And so did Tilda Swinton! And Javier Bardem! It was a good night all round, it could only have been improved if Juno had gone home empty handed and either The Savages or Lars & The Real Girl has won Best Original Screenplay instead.
Now that Heath Ledger's death has not been revealed to be some sick practical joke, I guess it's time to blog about something else that happened on Tuesday: the Oscar nominations.
Best Picture
Atonement
Juno
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
So am I the only person who was not knocked off his chair by Michael Clayton? It has been hailed as an intelligent and complex thriller. Actually it just jumbles up the narrative in the hope you won't notice how resoundingly straightforward it is. It's bolstered by some classy performances, which have also been recognised, but that's about it. I saw No Country For Old Men this week and up to that point I was all for Atonement winning lots. No Country blew that right out of the water.
Best Director
Julian Schnabel, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Jason Reitman, Juno
Tony Gilroy, Michael Clayton
Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Paul Thomas Anderson, There Will Be Blood
That being said, I am gutted for Joe Wright. His direction is absolutely masterful and I would have nominated him over Gilroy.
Best Actor
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tommy Lee Jones, In the Valley of Elah
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
And I also would have knocked out Jones for James McAvoy. I am sure he's wonderful in Elah but I couldn't understand him in No Country and will never ever ever forgive his wholly undeserved win over Leonardo DiCaprio.
Best Actress
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away from Her
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Laura Linney, The Savages
Ellen Page, Juno
So many fabulous nominations so little time. I am so super excited for Laura Linney and Ellen Page. Neither of them will win, I wouldn't think as this is a two horse race between Christie and Cotillard. I desperately fervently want Cotillard to win, my feelings on this are well documented. I suspect though that Christie will take the prize.
Best Supporting Actress
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Ruby Dee, American Gangster
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Ruby Dee was a surprise, I must say. The only one here though. The rest are all very expected and very deserved. I would love Amy Ryan to win but Blanchett will more than likely take it.
Best Supporting Actor
Casey Affleck, The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
Hal Holbrook, Into the Wild
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
So Hal Holbrook scores a nomination for Into The Wild but Emile Hirsch does not? Whatthefuckever. I am torn by Casey Affleck, who deserves to win for this nomination as well as Gone Baby Gone, which he is not even nominated for. But Javier Bardem is absolutely fucking extraordinary in No Country. A true masterclass in the "less is more" school of acting, Bardem doesn't raise his voice and barely modulates his facial expression throughout and yet is so menacing, so chilling, so downright fucking terrifying that it has to be seen to be believed. The scene where he terrorises the gas station attendant ("Now is not a time, what time do you close?") made me want to hide under my seat and put my fingers in my ears.
Best Adapted Screenplay
Atonement
Away from Her
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
I have said it before and I will say it again: Atonement
Best Original Screenplay
Juno
Lars and the Real Girl
Michael Clayton
Ratatouille
The Savages
I am so pleased to see Lars And The Real Girl represented. It won't win of course, I would imagine the Oscar here belongs to Juno.
MOVIES
DRAMATIC PICTURE
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
There's been some talk about how it's so unprecedented for there to be seven nominations (seems the Globes have a more relaxed attitude to nomination slots than some other award shows), but this could have been cut down to five very easily. Eastern Promises was good but not great and certainly not awards worthy. I also don't think American Gangster is worthy of a nomination. Ridley Scott hasn't made a good film since Thelma & Louise.
MUSICAL OR COMEDY PICTURE
Across the Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd
I've somehow only managed to see one of these (Hairspray) though I have been relentlessly hounded by the trailers for three out of the remaining four (whereas I somehow only saw the trailer for Across The Universe once). I suspect Sweeney Todd will take the prize although the trailer doesn't give me much confidence and has rightly been taken to task for seemingly omitting that it is in fact a musical.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania)
The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (France/USA)
The Kite Runner (USA)
Lust, Caution (Taiwan)
Persepolis (France)
First of all, what is The Kite Runner doing here? Is the entire film foreign language? Second of all, why no nomination for La Vie En Rose?
BEST DIRECTOR
Tim Burton, Sweeney Todd
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Julian Schnabel, Diving Bell & the Butterfly
Ridley Scott, American Gangster
Joe Wright, Atonement
Why has a nomination been wasted on Ridley Scott? WHY? The Coen brothers are likeliest to win here I think but I would love Joe Wright to take the prize.
BEST DRAMATIC ACTOR
George Clooney, Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy, Atonement
Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington, American Gangster
Viggo was easily the best thing about Eastern Promises but the nomination I'm happiest about is James McAvoy's. He is a phenomenally talented actor who first caught my attention in Bright Young Things four years ago. I seriously hope he wins though I very much doubt he will.
