I Am Love Sour Grapes

Have you seen I Am Love yet? The Globe nominee is available for rental so get on that.

Director Luca Guadagnino with Marisa Berenson & Tilda Swinton

I read the following quote over at Hollywood Reporter and I found it both amusing, right-on and the kind of thing you shouldn't say out loud. Seems Luca Guadagnino, the man behind the brilliant Globe & BFCA nominated I Am Love is not happy with the treatment of his film back home in Italy. They chose another film for their entry in the annual Oscar Foreign Film race.

He says...

Italy has been a sort of strangely cruel mother to the film. I feel like Rapunzel in Tangled. They didn’t pick the film for the Oscars. I don’t think the movie is the kind that sells in Italy now, which is basically dramedies about men that are not able to grow up. Vitteloni syndrome without Fellini. This [Golden] Globe nomination is a sort of really strong warning for the Italian culture. Beware! When you don’t support what’s good ... then the image of your country goes down and down and down. They chose another movie, instead of one that was internationally well received, particularly in the U.S. But it’s all right. Right now the moment is cheer, and I’m very cheerful. It’s a great day!

Points for honesty but obviously someone's feelings got hurt along the way.

<--- Micaela Ramazzotti and Sergio Albelli, the super sexy but unstable parental figures in La Prima Cosa Bella.

For what it's worth, I recently spent time with the actual Italian Oscar submission La Prima Cosa Bella (The First Beautiful Thing) and it was good. It's a somewhat absorbing memoir story (half of it being in flashbacks) about the grown children of a dying but still ridiculously vibrant woman (Micaela Ramazzotti in youth / Stefani Sandrelli in old age) who was once a wild flighty gorgeous young thing dragging her wee children from home to home and sometimes to homelessness while falling in and out of love with their father (and other men).

You can trace the damage done in the generally strong performances and the film definitely gathers some cumulative emotional steam (the climactic act is entertaining, funny and unexpectedly endearing), but it's stretched a little thinly across numerous life episodes. And even though you "get" him, you do wish the sour grown man at its center would grow up a little bit.  B

I enjoyed it. But no, it's not a patch on I Am Love. Since Luca brought up Tangled, let's get our hair did in Italy.

The First Beautiful Thing has follicular drama of all varieties from deliciously lustrous (Micaela Ramazotti) to balding to sickbed wigs to plainly pretty to unruly to generic ... the hair, like the movie, has plentiful ups and downs.

I Am Love, on the other hand has magic locks just like Rapunzel's. Everyone's hair is epically beautiful; their golden, red, brown and pure white crowns (even the oldest characters have thick headfulls) are enough to make your arm hairs stand on end.

If there were an Oscar for hairstyling...

Can the Globes be Skipped?

Michael C. here with some trivia for you to mull over as you finish digesting the Globe line-up and ponder the influence of an organization that looks at The Tourist and Red and sees awards fodder. Maybe they were just eager to provide Ricky Gervais with some good material. It is all about the party, after all.

The Golden Globes are to the Oscars what the Iowa caucuses are to the presidential race. A relatively tiny number of people wielding enormous influence using a highly questionable system and voting largely based on how often they got to have their picture taken with the nominees. Why do they have so much clout when it's universally acknowledged that you could get an equally relevant verdict by going into a random Starbucks and asking for a show of hands? Because like Presidential campaigns, it may be ridiculous, but dammit it’s the system we’re stuck with. Miss out on a Globe nomination and your chances of holding an Oscar are quickly reduced to a very low order of probability.

In the last thirty years only eight performers have landed an Oscar without first grabbing a nom from the Foreign Press. They are Alan Arkin, Marcia Gay Harden, James Coburn, Roberto Benigni, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Kline, Geena Davis, and Don Ameche. The list of films that have managed a Best Picture win without a Globe nom is even shorter. Only four films have ever pulled off such a trick and two of them, Chariots of Fire (1981) and Gandhi (1982), were classified as foreign films by the globes and awarded there. That leaves only Crash (2005) and The Sting (1973) to look to for precedent.

 I Will Take Any Excuse To Post a Pic of Newman in The Sting

Are there any such upsets lurking in the HFPA's snubs? I can’t say I spot any. Maybe a surprise supporting win for Hailee Stanfield or a chorus of “overdue” calls for Ed Harris to take it once they finally start showing The Way Back. Call me naïve but I’m always surprised upsets like that don't happen more often. If I were an Academy member I suspect I would be sorely tempted to go out on a limb just to show that neither the Globes nor any of the other precursors could influence my ballot. 
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The Most Hilarious Thing About The Globe Nominations Is...

