Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Motion Picture – Comedy/Musical

The competition:

Borat Subsequent Moviefilm is directed by Jason Woliner, marking his directorial debut. Stars Sacha Baron Cohen and Maria Bakalova are nominated for their performances. The first “Borat” film won Cohen a Globe and was nominated for this prize back in 2006.

Hamilton is directed by Thomas Kail, and I’m not sure this can be really be called a film. He won a Tony Award in 2016 for directing the stage production. Star Lin-Manuel Miranda is nominated for his performance.

Music is directed by Sia, marking her directorial debut. Star Kate Hudson is nominated for her performance. Sia does have two previous nominations, for songs from “Annie” and “Burlesque.”

Palm Springs is directed by Max Barbakow, marking his directorial debut. Star Andy Samberg is nominated for his performance.

The Prom is directed by Ryan Murphy, marking his third feature film. Star James Corden is nominated for his performance. Murphy’s first film, “Running with Scissors,” earned one Globe bid, while a number of his TV work, including “Nip/Tuck,” “Pose,” and “American Horror Story,” has been cited.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to be nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture ten times years in a row, triumphing there twice, in 2011 for “The Artist” and last year for “Green Book.” Despite a musical being nominated almost every year since, the last such film to win this prize was “Les Miserables” in 2012. Two sequels have been nominated in recent memory. “Toy Story 2” won while “Mary Poppins Returns” did not.
What should win? I didn’t like “Music” and wasn’t overly infatuated with “The Prom.” I enjoyed “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” and don’t think that “Hamilton” should be classified as a film, even though it is certainly good (I saw a stage production in LA and then the filmed version this past summer on Disney Plus). For me, it’s a no-brainer: “Palm Springs” is one of the best movies of the year.
What will win? I’d be overjoyed if someone “Palm Springs” managed to upset, but I think this is down to two possibilities. My bet is that Borat Subsequent Moviefilm triumphs over “Hamilton,” but it could just as easily go the other way.