The HFPA giveth and, boy, the HFPA taketh away. On the film side this year’s Golden Globes nods were mostly devoid of embarrassing nominations of the “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” or “The Tourist” variety, but the foreign press members still find ways to put their foot in their mouth (we’ll get to why eventually). As for the television nods the HFPA seems to relish pushing new actresses (rarely actors) so much that even in this era of Peak TV they are overlooking performances that are much more deserving than the shiny new object (metaphorically speaking) that popped up in their screener pile. Should the HFPA leadership be slightly concerned about the latter? We certainly think so, but that’s just one subject of debate in our review of the best and worst of the 75th Golden Globe Awards nominations.
Before we jump into it one, additional note. You can analyze the Globe nods in context of the Oscar race for hours on end, but the most important thing to remember is the HFPA are not reflective of the Academy membership whatsoever. The Globes merely act as publicity tool for the studios to hype their contenders and, frankly, make some money at the holiday box office.
Keep all that in mind…
Best: “Shape of Water” gets the love
One of the best films of the year, Guillermo del Toro’s wunderkind fairy tale only found the love from LAFCA (three wins) so far getting snubbed at both the Gotham Awards and the Independent Spirit Awards. Recognition for the film was already beginning to turn around with regional critics groups and year-end top 10 lists from major critics, but a Globe leading seven nominations later and the Searchlight title has a huge publicity boost as it aims to claim the most Oscar nominations for any picture next month.
Worst: Jordan Peele is going to make history and HFPA are on the wrong side of it
It would have been one thing to ignore Peele’s screenplay for “Get Out.” It’s another to snub him from the Best Director category as well. Not only is undeserved, but it’s horrible optics for the HFPA. Peele should get nominated for the Oscar for Best Director. One of the five gentlemen (possible two or three of them) will not. I hope Ridley Scott’s work on “All The Money In The World” is deserved from a filmmaking perspective, but no one is currently considering him as a major player in this category when it comes to Oscar. Were the snubs for Luca Guadagnino and Sean Baker terrible? Yes. Would it have been better served to have Greta Gerwig, Patty Jenkins, Dee Rees or Angelina Jolie in this category as well? Absolutely, but snubbing Peele? Egad.
It’s not a snub to not nominate Peele. People have to start seeing past color. Get Out was an average genre movie (yes with some subtext, but whoop dee doo) at best. Now people actually think he should win Best Director for his first film?!? Something nobody has ever done. Scorsese, Spielberg, Orson freaking Wells! Please. This will all look stupid in 10 years.
Several people have won Best Director for their first film: Sam Mendes, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, James L. Brooks, Delbert Mann.
luca guadagnino deserved more a nomination to best director than Jordan Peele. CMBYN is winning many awards and Luca got snubed. His screeplay too. to be honest I dont care about Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg nominations,..
And if you saw Allison Brie and Rachel Brosahan works you should know that they deserved their nominations too. Actually I think Betty Gilpin deserved more than Allison Brie, but I am happy for her.
Agreed Cirkusfolk. This partisan hysteria based on colour alone has to stop. Not only is ‘Get Out’ an average movie in most departments, it’s not even that well directed! Get some perspective guys. When PTA is snubbed for what is probably the most eloquently directed movie of his career, and Guadagnino is shafted for a sublime piece of work, we are in serious trouble. Let’s hope the Oscars has more sense.