Golden Globe Awards

[Sonic Youth]

But he doesn't have enough taste to stay married to any one of the previous five. Or maybe it's the wives whose taste in spouses is lacking.

[Big Magilla]

James Cameron looked absolutely HIDEOUS. So did his new wife, although she seems sweet (whatever happened to Linda Hamilton, btw?)

One thing you have to give Cameron credit for is his taste in wives. Suzy Amis, despite the fact that she loooks prematurely grandmotherly, is a lovely lady and a fien actress. It seems like only yesterday that she was married to Sam Robards and starring in The Ballad of Little Jo, but that was actually sixteen years ago.

She was divorced from Robards for six years before marrying Cameron, who remains friendly with all his ex-wives. Carol Ann Hurd is a producer on the Termiantor franchise and Linda Hamilton voiced Sarah Connor in the recent Terminator Salvation in which Avatar's Sam Worthington was the standout performer.

Not only will the cameras be focusing on Cameron and his ex-wife Bigelow at the Oscars, they are also likely to focusing on Amis when former mother-in-law Lauren Bacall takes the stage.

[flipp525]

Scattered thoughts:

Well, this is the first Golden Globes, most likely in recorded history, that I a) didn't watch live and b) went to sleep not even knowing any of the winners. I had something more important (and, frankly, more fun) to attend to on Sunday night.

I watched the show on DVR yesterday, including the red carpet preshow on NBC which was horribly produced. All anyone could talk about was the rain as if none of these gods and goddesses had ever been rained upon before. It was obnoxious.

Grey Gardens is the best "TV movie" they've awarded since Angels in America and I'm not just saying that because my own family is portrayed in the film. It's exceptionally directed with an almost obscene attention to detail (the recreations of the original documentary footage are extremely very well-done). As are the performances...if anyone other than Drew or Jessica Lange had won, it would've been a travesty. Lange was phenomenal, of course, but Barrymore really came into her own as an actress in this role and she deserves all the accolades she's getting for it. There was almost a method-acting quality to her performance; you could tell she had really gone after an authenticity and gotten underneath the skin of this woman.

I saw a couple snippets of Joan Allen in Georgia O'Keefe (which was on Lifetime, btw) and no, from what little I saw, there is no comparison. I do, however, think that Sigourney Weaver's performance in Prayers for Bobby was very good and would've been a worthy winner, if not for the unstoppable Barrymore/Lange duo. Lange won the Emmy; we'll see which one of them takes the SAG.

Meryl gave her best Globes speech in some time. She's humble, extemporaneous, funny and doesn't take any of it too seriously even though she could, understandably, have the biggest ego in the world if she wanted to. And, no, they wouldn't dream of cutting her off mid-speech. The Oscar race would seem to be between her and Bullock at this point (with a Sidibe spoiler?).

Best speech of the night goes to Mo'Nique who has most certainly sealed up the Best Supporting Actress Oscar race. She will be one of the most deserving winners in that category's history. Waltz's speeches (both here and the BFCAs) have been a little too cutesy-pie for my tastes.

James Cameron looked absolutely HIDEOUS. So did his new wife, although she seems sweet (whatever happened to Linda Hamilton, btw?) Kathryn Bigelow is sexy as heck. I hope she wins the Oscar.

Speaking of Halle Berry, several women had their tits on parade on Sunday. Did you see Mariah Carey's on the red carpet? I almost fell out of my chair. Holy god.

I think that might've been Bill Paxton's first nomination for anything EVER, which is why he was beaming (oh wait, he was nominated two years ago. Oh well). There was no chance in hell that he was winning, but his daughter was his date and he looked like he was having a good time. I love Chloe Sevigny and I think the fact that her gorgeous dress was ripped on-stage threw her off her game a little. She is one of the best things about Big Love (along with Grace Zabriskie and Mary Kay Place) and heads up a fantastic ensemble. I love her character.

Jennifer Aniston looked pretty hot. Where were Brad and Angelina, btw? Their absence was rather conspicuous considering that Pitt is the star power behind Inglourious Basterds.

