We woke up Thursday morning to the start of awards season, which is as long and involved as the holiday season. The Oscars are like New Year’s, the big night of the year culminating in a giant party. The Golden Globes announcing nominations is like Halloween: you know what lies ahead, but you’re not sure what you’re gonna find in your candy basket when you get home that night. And these noms gave us a mixed bag sweet treats, sour patches, and the equivalent of finding a toothbrush amongst your candy.
The Globes tend to set the tone for movie awards, while often mirroring what went down at the EMMYs in September. But that may not be the case this year.
Film Me In
Let’s start with entertainment’s Big Brother Screen. Unlike the Oscars (for now), the Globes awards two best pictures, one for drama, the other for musical or comedy, which honors such hilarious films like The Martian.
In the Drama category, you have “Black Panther,” Spike Lee’s “BlacKkKlansman,” Freddie Mercury bio-pic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “If Beale Street Could Talk,” and the odds on favorite “A Star Is Born.”
The most notable here is Black Panther. A superhero film getting nominated for any prestigious award is a breakthrough. The fact that it shattered the box office and remains front and center in pop culture ten months after its release is a testament to its appeal. If this wins, it will be the final nail in Oscar’s daydreams of a Best Picture(a) category.
Of course, it won’t win. That’s because A Star Is Born is likely going to ride months of positive buzz to a Golden Globe sweep, and use that momentum to win on Oscar night. Also nominated from the movie are Lady Gaga for Actress in a Drama, and Bradley Cooper for Director and Actor in a drama. Shallow from the soundtrack is nominated for Best Original Song. It’s as close to being a lock as you’re gonna get.
Funny That Way
In the Comedy or Musical category, the nominees are “Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Favourite,” “Green Book,” “Mary Poppins Returns,” and “Vice.”
Vice?!?! Seriously?!?
Yeah, it has dark comedy elements. But in a category to honor musicals and comedies you’d expect some more music or better laughs. It’s a strong movie, but in a year when a super hero film and A Star is Born and Bohemian Rhapsody which, you know, have music, all have the balls to swim with the big boys in the drama category, Vice seems like it’s trying to be the 2018 version of The Martian.
But it cleaned up today, getting six total nominations including acting noms for Amy Adams and Christian Bale.
For me, my favorite is The Favourite, a british comedy set in the Court of Queen Anne in the 18th century. Emma Stone, Rachel Weisz, and Olivia Coleman all grabbed acting nods, and the film is already doing well on the awards circuit across the pond. That the Globes are voted on by only roughly 100 foreign journalists, it bodes well to be the odds on Favourite.
A Television Tale
On the TV side, there is plenty of diversity in the subject matter of the nominees, and no clear frontrunners. For Drama Series “The Americans,” “Bodyguard,” “Homecoming,” “Killing Eve,” and “Pose.”
Notice anything missing? The Handmaid’s Tale was shut out! Sure Elizabeth Moss is nominated for Lead Actress, but her entire supporting cast were shut out as well. Sure the show wasn’t as buzzy or groundbreaking in season two. But this level of drop off in recognition is staggering.
If I had to pick a fave in this category, it’d be Homecoming. Julia Roberts. Nuff said.
For TV Comedy we have “Barry,” “The Good Place,” “Kidding,” “The Kominsky Method,” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Barry cleaned up at the EMMYs, but Mrs. Maisel has been a darling all year. MMM just dropped its second season and is getting good anticipatory buzz. I think it will likely come down to these two.
In the TV Movie and Limited Series category the nominees are “The Alienist,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story,” “Escape at Dannemora,” “Sharp Objects,” “A Very English Scandal.”
Assassination would seem to be the frontrunner. It rocked the EMMYs, and saw Darren Criss win there as well. Criss once again goes up against Benedict Cumberbatch, who was totally robbed! We think the Hollywood Foreign Press will fix this, and give the prize to Ben, even though his series, Patrick Melrose, was shut out.
As for the winner? It’s gotta be Sharp Objects.
It debuted too late for this year’s EMMYs and could get the awards ball rolling with wins here and at the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards. Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson are both nominated as well.
Missing Inaction
And of course, there are the snubs. Roma has had big buzz coming out of film festivals, and is the darling of the snooty, art house crowd that loves to tell you how black and white, subtitled films are vastly superior. But Roma was consigned to the Foreign Film category, where it will be the defacto favorite.
Also surprisingly underrepresented: First Man. The film had big buzz early but it failed to launch at the box office and the HFPA just wasn’t feeling it. Claire Foy is nominated in Supporting Actress and the score grabbed a nom. Not exactly headline material.
The Critic’s Cocktail Reccommendation
Moët & Chandon Mimosas. Nominations came out at 5:30am, so Mimosa is the obvious drink of need choice. Moët is the official champagne of the Golden Globes and will be on all the tables at the ceremony. Why take an excellent champagne and ruin it with orange juice? Because it’s Hollywood, and they’re good at ruining perfectly good things.
Cheers!
Critic's Cocktail 