Golden Globes 2016: Our experts tip which films, shows and stars will win

A MAN stuck on Mars, a hot mess party girl, a transgender tale, a hapless politician and Rocky Balboa ... these are the hot favourites at tomorrow’s Golden Globes.

THERE are years when the nominees list for the Golden Globes reads a bit like a boring person’s list of favourite things.

This is not one of those years. The films and television series vying for critical glory at tomorrow’s star-studded ceremony in Hollywood are for the most part of a very high standard.

It makes tipping a winner pretty difficult, but we’ve tried anyway. Here are our experts’ picks for who’ll take out each major category.

BEST MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA

Carol

Mad Max: Fury Road

The Revenant

Room

Spotlight

And the winner is ...

Spotlight. All nominees show a ton of memorable qualities across the board, therefore accessibility is the key factor to winning here.

The film’s true story of how a Boston newspaper exposed systematic child abuse within a local Catholic parish speaks the most powerfully to people from all walks of like.

Only chance of an upset is The Revenant.

Gripping story ... Spotlight is based on true events about a newspaper exposing child abuse. Picture: AP

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo

Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs

Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Will Smith, Concussion

And the winner is ...

Leonardo DiCaprio. All other nominated performances are strong, but resolutely conventional efforts when compared with the method and the madness of DiCaprio’s searing display in The Revenant.

A two-time prior winner at the Globes, Leo will use victory here as a key stepping stone to a long-awaited Oscars triumph.

Searing portrayal ... Leonardo DiCaprio’s work in The Revenant is unbeatable. Picture: Supplied

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — DRAMA

Cate Blanchett, Carol

Brie Larson, Room

Rooney Mara, Carol

Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl

And the winner is ...

Brie Larson. Earlier in the awards season, Blanchett was considered a lock to win here and just about everywhere else.

However, a consistently strong groundswell for the unheralded Larson — who is amazing as a mother protecting her only child in unimaginable circumstances — makes her one of the hottest Globes favourites.

Strong contender ... Brie Larson is hot favourite to take out top honours in the Best Actress category. Picture: Roadshow Films

BEST MOTION PICTURE — COMEDY OR MUSICAL

The Big Short

Joy

The Martian

Spy

Trainwreck

And the winner is ...

The Big Short. This category has always been a head-scratcher, as evidenced by the fact that the two leading lights (The Big Short and The Martian) are primarily dramatic.

Nevertheless, the high-finance high jinks of The Big Short have won a lot of support on the awards circuit, and should narrowly prevail.

Likely winner ... it’s not really a comedy, but that doesn’t seem to matter much — The Big Short is a hot contender in that category at the Globes. Picture: Supplied

BEST ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE — COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Christian Bale, The Big Short

Steve Carell, The Big Short

Matt Damon, The Martian

Al Pacino, Danny Collins

Mark Ruffalo, Infinitely Polar Bear

And the winner is ...

Matt Damon. Science fiction on the big screen has rarely been as instantly compelling, yet casually crowd-pleasing, as in The Martian.

The reason why the movie became such a huge success across a wide array of audience demographics was Damon’s effortlessly appealing portrayal of a stranded space botanist.

Carell would have won with Bale out of the running.

Compelling performance ... science doesn’t normally win over mass audiences, but The Martian did thanks in many ways to Matt Damon’s work. Picture: AP

BEST ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE — COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Jennifer Lawrence, Joy

Amy Schumer, Trainwreck

Melissa McCarthy, Spy

Maggie Smith, The Lady in the Van

Lily Tomlin, Grandma

And the winner is ...

Amy Schumer. The gifted stand-up comic impressed in her feature acting debut, even if the film (which Schumer also wrote) sometimes lost its way.

In all honesty, this is a very weak field, so Schumer doesn’t have much to beat. Lawrence could win by default of sheer popularity, but Joy was not her finest hour.

‘It’ girl ... Amy Schumer was great in Trainwreck, but the field for her category also isn’t very strong, so ... Picture: AP

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE

Paul Dano, Love & Mercy

Idris Elba, Beast of No Nation

Mark Rylance, The Bridge of Spies

Michael Shannon, 99 Homes

Sylvester Stallone, Creed

And the winner is ...

