The Oscar Narrative: First Golden Globe Predictions - Best Picture - Drama

First Predictions
Bridge of Spies
The Hateful Eight
Joy
The Revenant
Spotlight

Other Contenders - Steve Jobs, Carol, Room, Beasts of No Nation, The Danish Girl, Sicario, Brooklyn, Mad Max:: Fury Road, Straight Outta Compton, In the Heart of the Sea, Suffragette, Black Mass, By the Sea, Everest, Macbeth, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, The Walk, Youth, Spectre, Concussion, Freeheld, Fifty Shades of Grey, Truth, Secret in Their Eyes, Freeheld, Love and Mercy, 45 Years, Marvel's The Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2, Jurassic World, Furious 7, Ex Machina, Z for Zachariah, Woman in Gold, Far From the Maddening Crowd, The Age of Adaline, Southpaw, Creed, Max, The 33, The Perfect Guy, Legend, Pawn Sacrifice, Point Break

Commentary - This is a tough race as always, and some of the smaller contenders should not fear if they don't get in here. Actually looking at last year's nominees, the Globes have definitely started to embrace smaller titles with films like Foxcatcher and Boyhood making the cut. So let's start with Spotlight, which has been dominating the conversation as of late. An indie film at its core, it is getting a lot of buzz, has a huge popular cast, and feels right up the Globes alley. The Globes love everything Spielberg and Tarantino, so I expect their latest films (if The Hateful Eight is well received) to continue to shine. That leaves just two spots, and I am reserving them for the next David O. Russell and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu films. The last several films of both directors have registered here, and both have Best Picture winners within the last decade. But that leaves out the likes of Steve Jobs, Carol, Room, The Danish Girl, Beasts of No Nation and Brooklyn, all of whom are hoping to launch Oscar bids. Then there the big guys like Straight Outta Compton, Mad Max, Star Wars, In the Heart of the Sea, Black Mass, Spectre, and others. Then throw in the star vehicles like Concussion, Woman in Gold, Southpaw, Creed, and The Walk. The foreign guys like Son of Saul and Youth could be popular as well, and then there is By the Sea. Its reviews have been pretty bad, but it is Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, never underestimate those two. Right now this race seems like it is really in flux, and I bet we'll have some surprises come mid-December.