... no, no, no. It's NOT that hideous Comedy/Musical best picture lineup. It's even more absurdist than that.  

The most hilarious thing about the Golden Globe noms is...

[photos from: Return to Cranford and The Client List]

Dame Judi Dench vs. Jennifer Love Hewitt

Only at the Globes, people, only at the Globes.

This is the first and last circumstance in which they'll ever be mentioned in the same breath. We hope. LOL, this is so not a fair fight. (FWIW, the other nominees for Best Actress in a Miniseries are: Hayley Atwell in Pillars of the Earth, Emmy winner Claire Danes for Temple Grandin and Romola Garai in Emma.)

Globes Snubs From Ruff' to Gritty

While the Hollywood Foreign Press Association does not have member overlap with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, their very high profile assures that their nominees get a large media platform with which to pursue more Oscar votes. Sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn't. But here's a list of major contenders shunned by the Globe voters this morning.

"I never thought they'd use my stuff!"

Mark Ruffalo -though The Kids Are All Right won four major nominations, he was still snubbed. This could be a bad Oscar sign. As we've long thought, he makes acting look far too easy. He takes complex characters and performs them so naturalistically that voters who like to see actors sweat or strain for effect -- there are many such voters as awards history readily proves -- will never be won over. Arguably only Jeff Bridges, an American icon, has ever really been able to get away with that and win steady awards love. Ruffalo has yet to be nominated by either the Globes, the Oscars, SAG or the BAFTAs for anything. His only major awards run remains a small handful of critics citations for his debut You Can Count on Me (2000). It's not all bad news though. His performance in The Kids Are All Right was recently nominated at the Spirits and by the BFCA.

127 Hours -It didn't place in Best Director or in Best Picture. In terms of the awards race, has it morphed into the one man show (James Franco) that it looks like on the surface?

Cher - We were pulling for a Best Actress Comedy/Musical honor because we know they don't perform the nominated songs. Get Cher back on that red carpet, damnit. This was the only place to do it really. You can never count on Oscar to let the nominated songs be performed as they should. So who knows what to expect even if "You Haven't Seen the Last of Me" gets shortlisted by Oscar. For all we know, the ageist Academy producers will ask Miley Cyrus to sing it.


Rabbit Hole  *just added* it's still only the Nicole Kidman show (but what a show that is), despite fine work from Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest to either side of her.

True Grit -Zero nominations. Nada. Perhaps they didn't screen in time. Perhaps the HFPA just didn't bite... they've embraces Coen Bros pictures in the past, even more often than Oscar.

The Ghost Writer -Zero nominations. The Roman Polanski film won some early honors overseas but has been ignored by the majority of American awards. Pity. Everyone has such short memories here in the US awards circuit... even the "Foreign Press"


How Do You Know - Zero nominations. The brand new James L Brooks comedy stars Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Jack Nicholson and Paul Rudd. Brooks and his cast have won 26 Globe nominations, 8 Globe statues and a Cecil B. DeMille between them. Why no love this time? It can't be the bad buzz. The Tourist, which has received an excruciating 20% critical approval on Rotten Tomatoes (and disappointing box office receipts!) won a Best Picture nomination.

Other rejected films: Mike Leigh's Another Year, Clint Eastwood's Hereafter (they often go for him), and the Robert Duvall period piece Get Low.

Finally, we think it's worth noting that in the very loosely defined Comedy/Musical Best Picture category  --they chose two action films Red & The Tourist, one eyesore Alice in Wonderland, one musical Burlesque and one dramedy The Kids are All Right -- any number of entirely snubbed films like Greenberg, Please Give, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World or Made in Dagenham would have been far worthier choices than the first three category (and quality) definition-stretchers. The Globes are the only major organization that reaches out regularly to comedic-tilting films, so to screw up so badly, eschewing all traditional notions of quality, is a blunder; a real opportunity wasted.

The tragedy of that Comedy category -- does it actually hurt the wonderful Kids, this guilt-by-association effect? -- is something of a headscratcher in that within some years they do make a real effort to think about the comedy categories. Remember how acclaimed the bulk of that category was just two years ago?
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Golden Globe Nomination Announcement

8:12 AM Nothing happening yet.
8:13 Flashbulb tests! That's it.
8:16 Okay Josh Duhamel and Katie Holmes and Blair Underwood are there.