I can't support anyone beating Glenn Close. Her Patty Hewes on Damages is insanely good. I do like Margolis though. I thought there was a serious lack of Mad Men citations in the acting categories.

Carey Mulligan (An Education) needs a little lesson on awards show etiquette. This is the second time she's looked like she was about to cry when she didn't win an award. It looks desperate and severely amateur. See Gabourey Sidibe for a lesson on how it's done for a newcomer. So sweet, classy and fun. Her appearance on Ellen was just fabulous (youtube it, if you can).

Julia Roberts...my god, does anyone even care about her anymore? She looked especially ratty on Sunday night, I thought. And she was a real obnoxious cooz on the red carpet with Billy Bush ("yes, I know I passed up on The Blind Side, but I MEANT to!") Such a self-involved bitch. The anti-Meryl, if you will. I can't believe she took the time to send her children to bed before announcing the Best Picture winner.

I thought that Ricky Gervais was meh. I don't really find him all that funny, although his Mel Gibson dig was awesome. What a horrible human being. Talk about in vino veritas.

Haven't seen Avatar and really have no desire to although that Sam Worthington is yummy. Invictus also looks like a snooze-fest. Hollywood seems as self-involved as it ever was and this awards show was tepid at best. The BFCAs at least had a camp quality I could openly guffaw at.



Edited By flipp525 on 1263929924

[ITALIANO]

If it were only for the Golden Globes, we'd also say that Best Actor is now between Bridges and Robert Downey jr, and we aren't so crazy. No, I think we are just seeing the situation as it is right now; the Globes should never be taken literally, but must be "interpreted", and that's what we are all doing.

[Uri]

For many years I thought of the Golden Globes as the Golden Bullshit awards, as did many people. It's only in the last decade or so that they've become a respected barometer for the Oscars.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the Oscars have turned into somewhat bullshit awards themselves?

[Big Magilla]

It's time for a little sober thought here.

For many years I thought of the Golden Globes as the Golden Bullshit awards, as did many people. It's only in the last decade or so that they've become a respected barometer for the Oscars.

Their first awards were held at 20th Century-Fox Studios. Did The Song of Bernadette win that award becuase they thought it was the year's best film or because it was a Fox film?

Their awards weren't televised until the 1960s and then only sporadically. The 1964 awards were a segment of the Andy Williams Show.

The Globes biggest scandal was the 1981 award for Best Newcomer to Pia Zadora allegedly because her husband, who owned the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas, flew the members to his casino and invited them to his home where he showed her crappy film, Butterfly, which had not been released theatrically. After that they were off TV for several years. I think it was in 1990 when they returned, the year they won some respectability for presenting a life achievement award to Audrey Hepburn.

They soon lapsed back into ridicule with their multiple nominations for Sharon Stone - four over a ten year period from 1992 through 2001, reportedly because she sent each member a nice note every time they nominated her

Even though their track record in predicting the Oscars has been spotty, all of a sudden all the pundits including us (I include myself in this) are saying that their award to Avatar makes Oscar a two-way Best Picture race even though The Hurt Locker has won everything else. Not only that but that their acting awards solidify the cases for Jeff Bridges, Christoph Waltz and Mo'Nique and make Best Actress a two-way race between Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock.

I think we may be giving too much credit to the Globes. Avatar's box office makes it a strong contender. Even if it had lost the Globe to The Hurt Locker, it would still be its biggest threat. Waltz and Mo'Nique were already the front-runners. The one-two punch of the Broadcast Critics Award and the Globes pushes Bridges to the forefront but he was already a front-runner along with George Clooney and Colin Firth. The latter has pretty much fallen by the wayside though Clooney has not. Bridges' standing ovations at both the Broadcast Critics Awards and the Globes attest to his popularity, but I think George Clooney would have gotten the same response.

I have said all along that the SAG award would be the test of whether or not Bullock can win an Oscar. If she wins there on Saturday, it will be a two-race between her and Streep. Otherwise the odds have been in Streep's favor since the various critics groups have been bestowing their honors on her to the exclusion of practically everyone else.

[ITALIANO]

why are we discussing The White Ribbon? Does anyone really expect it to be nominated for Best Picture?

