Good Grief, Golden Globes (Nomination Analysis)


I would like to start by stating that at least in my eyes, the Golden Globes are not as significant as the Emmys are for television and Oscars are for film. It is worth noting that the foreign press are the voting committee for the Globes, whereas those who create the films are the ones who determine the Academy Award nominations.

Every year around this time I tend to bemoan many of the major award nominations, and the 2008 Golden Globe nods are no exception. I find the separation of the film and acting categories (drama and comedy or musical) to be odd and unnecessary.

I have not had the opportunity to see many of the films yet, as most have only debuted in limited release. Those with an asterisk denote my personal choice in each category; who I want to win vs. who I think will win.

FILM

BEST PICTURE: DRAMA
  • The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
  • Frost/Nixon
  • The Reader
  • Revolutionary Road
  • Slumdog Millionaire
I have not seen any of these yet and find it infuriating that Milk is not included.

BEST DIRECTOR
  • Danny Boyle: Slumdog Millionaire
  • Stephen Daldry: The Reader
  • David Fincher Button: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button *
  • Ron Howard: Frost/Nixon
  • Sam Mendes: Revolutionary Road
My top choice is Gus Van Sant (for Milk), and he was not nominated. I simply do not understand this omission either.

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE: DRAMA
  • Anne Hathaway: Rachel Getting Married
  • Angelina Jolie: Changeling
  • Meryl Streep: Doubt
  • Kristin Scott Thomas: I've Loved You So Long
  • Kate Winslet: Revolutionary Road *
This is her year. That Winslet is nominated in both acting categories for two films gives me great hope that the same may hold true for the Oscars, and she might finally make it to the podium this time.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
  • Amy Adams: Doubt
  • Penelope Cruz: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  • Viola Davis: Doubt
  • Marisa Tomei: The Wrestler
  • Kate Winslet: The Reader *
I have heard the buzz around Tomei's and Davis' performances, so I wouldn't be surprised if either won.

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE: DRAMA
  • Leonardo Dicaprio: Revolutionary Road
  • Franky Langella: Frost/Nixon
  • Sean Penn: Milk *
  • Brad Pitt: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  • Mickey Rourke: The Wrestler
Slam dunk.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
  • Tom Cruise: Tropic Thunder
  • Robert Downey Jr.: Tropic Thunder
  • Ralph Fiennes: The Duchess
  • Philip Seymour Hoffman: Doubt
  • Heath Ledger: The Dark Knight *
An obvious and deserving choice. I was slightly amused by Cruise's performance, but by no means does he belong among this company and in category.

BEST PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
  • Burn After Reading
  • Happy-Go-Lucky
  • In Bruges
  • Mamma Mia! *
  • Vicky Cristina Barcelona
I was not very impressed with Burn After Reading and could not get through In Bruges. None of these will make the cut with regard to the Oscars and Best Picture.

ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
  • Rebecca Hall: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  • Sally Hawkins: Happy-Go-Lucky
  • Frances McDormand: Burn After Reading
  • Meryl Streep: Mamma Mia!
  • Emma Thompson: Last Chance Harvey *
Although I think Streep deserves it for taking a rare career risk and doing so with such joy and success, I am leaning toward a sentimental win for both Thompson and Hoffman (see below).

ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE: COMEDY OR MUSICAL
  • Javier Bardem: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  • Colin Farrell: In Bruges
  • James Franco: Pineapple Express
  • Brendan Gleeson: In Bruges
  • Dustin Hoffman: Last Chance Harvey *
BEST ANIMATED FILM
  • Bolt
  • Kung Fu Panda
  • Wall-E *
My second favorite Pixar film of all time, behind Monsters Inc.

TELEVISION

Best Drama
  • Dexter
  • House
  • In Treatment
  • Mad Men *
  • True Blood
I believe Dexter is the better show overall, but Mad Men's second season was nothing short of spectacular. That being said, I am outraged that In Treatment and True Blood are nominated and Lost is not. I really enjoy True Blood but it stumbled out of the gate and certainly did not have a flawless first season. I am not a fan of In Treatment and remain baffled by its many nods this year.  Lost, on the other hand, emerged from the writers strike as one of the most consistent, well produced and written series on television (network or cable).

