
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that James Cameron and his 3D epic fantasy adventure film Avatar (or, as Arnold Schwarzenegger pronounced it, ‘Avada’) won some big ones at the Golden Globes this year. Given the worldwide box office and general-audience reaction to Avatar being so jaw-droppingly mammoth, it was to be expected. But I still had a glimmer of hope that maybe, just maybe it could miss out to other deserving films like Inglourious Basterds or The Hurt Locker… but no. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association felt it right to award the film currently sitting #2 on the worldwide all-time box office earnings list. Where’s their sense of dare?
To keep things in perspective, I watched the Golden Globes show from my laptop, sitting at my kitchen table, using breaks in the ceremony (or boring speeches) to feed my two youngsters, change nappies and check the cricket score on the telly. Nothing aligns the planets in your mind quicker than listening to Meryl Streep getting weepy about how much she appreciates life and everything she’s got while I stand and observe holding a shitty nappy in one hand and a half-eaten soggy banana sandwich in the other. Fittingly, Meryl won for her squeaky performance in Julie & Julia, which I reviewed last month.
The show itself was more of the same– just swap out the different handfuls of celebrities, films and television shows and you’ve got the same thing as every other year. From the poor teleprompter jokes to awkward cutaways of (usually) intoxicated celebrities, I found host Ricky Gervais to be a breath of fresh air against the otherwise predictable template. Even the Cecil B. DeMille Award to legendary director Martin Scorsese became strangely violated with sexual innuendo from presenter Robert DeNiro (who was joined by Leonardo DiCaprio). The featurette that played in honour of his films eventually morphed into a trailer for his upcoming film Shutter Island, which was perplexing given the circumstances. Still, it’s always nice to see a wonderful filmmaker being recognised for their talent, and even nicer when the recipient can deliver one of the most coherent thank you speeches of the night.
Besides Ricky Gervais making the show worthwhile, I was very impressed to see Christoph Waltz win Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role as The Jew Hunter in Inglourious Basterds (my favourite of 2009). Waltz completely steals that film and makes it his own in one of the most memorable performances in recent times. His speech was gracious and precise. I only wish Tarantino could have won Best Director or Best Screenplay. Not to be. Best Screenplay went to Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner for Up In The Air, and Best Director went to some guy who made Avada…

It was also nice to see ‘The Dude’ Jeff Bridges win for his lead role in Crazy Heart, a film I highly anticipate seeing this year. Robert Downey Jr. picked up a Globe for Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his role as Sherlock Holmes (recently reviewed by Froley) and proceeded to deliver a change-of-pace speech where he refused to thank his collaborators, cleverly listing the people he refused to thank and thus actually thanking them… I look forward to him taking on more serious roles again sometime soon (please?).
Fellow Aussie Toni Collette received a Globe for her role as Tara in the television comedy United States of Tara, which was fantastic to see even though I was personally rooting for Tina Fey to win for 30 Rock.
My kids finally took a nap in time to enjoy the last few awards of the ceremony. I thought the show was complete when Kate Winslet took my breath away as she presented the Best Actor award (she could have just stood there and twiddled her thumbs and I would have been impressed — that woman is flat out gorgeous and talented). Then Ricky Gervais wise-cracked that he “likes a drink as much as the next man, unless the next man is Mel Gibson” when he introduced the Aussie to present Best Director, and I figured that would definitely complete the show for me… and then Cameron won for directing Avatar… followed by Avatar winning Best Picture.
And the show went kaput. I’m still baffled.
Is Avatar‘s dominance at the Golden Globes a sign of things to come at the upcoming Oscars? I’m hoping the Academy gets it a little more accurate and looks past the visual effects and box office to recognise some real artistic integrity in other films this year.
Deep down inside, just quietly, I already know the truth.
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Here’s a complete list of all the nominees and winners of the 67th Golden Globe Awards (2010):
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
BEST ORIGINAL SONG
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
BEST MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BEST SCREENPLAY
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, DRAMA
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINISERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
BEST DIRECTOR
BEST TELEVISION SERIES, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, COMEDY OR MUSICAL
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA
Joseph Gordon Levitt, (500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg, A Serious Man
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
Marion Cotillard, Nine
Meryl Streep, It’s Complicated
Julia Roberts, Duplicity
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon, Invictus
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Julianne Moore, A Single Man
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Tobey Maguire, Brothers
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
(500) Days of Summer
It’s Complicated
Julie & Julia
Nine
Best Motion Picture – Drama
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air
Best Animated Feature Film
Coraline
The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
The Princess and the Frog
Best Director – Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, the hurt locker
Clint Eastwood, Invictus
Jason Reitman, Up in the air
Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
It’s Complicated
District 9
The Hurt Locker
Inglorious Basterds
Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Marvin Hamlisch, The Informant
James Horner, Avatar
Abel Krozeniowski, A Single Man
Karen O. and Carter Burwell, Where the Wild Things Are
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“I Will See You,” Avatar
“Winter,” Brothers
“Cinema Italiano,” Nine
“I Want to Come Home,” Everybody’s Fine
Best Foreign Language Film
Barria
Broken Embraces
A Prophet
The Maid
Best TV Drama
BIG LOVE
DEXTER
HOUSE
TRUE BLOOD
Best Performance by Actress – TV Drama
Glenn Close, DAMAGES
January Jones, MAD MEN
Anna Paquin, TRUE BLOOD
Kyra Sedgwick, THE CLOSER
Best Performance by Actor – TV Drama
Simon Baker, THE MENTALIST
Jon Hamm, MADMEN
Hugh Laurie, HOUSE
Bill Paxton, BIG LOVE
Best TV Series – Comedy or Musical
30 ROCK
ENTOURAGE
MODERN FAMILY
THE OFFICE
Best Performance by Actress – TV Comedy or Musical
Courtney Cox, COUGAR TOWN
Edie Falco, NURSE JACKIE
Tina Fey, 30 ROCK
Lea Michelle, GLEE
Best Performance by Actor – TV Comedy or Musical
Steve Carell, THE OFFICE
David Duchovny, CALIFORNICATION
Thomas Jane, HUNG
Matthew Morrison, GLEE
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Georgia O’Keeffe
Into the Storm
Little Dorritt
Taking Chance
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Joan Allen, Georgia O’Keeffe
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Anna Paquin, The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers for Bobby
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kenneth Branagh, Wallander: One Step Behind
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Endgame
Brendan Gleeson, Into the Storm
Jeremy Irons, Georgia O’Keeffe
st Performance by an Actress in a Supporting role in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Adams, Hung
Rose Byrne, Damages
Jane Lynch, Glee
Janet McTeer, Into the Storm
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting role in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Michael Emerson, Lost
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
William Hurt, Damages
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Having not seen most of the films on the list due to not catching up on the films as of it…but mostly due to Australias terrible release dates(Up in the Air and Invictus im looking at you). I think Christopher Waltz needs a mention cause he deserved that win(ITS A BINGO). I got more laughs out of The Hangover but overall (500) days of summer was put together…but i suppose if its a comedy its down to the laughs.
Quite happy with Up winning as well as Avatar.
Cant really comment on anything else without dragging on about random crap or complaining on how we still havent had some of the movies released here.