Blair, Josh and Katie for what it's worth.

8:18 Guy Lodge cracks me up. On Twitter he says to me "The Holmes will not be hurried."
8:19 Blair begins. Here we go.
8:35 We've been on a short break. They start again in 4 minutes. I know I could wait to cut and paste press releases but I like to type fast. I type like the wind.

Movies

ORIGINAL SONG
Bound to You (Burlesque)
Coming Home (Country Strong)
I See the Light (Tangled)
There's a Place For Us (Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader)
You Haven't Seen the Last of Me (Burlesque)

• It hurts me deeply that the Globes don't have musical performances. CHER!

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE MOTION PICTURE
Alexandre Desplat (The King's Speech) -interview coming soon
Danny Elfman (Alice in Wonderland)
A.R. Rahman (127 Hours)
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross (The Social Network)
Hans Zimmer (Inception)

• The Social Network score is brilliant and modern and smart and it's certainly racking up awards attention. But will Oscar bite? It's so not that traditionalist's branches cuppa.

SCREENPLAY
Boyle & Beaufoy (127 Hours)
Cholodenko & Blumberg (Kids Are All Right)
Chris Nolan (Inception)
David Seidler (The King's Speech)
Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network)

• After the NYFCC wins, this is great news for Lisa Cholodenko and team. Will Oscar be next? The King's Speech and Inception may prove tough Original Screenplay competition.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Biutiful (Mexico/Spain)
The Concert (France)
The Edge (Russia)
I Am Love (Italy)
In a Better World (Denmark)

• Of these films only Mexico, Russia and Denmark are eligible for the Oscar category. But it's as delicious as gourmet prawns that the great I Am Love keeps showing up for awardage. It's definitely one of the Best Pictures of the year, even though it's continually ghettoized for foreign consideration only.

ANIMATED FEATURE
Despicable Me
How To Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Tangled
Toy Story 3

• For what it's worth it's important for people to know that animated films are no longer eligible for the Musical/Comedy category which is but one of many reasons why that category is atrocious this year.

LEAD ACTRESS (COMEDY)
Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right)
Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs)
Angelina Jolie (The Tourist)
Julianne Moore (The Kids Are All Right)
Emma Stone (Easy A)

• Many people were counting on Emma Stone to receive kudos here (so deserving) but I never believed it on account of Lindsay Lohan's absurd snub for Mean Girls back in the day. But go Emma! She was Grade A in that film. Though my heart remains with The Bening as it always does.
  
  As for The Tourist being a comedy... I think that's called "unintentional comedy" isn't it? I didn't know those were eligible here.

LEAD ACTOR (COMEDY)
Johnny Depp (Alice in Wonderland)
Johnny Depp (The Tourist)
Paul Giamatti (Barney's Version)
Jake Gyllenhaal (Love and Other Drugs)
Kevin Spacey (Casino Jack)

• The HFPA really likes Spacey. Remember when he got that weirdass nomination for The Shipping News. Yeah, that one stuck out. Speaking of sticking out... is it really necessary to nominate Johnny Depp twice? I mean, he'll show up if you just hand him the one.

SUPPORTING ACTOR
Christian Bale (The Fighter)
Michael Douglas (Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps)
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

• No Mark Ruffalo. *sniffle* Which is a bit strange (though not entirely unforseen) given the support for The Kids Are All Right in so many other categories. More on the Globe snubs here.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The Kings Speech)
Mila Kunis (Black Swan)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) *most likely to give great speech*

Natalie isn't the only one who wants Mila

• I will just come out and admit it. When Tarantino gave Kunis a prize in Venice, I thought he was thinking with his second brain. If that's the case the Globes and the BFCA are also using their southern cortexes. Perhaps I misunderestimated awards voters but it just did not read to me at all like an "awards" performance even though I like it just fine. This is not to imply that non-"bait" performances shouldn't be considered. Quite the contrary! Just a reiteration that I remain surprised that she gained traction for it. I guess the Supporting Actress race was skewing towards 50+ women and "we can't have a category of an entire category of old ladies!" He said sarcastically.

