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SINGAPORE : The smell of January brings about new resolutions, fresh beginnings and, most important, red carpets. The highly anticipated slew of awards shows descends upon us, kicking off with the first major precursor to the Oscars - the film and television two-in-one extravaganza that is the Golden Globes.
Every year a voting jury of about 90 obscure foreign journalists who make up the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) cast their ballots and decide who gets to win something. Which started me thinking: I write about Hollywood (I am the movie reporter, after all), I am foreign (to the Americans, at least), I am press (that’s what my payslip tells me), and I am most definitely obscure (I tried Googling myself).
Doesn’t that immediately qualify little ol’ me to decide the outcome of the 66th instalment which will be held this Sunday (Monday morning, Singapore time) at The Beverly Hilton?
I want to be part of the group that has, over the years, cleverly marketing bonanza-ed its way to elevating the Globes from an unimportant, featherweight contest to an industry benchmar kthat apparently holds the keys to Oscar gold.
Yes, maybe it doesn’t have nearly all the sheen and prestige of the Academy Awards, but it sure is far more fun - especially with its history of left-field inclusions, shocking omissions and a freeflow of booze to keep the acceptance speeches interesting.
Hey, you certainly don’t get any more surprising than awarding best actress gold to Madonna for "Evita" over Frances McDormand for "Fargo" or Debbie Reynolds for "Mother" back in 1996. Or lauding Renee Zellweger for "Nurse Betty" in 2000 instead of Juliette Binoche for "Chocolat", Brenda Blethyn for "Saving Grace" or even Sandra Bullock for "Miss Congeniality".
Unlike the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences behind the Oscars, the HFPA doesn’t care what you think. So even in a year with no obvious front-runners, the 2008 Golden Globe nomination list turned out a canny mix of the predictable (Meryl Streep nominated for Doubt) and the unexpected (hello, Tom Cruise).
And, true to form, startling bombshells were thrown in for good measure. We didn’t want everyone to think we’d gone all soft. So as a self-appointed voting member of the HFPA, here are the top surprises - both good and bad - from this year’s pickings.
Surprise #1: Gutsy Picks
Big love for the nuanced and overlooked performance of "Vicky Cristina Barcelona’s" Rebecca Hall, as well as "Tropic Thunder’s" scurrilously hilarious Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr - all in supporting roles in the Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy categories. Critics have scoffed at Cruise’s nomination for his unrecognisable cameo as a farce, but one cannot deny the bravery of putting Mr Unpopular up there with the best of them.
Also most happy that James Franco is getting some love for the stoner comedy "Pineapple Express" for what has got to be the best slacker performance since Brad Pitt in "True Romance".
Surprise #2: Wherefore Art Thou, Dark Knight?
How is it remotely possible that "The Dark Knight" not get a nomination for Best Motion Picture - Drama or a Best Director nod for the brilliant Christopher Nolan? Yes, Heath Ledger got a deserving posthumous nod, but it’s still daylight robbery for "The Dark Knight", we say.
Surprise #3: Someone Actually Watched In Bruges
After being scarred by his atrociously bad acting in a slew of even worse movies, Colin Farrell, in our books, was pretty much written off as a pretty boy without talent. But "In Bruges" was surprisingly funny and surprisingly dark — and Farrell was both.
The wickedly clever black comedic thriller opened last year’s Sundance Film Festival, and then did no box-office business whatsoever. Terribly refreshing to see a low-budget Brit flick get nods for both Farrell and co-star Brendan Gleeson, as well as for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy.
Surprise #4: The Missing Popular Clique
Of course Angie and Brad are both there for "Changeling" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", respectively (although questionably so), but where in the world are Cate Blanchett, Will Smith and Clint Eastwood? We’re all for the underdogs but with their stellar turns for "Benjamin Button", "Seven Pounds" and "Gran Torino", let’s give credit where credit’s due.
Surprise #5: No Milk
It’s the omission of one of the most important films of the year: "Milk". So much for Hollywood being opposed to Proposition 8. The egregious error of ignoring a film of "Milk’s" importance, especially in today’s context, is astonishing.
With neither of its supporting actors James Franco or Josh Brolin duly recognised, its glaring absence in the Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Director categories is double the travesty. Gus Van Sant’s sensitive tour de force is undeniably one of the year’s top films but unfortunately only has Sean Penn’s obligatory but worthy Best Actor nomination (and dare we say win) to show for it.
The 66th Golden Globe Awards will be telecast live on January 12, 8am on MediaCorp TV Channel 5 and Star World (StarHub Ch 18). - TODAY/rs
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