[IMG:L]It’s an upbeat year for projects with decidedly downbeat titles: Atonement had nothing to make up for and Damages tore through the competition, leading the pack among the films and TV series nominated for the 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards.
On the Scene
The rest of world may have been sleeping, but for Hollywood, it’s the equivalent of Christmas morning. Today, however, Santa came in the shape of Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Reynolds and Quentin Tarantino, who appeared at 5 a.m. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to deliver the 65th Annual Golden Globe nominations. And as tired as the audience of journalists and publicists receiving the news, most were probably not half as tired as Ryan Reynolds.
“Good very early morning to you all,” Reynolds greeted the audience. “This was definitely an all nighter for me,” said Reynolds when cornered by press afterwards. “That’s all right though, I’m no stranger to them.” Reynolds also had the pleasure of announcing Julia Roberts’ supporting actress nomination for Charlie Wilson’s War. “She’s great. Fun on set,” the actor said about his co-star from the upcoming movie Fireflies in the Garden.
The surprise of the morning was the announcement of seven nominees in the Motion Picture Drama category. “So don’t bum-rush us,” said a cheerful Tarantino. Before leaving the stage, the director told reporters he was more surprised over who did not receive recognition this year, than the ones who did.
“I’m surprised Paul Thomas Anderson didn’t get nominated for There Will be Blood. I’m surprised Josh Brolin didn’t get nominated for No Country For Old Men. I’m surprised Hot Fuzz didn’t get nominated for best comedy. I’m always surprised.” One nomination did make Tarantino very excited, “Of all the nominated movies I think Juno is the one, or it’s a tie between Juno and There Will be Blood.”
Heroes’ Hayden Panettiere had acquired a new superpower and vanished from the scene immediately after making the announcements, perhaps as a reaction to previous Globe favorite Heroes’ lack of nominations this year. With edgier cable shows dominating the category for best TV-series drama, it left room only for compulsory network nominees House and Grey’s Anatomy.
By 6 a.m. the champagne had already been poured and Hollywood was ready to celebrate. Award season has officially begun.
[IMG:L]Big Screen Bonanzas
Although the Focus Films release had certainly received its share of awards season buzz prior to this morning’s announcement in Beverly Hills, Atonement emerged as the surprise darling of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which bestowed seven nominations on the British-made drama.
The film, which explores the drastic and far-reaching ramifications of a young girl’s misinterpretation of a tryst between her older sister and the housekeeper’s son in 1930s England, grabbed nods for Best Motion Picture-Drama, stars Keira Knightley (Best Actress-Drama), James McAvoy (Best Actor-Drama) and Saoirse Ronan (best supporting actress) and helmer Joe Wright (best director). It also scored nominations for Christopher Hampton’s screenplay and Dario Marianelli’s original score.
Also topping the film categories was director Mike Nichols’ seriocomic Cold War tale Charlie Wilson’s War, which benefited from the Globes splitting many of its picks among Drama and Comedy categories, unlike the Academy Awards. Though Nichols himself didn’t get a nomination, the film netted five total nominations, including nods for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical, stars Tom Hanks (Best Actor-Comedy or Musical), Julia Roberts (best supporting actress) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (best supporting actor), as well as for Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay.
It has been a decidedly unpredictable year for prognosticators trying to pick the films that will lead the march toward the Oscar, and the Globe nominations did little to make it easier for odds makers. Six other films joined Atonement among the crop of Best Motion Picture-Drama nominees, including oft-mentioned American Gangster, No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood and the less buzzed-about Eastern Promises, The Great Debaters and Michael Clayton.
Nominations in the Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical category–featuring no less than three full-blown musicals for the first time in ages–added to the field, with Hairspray, Sweeney Todd, Juno and the not-so-critically hailed Across the Universe, joining Charlie Wilson’s War.
