foreign Press Association who votes, after all.

Find out the results Sunday January 17, on “The 67th Annual Golden Globe Awards” broadcast live coast to coast from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, 8-11PM (EST) on NBC!

Goodnight–
and stay tuned!