BEST DRAMATIC ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie, Away From Her
Jodie Foster, The Brave One
Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley, Atonement
Were dramatic roles really at such a premium for women that Jodie Foster can score a nomination for her not particularly brilliant turn in The Brave One? I love her and she finally came out and it's not like she was nominated for Flightplan or anything but still.
BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd
Tom Hanks, Charlie Wilson's War
Ryan Gosling, Lars and the Real Girl
Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Savages
John C. Reilly, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story
Hurrah for Ryan Gosling! Nobody saw the movie (well, I did) so scoring this nomination is quite a coup. I doubt he'll win but if he hadn't dropped out of Lovely Bones, THAT would have hoovered up awards for him, I reckon. Somehow I don't see Marky Mark pulling off the same feat.
BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Amy Adams, Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky, Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter, Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard, La Vie en Rose
Ellen Page, Juno
While I am happy for all the nominees in this category, except one (Bonham Carter), if anyone other than Marion Cotillard wins, I will be most unhappy. Her embodiment of Piaf was extraordinary. Why no nod for Laura Linney though?
SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck, Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta, Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson, Michael Clayton
a dead heat between Affleck and Bardem, I imagine and I honestly can't choose between them. And I'm not basing that on their nominated performances or anything worthwhile like that as I haven't actually seen either of them (am finally seeing Jesse James today and No Country opens in the UK next month), but just on how much I like them both as actors in everything else I have seen them in.
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, I'm Not There
Saoirse Ronan, Atonement
Julia Roberts, Charlie Wilson's War
Amy Ryan, Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton
Tilda Swinton can, in my opinion, do no wrong. Not even when she spends a week sleeping in a glass case and calls it art. She's always entrancing to watch in whatever she's doing. I love her. And I'm pleased that Saoirse Ryan got nominated as she was frighteningly good in Atonement. If anyone's name other than Blanchett's is called on the night though, I will be amazed.
SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody, Juno
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men
Christopher Hampton, Atonement
Ronald Harwood, The Diving Bell & the Butterfly
Aaron Sorkin, Charlie Wilson's War
I know there are many avid fans of the original source novel, but I really think Christoper Hampton deserves to win for turning 400 pages of tedious waffle and a horrible cheat ending into 2 hours of heartbreaking beauty.
ANIMATED FILM
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie
I imagine Ratatouille will take this though a little part of me would love it if The Simpsons Movie won.
ORIGINAL SCORE
Dario Marianelli, Atonement
Howard Shore, Eastern Promises
Clint Eastwood, Grace is Gone
Michael Brook, Into the Wild
Alberto Iglesias, The Kite Runner
Clint Eastwood wrote the score to Grace Is Gone? How completely random. Why oh why though is this the first time that film and Into The Wild have cropped up? That is pretty criminal if you ask me.
TELEVISION
DRAMATIC TV SERIES
Big Love
Damages
Grey's Anatomy
House
Mad Men
The Tudors
Hmmmmmm. Am I the only one who thinks those nominations are a little, um, I don't know, uninspiring? Is Big Love really that good? Season One bored me so intensely I stopped watching three episodes in. Why no nomination for Dexter? Or Friday Night Lights? The Sopranos?
BEST ACTOR, TV DRAMA
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
Bill Paxton, Big Love
I want Michael C. Hall to win. He is absolutely tip top magic in Dexter and as his five years of brilliance on Six Feet Under went unrewarded, this should make up for it. I can't believe Rhys Meyers was considered worthy of a nomination. He's a terrible terrible TERRIBLE actor.
BEST ACTRESS, TV DRAMA
Patricia Arquette, Medium
Glenn Close, Damages
Minnie Driver, The Riches
Edie Falco, The Sopranos
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
I imagine this is Edie Falco's to lose, but Glenn Close would give her a run for her money. Personally, I would be happy with a Patricia Arquette upset. I love her in Medium and the third season was surprisingly strong.
TV SERIES, MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Californication
Entourage
Extras
30 Rock
Pushing Daisies
I am currently watching and loving Californication and 30 Rock but I would suspect the award will go to freshman favourite Pushing Daisies.
BEST ACTOR, TV MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
David Duchovny, Californication
Ricky Gervais, Extras
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
It's all about Alec Baldwin. He's an absolute raving genius in 30 Rock. America's inexplicable love affair with the tiresome, unfunny, overexposed and overrated Ricky Gervais continues though so he'll probably win.
BEST ACTRESS, TV MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Anna Friel, Pushing Daisies
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds
A glut of worthy nods here. Tina Fey is fantastic as is Mary Louise Parker. I am surprised that Ugly Betty's genius second season merited a single nomination and it's for America Ferrara. Fine fair enough, but she is just one of many excellent performances in the show.
