2010 Golden Globe Awards

[cinemabon]

If this is a portent of things to come, then you can probably count me out for this year's Oscars, too. I have watched both ceremonies for over forty years and this year might be the first time that I just don't care about this tripe. This list is the most blatant patronizing garbage I've ever seen presented for honors. I can't think of a single film that deserves "Best" of anything. Here's the list...


http://www.goldenglobes.org/nominations/

[Chris Knipp]

My sympathies. It's not over yet and most of us who aren't top New York film critics are very far from having seen all the likely candidates but so far this doesn't look like a truly outstanding year. These nominations also seem to have overlooked some worthy candidates in favor of less worthy ones in some cases. I have not yet seen THE FIGHTER, but I can well see why BLACK SWAN, INCEPTION, THE KING'S SPEECH, and THE SOCIAL NETWORK are included. Even though I sort of hate BLACK SWAN, it's a powerful, sometimes beautiful, and hugely attention-getting piece of work. Ditto for INCEPTION. As for THE SOCIAL NETWORK and THE KING'S SPEECH, I'd not be upset if either won. Have not seen FRANKIE AND ALLEN, but Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence, and Michelle Williams all give terrific performances in their respective films; I'd give Kidman the edge -- it's a great comebadk for her to serious drama. I'm just very impressed by Jesse, Colin, Ryan, and James's performances in the best male actor category. They're all at the top of their game.

Now in the Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical category, I'm not so impressed at all. BURLESQUE, no. ALICE IN WONDERLAND, yuck (but Tim Burton is an admired auteur), RED -- blah. THE TOURIST -- come on! It's lifeless and lame. That leaves us with THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT, which in the company clearly shines, even if I didn't go along with the raves.

I'm not so impressed by the Best Actress in a Comedy choices, but have not seen EASY A. (Should have.) I'd give Annette Benning the ege; she's such a fine actress. The men -- very dubious about Depp in those. Gyllenhaal and Spacey give their all. Don't know how funny they are. Have not seen BARNEY'S VERSION and and had forgotten what it was though I read about it. Evidently a big role for Giamatti, who is a terrific actor.

The BEST SUPPORTING actor and actress nominations look extremely strong. It would be a tough choice. I'd go for Helena Bonham Carter or Jackie Weaver in the actress catetory and for best supporting actor, well, it's just impossible to choose, they're all so good. I'd pick Michael Douglas for obvious reasons, but Garfield and Rush are extremely strong and from what I've heard, probably so is Bale.

BEST ANIMATED FILM? I'm always weak in this category but despite my knocking it for its clichéd look and sentimentality, TOY STORY 3 is brilliantly done.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM? Though I tend to see relatively a lot of those, I have seen only one of these, I AM LOVE, and I would not give it a prize. I have other choices, ALAMAR, EYES WIDE OPEN, MADEMOISELKLE CHAMBON, THE FATHER OF MY CHILDREN, MAKING PLANS FOR LENA, TERRIBLY HAPPY, WELCOME. And now I would add CARLOS. And what about UNCLE BOONMEE? It did get a nominal US release, and has been showered with honors. I have heard about BIUTIFUL and want to see it, and Bardem is mentioned as one of the year's best actors for his performance in it.

BEST DIRECTOR: I really admire David O. Russell, but haven't seen THE FIGHTER yet, and anyway am pretty sure THE SOCIAL NETWORK is a more significant film -- I'd give this to Fincher. SCREENPLAY: Sorkin is brilliant! God can the man write.

I'll leave the other categories to others to analyze but I know Katey Segal and Jon Hamm are amazing.

There are many other good and interesting films and performances this year but the Golden Globes list is quite solid on the whole and therefore I would not call any of it "blatant patronizing garbage" or "tripe."

[Johann]

I haven't seen any of the films nominated. I'm really out of the loop. I've changed jobs and moved back to Ottawa in the last 2 months (I gotta keep an eye on our Prime Sinister..he he) and I've not been able to see jack shit this year. Next year is Year of the Rabbit, my chinese astological sign, so I will try to make a serious effort to see a lot of films this year.

The nominees for Best Picture seem OK. I'm sad I didn't see Inception or The Social Network on a big screen, but I'll survive.
Two huge movies to look forward to at home...

The Tourist is a turkey. Sorry Johnny Depp, you're the Man, but c'mon....WTF was that?
Angelina Jolie annoys the hell out of me. All I think about when I see her is the Octomom. I can't separate the two!
Burlesque is worth NO ONE'S time.
I enjoyed Alice in Wonderland (twice!- I'm a pothead) but is it worth awards? Hell no.

You'd be safe to say David Fincher and his "brilliant" Social Network will sweep.

[Chris Knipp]

I hope you're right about THE SOCIAL NETWORK because I love it. Smart material, as is The West Wing, which I'm working my way through the first few seasons now, I hope. Season one has taken a long time in itself. But Sorkin's writing is a pleasure. And it's for smart actors who can deliver rapid-fire dialogue convincingly and clearly. I actually didn't see ALICE IN WONDERLAND, but it doesn't sound like Burton's best work. THE TOURIST -- I saw it this weekend -- is amazing, an action thriller that barely movies and does not thrill. Angelina was really good in SALT this year. Johnny isn't very good playing an ordinary guy.

[Johann]

I heard that Salt was her best film yet, but I just can't get cranked up about Jolie at all. She seems one-note to me.
And when I heard she chose to do The Tourist only because of Locations and smooching Depp, well fuck me with a two-tier turkey baster!
Her "acting" leaves a lot to be desired.
But she puts butts into seats, and that's what counts nowadays, isn't it.


Funny you mention the West Wing- I just saw Cronenberg's The Dead Zone last week and Martin Sheen is the best thing about it.
He plays a sinister politician and it was cool to contrast that with his President from The West Wing- he's played BOTH political good and baddie!

[Chris Knipp]

Your disapproval of Ms. Jolie has been duly noted. I don't think of her as a great actress, but did you know she studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, and has been a serious follower of the Actors Studio Method off and on ever since? She has considerable panache in good action roles like SALT, WANTED, and MR. AND MRS. SMITH, and is a striking-looking woman. She also has turned in one or two dramatic performances, notably in A MIGHTY HEART, and, of course, GIRL, INTERRUPTED, where she stole the limelight away from Winona Rider. She has had a checkered career. Her bio is not uninteresting. Her movieland origins, her long estrangment from her father (putatively ended on the TOURIST set in Venice). . . She has said, according to the Wikipedia bio, "I am still at heart—and always will be—just a punk kid with tattoos" It's funny to think that just twelve years ago she was struggling to make it. Now shes a superstar.. That apparently began with nine years ago when she starred in LAURA CROFT, TOMB RAIDER. Anyway, with actors as ready to be in flashy pop movies today as Angelina and Johnny Depp, it's not surprising that they'd star in a clinker like THE TOURIST. The real surprise and disappointment is that Florian Henckel von Donnersmark (love that name) directed this, after winning universal praise for THE LIVES OF OTHERS. A better question is not why Depp or Jolie did this, but why von Donnersmark did it.