Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

"Faced with both her hot-tempered father's fading health and melting ice-caps that flood her ramshackle bayou community and unleash ancient aurochs, six-year-old Hushpuppy must learn the ways of courage and love." (The Internet Movie Database)

The Golden Globes 2013

I have always loved the Golden Globes. With the exception of the years hosted by Hugh Jackman, Steve Martin, and/or Billy Crystal, the Oscars just seem more pretentious and snooty. The Globes seem like the lower-brow party of filmmakers that are just having fun and patting each other on the back (aka, a popularity contest, but who's really paying attention?). And when you add in factors like a British invasion and hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, it just looks more and more fun. The 70th Golden Globe Awards are going to be entertaining, to say the least.

I don't pretend to know everything, but I know a little bit. And the little bit that I do know, I'm not afraid to talk about (even though nobody really listens). Thus, I'm thinking about the 2013 nominations and starting to make my predictions. You probably should not quote me on any of this and I will most likely be wrong on most of it, but just call me a weatherman and move on.

(For the record, when I say "dark horse," I mean an underdog nominee that might pull out ahead and win and surprise everyone.) Some of the categories I have skipped, either because I have no preference, I got bored, or nobody cares about them anyway.

Awards Buzz: A Conversation About the Globes

A lot of people have been asking me what I think about the current awards season. Here's what I think, in three words: it's anyone's game. Anyone could win anything. It's all up in the air. And that's the fun of it, because it keeps people debating.

One of my very trusted film friends and I are always discussing the awards. It's kind of our thing. Nobody else listens to us, but we listen to each other and we like it that way. Someday when we're rich and famous and everyone falls all over themselves to get our interviews, we'll look back and remember when we were the only two film students who teamed up and chatted about things we like without caring what other people thought of us. (I'm exaggerating, of course, but nobody believes me anyway.)

Our current discussion is around the Golden Globes. It's rather entertaining. Just in case you're interested in hearing yet another set of opinions:

Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (2011)

"Third grader Judy Moody sets out to have the most thrilling summer of her life." (imdb.com)

Super 8 (2011)

"After witnessing a mysterious train crash, a group of friends in the summer of 1979 begin noticing strange happenings going around in their small town, and begin to investigate into the creepy phenomenon." (imdb.com)

X-Men: First Class (2011)

"In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to start World War III." (imdb.com)

The Illusionist (L'illusionniste) (2010)

"A French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever." (imdb.com)

Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)

"Po joins forces with a group of new kung-fu masters to take on an old enemy with a deadly new weapon." (imdb.com)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

"Jack Sparrow and Barbossa embark on a quest to find the elusive fountain of youth, only to discover that Blackbeard and his daughter are after it too." (imdb.com)

Thor (2011)

"The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders." (imdb.com)

Rio (2011)

"When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams." (imdb.com)

Madea's Big Happy Family (2011)

"Madea jumps into action when her niece, Shirley, receives distressing news about her health." (imdb.com)

Soul Surfer (2011)

"A teenage surfer girl summons the courage to go back into the ocean after losing an arm in a shark attack." (imdb.com)

Hop (2011)

"E.B., the Easter Bunny's teenage son, heads to Hollywood, determined to become a drummer in a rock 'n' roll band. In LA, he's taken in by Fred after the out-of-work slacker hits E.B. with his car." (imdb.com)

Sucker Punch (2011)

"A young girl is institutionalized by her abusive stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality as a coping strategy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the mental facility." (Imdb.com)

Rango (2011)

"Rango is an ordinary chameleon who accidentally winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless outpost in the Wild West in desperate need of a new sheriff." (Imdb.com)

The Eagle (2011)

"In Roman-ruled Britain, a young Roman soldier endeavors to honor his father's memory by finding his lost legion's golden emblem." (imdb.com)

Welcome to the Rileys (2010)

"On a business trip to New Orleans, a damaged man seeks salvation by caring for a wayward young woman." (imdb.com)

The Green Hornet (2011)

"Following the death of his father, Britt Reid, heir to his father's large company, teams up with his late dad's assistant Kato to become a masked crime fighting team." (imdb.com)

The King's Speech (2010)

"The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it." (imdb.com)