In a match made in heaven, Tn2 Film and TV editors Lee Jones and Sorcha Ní Cheallaigh report on the first award show of the season.
It’s been a full 48 hours since the Golden Globes aired live from The Beverly Hilton Hotel. A full 2880 minutes. How many episodes of Bob’s Burgers could you have watched in that time?
The night began with Sorcha and Lee discussing the ins and outs of the ceremony itself. Jimmy Fallon, for starters, was not someone either of us approved of hosting the Globes this year.
Our poor quality live stream of the NBC hosted show allowed us to experience a genuine American viewing experience.
We made some predictions before the show began.
And then the show begins…and half of the films nominated haven’t been released here in Ireland yet.
In a TV shocker, HBO came with 14 nomination and left with absolutely nothing. In film, La La Land emerged top-dog, winning a record seven awards. Now for some “serious” commentary:
LEE JONES ON THE WINNERS IN FILM
Best Film Supporting Actor (Drama)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson – Nocturnal Animals
This was a shocker to start with. Everyone, including myself, thought Mahershala Ali had it in the bag for his stellar performance in Moonlight. In any other year, I think Johnson would have wholeheartedly deserved the Globe. In Nocturnal Animals, directed by the fashion designer-turned-director Tom Ford, Johnson plays a maniac murderer and rapist so it’s fair to say that he has come a long way from the baby faced (and everyone’s first teenage crush, let’s be honest) love interest we know from Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging.
Best Film Score
La La Land
Ok, not going to lie, I was very very disappointed that Arrival didn’t win this one. La La Land swept the board at the Globes – could they not have given this one over to an extraordinary film that lost out in all its nominated categories? (Also perhaps unfair for me to comment as La La Land has not been released in Ireland yet)
Best Original Song
City of Stars, La La Land
This was an obvious one to predict. Hollywood Foreign Press sure do love their musicals.
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama)
Viola Davis – Fences
I thought that Michelle Williams would get the nod for this for her role in Manchester By The Sea. Nevertheless, Viola Davis is an outstanding actress who deserves recognition after four previous nominations.
Best Actor (Comedy/Musical)
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Would have loved to have seen Ryan Reynolds win this one, just because I love Ryan Reynolds and his acceptance speech would have been fantastic. Of course, Ryan Gosling won, and by this stage, my expectations for La La Land are sky high.
Best Screenplay
La La Land
Nocturnal Animals being one of my favourite films of 2016, I was annoyed that it didn’t receive any Globes last night. The script, in particular, was a highlight for me. Also, I would just like to mention that I fail to understand why Hell or High Water is so popular. That movie was generic pulp. Just saying.
Best Animated Film
Zootopia
Delighted to see Zootopia win this. Although I haven’t seen Moana yet, I doubt it could rival the iconic sloth scene in Zootopia. True art.
Best Foreign Language Film
Elle
I personally loved this film but was surprised to see it win overall. If you haven’t seen it yet, I would highly recommend it. Isabelle Huppert stars as a businesswoman who becomes entangled in a horrific game of cat and mouse as she tries to track down the man who raped her.
Best Film Director
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Out of all the categories that La La Land was nominated in, winning this one was arguably the most important. Chazelle is a talented director. His two previous projects Whiplash and 10 Cloverfield Lane are on my top 20 list. On a side note, I would have loved to have caught Mel Gibson’s expression upon hearing the results. One can only imagine the scale of his temper tantrum.
Best Actress in a Film (Comedy/Musical)
Emma Stone
I was conflicted here between Lily Collins in Rules Don’t Apply and Emma Stone in La La Land. By this point in the show, it was fairly obvious who would come out trumps.
Best Film (Comedy/Musical)
La La Land
We were all rooting for Sing Street to take home the gold. It’s a film with a lot of charm and some genuine great tunes to bop along to. Unfortunately, the Irish rock n roll musical couldn’t compete with the jazz sounds and sparkling lights of La La Land.
Best Actor (Drama)
Casey Affleck – Manchester By The Sea
TN2 Review on Manchester By The Sea will be out in our next issue (self-plug) but until I get to see it I can’t offer much of a commentary on Affleck’s win. Mortensen’s performance in Captain Fantastic was intricate and layered and it would have been such a welcome plot twist for him to win this category for a film that otherwise, was grossly overlooked.
