..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..R.J. Matson
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Michael Wilmington

12 Weeks To Go
Around The World
In 80 Nominations

Wow… that was… muted.

It is odd that I find myself becoming The Awards Curmudgeon (trademark pending) while at the same time a fan of the idea of The Season.  I think it is a result of the hype overload – to which I am a party – that gets bigger and bigger every year… while the significance to the films of all the awards gets less and less.

I don’t think I actually object to the number of awards shows/dinners/luncheons so much as the lack of creativity shown by the groups and their organizers.  Groups do their damnedest to break onto the scene, only to tighten up like a sphinter on a cold morning’s trip to the outhouse when they get some attention.  Complain to me all you like about it all being treated as a long road to “nothing but Oscar,” but whatever lightness accompanies these shows as they take grass roots seems to turn to “be more like the Oscars” when the ratings or outlets tick up.

It is one of the odd benefits – and God knows those are rare – of the WGA strike that something spontaneous might actually happen at the televised awards shows this year.  Heck, even if it is conflict with picketers – the best shot at national attention since the girls walked Wisteria Line.  (Note to WGA: Do a backdoor deal with PETA.  If writers can deliver naked actresses, turning the old Polish joke on its head, the AMPTP  will finally respect you.  Me?  I’d prefer just to get paid.  Isn’t a writer seeking respecte from the Studios like a Jew seeking a good art review from Hitler?  Get the visa to NY and get out!)

But I’m here to talk about The Ghoulish Globes…

This season, it really is like picking sides for a kickball match at summer camp.  There are a finite number of kids on the field and everyone has to pick their team.  Some feelings will be hurt.  Some will be elated.  But the range of distinction is quite narrow.

”I’ll take Keira!”

”I’ll take the Coens!”

”Give me Clooney, as long as he isn’t riding his cycle to the game!”

Are there any surprises?

Yeah… that Harvey put a gun to Nadia Bronson’s head... who put a French tickler to 30 of the most susceptible HFPA members... who voted for movie so straight-forward that Harvey wouldn’t have anything to do with a film like that five years ago... while all the time he has a masterpiece like I’m Not There in the stable that really needed the help since it doesn’t have Oprah selling it. 

Yeah… that Tony Angelotti wasn’t able to get Russell Crowe the Supporting Actor nomination that he didn’t deserve and wouldn’t support.

Yeah… that the Globes didn’t go for Knocked Up as their thirteenth nominee.

But you know, with The Kite Runner and The Diving Bell & The Butterfly in the Foreign Language category – and congratulations for picking one foreign language film that isn’t being sold by a major studio Dependent – that makes their list of Best Picture selections fourteen.  Way to narrow that field!!!

And give the old doggiebaggers credit… they picked Saoirse Ronan over the brilliant, but tiny-roled Vanessa Redgrave for Supporting Actress… they made the call for Eastern Promises when few others have… they saw past the acrimony and valued the excellent work inside of Across The Universe, which, however imperfect, is an achievement worth noting this year…

Oh yes… and they bent over backwards to get Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, the Judd Apatow Crew, both Afflecks, Eddie Vedder (though I wouldn’t count on Sean Penn showing up), and Angelina Jolie in da house (but will Brad go with her?).

I actually feel, though some do not, that Tom Hanks, Ryan Gosling, John Travolta, Clint Eastwood, and Amy Adams are completely legitimate choices in the context of this show… which is not to say that I don’t admire some of the performances I just listed as celebrity reaches. 

I do hope that Paramount Vantage will continue to embrace Into The Wild, in spite of it being the main title left out of the Globes fun that is really in the Oscar race.  I know those There Will Be Blood pulses are racing, but it would be a shame to wake up on Oscar nom morning and find neither film in the Best Picture race.  (And speaking of weak choices, the Globes missed both of the two best scores of the year… There Will Be Blood and Lust, Caution.)

In the end, it will be remembered that the Globes nominated over 80% of the Oscar nominees (in matching categories), including the winner in each category.  It is easy to play the “they missed this one” with these nominations, but again… the category winners are all there, except for, I suspect, TWBB’s Mr. Greenwood and his Glass-on-crack genius score.  It is also risky to bet against Tony Gilroy surprising in the director slot if Clayton gets a head of steam up and, interestingly, the screenplay group features only two originals and there is always a chance that Diablo Cody will not win, as sure as she is to be nominated.

Has anyone gotten a real boost by the Globes this morning?  I see only two.  John Travolta is not one of them, since this will just become another opportunity for people, wrongheadedly, to mock his excellent work in drag.  But Ryan Gosling and Casey Affleck took steps forward this morning.  New flag planted.  Now, it’s a matter of moving them around the bases.

The very best thing about the Globes nominations this morning?  They are the last major event between now and the new year.  Now I can focus on the year end lists and watching movies again and again and letting my brain soak in some warm soapy water.  Ahhhhhh…

The Charts

Last Week's Charts
December 6, 2007
November 29, 2007
November 15, 2007
November 8, 2007
November 1, 2007
October 25, 2007
October 18, 2007
The Post-Toronto Chart - September 21, 2007
The Pre-Toronto Chart - September 6, 2007
The First Chart - June 21, 2007

- Email David Poland