Best Actor: Drama
  • Gabriel Byrne: In Treatment
  • Michael C. Hall: Dexter *
  • Jon Hamm: Mad Men
  • Hugh Laurie: House
  • Jonathan Rhys Meyers: The Tudors
Hall's Dexter is one of the most eerily calm and charming serial killers in the history of television. Hamm is great, but his silent, subtle style does not compare.

Best Actress: Drama
  • Sally Field: Brothers & Sisters
  • Mariska Hargitay: Law and Order: SVU
  • January Jones: Mad Men *
  • Anna Paquin: True Blood
  • Kyra Sedgwick: The Closer
This was Betty Draper's season and Jones' year for sure.

Best Musical/Comedy
  • 30 Rock *
  • Californication
  • Entourage
  • The Office
  • Weeds
I truly don't think there is a more entertaining half hour on TV. Weeds is my runner up, but this season was not as sublime.  The Office has lost a little steam, and blew it by letting Amy Ryan go.

Best Actor: Musical/Comedy
  • Alec Baldwin: 30 Rock *
  • Steve Carell: The Office
  • Kevin Connolly: Entourage
  • David Duchovny: Californication
  • Tony Shalhoub: Monk
Scratching head at all but Baldwin and Carell.

Best Actress: Musical/Comedy
  • Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
  • America Ferrera: Ugly Betty
  • Tina Fey: 30 Rock *
  • Debra Messing: The Starter Wife
  • Mary-Louise Parker: Weeds
This is the strongest category, in my opinion. And frankly, it's refreshing not to see any Housewives. Fey is fantastic, but so are Parker and Applegate. I wish that they'd move Weeds into the Drama category, however.

Best Mini-Series 
  • A Raisin in the Sun
  • Bernard and Doris
  • Cranford
  • John Adams *
  • Recount
Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture
  • Ralph Fiennes: Bernard and Doris
  • Paul Giamatti: John Adams
  • Kevin Spacey: Recount *
  • Kiefer Sutherland: 24: Redemption
  • Tom Wilkinson: Recount
We need Spacey back on the big screen...in better films. I loved John Adams but never quite agreed with the casting of Giamatti.

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture
  • Judi Dench: Cranford
  • Catherine Keener: An American Crime
  • Laura Linney: John Adams *
  • Shirley MacLaine: Coco Chanel
  • Susan Sarandon: Bernard and Doris
Linney's performance was borderline perfection. However, Keener is phenomenal in An American Crime...a very disturbing film that I was able to see at Sundance in 2007.

Best Supporting Actor
  • Neil Patrick Harris: How I Met Your Mother
  • Denis Leary: Recount
  • Jeremy Piven: Entourage *
  • Blair Underwood: In Treatment
  • Tom Wilkinson: John Adams
I wish I watched HIMYM. Piven is the only reason I still tune in to Entourage.

Best Supporting Actress
  • Eileen Atkins: Cranford
  • Laura Dern: Recount
  • Melissa George: In Treatment
  • Rachel Griffiths: Brothers and Sisters *
  • Dianne Wiest: In Treatment
I have been a fan of Griffiths since Muriel's Wedding and Six Feet Under. She really shines on B&S. Laura Dern's turn as Katherine Harris in Recount is a very close second.

---
So...any thoughts of your own about the nominations that you'd care to share? I'm sure that I'll attempt to live-blog the Golden Globes when they air on January 11, so stay tuned!

Posted by JOpinionated at 12/14/2008 12:19 PM
Categories: Film, Television
 

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  • 12/16/2008 1:20 PM PavementRunner wrote:

    My vote is always for Mariska Hargitay - SVU is amazing and Olivia has been going through some tough times, and her performance has been firing on all cylinders.

    And you would love HIMYM - you should also try Big Bang Theory, Sheldon is a scene stealer, similar to Neil P.
    Reply to this
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