Every year, around this time, Hollywood kicks off its own holiday season and gives itself the gift of film awards, that range anywhere from well-deserved, to arbitrary, to bought and paid for. The Academy Awards are the most prestigious of these, but the Golden Globes also enjoy considerable media support and serve as a weather vane to gauge which direction the Oscar winds are blowing.
The Golden Globe winners are chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a non-profit group whose goals are to build strong cultural ties to the rest of the world, to recognize achievements in film and television, to contribute to other non-profit entertainment organizations and to encourage study of the arts. Well, it sure sounds good. I’ll give them that.
Listed below are the 2008 Golden Globe movie nominees. In each category, Cajun Carl or I may have added our initials after which nominee that we think should win. But since we are not allowed to attend press screenings (we are working on it), and since so many of these films have not been released to the general public, yet, that might take a couple weeks. In the meantime, you can print this page out and add your own picks. If you are more successful than we are, you will receive…well, nothing, but it will probably make you feel good and you can brag about it to friends and family members who might pretend to care, or you can e-mail us and brag, but since we will have no idea if you are telling the truth, we won’t care either. C’est La Vie.
But have fun, anyway and enjoy.
Hollywood Foreign Press Association 2008 Golden Globe awards for the year ended December 31, 2007
1. Best Motion Picture – Drama
American Gangster — Won’t win but great way to spend a couple of hours
Atonement — Winner. I picked them to win and they did - biiiiiig accomplishment - for my next trick, I predict a sunrise for tomorrow - MMM
Eastern Promises — should have won - MMM
The Great Debaters –Absolute must see - CC, - still waiting for it to show in my area :( - MMM
Michael Clayton — impressed others more than me - MMM
No Country for Old Men– This is great and a close 2nd choice for me. MMM
There Will Be Blood — looks good, but also not playing near me, yet. Why does Hollywood distribute like this? Make a few more copies and let people see the damn movie!
2. Best Performance By An Actress In A Motion Picture –
Drama
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age — big budget British based period piece- may win - MMM
Julie Christie – Away From Her - Winner! The best work won - how’s that for any upset? The best performance, but a small film, easily ignored
Jodie Foster – The Brave One — performance good, but movie wasn’t be taken seriously (nor should it be).
Angelina Jolie – A Mighty Heart — she won’t be taken seriously
Keira Knightley – Atonement - I picked Knightley as the most likely undeserving winner. Glad to be wrong.
3. Best Performance By An Actor In A Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney – Michael Clayton — I know that George is a media darling, but not even close.
Daniel Day-Lewis – There Will Be Blood - Winner! I hope they finally release it in my area before I forget what it is.
James McAvoy – Atonement — This film is a critics fave and he could have pulled it off, but I’m glad he didn’t.
Viggo Mortensen – Eastern Promises — I think this was the best performance - my pick, didn’t win - figures.
Denzel Washington – American Gangster — Denzel always good, but slightly weaker film than above
4. Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson’s War Good, but not that good.
Hairspray — I thought this one should win
Juno — Juno is great, but Hairspray still gets the nod from me - barely.
Sweeney Todd Winner - it was an impressive piece of work (and I’m not even a Burton/Depp fan), but third best in my opinion.
5.Best Performance by an Actress In a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Amy Adams – Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky – Hairspray A close second to Ellen Page.
Helena Bonham Carter – Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard – La Vie En Rose - Winner. Who? What movie? Huh?
Ellen Page – Juno - Ellen was robbed on this one! I want a Grand Jury investigation and a Geraldo expose, damn it! This was a one girl show, and this is that one girl - gets my vote.
6. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
Johnny Depp – Sweeney Todd Winner - I figured he would win, he did.
Ryan Gosling – Lars And The Real Girl - missed this one - I’m only one man, damn it!
Tom Hanks – Charlie Wilson’s War Hanks is good, but are they tired of giving him more stuff?
Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Savages - see note on Lars, above
John C. Reilly – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Did an excellent job, and I’m giving him my vote, but apparently that wasn’t enough to upset Depp.
7. Best Animated Feature Film
Bee Movie
Ratatouille Winner - original and very good, I said it should win and it did. Easy call. - MMM
The Simpsons Movie- good, but not original enough
8. Best Foreign Language Film
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (France and USA) - Winner
The Kite Runner (usa)
Lust, Caution (Taiwan)
Persepolis (France)
9. Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett – I’m Not There - Winner! Good performance in a weak field. I prefer Ronan, but this is a fine choice, too.
Julia Roberts – Charlie Wilson’s War Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope.
Saoirse Ronan –Atonement — I think she deserved this one, but maybe next time.
Amy Ryan – Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton – Michael Clayton
10. Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Casey Affleck – The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Casey “Baby Ben” Affleck was really good, I wish I could give him my vote, but Wilkinson was too good.
Javier Bardem – No Country for Old Men Winner - Another fine performance. I picked him as the most likely winner, but I still pick Wilkinson.
Philip Seymour Hoffman – Charlie Wilson’s War Great job, but a tough field
John Travolta – Hairspray — It takes more than a dress, John.
Tom Wilkinson – Michael Clayton - great performance - deserved the win, but didn’t get it. Call Ellen Page, Tom, she is talking to the Grand Jury. You should, too.
11. Best Director – Motion Picture
Tim Burton – Sweeney Todd
Ethan coen & Joel coen – No Country for Old Men — I picked the Coen boys as my ’should win’. Apparently that wasn’t enough - MMM
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly - Winner. I guess I should see this one, now?
Ridley Scott – American Gangster
Joe Wright – Atonement — I picked this as the likely winner. I was wrong. Alert the media, because that NEVER happens! MMM
12. Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Diablo Cody – Juno - This is good, but I have to go for the Cohen dialogic genius
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen – No Country for Old Men - Winner! I picked them. They picked them. All is right in the universe.
Christopher Hampton – Atonement - I thought this one would undeservedly win. It didn’t. My faith in my fellow critics is restored (partially).
Ronald Harwood – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Aaron Sorkin – Charlie Wilson’s WarGood, but not quite good enough in a strong field.
13. Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder – Into The Wild
Clint Eastwood – Grace Is Gone
Alberto Iglesias – The Kite Runner
Dario Marianelli – Atonement Winner, whatever.
Howard Shore – Eastern Promises
14. Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Despedida” – Love In The Time Of Cholera
music by: Shakira, Antonio Pinto
lyrics by: Shakira
“Grace is Gone” – Grace is Gone
music by: Clint Eastwood
lyrics by: Carole Bayer Sager
“Guaranteed” – Into The Wild
music & lyrics by: Eddie Vedder - Winner! Never saw it. Never heard it. Never said it. (Picture monkeys to get my little joke, here).
“That’s How You Know” – Enchanted
music by: Alan Menken
lyrics by: Stephen Schwartz
“Walk Hard” – Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
music & lyrics by: Marshall Crenshaw, John C. Reilly, Judd Apatow, Kasdan — I like this one, MMM, but really best song of the year, should have gone to the song from Music and Lyrics, an underrated Hugh Grant effort this year.
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