Golden Globe Nominees: Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama

The nominees:
DENZEL WASHINGTON, AMERICAN GANGSTER
JAMES MCAVOY, ATONEMENT
VIGGO MORTENSEN, EASTERN PROMISES
GEORGE CLOONEY, MICHAEL CLAYTON
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, THERE WILL BE BLOOD

My predictions: 2/5, disbelieving that Washington and Clooney would make it in and choosing Emile Hirsch over Viggo Mortensen

Where are Tommy Lee Jones and Brad Pitt? This is really bad news for each of their films. Denzel and Clooney hardly deserve recognition for their lackluster performances, but I am happy for Viggo Mortensen, who earns his first nomination for the first performance of his I truly enjoyed. This is not an entirely shocking list, and I am at least glad that Russell Crowe did not make it in for "3:10 to Yuma" or "American Gangster." You have to love the performance, not just the actor (see: Washington).

Who will win? The obvious frontrunner is Daniel Day-Lewis, whose performance I really need to see one of these days. The underdog I would watch out for is James McAvoy, who is really on the rise as an actor and whose film managed an impressive seven nominations, pretty much in every category in which it was eligible.