Sweeney Todd also scored nominations for Johnny Depp (Best Actor-Comedy or Musical), Tim Burton (best director) and Helena Bonham Carter (Best Actress-Musical or Comedy). Hairspray’s newly minted star Nikki Blonsky gathered a Best Actress-Musical or Comedy nod, and fortunately won’t have to compete with her co-star John Travolta–though he played a woman, he was tapped for best supporting actor.
While some performers live in the hope of scoring a single Golden Globe nomination, it was an especially good year for an elite crop of double nominees. Philip Seymour Hoffman, who took home a trophy two years ago, also landed in the Best Actor-Comedy or Musical field for his turn in the indie drama The Savages in addition to his Charlie Wilson’s War nod.
Meanwhile, Cate Blanchett was feted for her turns in the unconventional Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There (best supporting actress) and the historical epic Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Best Actress-Drama). Blanchett, whose career nom total reached seven this year, previously took home a Golden Globe for playing the titular British monarch in 1999.
Also twice blessed was Clint Eastwood–though neither as an actor or a director. Instead, it was his musical side that prompted his double-nod, for creating the score and original song for Grace Is Gone. Eastwood was accompanied in the category by yet another double nominee: Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder, who collaborated on the score of Into the Wild and wrote its original song “Guaranteed.”
It was two-times-two for the Coen brothers as well: Joel and Ethan Coen will go for the Globes in the best director and best screenplay categories for their film No Country for Old Men, which also grabbed a best supporting actor nod for Javier Bardem.
And while technically he walked off with a single individual nomination, it was a good morning for Denzel Washington; his turn in American Gangster was nominated for Best Actor-Drama (his sixth career nomination), and his directorial effort The Great Debaters scored a Best Motion Picture-Drama nod.
Joining Washington and McAvoy in the Best Actor-Drama category were George Clooney (Michael Clayton), Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises) and Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood). Alongside Depp, THanks and Hoffman in the Best Actor-Comedy or Musical category are Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl) and John C. Reilly (Walk Hard).
Vying with Knightley and Blanchett in the Best Actress-Drama field are Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart), Julie Christie (Away From Her) and Jodie Foster (The Brave One). Joining Bonham Carter and Blonsky in the Best Actress-Comedy or Musical slot are Juno’s Ellen Page, Enchanted’s Amy Adams and La Vie En Rose’s Marion Cotillard.
[IMG:L]Tops On the Tube
Even as the immediate future of new programming on the small screen remain stalled due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, the Globe nominations suggested that the past year provided plenty of fresh, worthy television as the HFPA bypassed several familiar favorites to tap a slate of newcomers.
Damages was the biggest beneficiary of the Globes goodwill with four nominations, including Best Television Series – Drama, Glenn Close for Best Actress – Drama, Rose Byrne for Best Supporting Actress – Drama and Ted Danson for Best Supporting Actor – Drama.
30 Rock, a critics’ favorite that’s begun to build its ratings in its second season, was a top performer in the comedy categories, tapped in the Best Television Series – Comedy along with nods for Tina Fey (Best Actress – Comedy) and Alec Baldwin (Best Actor – Comedy). “I’m very excited and grateful to the Hollywood Foreign Press,” Fey said in a statement to Hollywood.com. “It’s a happy piece of news in this weird season.”
Entourage also scored with nominations as Best Television Series – Comedy as well as Best Supporting Actor – Comedy honors for stars Jeremy Piven and Kevin Dillon.
“I’m extremely honored to be included in such company,” House star Hugh Laurie said in a statement to Hollywood.com of his nomination for Best Actor – Drama, his third consecutive nod after back to back wins. “But now, especially now, I have to emphasize how much I owe to David Shore and all the writers on House. Without them, I wouldn’t even know how to finish this sentence without….you know…” Laurie‘s sentiment underscored the ongoing conflict in Hollywood that could keep film and TV scribes away from the awards ceremony, or possibly derail the event altogether.