BEST MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
The Company
5 Days
The State Within
Longford
I lasted ten minutes with The Company before the bad wigs made me switch off.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Bryce Dallas Howard, As You Like It
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Queen Latifah, Life Support
Sissy Spacek, Pictures of Hollis Woods
Ruth Wilson, Jane Eyre
I hope Queen Latifah wins, just to make up for the outrageous oversight of not being nominated for Hairspray.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Adam Beach, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Ernest Borgnine, A Grandpa For Christmas
Jim Broadbent, Longford
James Isaacs, The State Within
James Nesbitt, Jekyll
James Nesbitt? Seriously? He was godfuckingawful in Jekyll, which was also dreadful. Dreadful.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Rose Byrne, Damages
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Katherine Heigl, Grey's Anatomy
Samantha Morton, Longford
Anna Paquin, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee
Jamie Pressly, My Name is Earl
I do love Rose Byrne. The most deserving winner here though would be Samantha Morton.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ted Danson, Damages
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Andy Serkis, Longford
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Donald Sutherland, Dirty Sexy Money
Ted Danson is still working? Impressive. I kind of hope Kevin Dillon wins this one. Jeremy Piven has been shown enough love now.
Best Play
The Coast of Utopia
Frost/Nixon
The Little Dog Laughed
Radio Golf
I’m both surprised and really really REALLY pleased that Little Dog was not forgotten. If anything other than Utopia wins, I’ll be shocked.
Best Musical
Curtains
Grey Gardens
Mary Poppins
Spring Awakening
No surprises here though. Apparently Legally Blonde’s omission is something of a shock. Really? A show that opens with the song titled “Oh My God You Guys” before reprising it twice throughout the show has been overlooked. I’m stunned.
Best Book of a Musical
Curtains - Rupert Holmes & Peter Stone
Grey Gardens - Doug Wright
Legally Blonde The Musical - Heather Hach
Spring Awakening - Steven Sater
I’m stunned it got a nomination here over Poppins, that’s for sure. I can see Doug Wright winning this one I think.
Best Original Score
Curtains
Music: John Kander
Lyrics: Fred Ebb, John Kander & Rupert Holmes
Grey Gardens
Music: Scott Frankel
Lyrics: Michael Korie
Legally Blonde The Musical
Music & Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin
Spring Awakening
Music: Duncan Sheik
Lyrics: Steven Sater
And here. I guess Poppins was overlooked as not all of it was new. I haven’t heard Curtains. Grey Gardens has some outstanding songs in it but it also has a few forgettable tunes too. Spring Awakening is a concert. The songs work better out of context. Go figure. Ultimately, if only for "Another Winter in a Summer Town", I would like to see Grey Gardens take this one.
Best Revival of a Play
Inherit the Wind
Jouney's End
Talk Radio
Translations
I’ve seen none of these, but I do hope Journey’s End being nommed improves its box office. I love Hugh Dancy so it would be nice if the show found an audience.
Best Revival of a Musical
The Apple Tree
A Chorus Line
Company
110 in the Shade
I have only seen Apple Tree out of this list. I don’t see it winning somehow.
Best Special Theatrical Event
Jay Johnson: The Two and Only
Kiki & Herb Alive on Broadway
Say no to puppets.
Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Play
Boyd Gaines, Journey's End
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Brían F. O’Byrne, The Coast of Utopia
Christopher Plummer, Inherit the Wind
Liev Schreiber, Talk Radio
I managed to miss three of these five shows on both sides of the Atlantic. Quite a feat, that. My money would be on Langella here, but Brian F. O’Byrne might get it because he didn’t win for Doubt. Plus Utopia is going to clean up. Kevin Spacey is notable by his absence here. Good.
Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Play
Eve Best, A Moon for the Misbegotten
Swoozie Kurtz, Heartbreak House
Angela Lansbury, Deuce
Vanessa Redgrave, The Year of Magical Thinking
Julie White, The Little Dog Laughed
I am absolutely fucking elated that Julie White got a nomination. However, if anybody but Angela Lansbury takes home this award, I’d be HUGELY surprised. Marian Seldes is probably sticking pins in a doll of her right now.
Best Performance By a Leading Actor in a Musical
Michael Cerveris, LoveMusik
Raúl Esparza, Company
Jonathan Groff, Spring Awakening
Gavin Lee, Mary Poppins
David Hyde Pierce, Curtains
Yay Gavin Lee!
Best Performance By a Leading Actress in a Musical
Laura Bell Bundy, Legally Blonde The Musical
Christine Ebersole, Grey Gardens
Audra McDonald, 110 in the Shade
Debra Monk, Curtains
Donna Murphy, LoveMusik
A couple of notable omissions here. Firstly Kristin Chenoweth for The Apple Tree. Good. Her performance had an air of “I’m really good aren’t I?” about it that drove me up the wall. Secondly, Ashley Brown for Mary Poppins. That was considered a guaranteed nomination. Ultimately though, this award belongs to Christine Ebersole.
Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Play
Anthony Chisholm, Radio Golf
Billy Crudup, The Coast of Utopia
Ethan Hawke, The Coast of Utopia
John Earl Jelks, Radio Golf
Stark Sands, Journey's End
I can foresee Utopia doing a sweep of the Play awards. Anyone else? Shame that Hugh Dancy didn't get a nod. And Michael Sheen.
Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Play
Jennifer Ehle, The Coast of Utopia
Xanthe Elbrick, Coram Boy
Dana Ivey, Butley
Jan Maxwell, Coram Boy
Martha Plimpton, The Coast of Utopia
I love me some Plimpton. Almost as much as I love Jennifer Ehle.
Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Musical
Brooks Ashmanskas, Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me
Christian Borle, Legally Blonde The Musical
John Cullum, 110 in the Shade
John Gallagher, Jr., Spring Awakening
David Pittu, LoveMusik
It would be nice if Borle won so he and Sutton could have matching his and her’s Tonys.
Best Performance By a Featured Actress in a Musical
Charlotte d’Amboise, A Chorus Line
Rebecca Luker, Mary Poppins
Orfeh, Legally Blonde The Musical
Mary Louise Wilson, Grey Gardens
Karen Ziemba, Curtains
Orfeh! Fucking hell. She’s a tiny woman with a BIG voice who has never really been lucky enough to land a long running show. And ok, she’s in Legally Blonde, which is not the best, but she’s been nominated. Good for her.
Best Direction of a Play
Michael Grandage, Frost/Nixon
David Grindley, Journey's End
Jack O'Brien, The Coast of Utopia
Melly Still, Coram Boy
It'll be Jack O'Brien. I hope that considering it as one play doesn't detract from what a HUGE achievement Utopia is.
Best Direction of a Musical
John Doyle, Company
Scott Ellis, Curtains
Michael Greif, Grey Gardens
Michael Mayer, Spring Awakening
I was bothered by the lame direction for some stuff in Gardens and I flat out HATED the direction in Spring Awakening. I would imagine John Doyle will take this award.
Best Choreography
Rob Ashford, Curtains
Matthew Bourne and Stephen Mear, Mary Poppins
Bill T. Jones, Spring Awakening
Jerry Mitchell, Legally Blonde The Musical
Yay Stephen Mear! I used to work with his sisters (his actual relatives, I’m not being super gay when I say sisters). Go figure. For the choreography in “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” and “Step In Time” alone, he deserves to win. The Spring Awakening choreography was occasionally inspired but mainly horrible.
Best Orchestrations
Bruce Coughlin, Grey Gardens
Duncan Sheik, Spring Awakening
Jonathan Tunick, LoveMusik
Jonathan Tunick, 110 in the Shade
I am not going to pretend I even know the first thing about orchestrations.
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Bob Crowley & Scott Pask, The Coast of Utopia
Jonathan Fensom, Journey's End
David Gallo, Radio Golf
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
I wonder if the nominations and I’m sure eventual wins being showered on Utopia will result in a commercial Broadway transfer?
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Christine Jones, Spring Awakening
Anna Louizos, High Fidelity
Allen Moyer, Grey Gardens
I do love the Poppins sets, I have to say. I mean, they’re HUGE. I know Grey Gardens is handicapped as it’s a much smaller show but I did think their sets were a little flat.
Best Costume Design of a Play
Ti Green and Melly Still, Coram Boy
Jane Greenwood, Heartbreak House
Santo Loquasto, Inherit the Wind
Catherine Zuber, The Coast of Utopia
I can’t imagine Utopia’s streak will be broken here.
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Gregg Barnes, Legally Blonde The Musical
Bob Crowley, Mary Poppins
Susan Hilferty, Spring Awakening
William Ivey Long, Grey Gardens
Spring Awakening, really? They’re school uniforms, for crying out loud. I would say this is a race between Poppins and Gardens.
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Paule Constable, Coram Boy
Brian MacDevitt, Inherit the Wind
Brian MacDevitt, Kenneth Posner, and Natasha Katz, The Coast of Utopia
Jason Taylor, Journey's End
Like I know anything about lighting, other than to go “oooh pretty”.
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Kevin Adams, Spring Awakening
Christopher Akerlind, 110 in the Shade
Howard Harrison, Mary Poppins
Peter Kaczorowski, Grey Gardens
See above.
Let me start by saying I did not watch them this year. And I am very glad I didn't. All the reports seem to be that this was the dullest ceremony ever and at 4 and a quarter hours, entirely too long. When even the Fug Girls do a live blogging and can't make me raise more than an occasional chuckle, you know it's bad.
