7 Things to Look Forward to at the Golden Globes This Weekend

The 70th annual awards are always entertaining, but with a tight race for Best Drama, two exceptionally funny hosts and the perpetually party-like atmosphere, this may be one of the best shows yet. Here's seven reasons to get excited for Sunday's ceremony

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On Sunday, Jan. 13 the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will hand out the Golden Globes to the best in television and film. The 70th annual awards are always entertaining, but with a tight race for Best Drama, two exceptionally funny hosts and the perpetually party-like atmosphere, this may be one of the best shows yet. Here’s seven reasons to get excited for the ceremony:

Amy Poehler and Tina Fey

The two comedic superstars and Saturday Night Live alums are co-hosting the awards show and have already proven they’ve got their show’s tone nailed down, as seen in promo videos like the one above. They’re likely to be less mean than Ricky Gervais but still poke pointed fun at Hollywood in their own ways. And as further proof that they’ve got the right attitude about the gig, the two already told the The Hollywood Reporter that they don’t “think anybody has to be afraid” and provided viewers with a drinking game that includes the helpful hint to drink when an actress cries.

(MORE: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to Stay on NBC, At Least As Golden Globes Hosts)

The Clothes

Past years of Golden Globes history have brought us such delights as backless Anne Hathaway, pregnant be-flowered Natalie Portman and giant-bow Charlize Theron. What will this year have in store? The official NBC arrivals special starts at 7pm Eastern, an hour before the show begins, but E! can be counted on for a lengthier—and usually cattier—two-hour celebrity fashion funfest.

The Presenters

This year’s Golden Globes presenters will include George Clooney, Will Ferrell, Nathan Fillion, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez, Debra Messing, Jeremy Renner, Amanda Seyfried, Jason Statham, Meryl Streep, Kerry Washington and Kristen Wiig. We’re not sure any of them will try (or want) to match Robert Downey Jr.’s raunchy 2011 speech—except maybe Kristen Wiig—but we can’t wait to see what does happen.

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Potential hilarity in the audience too

The Golden Globes are a rare opportunity to see celebrity awards-show-goers actually having a good time—or at least looking like they are—as they get to eat and drink. This year’s menu is, according to the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which puts on the show: appetizers of grilled artichoke on frisée, a pumpkin-smoked dried tomato tart and cheese; steak and sea bass for the entré; and cappuccino mousse cake for dessert. The food will be prepared by the chefs of the Beverly Hilton and each table will feature red roses—and, more importantly, champagne from Moët et Chandon, to loosen things up and make more likely the hilarious and unpredictable moments Golden Globe viewers hope for. (Want to make your own party? The Beverly Hilton has provided recipes so you can follow along at home.)

(MORE: Golden Globe Nominations: Rite of Too Many Stars)

Miss Golden Globe

One of the quirkier traditions of the Golden Globes is the existence of Miss Golden Globe, a celebrity-parented actress who stands on stage during the awards and is generally helpful in the transportation of statuettes and stars alike. This year keep an eye out for 19-year-old Francesca Eastwood, the daughter of Clint Eastwood and actress Frances Fisher. A USC student, she has also appeared in movies and on TV—including the Eastwood’s E! reality show Mrs. Eastwood and Company. In fact, that reality show is a perfect opportunity to sample Francesca’s walking abilities in advance. (But we predict that there will be no prancing dogs, littering or making out at the awards.)

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You know, the winners

It is an awards show after all! It’ll be a tough contest between the nominees in the biggest of the 25 categories: Best Motion Picture — Drama (Argo, Django Unchained, Life of Pi, Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty), Best Motion Picture — Comedy or Musical (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Les Misérables, Moonrise Kingdom, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Silver Linings Playbook), Best Television Series — Drama (Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Homeland and The Newsroom) and Best Television Series — Comedy or Musical (The Big Bang Theory, Episodes, Girls, Modern Family and Smash). See a full list of nominees here.

(MORE: Best Comedic Performance By an Awards List: The Golden Globes TV Nominations!)

Oscar predictions

It’s what comes after the victories. Since the Globes come just days after the Oscar nominations are announced, it’s too late for a movie to gain momentum and get nominated for that biggest honor—and you knew that wasn’t going to happen anyway, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen—but it’s not too late for phase-two Academy voting. But the Globes results could indicate what Oscar voters are already thinking, even though the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Academy are completely separate in membership. The movies that win the big Golden Globe prizes don’t necessarily win Oscars, but—as we saw last year, when The Artist nabbed both—the results shouldn’t be ignored if you’re participating in an Oscar pool. And, as Entertainment Weekly points out, there’s one area where it’s never too late for the Golden Globes to help a movie: DVD sales.