Spotlight: Why the Golden Globe Awards are the redheaded step-child of awards ceremonies

Like it or not, awards ceremony season is upon us. Festival awards ceremonies have been going on for months now, including Cannes and Sundance. Along the end of the road will be the Academy Awards, but we must always endure the Hollywood Foreign Press Association‘s Golden Globe Awards, an awards ceremony I have become less fond of over the years.

This year was no exception…

To top the list of reasons why it just didn’t work this year: No “True Grit”! Honestly, we are going to celebrate films like “The Tourist”, “RED”, and “Burlesque”, while not even bothering to toss even one award at “True Grit”? I laugh to even see Jeff Bridges presenting at the ceremony that his shining achievement of the year was shunned from. Secondly, the categories should not be split with Drama and Comedy/Musical. Sure, this split gives films like “The Kids Are All Right” a time to shine, but honestly, the categories are too easy to predict this way. Of course Annette Bening is going to win against Anne Hathaway and Emma Stone. As far as the movie categories, I was dead on for almost 90% of my predictions (which were not posted online unfortunately).

The many of those that get excited for the Oscar season often look at the Golden Globes as a good precursor to the big night at the Academy Awards, but honestly, the winners of the shining globes are almost 50/50 when it comes to nailing both awards shows with wins. I am not saying do away with the Globes, but let’s not give them so much weight.

Here are the winners from the night’s awards show and my thoughts regarding them:

2011 GOLDEN GLOBES

Best Television Series – Drama

Boardwalk Empire

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire

++++Okay, so I need to see “Boardwalk Empire”. Since I rely mostly on rentable or buyable television series, I will be behind the times on this show. Perhaps I will look towards streaming it online. This and “The Walking Dead” were my favorite new prospects for the year.++++

Best Original Song – Motion Picture

“You Haven’t Seen the Last of Me,” Burlesque

Music and lyrics by Diane Warren

++++If I have to watch “Burlesque” this year for the Oscar Challenge, I will be somewhat upset. Close minded or not, I have absolutely no interest in this film nor the music that comes from it. If this is going to be Oscar winning material, then I am scared for the year 2010 in review.++++

Best Original Score – Motion Picture

Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, The Social Network

++++I applaud this win. I was a huge fan of the edgy soundtrack that accompanied “the Social Network” and the idea of an actual musician and his producer creating such a masterful soundscape.++++

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right

++++So of the Golden Globe nominees for this category, Bening was a given for the win. I have a feeling Natalie Portman will probably take the Oscar, but I am so glad “The Kids Are All Right” is getting such good press. I never really expected it.++++

Best Animated Feature Film

Toy Story 3

++++Yes! This film will probably take the Oscar in the same category and for that I am happy, more so for it being a great franchise in general and awarding its phenomenal run rather than this particular installment.++++

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Al Pacino, You Don’t Know Jack

++++Pacino did so well in this part that you can have a hard time telling where Kavorkian ends and Pacino begins. Very happy with this win! Honestly, think of how long Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have been on the scene and they are STILL taking home awards. That is the true sign of greatness. There is no stopping these men. (Consider Michael Douglas in that category of men that will not quite! Even cancer cannot stop him. Loved the standing ovation for him).++++

Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

Claire Danes, Temple Grandin

++++Have not seen this, but I called the win for Danes. I have heard great things about the film and had no doubt she would pull off the win.++++

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture

Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network

++++Called this win for Aaron Sorkin. Have a slight feeling he will win the Oscar as well and lock in the “Best Picture” win for the film as well. It is a nicely written film and I cannot really discredit that.++++

Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Mini-Series, or Motion Picture Made for Television

Jane Lynch, Glee

++++Loved Lynch’s speech after the win. Having frequented “Glee”, she is by far the best part of the show and deserves this.++++

 

Best Foreign Language Film

In a Better World (Denmark)