And what of the awards themselves? That there were three upsets on the night, two of which were at the expense of Dreamgirls and one at the expense of Pan's Labyrinth just further cements my opinion that the Oscars are a joke. Fair enough, Eddie Murphy learned that this is what happens when you allow Norbit to be released before the Academy have finished voting but still. That the Academy all but fell over themselves to honour Chicago a few years ago is all the more galling as it is by far the inferior film in comparison.
Melissa Etheridge winning Best Song was the other Dreamgirls upset. Now while the three nominations in one category may well have cancelled themselves out, I imagine Etheridge's win had more to do with the fact she survived breast cancer with incredible dignity. Also she's a lesbian. And her song was in Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth. So with just one award, the Academy gets to feel good about itself, redress some of the stupid homophobic backlash from Brokebackgate of 2006 and show it really cares about the environment. Result!
Martin Scorcese finally, 26 years after his first nomination, took home Best Director. But did he win because he really genuinely deserved it for The Departed? Or was it more the fact that the lack of an award to Scorcese had made the Oscars an absolute laughing stock and so they thought they really should put a stop to it? You decide.
And finally, while it picked up three consolation Oscars, Pan's Labyrinth was bested when it came to the Best Foreign Film award. Whatever.
The nominations are out for the Golden Globes. What follows is a long list of them, with my thoughts and comments. Enjoy.
Best film - Drama
Babel
The big winner in terms of nominees, but will it win out on the night? I can’t comment as this was the other movie I had to give up a ticket for when I went to NYC recently. It opens in the UK next month.
The Departed
An amazing film. Looks like my prediction of it being overlooked at awards time was wrong.
Little Children
Didn't see it. Am dying to and will see it the instant it's out on DVD.
The Queen
A very very good if not entirely great film. I think it’s getting a lot of the attention for its subject matter and its performances rather than the finished product
Bobby
Doesn't open in the UK until January so again I have no comment.
Best film - Musical Or Comedy
Borat
UGH
Little Miss Sunshine
Another film I managed to miss, much to my chagrin. Nobody who saw it has a bad word to say about it so it would be nice if this was the little film that could and picked up the award on the night.
Dreamgirls
However, if this film doesn't walk off with the big prize, I will be shocked.
The Devil Wears Prada
Not overly sure the film as a whole merits a nomination. Yes it's cute and yes it's funny but really.
Thank You For Smoking
Another film that passed me by. For some reason I really couldn't be bothered to drag myself to the movies much over the summer.
Best director - film
Clint Eastwood - Flags of Our Fathers
Clint Eastwood - Letters from Iwo Jima
So Clint gets two nominations for director. And yet Flags wasn't considered good enough for a Best Picture nod? Man, I bet Martin Scorcese hates him. Chances are though the dual nominations will end up cancelling each other out.
Stephen Frears - The Queen
I seriously doubt he's in with a shot of winning but the direction of the movie is brilliantly understated so it's a deserved nomination.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Babel
If only because he directed Amores Perros, he should win.
Martin Scorsese - The Departed
It's a return to form that does truly deserve all the accolades. I am really surprised to see the nomination though, I honestly thought it would be a little too much for awards ceremonies. But then, GoodFellas got like eight million nominations so what do I know?
Best performance by an actress in a film - Drama
Penelope Cruz - Volver
I know it's wrong, but I hate her. She's apparently much less annoying and a far better actress when she's using her native language but I don't know if I agree with that. However, Volver is yet another film I didn't see, so I don't know if I hate her in it. But I do hate her.
Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
This woman can do no wrong. Seriously. None.
Maggie Gyllenhaal - Sherrybaby
She's so effing talented and it's nice to see her being nominated for anything, frankly.
Kate Winslet - Little Children
See above.
Helen Mirren - The Queen
This is the performance to beat though. Mirren has done pretty much a clean sweep since the film debuted on the festival circuit so if she doesn't win, I'll be stunned.
Best performance by an actor in a film - Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio - Blood Diamond
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed
Another dual nomination, one very much deserved (The Departed), the other, judging from the trailer as the film doesn't open in the UK until next year, very much not. His accent in Blood Diamond is a joke, for starters.
Peter O'Toole - Venus
I didn't even know this performance had any awards buzz about it.
Will Smith - The Pursuit of Happyness
Eh, I find him inoffensive enough but dear CHRIST this film looks bad. It looks like the worst kind of cloying sentimental claptrap. I wouldn't see it with someone else's eyes.
Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
The male Helen Mirren. If he doesn't walk off with the Globe, I'll be stunned.
Best performance by an actress in a film - Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening - Running With Scissors
Toni Collette - Little Miss Sunshine
Beyonce Knowles - Dreamgirls
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Renee Zellweger - Miss Potter
I've only seen one of these performances (Streep) so I will not do individual comments on them this time. But if Beyonce wins, I'll be furious.
Best performance by an actor in a film - Musical Or Comedy
Sacha Baron Cohen - Borat
Sigh.