And while no series overwhelmingly dominated the TV pack, the field was filed with newbies including Pushing Daisies (stars Lee Pace and Anna Friel scored in leading actor categories), Mad Men (nods for best drama series and lead actor Jon Hamm), Californication (best comedy series and lead actor David Duchovny), The Tudors (best drama and lead actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers), Dirty Sexy Money (supporting actor Donald Sutherland), Samantha Who? (lead actress Christina Applegate) and The Riches (lead actress Minnie Driver).
Also faring well was HBO’s British biopic Longford, with nominations for Best Made-for Television Movie or Miniseries, and for stars Jim Broadbent, Samantha Morton and Andy Serkis.
Especially crowded was the Best Actress – Drama field, with a packed crop of seven nominees: joining Close and Driver in the category were Patricia Arquette (Medium), Edie Falco (The Sopranos), Sally Field (Brothers and Sisters), Holly Hunter (Saving Grace) and Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer).
Last year’s darling Ugly Betty scored only a single nom for 2007 (for series star America Ferrera), demonstrating the HFPA’s decision to veer away from award show staples. Such stalwarts as Grey’s Anatomy, The Sopranos, The Office and Weeds scored only one or two nominations apiece, while other former favorites – including Lost, Desperate Housewives and 24 – were snubbed altogether.
But don’t accuse the Globes of ageism: 90-year-old Ernest Borgnine landed his first nomination since he won in1956 for Marty, and if he wins the Best Actor – Miniseries or Movie prize for A Grandpa for Christmas the veteran actor would become the oldest winner in the history of the awards. “I never expected any of this at my age, but hey, I’ll accept it!” Borgnine said in Los Angeles Thursday morning as he recalled his first trip to the fete 51 years ago. “In those days the Golden Globes was considered a place to go have food.”
[IMG:L]Superbad Snubs
Stars like Kiefer Sutherland, James Gandolfini, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Charlie Sheen and Felicity Huffman were conspicuously absent from the TV picks, and there were also several surprising omissions throughout the movie picks.
Most obvious, given the Globes’ wide spectrum of comedy categories, was the complete absence of nods for two of the most popular and favorably reviewed films of the year, Knocked Up and Superbad.
While Katherine Heigl was the sole Grey’s Anatomy star to get a nom in TV’s supporting category, her performance in Knocked Up was overlooked, as was that of the year’s biggest breakout star Seth Rogen, who co-starred in the film and also co-wrote and co-starred in Superbad. Knocked Up director Judd Apatow, who also produced Superbad, was also passed by. His other producing effort, Walk Hard, did snare a pair of nominations. Michael Cera, with two great performances in Superbad and Juno, was also bypassed.
Russell Crowe was widely praised for his performances in two films, 3:10 to Yuma and American Gangster, but did not collect any nods from the foreign press, nor did Tommy Lee Jones for his carefully nuanced roles in No Country For Old Men and In the Valley of Elah. Jones’ No Country co-star Josh Brolin, who delivered career-redefining turns in that film, American Gangster and Grindhouse, was also overlooked. Similarly skipped over were contenders Frank Langella (Starting Out in the Evening) and Richard Gere (The Hoax, The Hunting Party).
Sean Penn for his universally hailed directorial effort Into the Wild. Juno has been hailed as this year’s Little Miss Sunshine, but director Jason Reitman didn’t land among the nominees. Paul Thomas Anderson, as Tarantino pointed out, was omitted for his polarizing There Will Be Blood, as was director David Cronenberg (Eastern Promises).
Sacha Baron Cohen, the sensation of last year’s Globes for Borat, drew raves for his performance in Sweeney Todd but also came up empty. Michelle Pfeiffer made a welcome return to the screen with deliciously wicked turns in Hairspray and Stardust but gathered no plaudits, and James Marsden’s relevatory spins added spark to Hairspray and Enchanted but got no Globe glitter.
For a full list of nominees, click here.