++++Surprising! I thought for sure “Biutiful” or “I Am Love” would take the win. I cannot say I have seen “In a Better World”, but am greatly interested now in seeing it.++++

Best Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical

Laura Linney, The Big C

++++Dumbfounded by this win. Not even sure what “The Big C” is or where to find it. Laura Linney is amazing otherwise, but not sure where this win came from. I must be missing something.++++

Best Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory

++++Parsons finally won the Emmy last year, now the Globes this year. Good for him. He definitely carries his part well and I applaud a young actor receiving credit where credit is due.++++

 

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture

Melissa Leo, The Fighter

++++Wow! I felt like Melissa Leo was more astounded than I was by this win. This is not for a lack of faith in her performance, rather than an overshadowing of the fellow nominees. I will be greatly surprised if this comes through in the Oscars. Helen Bonham Carter looked absolutely pissed. I would have chosen Amy Adams myself, but I may just be partial to her.++++

Cecil B. DeMille Award

Robert De Niro

++++De Niro has had one of the greatest careers in recent history. My thoughts are in line with his exactly, as it is impossible to fit an entire career’s worth in three minutes. I found myself praising almost all of the films that showed up in the homage to De Niro and now have a list of films I must seen very soon, none more so than “Cape Fear” which I have never seen, but looks absolutely amazing.++++

Best Director – Motion Picture

David Fincher, The Social Network

++++David Fincher has never won the “Best Director” award, so he is definitely a favorite for the Oscars and would not surprise me. His work speaks for itself and I cannot say that “Social Network” is not something to be proud of. This category will be hard because Christopher Nolan, Darren Aronofsky, and Tom Hooper are all as deserving.++++

Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical

Glee

+++Nice to have a show that multiple age groups can get behind.++++

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

Paul Giamatti, Barney’s Version

++++Impressive! Giamatti with a win from a film that absolutely no one seems to know about. Giamatti deserves anything and everything he is awarded from his work. He will someday receive an award like the Cecil B. DeMille award, I am convinced.++++

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama

Natalie Portman, Black Swan

++++Yes! She deserves this and I am saying it here: she will win the Oscar.++++

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

The Kids Are All Right

++++Glad this film is getting some deserved credit. I enjoyed the film completely and it is wins like this that make me glad for the Golden Globes because more people will watch it now and it will probably not win as a whole at the Oscars.++++

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Colin Firth, The King’s Speech

++++By far my favorite win of the night. I am so glad Firth is getting recognized, especially for this role. The man has won plenty of SAG awards and has been nominated for bigger awards several times, but this year I have a feeling this will mark a huge win for him. “The King’s Speech” deserves to be highlighted even more, but if it at least pulls of this award at the Oscars, I will have to be content.++++

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Social Network

++++I do not know what my problem is… I adore David Fincher, the score is exquisite, the writing is up to par, and Jesse Eisenberg starts the career I always wanted for him, yet I cannot get behind “Social Network” winning the award at the Oscars. That being said, the result is somewhat split at films winning at both the Globes and the Oscars with Slumdog Millionaire being the most recent success story two years ago, but there are years where the winning film at the Oscars ends up not even being one of the nominees at the Globes. Sadly, this is the one film I do not feel I will celebrate winning the Oscar on the big night and from what I am told, I will be most likely be disappointed. Either I will have to bet against myself or go with my gut and cheer on one of the other nominees. “The King’s Speech” is at the top of my list for biggest contenders to “The Social Network”. “Black Swan” could be a close third and “Inception” and “The Fighter” probably have little chance. “True Grit” is a wild card, but I also have little faith in the ground swell behind it. Love it or hate it, “The Social Network” is  good film… but in my opinion, not a “great” film…++++

Overall, the awards season continues on strong and I look forward to the announcement of the 2011 Academy Award nominees come January 25th, 2011. I leave you with this socially unacceptable, yet funny ad from Worth1000.com that coincides with the title of this piece:

—Christopher Haskell