Johnny Depp - Pirates of the Caribbean
Is that a joke? He was horrendous in this movie. He barely deserved his nomination for the first film, where he was actually good.
Aaron Eckhart - Thank You for Smoking
Chiwetel Ejiofor - Kinky Boots
Will Ferrell - Stranger than Fiction
Again, I haven't seen those last three performances so I can't really say anything. I would love to see Ejiofor win though, purely because he's incredible in everything I have seen him in.
Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a film
Adriana Barraza - Babel
Cate Blanchett - Notes on a Scandal
Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Rinko Kikuchi - Babel
Wow I suck. I've only seen one of these performances too. And it's the nomination I'm probably happiest about. Emily Blunt is just glorious. Good for her.
Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a film
Ben Affleck - Hollywoodland
Eddie Murphy - Dreamgirls
Jack Nicholson - The Departed
Brad Pitt - Babel
Mark Wahlberg - The Departed
Ok, so continuing on the theme of sucking, I have only seen two performances here. And I am so shocked at Marky Mark's nomination. He was the one blot on The Departed's landscape. Horrible. Matt Damon was much more deserving of a nod.
Best foreign language film
Apocalypto (US)
Crazy Mel's follow up to The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre hasn't been anywhere near as successful but the critics seemed to love it, which would explain this nomination I suppose.
Letters From Iwo Jima (US)
Will more than likely be the winner in this category, I would think, given the head of steam it's building up (which would explain why the release date was moved up from February 07).
The Lives of Others (Germany)
Pan's Labyrinth (Mexico)
I would love to see this movie win though. It's just so fucking amazing.
Volver (Spain)
Best animated feature film
Cars
Happy Feet
Monster House
I haven't seen any of these. My inner child hates me.
Best screenplay - film
Guillermo Arriaga - Babel
Todd Field and Tom Perrotta - Little Children
Patrick Marber - Notes on a Scandal
William Monahan - The Departed
Peter Morgan - The Queen
Why don't the GG's split adapted and original? That doesn't really seem very fair.
Best original song - film
Listen - Dreamgirls
Never Gonna Break My Faith - Bobby
The Song of the Heart - Happy Feet
Try Not to Remember - Home of the Brave
A Father's Way - The Pursuit of Happyness
Does anybody honestly think anything other than Dreamgirls will take this category?
Best original score - film
Alexandre Desplat - The Painted Veil
Clint Mansell - The Fountain
Gustavo Santaolalla - Babel
Carlo Siliotto - Nomad
Hans Zimmer - The Da Vinci Code
I can only assume Zimmer's nomination is a joke of some kind. I love Clint Mansell's work generally so it would be nice to see him win. The Fountain tanked and has absolutely no buzz whatsoever though so I don't really think his triumph is likely.
Best television series - Drama
24
This nod would be for the 5th season, which I have to say I didn't think much of. They really had to s t r e t c h out the plot to get it to the full 24 episodes.
Big Love
Can we say boring? I'm willing to give it a second chance on DVD but the first two episodes bored me so intensely I didn't watch any more of it.
Grey's Anatomy
God I love this show. And the second season was pretty fucking incredible. So it would be nice, after it left the Emmys with egg all over its face, to see the show pick up the award here.
Heroes
Starts in the UK in February and I seriously CANNOT wait.
Lost
This nod is for the second season, which was a little bit shit. And not just because it had a tough act to follow after its brilliant first season. It was a little bit shit because it did nothing for the majority of the season. All this great promise was squandered and the bollocks with the hatch and the button was particularly annoying. I seriously hope it doesn't win.
Best performance by an actress in a television series - Drama
Patricia Arquette - Medium
Love her. And she is utterly mesmerising in this show. Her style is perfect for the role.
Edie Falco - Sopranos
I've never seen a single episode, but Edie Falco pretty much kicks ass in everything she does.
Evangeline Lilly - Lost
What? Why?
Ellen Pompeo - Grey's Anatomy
Oh fuck off, really? She's hateful awful in the show. I have said it before but it takes a talented actress to take someone as patently unloveable and annoying as Meredith and make you care about her and you, Ms Pompeo, are not that actress.
Kyra Sedgwick - The Closer
Never seen it but I've also never seen a bad Kyra Sedgwick performance.
Best performance by an actor in a television series - Drama
Patrick Dempsey - Grey's Anatomy
He's so hot. He's really grown into his looks and his talent.
Michael C Hall - Dexter
I've not seen this show but it would be nice for Hall to win if only to make up for the lack of love he was shown for his on the money performance as David Fisher in Six Feet Under.
Hugh Laurie - House
I've only seen a handful of episodes but Laurie has been pretty outstanding in all of them. It's a brilliantly written character and Laurie has one of the most convincing American accents around.
