There’s only one week to go until the 81st Golden Globes ceremony! Barbie (9) and Oppenheimer (8) lead the nominations as predicted. It looks like the Barbenheimer trend will dominate awards season but the Golden Globes are only the beginning.
Here are my thoughts about the Golden Globe nominations. There are TV shows nominated too, but I’m only going to focus on the films.
The Barbenheimer phenomenon continues
While Oscar buzz usually doesn’t start until late in the year, Barbie and Oppenheimer burst into cinemas with a splash back in July. It’s unsurprising to see them both land a nomination for Best Motion Picture and lead the nomination pack.
Lily Gladstone makes history
For her performance as Mollie Burkhart in Killers of the Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone is the first Indigenous woman ever to be nominated for Best Actress.
Long live comedy and Jennifer Lawrence
One of the big differences between the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes is that the Globes split some categories along genre lines (Drama and Musical/Comedy). There’s usually at least one accusation of category fraud every year about a drama film competing in the comedy category.
Even though category fraud is still rife, I really do think that the Golden Globes’ appreciation of comedy is a great thing lacking from the Oscars.
Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in No Hard Feelings isn’t on anyone’s prediction list for Best Actress at the Oscars but it’s cool to see her land a nomination for Best Actress – Musical or Comedy.
You can’t actually watch many of these movies
If you live in Australia like me, you can’t actually watch many of the movies nominated for Best Motion Picture yet. This isn’t new – there has always been a weird phenomenon where Australian cinemas hold off releasing Oscar movies until the new year – but it still annoys me.
The Holdovers, a Christmas movie, isn’t coming out in Australia until January 11 despite having an October 27 release date in the United States and Christmas occurring in Australia on December 25.
In fact, out of the twelve movies nominated for Best Picture across the two categories, the average Australian movie goer was only able to view four at the same time as someone in the United States: Air, Barbie, Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon. The other eight are all set to arrive in Australia on a delay. Anatomy of a Fall is the worst offender, releasing in Australia over one hundred days later than in the US.
The Hunger Games sings no more
I’ve seen a lot of chatter online from fans of The Hunger Games that the music from latest installment The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is Oscar-worthy but it’s looking like a very long shot after no nominations at the Golden Globes.
Firstly, none of the songs performed by Rachel Zegler as Lucy Grey Covey are even eligible as the lyrics were taken from the book written by Suzanne Collins as opposed to having been written specifically for the film. This only leaves “Can’t Catch Me Now” by Olivia Rodrigo, which has managed to make the 15-song Oscar shortlist.
Secondly, it’s a crowded year for songs, with all three songs from Barbie – Dua Lipa’s “Dance the Night”, Andrew Wyatt and Mark Ronson’s “I’m Just Ken” and Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” – nominated at the Golden Globes. For me, it’s all about Barbie music this year. It’s just a question of which song will win.
Who came up with Cinematic and Box Office Achievement?
This year, the Golden Globes have introduced a new category for ‘Cinematic and Box Office Achievement’ that’s sure to be a laughing stock.
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One is nominated despite speculation that it didn’t even make a profit.
After criticism that their awards don’t reflect the opinions of the average movie goer, the Oscars previously attempted to introduce an award for ‘Most Popular Film’ but the reaction was so negative that they canned it before they’d even awarded it once.
No nomination for America Ferrara
Despite all the buzz for America Ferrara’s performance as Gloria in Barbie back in July, she hasn’t received a nomination in the Supporting Actress category. Is it because the hype hasn’t lasted or is it a crowded category? Cara Jade Myers also missed out for her performance as Anna May Brown in Killers of the Flower Moon.
Gearing up for a big Best Supporting Actor race
Perhaps the most hotly contested category this year is the Best Supporting Actor race. Who will win – Robert Downey Jr. in Oppenheimer in his big post-MCU return to ‘real’ cinema? The comedic brilliance of Ryan Gosling in Barbie? Charles Melton’s post-Riverdale breakthrough in May December? It’s wild that Robert De Niro’s performance in Killers of the Flower Moon isn’t even really on the radar. There are too many compelling narratives this year and only one winner.
Will Netflix finally get their big win?
It’s no secret Netflix have been vying for a big awards season splash to give their original content a much needed air of prestige.
I’m not convinced they know how to run a campaign at all. This isn’t going to be their year either. They appear to have mis-picked their front runner again, with May December building more momentum than Maestro.
Either way, it looks like they’ve been beaten by Apple TV again with their investment in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.
Past Lives is back in the race
Past Lives was losing momentum as a real contender, but nominations at the Globes for Best Motion Picture and Best Director for Celine Song are a really big endorsement. It’s a massive boost to the movie’s Oscar chances.
The 81st Golden Globes ceremony is due to take place on 7 January 2024.