Sylvester Stallone. This time last year, Sly was living in fear the debacle of The Expendables 3 would be his career epitaph.

Now he’s back in the big time, courtesy of a genuinely moving (and warmly funny) performance that found a few new angles to his famous old character of Rocky Balboa.

Genuinely moving ... high praise for Sylvester Stallone’s work in the film Creed. Picture: AP

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE

Jane Fonda, Youth

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight

Helen Mirren, Trumbo

Alicia Vikander, Ex Machina

Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

And the winner is ...

Alicia Vikander. Though the Swedish-born star was everywhere in the past year, her best work for 2015 can be found in her least-seen film.

Vikander is nothing short of incredible in Ex Machina, playing a robot who represents either a thrilling or chilling breakthrough in artificial intelligence.

Only threat to Vikander is Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Simply stunning ... Alicia Vikander in a scene from Ex Machina. Picture: Supplied

BEST DIRECTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE

Todd Haynes, Carol

Alejandro González Iñárritu, The Revenant

Tom McCarthy, Spotlight

George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

Ridley Scott, The Martian

And the winner is ...

Ridley Scott. The 78-year-old veteran British filmmaker will be considered an unlikely winner by most pundits, principally because his name has always been associated with more serious, darker fare.

However, Scott’s surprising lightness of touch (and unsurprising mastery of special-effects) made The Martian all the more irresistible.

Top gong? ... Ridley Scott is favourite to take out the Best Director category at the Golden Globes. Picture: AP

And now for the small screen categories.

BEST TV SERIES — DRAMA

Game of Thrones

Mr Robot

Narcos

Outlander

Empire

And the winner is ...

With a field of contenders of this calibre, it’s pretty difficult to pick a winner, but my tip is for the gripping Netflix series Narcos to take this one.

Yes, Game of Thrones is great, Outlander is epic, and Empire and Mr Robot make for highly entertaining television, but there’s just something superior about the dramatic retelling of cocaine king Pablo Escobar’s antics.

Cinematic television ... Narcos is a big, flashy example of brilliant storytelling. Picture: Netflix

BEST ACTOR — TV DRAMA

Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Rami Malek, Mr. Robot

Wagner Moura, Narcos

Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul

Liev Schreiber, Ray Donovan

And the winner is ...

Critics and viewers alike were crowing about Rami Malek’s performance in Mr Robot from the moment he graced screens. Despite some stiff competition in this coveted category, I reckon it’s his for the taking.

Brilliant performance ... Rami Malek wowed audiences and critics alike in Mr Robot. Picture: USA Network

BEST ACTRESS — TV DRAMA

Caitriona Balfe, Outlander

Viola Davis, How to Get Away With Murder

Eva Green, Penny Dreadful

Taraji P. Henson, Empire

Robin Wright, House of Cards

And the winner is ...

Taraji P. Henson has crafted one of the most memorable female characters in the new era of TV, with Cookie Lyon.

Empire didn’t really sing here, but it’s one of the most popular shows on the box in the US and viewers can’t get enough of the tough-as-nails Cookie. I think Henson has it in the bag.

Standout star ... Taraji P. Henson plays Cookie in the US drama Empire. Picture: Supplied

BEST TV SERIES — COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Orange Is The New Black

Casual

Mozart In The Jungle

Silicon Valley

Transparent

Veep

And the winner is ...

It’s another tough one this year — a pleasant symptom of the golden age of TV that we’re currently witnessing.

Despite loving most of the other series nominated, I think it has to go to Transparent — a raw, moving and powerful show.

Awe-inspiring ... Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor as transgender parent Maura Pfefferman. Picture: Supplied

BEST ACTOR — TV COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Aziz Ansari, Master of None

Gael Garcia Bernal, Mozart in the Jungle

Rob Lowe, The Grinder

Patrick Stewart, Blunt Talk

Jeffrey Tambor, Transparent

And the winner is ...