Bill Paxton - Big Love
If they give it to him, will he stop taking his clothes off on the show?
Kiefer Sutherland - 24
His character had no arc this season. All he did was shout for 24 episodes.
Best television series - Musical Or Comedy
Desperate Housewives
The second season sucked. I gave up on it.
Entourage
Absolute comedy genius.
The Office
I hate the UK version so I have no desire to ever see the US one.
Weeds
I have only seen a few episodes (I have the whole first season on DVD I just haven't watched it all yet) but it's top notch stuff, judging on what I have seen.
Ugly Betty
Not on in the UK yet...
Best performance by an actress in a television series - Musical Or Comedy
Marcia Cross - Desperate Housewives
America Ferrera - Ugly Betty
Felicity Huffman - Desperate Housewives
Julia Louis-Dreyfus - The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker - Weeds
I'm starting to bore myself now and I am sure nobody is still reading by this point, so I'll just say if anyone but Parker wins this, there will be hell to pay.
Best performance by an actor in a television series - Musical Or Comedy
Alec Baldwin - 30 Rock
Zach Braff - Scrubs
Steve Carrell - The Office
Jason Lee - My Name is Earl
Tony Shalhoub - Monk
As much as I love Zach Braff, I think if there's any justice the award will go to Jason Lee.
Best mini-series or film made for television
Bleak House
Prime Suspect: The Final Act
Broken Trail
Elizabeth I
Mrs Harris
Surely this award belongs to Bleak House. It was an epic adaptation, ambitious as well as innovative and packed to drawstrings with great performances.
Best performance by an actress in a mini-series or film made for television
Gillian Anderson - Bleak House
Whatthefuckever. Hers was probably the weakest link in a very strong chain. That Anna Maxwell Martin has been overlooked is travesty.
Annette Bening - Mrs Harris
Helen Mirren - Elizabeth I
Helen Mirren - Prime Suspect: The Final Act
Not content with winning every film award under the sun, Mirren doubles her TV award chances with this dual nomination. Her final performance as Jane Tennison is richly deserving of all the praise being heaped upon it.
Sophie Okonedo - Tsunami: The Aftermath
Best performance by an actor in a mini-series or film made for television
Andre Braugher - Thief
Robert Duvall - Broken Trail
Michael Ealy - Sleeper Cell: American Terror
Chiwetel Ejiofor - Tsunami: The Aftermath
Bill Nighy - Gideon's Daughter
Ben Kingsley - Mrs. Harris
Matthew Perry - The Ron Clark Story
Why so many nominations in this category? Bill Nighy was wonderful in Gideon's Daughter, it has to be said.
Best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a series, mini-series or film made for television
Toni Collette - Tsunami: The Aftermath
Emily Blunt - Gideon's Daughter
Katherine Heigl - Grey's Anatomy
Sarah Paulson - Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Elizabeth Perkins - Weeds
Gosh I am actually torn here. I documented my love for Ms Blunt at the beginning of what has now become the world's longest blog entry. But Heigl was superb in Grey's, her character arc was the most interesting and challenging of the lot. And Perkins performance in Weeds is a joy to behold.
Best performance by an actor in a supporting role in a series, mini-series or film made for television
Thomas Haden Church - Broken Trail
Jeremy Irons - Elizabeth I
Justin Kirk - Weeds
Masi Oka - Heroes
Jeremy Piven - Entourage
They probably needn't have bothered with the first four nominees. This award has Piven's name all over it.
So there you are. That's my not terribly coherent take on the Golden Globes. I am very hungover right now so cut me some slack.
According to IMDb, BAFTA have changed the rules as to which films they can consider for nominations. Rather than allowing films released up to the end of March to be considered, only films released prior to the awards ceremony will now be eligible. As next year's ceremony is on February 11th, there's a little bit of a hoo and a ha going on because Letters From Iwo Jima, The Good Shepherd and The Good German all have release dates after that in the UK. According to Adam Dawtrey, from Variety, "This strikes at the very heart of the question of what commercial impact BAFTA actually has for distributors."
Actually, for me, it strikes at the heart of why the UK has to wait so fucking long for movies that are out in the US before Christmas. And in general in fact. It drives me absolutely batshit when movies are held up for seemingly no reason. In a time when the industry is bleating about piracy and the money it's costing them, to me it doesn't make fundamental economic sense to delay the release of high profile movies. That's just going to drive people to obtain them illegally. When it's so cheap and easy to do that, why would people wait?