As far as I know, it won a Golden Globe, and this is a thread about the Golden Globes.

Sabin, no need for helmets. Take it this way: it seems that I care about your views on movies.

[Big Magilla]

Oscar and I agreed on only one movie in the 00s - 2004's Million Dollar Baby. Until last night it looked like The Hurt Locker might be the second one. Now I'm not so sure, but why are we discussing The White Ribbon? Does anyone really expect it to be nominated for Best Picture?

[Sabin]

I wouldnt say that Sabin's view on the movie was just mixed, but even so, coming from someone who believes The Hurt Locker is so much better, well, it makes you think (and there are others, like Okri, who didn't like it much).

It's funny that you say that one should simply read what one writes...

I AM mixed on The White Ribbon, but I would NEVER suggest it not be seen for the artfulness of the production and the window into another time period that it provides. It's certainly not for everybody, but it's the winner of the Palme d'Or and it's a gorgeously shot evocation of another time. If you think that I'm being superficial in my recommendation, then I think The White Ribbon guilty of the same. I think we're running into a communication issue here, Marco. To engage in a lengthy discussion as to why something is frustrating can go on forever. To engage in a conversation as to why something is bad or not worth seeing can last seconds. I think The White Ribbon uses its narrative as a bulldozer, but it's far from being without merit or artful intent and execution.

I'm going to interpret the use of The Hurt Locker as barometer to my cinematic myopia and otherwise lack of sophistication as due to your mention of being forced to choose between it and Avatar. That being said, if thinking The Hurt Locker is a better movie than The White Ribbon qualifies me for the Special Bus, just let me know what time it arrives and I'll bring my fucking helmet.

[ITALIANO]

I wouldnt say that Sabin's view on the movie was just mixed, but even so, coming from someone who believes The Hurt Locker is so much better, well, it makes you think (and there are others, like Okri, who didn't like it much).

I never said that "so many people" here want Bullock to win Best Actress; as for what you think I imply, well, do me a favor, just read what I write. It's a fact that Bullock won a Golden Globe yesterday, and this is what I was referring to.

[The Original BJ]

The White Ribbon (so despised on this board, but then it's not a cartoon and doesnt have big stars in it) may not be flawless, and in my opinion not even the best European movie of the year, but my God, it IS a movie, it is challenging, it's not perfect but it takes risks, and most importantly, it SAYS something.

You keep making this point, but where exactly do you see The White Ribbon being despised on this board? I quite liked the movie, and Sabin was mixed but certainly didn't seem to despise it, and barely anyone else has even seen it (or at least commented on it).

It's sort of like your implication that so many people here want Sandra Bullock to win Best Actress when, in fact, I can't find one person on this board who seems to think so.

Exaggerating much?

[ITALIANO]

Ok, this is just the Globes, the dear, old, trashy Globes. And it's true that the Oscars are traditionally slightly less shallow.

Still, this is obviously a tragic year. Because yes, there will be ten Best Picture nominees, but it's really two, Avatar and The Hurt Locker. Or three, if you count Up in the Air, but this seems really to be out of the game by now. And any year where it's between Avatar and The Hurt Locker IS tragic, let me say this again clearly. Tragic for a country like the US which produces so many movies and which has such a long, undeniably distinguished tradition in this field. The White Ribbon (so despised on this board, but then it's not a cartoon and doesnt have big stars in it) may not be flawless, and in my opinion not even the best European movie of the year, but my God, it IS a movie, it is challenging, it's not perfect but it takes risks, and most importantly, it SAYS something.

And then of course I admit that, if I had a gun pointed at my head and I had to choose between Avatar and The Hurt Locker (I still haven't seen Up in the Air), what could I do? I'd say Avatar, definitely. At least it's harmless and technically impressive; The Hurt Locker, with its macho American heroes, AND directed by a woman (!), is so ethically ambiguous, so subtly fascistic, that I would never ever pick it. It would be a betrayal of what I am, regardless of the fact that it's even well made and reasonably absorbing (but honestly how can one be interested in the lives of these boring American soldiers, but they could be Italian too, when any of the extras playing Iraqis have certainly much more interesting lives and backgrounds? I wonder). So yes, it'd be Avatar, but it's not a choice I'd be proud of.

