Golden Globe winners (2007) are in

[Eric T. Jones]

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
American Gangster [absolutely NOT]
Atonement [WILL WIN]
Eastern Promises [#3 pick]
The Great Debaters [will not see]
Michael Clayton [no]
No Country for Old Men [#2 pick]
There Will Be Blood [SHOULD WIN]

BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Across The Universe [my underdog pick]
Charlie Wilson's War [no]
Hairspray [SHOULD WIN]
Juno [#3 pick]
Sweeney Todd [no]

BEST DIRECTOR
Tim Burton - Sweeney Todd
Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
Ridley Scott - American Gangter [NO]
Joe Wright - Atonement

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
George Clooney � Michael Clayton [meh]
Daniel Day-Lewis � There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy � Atonement
Viggo Mortensen � Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington � American Gangster [NO]

BEST PEROFRMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
Cate Blanchett � Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie � Away From Her
Jodie Foster � The Brave One
Angelina Jolie � A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley � Atonement

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Johnny Depp � Sweeney Todd [will win... unfortunately]
Ryan Gosling � Lars and the Real Girl [SHOULD WIN]
Tom Hanks � Charlie Wilson's War
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Savages
John C. Reilly - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Amy Adams � Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky � Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter � Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard � La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page � Juno

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck - Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta - Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There [NO]
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Julia Roberts - Charlie Wilson's War
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone [NO]
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton [SHOULD WIN]

BEST SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody - Juno
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Christopher Hampton - Atonement
Ronald Harwood - The Diving Bell & the Butterfly
Aaron Sorkin - Charlie Wilson's War

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bee Movie
Ratatouille [DUH]
The Simpsons Movie

* * *


The seven nominees for Drama is a shocker, and yet they still manage to have a film that looks like it won't matter- "The Great Debaters", which appears to be another sappy, run-of-the-mill inspirational flick. I've seen too many movies this year, and half of them I shouldn't have wasted a trip to the theater for, so this year, I'm in no rush to see all the big awards nominees.

The exclusion of "Once" proves yet again that the Golden Globes are useless (even if they *did* give "Babel" a much-deserved Best Picture last year). Snubbing "The Lookout" and "Into the Wild" are also regrettable decisions.

"American Gangster" shouldn't be nominated for anything. It is by far the most overrated film of the year. There is absolutely nothing special, significant or great about the production, acting, direction, or even story. Just about everything there we've seen before, and by itself, the film really isn't entertaining or fascinating.

The somewhat boring "Michael Clayton" is far from Best Picture material, but at least that film had one good quality- performances. Tom Wilkinson was a very entertaining presence, but Tilda Swinton should take the award (and the Oscar).

Nice to see a surprise nomination for "Eastern Promises". "Atonement" is what everyone predicts will win Best Picture, although "No Country for Old Men" has taken most of the critics' awards so far. "No Country", to my surprise, was nearly as great as everyone has made it out to be.

Paul Thomas Anderson's first return since "Punch-Drunk Love" seems to be a triumphant one. "There Will Be Blood" has taken a surprising number of Best Picture awards from critics' circles. Let's see if it doesn't suck.

It would be terrible to see if "Charlie Wilson's War" pulls a "Lord of War" on us- that is, to deceive us with hilarious trailers only to make us sit through a depressing, preachy drama. I know the film is going to be a comedy/drama already, but hopefully it'll retain both.

It's also nice to see "Gone Baby Gone", "Knocked Up" and "Superbad" NOT being nominated for any top category. What everyone sees in Amy Ryan's performance, I don't know.

"Lust, Caution" is a nice nomination. Have to see "Persepolis" first (I'm surprised it's not in *both* foreign and animated, though).

Finally, "Across the Universe" is my underdog pick. Yes, I know it's #2 on my worst-of-the-year list, but it's a very special atrocity that I hope gets recognized. I will applaud very loudly if I find out it ends up winning.



In short, it's like every awards listing I've seen so far this year- IT SUCKS.

[Eric T. Jones]

Saw "Atonement" today. It's a very well-done and absorbing story, although the kind with a heavy dose of violins.

Unfortunately, it had to put in that ending twist and subsequent manipulative, depressing finale, which is an assurance that the film would win the Best Picture Oscar. It certainly isn't anywhere near my Top 10 list, nor would it have been if it didn't have that ending. Wait for DVD and stop immediately at the cut-to-black where it should have ended.

[Eric T. Jones]

Okay, now I've seen all the Musical/Comedy nominees AND all the Drama nominees (that actually matter, which means no "Great Debaters").

Drama- "There Will Be Blood" should win. It's another knockout from Paul Thomas Anderson, director of such fine films as "Magnolia" and "Punch-Drunk Love". While this one will likely not make my list of favorite films of all time, it's another unique cinematic experience and the ending is quite possibly one of the most sick things I've ever seen for a long time. The end credits and their upbeat, classical music (along with my packed audience's only laughter throughout the whole picture) seem to confirm that this ending was the product of someone's sick sense of humor. My guess is that it's Upton Sinclair's.

Musical/Comedy- "Hairspray" should win, although "Juno" and "Across the Universe" come close.

[Eric T. Jones]

Well, this is *incredibly* depressing, but if it follows the pattern of years' past, the Golden Globes will actually be an indicator of what WON'T win.

Winners are in bold

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
American Gangster
Atonement
Eastern Promises
The Great Debaters
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood

BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Across The Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd

BEST DIRECTOR
Tim Burton - Sweeney Todd
Joel & Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and The Butterfly
Ridley Scott - American Gangster
Joe Wright - Atonement

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy - Atonement
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington - American Gangster

BEST PEROFRMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA
Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her
Jodie Foster - The Brave One
Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley - Atonement

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling - Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks - Charlie Wilson's War
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Savages
John C. Reilly - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Amy Adams - Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray
Helena Bonham Carter - Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page - Juno

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Casey Affleck - Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta - Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Julia Roberts - Charlie Wilson's War
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

BEST SCREENPLAY
Diablo Cody - Juno
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Christopher Hampton - Atonement
Ronald Harwood - The Diving Bell & the Butterfly
Aaron Sorkin - Charlie Wilson's War

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie




...well, at least they actually gave the "Musical/Comedy" award to an actual musical, which is more than I can say about the pseudo-musicals (Dreamgirls, Walk the Line) and the pseudo-comedies (Sideways, Walk the Line) that they've awarded in the past. But, of course, it has to be one of the most depressing musicals ever conceived, "Sweeney Todd", which was 90% singing and did indeed show all of it without making it some stupid montage or stream-of-consciousness bullcrap we've had to deal with for "Dreamgirls"... too bad the vocals had to be so sleep-inducing.

I supported "No Country for Old Men" until I saw "There Will Be Blood", but I'm shocked and appalled that most of my predictions were correct. Daniel Day-Lewis pretty much has Best Actor locked for him, even though the film should win Best Picture.

That's provided, of course, that the Oscars don't end up nominating "Once", "The Lookout", "Lars and the Real Girl"...