Awards Season Is Almost Upon Us!

It seems like just yesterday that I was doing reviews on The Golden Globes and The Oscars, but here we are again with 2012 Golden Globe nominations being announced this morning. There were definitely some surprises, good and bad, but overall I think the nominations were fairly predictable. In years past, it has seemed as though the Golden Globe noms and wins would slightly predict the Academy Award noms and wins, so I'm excited to see how the Oscar nominations will compare and contrast.

BEST PICTURE, DRAMA
"War Horse"
"The Ides of March"
"The Help"
"Moneyball"
"Hugo"
"The Descendants"
Note: I have only seen half of these films and while I enjoyed "Ides of March", I do not under any circumstances think it is Best Picture material.

BEST PICTURE, COMEDY
"The Artist"
"50/50"
"Bridesmaids"
"My Week With Marilyn"
"Midnight in Paris"
Note: I've only seen "Bridesmaids" in this category, but it has my full support. I dare you to show me a movie that is funnier.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
George Clooney, "The Descendants"
Brad Pitt, ''Moneyball''
Leonardo DiCaprio, ''J.Edgar''
Ryan Gosling, ''The Ides of March''
Michael Fassbender, ''Shame''
Note: Again, I've only seen a few of these, but let me say first of all, "Moneyball" was a drama? Compared to this other films, I'd have to say that one of these things is not like the others and "Moneyball" is it. Additionally, Gosling got nominated for "Ides of March" but not "Drive" in this category? That makes pretty much ZERO sense. "Drive" was one of the most dramatic movies of 2011. I find this category to be a bit strange.

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Viola Davis, "'The Help''
Meryl Streep, ''The Iron Lady''
Tilda Swinton, ''We Need to Talk About Kevin''
Rooney Mara, "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo''
Glenn Close, ''Albert Nobbs''
Note: I will admit my ignorance in what the rules and qualifications are for receiving a Golden Globes nomination, but does it seem odd to anyone else that movies that haven't even been released yet are nominated?? That seems a bit unfair.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Jean Dujardin, "The Artist''
Brendan Gleeson, ''The Guard''
Owen Wilson, ''Midnight in Paris''
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, ''50/50''
Ryan Gosling, ''Crazy, Stupid, Love''
Note: My vote in this category obviously goes to Ryan Gosling, but mostly because I haven't seen the other movies. Oops.

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Michelle Williams, ''My Week With Marilyn''
Jodie Foster, ''Carnage''
Kristen Wiig, ''Bridesmaids''
Charlize Theron, ''Young Adult''
Kate Winslet, ''Carnage''
Note: Come on. Kristen Wiig, obvis.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Brooks, ''Drive''
Christopher Plummer, ''Beginners''
Kenneth Branagh, ''My Week With Marilyn''
Jonah Hill, ''Moneyball''
Viggo Mortensen, ''A Dangerous Method''
Note: I loved Jonah Hill in Money Ball, but I wouldn't be surprised if Albert Brooks took this one. I wouldn't be mad at that, but I am a pinch surprised that he was nominated over Bryan Cranston.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Berenice Bejo, ''The Artist''
Octavia Spencer, ''The Help''
Jessica Chastain, ''The Help''
Janet McTeer, ''Albert Nobbs''
Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants"
Note: Voting for Octavia Spencer here.

BEST DIRECTOR
Martin Scorsese, ''Hugo''
George Clooney, ''The Ides of March''
Michel Hazanavicius, ''The Artist''
Alexander Payne, ''The Descendants''
Woody Allen, ''Midnight in Paris'
Note: Scorsese every time.

BEST TV SERIES, DRAMA
"American Horror Story"
"Boardwalk Empire"
"Boss"
"Game of Thrones"
"Homeland"
Note: Oh my word, this is like asking a mother to choose between her two new babies. I would love, love, love it if "American Horror Story" or "Homeland" won. If you aren't watching either of those shows, you need to get on it asap!

BEST COMEDY SERIES
"New Girl"
"Enlightened"
"Episodes"
"Glee"
"Modern Family"
Note: I'm surprised that "Glee" is even nominated this year as it has totally sucked balls this season. I love "Modern Family" and my money is on them, but I also think it's good that "New Girl" is getting some recognition. It was a rough start, but in my opinion, it has slowly become one of the funniest shows on television.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA
Steve Buscemi, "Boardwalk Empire"
Bryan Cranston, "Breaking Bad"
Kelsey Grammer, "Boss"
Jeremy Irons, "The Borgias"
Damian Lewis, "Homeland"
Note: Come on. Bryan Cranston, obviously.

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA
Claire Danes, "Homeland"
Mireille Enos, "The Killing"
Julianna Margulies, "The Good Wife"
Madeleine Stowe, "Revenge"
Callie Thorne, "Necessary Roughness"
Note: Claire Danes all the way. I was just having a conversation with some fellow "Homeland" lovers about how great she is in that show.

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, "30 Rock"
David Duchovny, "Californication"
Johnny Galecki, "The Big Bang Theory"
Thomas Jane, "Hung"
Matt LeBlanc, "Episodes"
Note: It doesn't get much funnier than Jack Donaghy.

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY
Tina Fey, "30 Rock"
Amy Poehler, "Parks and Recreation"
Laura Dern, "Enlightened"
Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl"
Laura Linney, "The Big C"
Note: Tiny or Amy here. Again, glad that "New Girl" is getting some recognition, but Zooey isn't ready for a GG just yet.

BEST TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
"Mildred Pierce"
"Too Big Too Fail"
"Cinema Verite"
"Downton Abbey"
"The Hour"
Note: I only saw "Mildred Pierce" in this category, but it was pretty darn phenomenal.

BEST ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
William Hurt, "Too Big Too Fail"
Hugh Bonneville, "Downton Abbey"
Idris Elba, "Luther"
Bill Nighy, "Page Eight"
Dominic West, "Appropriate Adult"
Note: Don't really care in this category.

SUPPORTING ACTOR, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Peter Dinklage, "Game of Thrones"
Paul Giamatti, "To Big To Fail"
Guy Pearce, "Mildred Pierce"
Tim Robbins, "Cinema Verite"
Eric Stonestreet, "Modern Family"
Note: Obviously Eric Stonestreet.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, TV-MOVIE OR MINISERIES
Jessica Lange, "American Horror Story"
Kelly Macdonald, "Boardwalk Empire"
Maggie Smith, "Downton Abbey"
Sofia Vergara, "Modern Family"
Evan Rachel Wood, "Mildred Pierce"
Note: Sorry ERW and Sofia Vergara, but I have to go with Jessica Lange here. She nails the creepy psychopath role on "American Horror Story".