What else? In a truly tragic year, Sandra Bullock would also win Best Actress over Meryl Streep, but can we at least trust the Academy and hope that it will be too dignified to let this happen?

[Big Magilla]

You have to look behind the numbers.

Critics of the day generally thought highly of The Greatest Show on earth - entertainment on a big scale, and Around the World in 80 Days - eye-popping use of Toddd-A-O cramming more stars into bit parts (coining the term "cameo") than had ever been seen before. Today, both are pretty much derided. The special effects of The Greatest Show on Earth are laughable. The widescreen images of Around the World in 80 Days are lost on even large screen TV sets and most viewers today have no idea who most of the then "stars" were.

Avatar's generally favorable reviews were for its technical bravado. No review that I read spoke highly of the script. The same was true of Titanic, but Titanic had the added advantage of being based on true incidents, getting period details correct and accurately recreating he sinking of the ship as no previous film (and there were many) had done. It also brought the industry out of a funk. Its box office records were inspiring to Hollywood. What film-makers are inspired by the success of Avatar? Does anyone seriously think its success will greenlight their own cherished unpublished screenplays?

While it may well win the Oscar for Best Picture, it's far from the sure thing Titanic was. The Golden Globes are voted on by 100 people who are mostly entertainment reporters for foreign owned organizations. Check out their website for the list of active members. The only one you're likely to have heard of is Emanuel Levy who was twice the chairman of the Los Angels Film Critics and who has written an Oscar book or two. What he is doing there, I don't know, but apparently he represents some publication in Great Britain.

A Golden Globe win does not an Oscar win dictate. If it was going to win something, then the Globe is the award it deserved.

The Hangover, however, is a completely different story. There was nothing in that movie that was remotely funny. It was stupid from beginning to end. If they had to go with something irreverent then any of the Judd Apatow comedies, especially Funny People, would have been a more intelligent choice, though no comedy this year was as good as (500) Days of Summer.

Here are the top placements among the Metacritics for The Hangover (almost all of them written by second stringers, not the lead critics for their publications, most of whom seem to have a drinking problem which makes them realate):

Premiere - 100 - "That final sequence ties the movie together in an awesome fashion."

Hollywood Reporter - 90 - "A piercingly funny, twisted "whatever-happens-in-Vegas" caper."

Variety - 90 - "At once raucously free-wheeling and meticulously contrived, picture satisfies as a boys-gone-wild laff riot."

Salon - 90 - "The Hangover is a shaggy-dog tale that's actually, when you step back from it, perfectly shaped."

Chicago Reader - 90 - "Todd Phillips is no artist, but his lowbrow comedies (Road Trip, Old School) always hit the mark because they're so psychologically true: the superego tries to control the id, but the id gets drunk and barfs all over it. Hilarious."

TV Guide - 88 - "So if you're looking for the next stop on the Shockingly Experimental Comedy train, don't get off here -- this ride is strictly for laughs."

Roger Ebert - 88 - "A funny movie, flat out, all the way through. Its setup is funny. Every situation is funny. Most of the dialogue is funny almost line by line."

Petr Travers - 88 - "The Hangover ain't art, but Phillips has shaped the hardcore hilarity into the summer party movie of all our twisted dreams."

At the other end of the spectrum and more in line with my take:

Baltmore Sun - 38 - "The Hangover is like an infernal comedy machine. Surrender your soul to its foul mesh of cheap cleverness and vulgarity. and you howl like a delighted demon. Resist, and you feel all sense and sensibility being crushed in its cogs."

And these brave users:

Kenny - 2 - "It is a comedy as superficial as unoriginal. Movie with moral that can be seen approaching from a distance, you learn without seeing her. In the U.S. has been a surprise box office, becoming one of the great comedies of the summer, but the truth is that the phrase: 'What Happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas', could be trouble in this movie' What happens in the film stays in the trailer '. "The Hangover" is a trap for those who hoped for a refreshing comedy. A very heavy and boring pace, where you surprised at any time in the light of crap that happen to the three protagonists. To be more clear, and spared the nonsense and verbiage without foundation, saying it is a comedy that has nothing new to offer, and offer entertainment offers neither."