Ok, I was going to stay out of talking about the Oscars and the fact that Brokeback Mountain didn't win Best Picture because I didn't care. I disagreed so strongly with so many of the nominations and some people who were overlooked that the second they were announced, I stopped caring. Consequently when Crash (a film I really enjoyed) pulled of that upset, I was pleased for the film but I wasn't bothered. I wasn't surprised either. Race is something the Academy have been relentlessly bashed about for years and years and years and it's something that they have addressed in the past few years with the "historic" year of Halle Berry and Denzel Washington winning being the starting point. Morgan Freeman has won, Don Cheadle and Sophie Okenedo have been nominated and so on. So is it surprising that a film set in present day Los Angeles and dealing with just how widespread racism really is and the effects it can have scoops Best Picture? Not to me. This way they can finally say they're not racist. And they did it with a good and worthwhile, if occasionally forced and heavy handed, movie. But of course, not everyone sees it that way. There has been such an insane amount of uproar since the Oscars that I have become increasingly embarrassed for people who are getting themselves in such a tizzy over what is, at the end of the day, an awards show. For movies.
The Academy has been accused of homophobia. But that just doesn't wash. The entertainment industry is the gayest one there is and if major Hollywood stars have sham marriages, it isn't because Hollywood is homophobic, but because Hollywood thinks the world is. They've happily doled out Oscars to gay performances (Tom Hanks in Philadelphia, William Hurt in Kiss Of The Spiderwoman, hell they even awarded Linda Hunt Best Supporting Actress for playing a man in The Year Of Living Dangerously) and nominated them all over the shop too (The Crying Game got a truckload of nominations and only won a couple, I don't recall this kind of furore happening then). In 1970, Midnight Cowboy and its openly gay director John Schlesinger were awarded Best Picture and Director. The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert rightly won Best Costume Design and Tim Chappel accepted the award in a dress. So it's not like they've NEVER awarded edgy gay material or people before ever. Ok, it's not like they do it very often, but if Hollywood could come to understand that the world isn't as homophobic as it thinks, and all the closeted talent came out, we'd find they've awarded a whole lot more gay people than we realise.
So why am I blogging about it now. What was the straw that broke the camel's back? (did you see what I did there?) Well, dear readers, it was this. Click it and read it if you feel like wading through 240 pages of ridiculousness. In short, DaveCullen.com and all the people who frequent the message boards there were so upset that Jack & Ennis's love was killed by the Academy (that's a direct quote from them) that they decided to raise money to place an ad in Variety proclaiming that Brokeback was the best picture of the year and listing all the other awards the film has won. The cost? In excess of EIGHTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS. Could they think of nothing better to spend the money on? Is anyone who voted for Crash picking up Variety this morning and going "oh well this makes all the difference! What was I thinking? Rescind the award!"? Of course they aren't. More likely, they're dismissing the ad out of hand. And who, frankly, could blame them? Let's not lose sight of the fact that it's a film. An important film, but still a film. And it's a film, I would wager, whose importance isn't diminished by losing the Oscar. But if anyone associated with the film opened Variety today and thought anything other than "Dear God, is this for real?", I'd be hugely surprised.
So I am not very good at being introspective but part of the reason I revived my blogging days (I used to be an LJ whore but this place is prettier) was to try and talk about myself more and such. I think the problem might be that I just don't think I'm interesting enough and if I don't want to hear about me, then why would anyone else want to read about me?
Well last night, tired but unable to get my Busy Brain (© My crazy one time reflexologist) to shut the fuck up I realised that I am horribly over analytical. I have berated many friends for over thinking situations to the point of insanity and then of course I do it too. For example, I am currently spending a lot of time living in cyberspace (shocking, I know) and over the course of a day I have many conversations on Instant Messenger. Yesterday I was being silly with a friend and suddenly he said goodbye and signed off. Rather than thinking nothing of it, I spent a fair while examining why exactly he would have signed off so quick. Had I offended him, had he grown bored of me, had he thought I was being serious when I was really only kidding? And so on and so forth, etc, ad infinitum until I was driving myself crazy and having to use all my self control not to send an email asking all the questions that were swirling in my head. Of course, none of it was even remotely applicable so thank God the email wasn't sent. In my earlier, less controlled days, it probably would have been. And dear Lord, would that have been a mess. But anyway. That's my personal observation for today.
I also did some more thinking about Walk The Line. I came to the conclusion that without the star performers, nobody would be talking about this movie, except to perhaps compare it to Ray. In fact, if you replace the two leads with people several notches lower in the celebrity echelons (Stuart Townsend and Jennifer Love Hewitt, say) and you'd be watching a Hallmark Channel biopic. But Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon pull the movie into another league entirely. Phoenix is great but Witherspoon is an absolute revelation. And it's that revelatory factor that could win her the Oscar. Felicity Huffman is hotly tipped but her talent is neither a secret nor a surprise. Sports Night, Desperate Housewives and years of theatre performances ensure she's known AND respected. But everyone in Hollywood is sitting up and going "Holy shit. Is that Elle Woods? Really? Who woulda thought?" and that element is the one that could propel her to Oscar glory. We'll see.