Best Actress (Drama)
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
Amy Adams should have won this. That is all. Also Jackie was an atrocious film, Natalie Portman was the only good thing about it. She still didn’t deserve a nomination though. (My review in Tn2 on the way so keep your eyes peeled)
Best Film (Drama)
Moonlight
This final award was a surprise for me. I expected Manchester By The Sea to win. The subject matter of Moonlight definitely has an an advantage over the other films in this final category. It chronicles the life of a young black man growing up in an impoverished neighbourhood in Miami. It’s the sort of film that easily tugs at the heartstrings, and if the Globes’ previous Best Film winners are anything to go by, Moonlight has a solid chance of taking home the golden statue at the Oscars later next month.
SORCHA NI CHEALLAIGH ON THE WINNERS IN TV
Best Television Series (Drama)
The Crown
Anyone who has been involved in the TV team this year knows what I’m about to say. Two words. Stranger Things. Two more words? I’m done. Joel Coussins gave The Crown, Netflix’s most expensive original series today, 4 stars in his Tn2 review. I agree. The Crown is a splendour to watch visually but not near as innovative or captivating as the Duffer brothers’ offbeat nostalgic offering. Tales on the British Royal Family always have and always will be funded and adored by Hollywood. On another note, I await the clean sweep the Golden Globes have planned for Game of Thrones when it ends in 2018.
Best Television Series (Musical or Comedy)
Atlanta
We’ve been raving about this show at Tn2 for the last three months. Everything The Crown lacks, Atlanta has packed to the rim. Contemporary issues, imagination and a 21st-century feel. I recommend every contender in this category. This category is simply an example of how “musical or comedy” is doing the job that drama is consistently failing to do: tackling issues that are actually relevant to today’s society. I love every show in this category. Atlanta, however, is a polished and deserving winner. If you want to be happy, listen to the iconic Atlanta acceptance speech.
Best Television Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Since the Golden Globe nominees were announced I realised I should have paid more attention to The Night Manager and The Dresser. I wanted to watch The Night Manager on BBC. Quickly forgot about it. I remember being excited about Anthony Hopkins in The Dresser. And life moved on. The excitement I had about American Crime Story, however, meant it couldn’t be missed.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Sarah Paulson – The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Thank you to Ryan Murphy and Brad Fulchuk for always for always championing the once relatively unknown Paulson. Her turn as Marcia Clark was filled with pathos and a certain schmaltz that made taking your eyes from her utterly impossible.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
Tom Hiddleston – The Night Manager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4MVQOdrIDQ
“One night… a group of doctors and nurses wanted to say hello… because they had binge-watched The Night Manager.” Thank you, Tom Hiddleston, for giving media outlets something to write about for the next week. I thought Tom Hiddleston had killed someone from the headlines I read in BBC and The Guardian. But instead he just wanted to make a shout out to the Médecins Sans Frontières lads in South Sudan who were so grateful for Hiddleston being so great.
Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series (Drama)
Claire Foy – The Crown
Claire Foy’s performance in Wolf Hall deserved more recognition. So although I am not the biggest The Crown fan, I am a huge Claire Foy fan.
Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series (Drama)
Billy Bob Thornton – Goliath
Online streaming continues its success on the awards circuit with Billy Bob Thornton’s turn in Goliath. Thornton dedicated his award to Goliath production assistant Luke Scott who passed away at the age of twenty three. “At the end of the day, the two entities I have to thank are Luke Scott and Amazon,” said Billy Bob Thornton when talking to the press after his win.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy)
Tracee Ellis Ross – Black-ish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TQkgElWGzQ
The New York Times named Tracee Ellis Ross’ speech “The Most Graceful Thank-You” citing her dedication to “all of the women, women of color and colorful people whose stories, ideas and thoughts are not always considered worthy and valid and important”. Everyone in this category is just ah-maz-ing but Tracee Ellis Ross has our hearts after this speech.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series (Musical or Comedy)
Donald Glover – Atlanta
Donald Glover in a velvet suit giving an inspirational speech that is also hilarious: iconic. Atlanta: iconic. The winners of the “musical or comedy” category have been on fire tonight. As is Donald Glover. *swoons*
Best Performance by an Actress/Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Olivia Colman – The Night Manager
Hugh Laurie – The Night Manager
So apparently, The Night Manager is very good (according to Hollywood Foreign Press). But, if we learnt one thing from the media coverage of The Golden Globes, apparently Tom Hiddleston is not.
In a TV shocker, HBO came with 14 nomination and left with absolutely nothing.
In film, La La Land emerged top-dog, winning a record seven awards.