Kent - 0 - "Through the entirety of this film I giggled (Note: giggled, not laughed) maybe twice, three times if I'm feeling really generous. Call me humourless but seeing people hurt themselves in many "wild and whacky ways" is hardly what I consider to be humour. I mean come on. I could have written all the "funny" elements of this film when I was five (but God forbid I was EVER that stupid). Great, the guys constantly hurt themselves, whoopee."



Edited By Big Magilla on 1263840530

[OscarGuy]

But are they not linked somewhat still today? Sure, a movie like Transformers 2 will get drubbed by critics and championed by audiences, but these films we are criticizing as being too middle brow are often still strongly represented by critics.

Avatar - 82% fresh at RT, 84 at MetaCritic
The Hangover - 78% fresh at RT, 73 at MetaCritic

Just a frame of reference in terms of critics, here are the rest of this year's contenders:

The Blind Side - 70% fresh, 53 at MetaCritic
District 9 - 90% fresh, 81 at MetaCritic
An Education - 94% fresh, 85 at MetaCritic
(500) Days of Summer - 87% fresh, 76 at MetaCritic
The Hurt Locker - 97% fresh, 94 at MetaCritic
Inglourious Basterds - 89% fresh, 69 at MetaCritic
Invictus - 77% fresh, 74 at MetaCritic
The Messenger - 91% fresh, 76 at MetaCritic
Precious - 91% fresh, 79 at MetaCritic
A Serious Man - 87% fresh, 79 at MetaCritic
A Single Man - 83% fresh, 77 at MetaCritic
Star Trek - 94% fresh, 83 at MetaCritic
Up - 98% fresh, 88 at MetaCritic
Up in the Air - 90% fresh, 83 at MetaCritic
Where the Wild Things Are - 73% fresh, 71 at MetaCritic

To make it a little easier to see:
Rotten Tomatoes:
1. Up - 98% fresh
2. The Hurt Locker - 97% fresh
3. Star Trek - 94% fresh
*. An Education - 94% fresh
5. The Messenger - 91% fresh
*. Precious - 91% fresh
7. District 9 - 90% fresh
*. Up in the Air - 90% fresh
9. Inglourious Basterds - 89% fresh
10. A Serious Man - 87% fresh
**. (500) Days of Summer - 87% fresh
12. A Single Man - 83% fresh
13. Avatar - 82% fresh at RT
14. The Hangover - 78% fresh at RT
15. Invictus - 77% fresh
16. Where the Wild Things Are - 73% fresh
17. The Blind Side - 70% fresh

MetaCritic
1. The Hurt Locker - 94 at MetaCritic
2. Up - 88 at MetaCritic
3. An Education - 85 at MetaCritic
4. Avatar - 84 at MetaCritic
5. Star Trek - 83 at MetaCritic
*. Up in the Air - 83 at MetaCritic
7. District 9 - 81 at MetaCritic
8. A Serious Man - 79 at MetaCritic
*. Precious - 79 at MetaCritic
10. A Single Man - 77 at MetaCritic
11. (500) Days of Summer - 76 at MetaCritic
**. The Messenger - 76 at MetaCritic
13. Invictus - 74 at MetaCritic
14. The Hangover - 73 at MetaCritic
15. Where the Wild Things Are - 71 at MetaCritic
16. Inglourious Basterds - 69 at MetaCritic
17. The Blind Side - 53 at MetaCritic

Now, the MetaCritic numbers are the ones to really look at, since these are print critics and not internet critics (who unjustifiably get picked on more often than their print counterparts as being fanboys). And there you have The Hangover with a better score tha both Where the Wild Things Are and Inglourious Basterds, two films that most people here would have no problem getting nominated or possibly even winning the award. And look at Avatar on the MetaCritic list. It comes in behind Hurt Locker, Up and An Education only.

My point is that the critical perception and audience reception comparison isn't as far removed from those days as we seem to think.

[dreaMaker]

Both audiences and critics loved Avatar, but I can understand why some people might think his awards were undeserved.