If the Oscars are the World Series, the Golden Globes are the playoffs. Sure, the Hollywood Foreign Press has had some wacky choices over the years (Pia Zadora anyone?), but it is very rare for anyone in the acting categories to win an Academy Award if they have not been at least nominated for a Golden Globe. So this morning’s announcement is the first serious milestone for avid Oscarwatchers like the Divine Ms. Jennifer M. and me. Despite a virtual snub from many of the critics’ groups, Atonement, the film version of my most favorite book of the past five years, led the Globe nominations with 7 nods. It’s looking like this is the film to beat at the Oscars, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it this weekend (despite the fact that having mass-challenged Keira Knightley, who seems to be auditioning for the part of Yorrick’s skull in a post-modern version of “Hamlet”, as the heroine, is quite the bitter pill to swallow). I am also excited that the great Julie Christie, she of Darling and Doctor Zhivago legend, notoriously choosy about her roles, has been nominated for Away from Her, a movie that was probably screened last spring at the Landmark Century for just half a day. I may have to travel to the distant tundras of Bollingbrook or Olympia Fields to find a rinky-dink theatre showing this movie. I think she may be the Best Actress frontrunner, together with Marion Cotillard, also nominated for the Edith Piaf biography, La Vie en Rose. Christie won the New York film critics prize while Cotillard was acclaimed by the LA film critics; these are the only two critics groups that really matter in the Oscar race. Based on the nominations, other must-see films during this awards season are No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Sweeney Todd, and Diving Bell and the Butterfly. I will be posting on these films soon. And the two loudest yays for me this morning were for the Best Foreign Language Film nomination for the Romanian abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days, one of the most harrowing and emotionally-wrenching movies I saw this year, and the Best Actor for a Comedy or Musical nomination for the man many gay guys have sent Rachel McAdams’ picture to voodoospells.com for, my boy Ryan Gosling, for Lars and the Real Girl. Hope Oscar will come calling for both!
Dec 14
December 14th, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Frances - Great seeing you the other night at Primitive! I hope you found your way out of those back stairwells :). On the topic of movies and the Oscars (I’m so unbelievably behind in my movie watching!!), have you heard of www.talkcinema.com? In Chicago it takes place at the Landmark century and is a movie screening/lecture series, often showing movies before they are publicly released. I have not partaken as yet, but a good friend of mine recommends it highly. Keep warm!
December 15th, 2007 at 10:08 pm
Hi Jason! Yes, it was great to see you too at Primitives- although to be honest I may have been half-unconscious most of the night due to too much Grey Goose and not enough protein (which made those back stairwells actually feel like a surreal reverse stairmaster - ahem, not that I have intimate familiarity with stairmasters at all!). Yes, I have heard of Talk Cinema through some of my friends who are members. It’s usually on a Sunday morning, and has either Michael Wilmington or Michael Phillips leading a post-screening discussion. They also highly recommend it, and they really like the spirited discussions. It’s film buff heaven.