2009 Golden Globe Nominations

The Golden Globe nominations are out today. Not a lot of surprises to be had. Most of the nods are for the awards-baiting flicks that haven’t even been released or wide-released yet, making it a little difficult to weigh in. But the Globes do often paint a decent thumbnail of what we can expect from the Oscar noms in January, so for that they’re interesting. Here are the motion picture nominations. I haven’t included the television nominations because they’re just a watered-down version of the Emmy awards, but if you want to check them out for yourself you can do so here.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
FROST/NIXON
THE READER
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE

Not a lot of surprises. I knew Australia would unfortunately get shut out. I know a lot of people hoped for a Dark Knight nod, and the Oscars may still surprise us there, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. Ditto Wall-E. I am surprised, however, that Reader got a nod over Milk considering the bad buzz Reader’s been garnering. Even though I haven’t seen most of the nominees because they haven’t yet been released (which, hi, can we please stop stacking all the awards-baiters on Christmas in the future?), I’m still rooting for the under-Dog.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

ANNE HATHAWAY – RACHEL GETTING MARRIED
ANGELINA JOLIE – CHANGELING
MERYL STREEP – DOUBT
KRISTIN SCOTT THOMAS – I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (IL Y A LONGTEMPS QUE JE T’AIME)
KATE WINSLET – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

Could this be Kate’s year to bring home Oscar gold? Hard to say. At least she’s not competing against herself since the Weinsteins positioned her Reader role as supporting. Anne and Angelina both did wonderful jobs in their roles, but I didn’t feel like Angelina’s was particularly special, and not compared to Anne’s balls-to-the-wall, gutsy turn.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA

LEONARDO DICAPRIO – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
FRANK LANGELLA – FROST/NIXON
SEAN PENN – MILK
BRAD PITT – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
MICKEY ROURKE – THE WRESTLER

Voters love a comeback story, and since Robert Downey Jr.’s The Soloist was pushed to '09, that leaves a spot open for Rourke.

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

BURN AFTER READING
HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
IN BRUGES
MAMMA MIA!
VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA

I think Burn After Reading has an edge with the Coen Bros. still riding on their No Country buzz from last year, but VCB could win in an upset.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

REBECCA HALL – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
SALLY HAWKINS – HAPPY-GO-LUCKY
FRANCES MCDORMAND – BURN AFTER READING
MERYL STREEP – MAMMA MIA!
EMMA THOMPSON – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

Sally Hawkins got a lot of good buzz for her Happy-Go-Lucky turn, but the character might be too one-note to snag the award.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL

JAVIER BARDEM – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
COLIN FARRELL – IN BRUGES
JAMES FRANCO – PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
BRENDAN GLEESON – IN BRUGES
DUSTIN HOFFMAN – LAST CHANCE HARVEY

James Franco was good in Pineapple Express, but if he wins this award it will be because of his performance in Milk and overall good standing in the acting community.

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

BOLT
KUNG FU PANDA
WALL-E

The dog and panda don’t stand a chance.

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX (GERMANY)
EVERLASTING MOMENTS (SWEDEN/DENMARK)
GOMORRAH (ITALY)
I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG (FRANCE)
WALTZ WITH BASHIR (ISRAEL)

I’m surprised Bashir didn’t place into animated, and I’m surprised Let The Right One In didn’t get a nod.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

AMY ADAMS – DOUBT
PENELOPE CRUZ – VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA
VIOLA DAVIS –DOUBT
MARISA TOMEI – THE WRESTLER
KATE WINSLET – THE READER

From what I know of the play that Doubt is based on, I don’t think either of the nominated roles here are meaty enough to win the category. I’m betting on Cruz, and maybe Winslet if Winslet doesn’t get lead actress for Revolutionary Road.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE

TOM CRUISE – TROPIC THUNDER
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. –TROPIC THUNDER
RALPH FIENNES – THE DUCHESS
PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN – DOUBT
HEATH LEDGER – THE DARK KNIGHT

No Franco for Milk? That’s a surprise. Tom Cruise is a really, really big surprise. His role was funny, but award-worthy? Hardly. Glad that Heath got the nod. And I’m thrilled Robert got a nod, but they’re not gonna give an award to a role performed mostly in blackface. Downey’s Thunder nod is only because RDJ is Hollywood’s favorite sweetheart at the moment, and they couldn’t possibly nominate two superhero movie characters in one season (his Iron Man performance was heads and shoulders above his Thunder performance, and above most other performances this year to boot), and The Soloist isn’t eligible this year. This will be an interesting category to watch.

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE

DANNY BOYLE – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
STEPHEN DALDRY – THE READER
DAVID FINCHER – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
RON HOWARD – FROST/NIXON
SAM MENDES – REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

I think Boyle will get this in lieu of Best Picture.

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE

SIMON BEAUFOY – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
DAVID HARE – THE READER
PETER MORGAN – FROST/NIXON
ERIC ROTH – THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN
JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY – DOUBT

If Roth's adaptation of the Fitzgerald story is strong enough, he could snag this.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE – MOTION PICTURE

ALEXANDRE DESPLAT –THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
CLINT EASTWOOD – CHANGELING
JAMES NEWTON HOWARD – DEFIANCE
A. R. RAHMAN – SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
HANS ZIMMER – FROST/NIXON

BEST ORIGINAL SONG – MOTION PICTURE

“DOWN TO EARTH” — WALL-E
Music by: Peter Gabriel, Thomas Newman
Lyrics by: Peter Gabriel
“GRAN TORINO” — GRAN TORINO
Music by: Clint Eastwood, Jamie Cullum, Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
Lyrics by: Kyle Eastwood, Michael Stevens
“I THOUGHT I LOST YOU” — BOLT
Music & Lyrics by: Miley Cyrus, Jeffrey Steele
“ONCE IN A LIFETIME” — CADILLAC RECORDS
Music & Lyrics by: Beyoncé Knowles, Amanda Ghost, Scott McFarnon, Ian Dench, James Dring, Jody Street
“THE WRESTLER” — THE WRESTLER
Music & Lyrics by: Bruce Springsteen

I would have liked to see Repo! The Genetic Opera get a nod in either of these categories, along with Australia, but ah well. There’s still hope for the Oscars.