Tuesday, December 23, 2008

golden globe nominations

Golden Globe nominations were announced last week, so here is the complete list. I've commented where necessary. My predicted winners (rather, people I would like to win) are in bold.

Best Picture - Drama: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, The Reader, Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionaire
** I haven't seen any of these movies yet, and although a friend has highly recommended Slumdog Millionaire as the best movie of the year, I think I have to go with the old-world Frost/Nixon.
Best Director: Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), Stephen Daldry (The Reader), David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon), Sam Mendes (Revolutionary Road)

Best Actor - Drama: Leonardo DiCaprio (Revolutionary Road), Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon), Sean Penn (Milk), Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler)

Best Actress - Drama: Anne Hathaway (Rachel Getting Married), Angelina Jolie (The Changeling), Meryl Streep (Doubt), Kristin Scott Thomas (I've Loved You So Long), Kate Winslet (Revolutionary Road)
** I do love Kate Winslet in, oh, absolutely everything, but I don't know if RR is her award-winning vehicle. Plus, Hathaway's been getting so much praise.
Best Picture - Musical/Comedy: Burn After Reading, Happy Go Lucky, In Bruges, Mama Mia!, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
** For the love of all that is holy, please let In Bruges win. This was hands-down the most underappreciated movie of the year, and Colin Farrell was just amazing in it. Also, Mama Mia!?? SERIOUSLY?!?
Best Actor - Musical/Comedy: Javier Bardem (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Colin Farrell (In Bruges), James Franco (Pineapple Express), Brendan Gleeson (In Bruges), Dustin Hoffman (Last Chance Harvey)

Best Actress - Musical/Comedy: Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Sally Hawkins (Happy Go Lucky), Frances McDormand (Burn After Reading), Meryl Streep (Mamma Mia), Emma Thompson (Last Chance Harvey)

Best Supporting Actor: Tom Cruise (Tropic Thunder), Robert Downey Jr. (Tropic Thunder), Ralph Fiennes (The Duchess), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Doubt), Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
** Anyone but Tom Cruise. Anyone but Tom Cruise.
Best Supporting Actress: Amy Adams (Doubt), Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Viola Davis (Doubt), Marisa Tomei (The Wrestler), Kate Winslet (The Reader)

Best Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy (Slumdog Millionaire), David Hare (The Reader), Peter Morgan (Frost/Nixon), Eric Roth (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), John Patrick Shanley (Doubt)

Best Television Drama: Dexter, House, In Treatment, Mad Men, True Blood
** No contest. Mad Men should win everything. Including Best Animation. It's that good. And -- True Blood?!? What?
Best Actor - Television Drama: Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment), Michael C. Hall (Dexter), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Hugh Laurie (House), Jonathan Rhys Meyers (The Tudors)
** Jon Hamm. Jon Hamm. Jon Hamm.
Best Actress - Television Drama: Sally Field (Brothers & Sisters), Mariska Hargitay (Law and Order: Special Victims Unit), January Jones (Mad Men), Anna Paquin (True Blood), Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
** I don't really care who wins this category, but, as much as I love Mad Men, I'm still not entirely comfortable with January Jones's performance as Betty Draper (though she is certainly getting better). Let me just say -- anyone but Anna Paquin. She is one of the most annoying actresses ever. She may be my female version of Nicolas Cage.
Best Television Musical/Comedy: 30 Rock, Californication, Entourage, The Office, Weeds
** This award will probably go to 30 Rock, though I don't think that Season 3 is nearly as stellar as the first two. Do the 2009 Golden Globes honor the fall seasons or the last completed seasons? Because where would Mad Men (which finished a couple of months ago) fit into that schedule? If it's about last season, my vote goes to 30 Rock, but if it's about current seasons, my vote goes to Californication. I thought the parallels of Hank and Lou Ashby were really top-notch, and I thoroughly enjoyed the second season shenanigans.
Best Actor - Television Musical/Comedy: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Steve Carell (The Office), Kevin Connolly (Entourage), David Duchovny (Californication), Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
** Wait, didn't Alec Baldwin already win two Emmys for his performance on 30 Rock? Doesn't that assume that he's also been up twice for the Golden Globes? Thus, aren't these awards promoting the current season? In that case, my vote goes for David Duchovny. I think his performance is highly underrated.
Best Actress - Television Musical/Comedy: Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?), America Ferrera (Ugly Betty), Tina Fey (30 Rock), Debra Messing (The Starter Wife), Mary Louise Parker (Weeds)
** Let me explain: I love Tina Fey and I think she's amazing, but I don't consider her a comedic actress. I don't feel like she works to create her character; most of her character's development is on the page (such as her constant confessions and her biting wit), whereas Applegate's character, though existing on the worst show ever, is truly a Lucille Ball kind of character. She's fantastic.
Best Supporting Actor - Television: Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), Denis Leary (Recount), Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Blair Underwood (In Treatment), Tom Wilkinson (John Adams)

Best Supporting Actress - Television: Eileen Atkins (Cranford), Laura Dern (Recount), Melissa George (In Treatment), Rachel Griffiths (Brothers & Sisters), Dianne Wiest (In Treatment)
** Anyone but Melissa George. She's like the opposite of King Midas -- any show she touches turns to crap.

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