BEST DIRECTOR
Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech)
Chris Nolan (Inception)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)

• Interesting gets for Hooper and Russell in a way, since The Globes tend to prefer Big Name directors in the same way they prefer Big Name acting. I wouldn't count out Danny Boyle for an Oscar nod just yet but 127 Hours is certainly slipping, isn't it?

MOTION PICTURE (COMEDY/MUSICAL)
Alice in Wonderland -all posts
Burlesque --all posts
The Kids Are All Right -all posts
Red
The Tourist

• I'm sorry but what? I think they need to retitle this category "MOTION PICTURE (DUMPING GROUND FOR ALL GENRES OTHER THAN DRAMA)" Our friend Glenn on this lineup

  "Is it too late to nominate "the 2010 Golden Globe Nominations" in the Best Musical/Comedy category? They certainly were good for a laugh."

LEAD ACTRESS (DRAMA)
Halle Berry (Frankie and Alice)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan)
Michelle Williams  (Blue Valentine)

• Berry's intense focused late term campaigning helped. And the Globes respond to glittery stars. 

LEAD ACTOR (DRAMA)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech)
James Franco (127 Hours)
Ryan Gosling (Blue Valentine)
Mark Wahlberg (The Fighter)

• I can't imagine Wahlberg repeating at the Oscars and though the list is VERY young for Oscar all told, perhaps it's Duvall vs. Bridges for the 5th spot and not Gosling vs. someone. Or are we merely employing wishful thinking?

MOTION PICTURE (DRAMA)
Black Swan -all posts
The Fighter -all posts
Inception -all posts
The King's Speech -all posts
The Social Network -all posts

• These were largely expected but it's a good get for The Fighter which will need to capitalize on its populist appeal in the Oscar race ahead.

The television nominations and the end of the live broadcast are after the jump.

Television

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Hope Davis (That Special Relationship)

Jane Lynch (Glee)

Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire)

Julia Stiles (Dexter)

Sofia Vergara (Modern Family)

LEAD ACTRESS (COMEDY)

Collette (United States of Tara)

Edie Falco (Nurse Jackie)

Tina Fey (30 Rock)

Laura Linney (The Big C)

Lea Michele (Glee)

LEAD ACTRESS (DRAMA)

Juliana Marguiles (The Good Wife)

Elisabeth Moss (Mad Men)

Piper Perabo (Covert Affairs)

Katey Segal (Sons of Anarchy)

Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)

MINISERIES

Carlos

The Pacific

Pillars of the Earth

Temple Grandin

You Don't Know Jack

LEAD ACTOR (COMEDY)

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)

Steve Carell

Thomas Jane (Hung)

Matthew Morrison (Glee)

Parsons (The Big Bang Theory)

SUPPORTING ACTOR

Caan (Hawaii 5 0)

Chris Colfer (Glee),

Chris Noth (Good Wife),

Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family),

Straithairn (Temple Grandin)

ACTOR (MINISERIES)

Idris Elba (Luther)

Ian McShane (Pillars of the Earth)

Al Pacino (You Don't Know Jack)

Dennis Quaid (That Special Relationship)

Edgar Ramirez (Carlos)

ACTRESS (MINISERIES)

Hayley Atwell (Pillars of the Earth)

Claire Danes (Temple Grandin)

Judi Dench (Return to Cranford)

Romola Garai (Emma)

Jennifer Love-Hewitt (The Client List)

• This lineup is making me giggle.

TELEVISION SERIES COMEDY OR MUSICAL

30 Rock

Big Bang Theory

The Big C

Glee

Modern Family

Nurse Jackie

• The Globe voters showed unusual restraint this year and this is just about the only category where they added an extra nominee. Tie?

LEAD ACTOR (DRAMA SERIES)

Steve Buscemi (Boardwark Empire)

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)

Michael C Hall (Dexter)

Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

Hugh Laurie (House)

DRAMA SERIES

Boardwalk Empire

Dexter

The Good Wife

Mad Men

The Walking Dead

• Rooting for Mad Men as ever.

8:50 Announcement has ended.
8:51 Katie Holmes read too quickly for typing, like she didn't want to be there. Or like she knows people are asking "why are you there???" Blair Underwood paces himself beautifully for reporters. Joked that Carrie Underwood was his cousin.

8:54 There's something so final about those color bars. Or maybe the feeling of finality was the Comedy/Musical announements which JoFo rightly claims in the comments will have strong overlap with the Razzies. The comedy category is like End Times this year (god, i hate Alice in Wonderland). Apocalypse now.
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