Ah, come on! This is too hard. Aziz Ansari’s new show for Netflix is charming and thought-provoking, and Rob Lowe in The Grinder is hard to dislike.

But Jeffrey Tambor’s work in Transparent, portraying a complex and multidimensional character, is utterly brilliant.

Moving portrayal ... Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor is brilliant as transgender parent Maura Pfefferman. Picture: Supplied

BEST ACTRESS — TV COMEDY OR MUSICAL

Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend

Jamie Lee-Curtis, Scream Queens

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep

Gina Rodriguez, Jane the Virgin

Lily Tomlin, Grace and Frankie

And the winner is ...

This award will probably go to Jamie Lee-Curtis — it’s just a hunch — and the wonderful Lily Tomlin would also be a worthy recipient for essentially carrying much of Grace and Frankie.

But I think it’ll go to Julia Louis-Dreyfus for her hilarious work in Veep, which is one of my favourite comedies of the past few years, thanks in large part to her.

Julia rules ... the hilarious Julia Louis-Dreyfus in comedy series Veep. Picture: Supplied

BEST MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

American Crime

Fargo

Flesh and Bone

Wolf Hall

American Horror Story: Hotel

And the winner is ...

If this doesn’t go to Fargo, I’ll chew off my left arm. Maybe. The second instalment of this TV miniseries remake of the cult classic film is just that good.

Quirky, brash, brilliant acted by an all-star cast, beautifully shot, and written in such a way that you wouldn’t dare take your eyes off the screen. What’s not to love?

Aw heck, it’s good ... Ted Danson in a scene from Fargo’s second season. Picture: Supplied

BEST ACTOR — MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

Idris Elba, Luther

Oscar Isaac, Show Me a Hero

David Oyelowo, Nightingale

Mark Rylance, Wolf Hall

Patrick Wilson, Fargo

And the winner is ...

Something tells me the engravers have already inscribed Idris Elba’s name on this particular trophy. If you’ve seen his work in Luther, you know what I mean.

Stand out ... the captivating Idris Elba in a scene from Luther. Picture: BBC

BEST ACTRESS — MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

Lady Gaga, American Horror Story: Hotel

Sarah Hay, Flesh & Bone

Felicity Huffman, American Crime

Queen Latifah, Bessie

Kirsten Dunst, Fargo

And the winner is ...

I might as well flip a coin for this one — I could quite happily see Felicity Huffman, Kirsten Dunst or Queen Latifah take this.

But based on critical buzz and audience praise, I’m tipping Lady Gaga could win. After all, she’s pretty much the only redeeming quality of the underwhelming AHS: Hotel.

Surprisingly good ... Lady Gaga’s tilt at acting in American Horror Story: Hotel is worthy of high praise. Picture: Supplied

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — SERIES, MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

Alan Cumming, The Good Wife

Damien Lewis, Wolf Hall

Ben Mendelsohn, Bloodline

Tobias Menzies, Outlander

Christian Slater, Mr. Robot

And the winner is ...

This is Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn’s year — I can feel it in my bones. And what a worthy accolade it would be, for his utterly fantastic work in the ripper Netflix series Bloodline.

Aussie star ... Ben Mendelsohn’s performance in Bloodline has pretty much been universally praised by critics and audiences. Picture: AP

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — SERIES, MINISERIES OR TELEMOVIE

Uzo Aduba, Orange Is the New Black

Joanne Froggatt, Downton Abbey

Judith Light, Transparent

Maura Tierney, The Affair

Regina King, American Crime

And the winner is ...

Hope the other very fine actors in this category are content with a fun night out and nothing more, because Uzo Aduba has this in the bag.

That’s my hot tip anyway — a worthy field but the Orange Is The New Black star stands out from the pack.

Crazy Eyes ... a Golden Globe could be coming Uzo Aduba’s way. Picture: Supplied

Catch all the glitz and glamour of the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards live from Hollywood on Monday January 11 from 11am on FOX8, with a prime time encore at 7.30pm.

Originally published as Golden Globes 2016: Our experts tip which films, shows and stars will win