Get some popcorn on the go and an iron-clad grip on that remote control, people, because it's officially Hollywood awards season! The 66th Annual Golden Globe awards are on in a matter of hours, and I have the honour of being your eyes and ears at the LA ceremony while you sit at the office.

E! has over twenty cameras focused on the biggest stars in the world, and I've two eyes and ten bitchy fingers to give you a blow-by-blow run down on who's wearing what, who comes up a winner, and all the goss in between!

Who are you cheering for? This year more than ever is rumoured to be an open race for awards glory, with no particular actor or film having the edge, and that's what we like!

The Golden Globes have always been one of my favourite awards shows - mostly because the stars get to chill and have fun. They get to eat fancy food, hang out with pals, and quaff some very fancy champagne - which on occasion loosens a tongue or two and makes for some very interesting acceptance speeches!

The bummer about being an awards show fiend in New Zealand is that most of the movies up for honours haven't been released on our fair shores yet. Unless you acquire them by illegal means, which of course none of y'all would ever do.

Out of the whole kit and caboodle, I have only seen Slumdog Millionaire, Doubt, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and The Curious Case on Benjamin Button.

Slumdog Millionaire won five awards at the Critics' Choice awards on Friday, and I'm not surprised. You must, must, must see - and no, they're not paying me to say that! Although I could do with the money. It's like an all-encompassing, exhilarating flick set in the slums of Mumbai, with a touch of City of God thrown in for good measure. Did I mention you must see?

Doubt has critics' favourite written all over it, and five of its heavyweight cast are nominated for acting awards. It's very much a movie based on a play - heavy on the dialogue and not so much on a fast progression of plot. But don't discount it because of this - the scenes where Meryl Streep faces off against Philip Seymour Hoffman have to be seen to be believed.

Don't discount Amy Adams for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the flick, but my money's got to be on Penelope Cruz for her mesmerizing turn as Maria Elena in Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona. She's absolutely beautiful, and completely mesmerizing as a woman on the other side of sanity.

Check out our review of the flick here

I liked The Curious Case on Benjamin Button, but I don't think Brad Pitt or Cate Blanchett's performances were amazing, although solid. I loved the fairy tale sort of element to a southern gothic sort of tale, although it had more of a hint of Forrest Gump about it, with Benjamin's travels around the world and the kooky cast of characters he meets along the way.

And long! Aye carumba. I had no forewarning that I'd be in the cinema for three long hours, and think the movie wouldn't have been hurt by half an hour shaved off the running time. The special effects and makeup are completely amazing in this movie, but I wouldn't expect it to win Best Movie or Best Director.

As far as Brad and Angie are concerned...expect her to pull something special out of the hat, although for someone so beautiful I think she normally dresses rather drab. Will she turn it on tonight? Anne Hathaway is the hot favourite for Angie's category, Best Actress in a Drama. Even hotter of a favourite since the official Golden Globes site mistakenly put a winner's star next to Anne's name late last week.

Check out this clip from the Critics' Choice where Angie shoots Anne Hathaway the death evils during her acceptance speech. It's around the 1:10 mark. Damn, Angelina! You're not so charitable when it comes to losing!

Could the Jolie-Pitts go home empty handed? It's a definite possibility.

I just adore Kate Winslet, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this year is her year. She's got two nominations going into the ceremony - one for Best Actress for Revolutionary Road and one for Best Supporting Actress for The Reader. She's a good bet, and with five Oscar nominations under her belt already she must be odds on for another one (or two) in 2009. She does have some stiff competition, but here's hoping Kate walks away with some hardware.

I loved In Bruges and it's a credit to the movie that both its Irish lead actors, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, are up for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy for their performances. Farrell was fab! So I am rooting for him. But I'd also be more than happy if the gong goes to Javier Bardem, the Spanish hottie who was the eye candy in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Meryl Streep may take it out for Mamma Mia! as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, but Rebecca Hall's getting a lot of buzz for her part in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Even Heath Ledger's not a guaranteed winner in his category for Best Supporting Actor, but I would say the odds are pretty good that the Hollywood Foreign Press will recognise him. I mean, it's not like he's making any more movies, is he? Look to Hoffman or Downey Jr. to take out the honours if Heath doesn't.

Tom Cruise is also nominated in that category, and it'll be very interesting to see him going down a red carpet sans ever-present wife Katie Holmes, who's performing the final night of her play All My Sons in NYC. Who will he cling on to? He'll be lost, adrift on a sea of red carpet and other taller, studlier actors - like a ship without a rudder!

So as the stars begin to amble down the red carpet, let the games begin!