AAN: My thoughts on the Golden Globes nominations w/ Fassy, Loki and Owen

I must admit, I was anticipating a really crap lineup like last year for the Golden Globes. Alas, that was not the case, and I can say I'm more impressed with these nominations than the SAG nominations (which is a surprise). However, as with all awards, there are people snubbed, a few surprises...and how could I possibly sum up my reactions to these nominations? Of course, with Happy Fassy, Lowkey Loki and Overwhelmed Owen, who I introduced you to last night. Alrighty then, let's delve into the second most important nominations to the Oscars:

Best Motion Picture - Drama:

The Descendants
The Help
Hugo
The Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse

Oooh, six nominations. This is different. But we can't say that we didn't expect it. Actually, something that I didn't expect was to see The Help get nominated. Sure, it's shaping up to be a bit of a The King's Speech (in the way that it kinda looks like Oscar-bait, but not as much as that one), but the critical response for the film wasn't that great. Also, I'm surprised to see The Ides of March nominated, since we haven't seen it around much at any of the other awards. However, I expected The Descendants, Hugo, Moneyball and War Horse to show up. Plus, you may say that War Horse is pure Oscar-bait, but I have to disagree. The book is freaking amazing, so it's no wonder that they wanted to share this beautiful story. Oh, and my own war horse-type horse (from this post) got sold, and now she's even further away. So, when I finally get to see this movie, I'll probably be crying throughout the whole thing.
There were a few snubs, though. To be honest, I'm not that surprised that The Tree of Life didn't get nominated. It's the Golden Globes, for heavens sakes. It will get in at the Oscars, though. While I love the movie, I'm not sure why the awards circuit would go for it, but it could happen. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is missing, despite the fact that it is winning itself a lot of fans. J. Edgar is also missing. No, I didn't really think it had much of a chance because of the lukewarm reaction towards it, but it just seems like the type of movie that the HFPA would go for (considering all of the people involved). And again, there's no Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Why has that film been so absent?
There are some good choices here, but they aren't amazing. Therefore, I'm Lowkey Loki about it.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

The Artist
Bridesmaids
50/50
Midnight in Paris
My Week with Marilyn

This is a pretty alright line-up. Well, it's more than alright considering how last year we had an absolute train-wreck of a category. At least every movie on this list has been getting some actual good reviews. The Artist will probably win without a doubt, but won't it be weird to see a movie considered as a comedy win Best Picture? Yeah, I'm still predicting it. I still don't get the love for Bridesmaids, but I guess they had to nominate it. The ever elusive 50/50, which I've heard definitely deserves it's place here, gets a nomination, which is good for the indie section of the awards. Midnight in Paris still has a huge place in my heart, and I imagine it could well give The Artist a good run for it's money (after all, they're both nostalgia hits). I'm just not sure what My Week with Marilyn is doing here, since I imagine that it is more of a drama. Is it because there are a few songs in there? Wow, the criteria is so accepting.
I'm actually happy about this category, even if I don't love Bridesmaids like everyone else. And in comparison with last year, this gets a Happy Fassy from me.

The rest of the nominations after the jump...



Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:

George Clooney - The Descendants
Leonardo DiCaprio - J. Edgar
Michael Fassbender - Shame
Ryan Gosling - The Ides of March
Brad Pitt - Moneyball

Now this is a great category. With the exception of Ryan Gosling. Don't get me wrong, I love the Gos, but he gets two nominations but neither are for Drive? That's weird. And he's sort of come out of nowhere. I would have rather seen Gary Oldman get nominated, but it looks like he'll be sitting this one out yet again. Anyway, this is exactly what I expected. I'm so glad that Michael Fassbender got in here, because that boosts his chance to get the Oscar nomination (and I don't know about you, but he is coming forward as a serious contender to win the award). Leonardo DiCaprio is in, and he is looking like a lock for the rest of awards season. I don't think that this will be his year to win (yet again), though. George Clooney and Brad Pitt are both the obvious choices, and I can see Pitt getting the award. Then again, this award could go any way, which is what I like to see.
Since Fassy is in the category, how can I not give this a Happy Fassy?

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:

Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis - The Help
Rooney Mara - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep - The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton - We Need to Talk About Kevin

This category gets the Happy Fassy purely for the fact that Rooney Mara is nominated for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Now, I haven't seen the film, but apparently she is awesome, and her character does require a lot of work. Let's just hope that she can make it all the way to the Oscars!
Anyway, again we have the 'old-fashioned' problem from the SAG awards, just without Michelle Williams (who is in the musical/comedy section). Still, it is a fine lot. Glenn Close looks like she is gaining more traction with her performance in Albert Nobbs, which I imagine is a good thing (but she isn't a lock yet). I guess we can put Davis, Streep and Swinton in Oscar contention, though. I reckon that Swinton could win this one. Even though my heart is with Rooney Mara, and it will be until the bitter end.
Wow, that was dramatic. And I haven't even seen the bloody film.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Jean Dujardin - The Artist
Brendan Gleeson - The Guard
Joseph Gordon-Levitt - 50/50
Ryan Gosling - Crazy, Stupid, Love
Owen Wilson - Midnight in Paris

I'm actually pretty happy with this category, as the HFPA have been known to screw it up (ahem, Johnny Depp in The Tourist, ahem). Sure, with the exception of Jean Dujardin there is probably no chance of Oscar glory for any of the nominees (though it would be cool if JGL was nominated, but the category is already too packed). These are all cool people, though. The most surprising nomination, for me, is Ryan Gosling for Crazy, Stupid, Love. He is quite good in that movie, but I thought the 'leading actor' focus was more on Steve Carell. Anyway, we all know that the HFPA are just voting for his abs. Because they stole the show.
I knew that Owen Wilson would get nominated purely because Midnight in Paris is all over the comedy part of these awards, even if his work isn't show-stopping (like Corey Stoll, f**k you SAGs). I've heard good things about Brendan Gleeson, and it's good that his relatively small Irish comedy is getting some love. Again, JGL is awesome. If only he could get some love for his amazing work in Hesher (probably one of my most favourite performances of the year), but as long as he is getting some love, I'm fine. I think we can all say that Jean Dujardin will win this award, and go for the Oscar nomination. A Happy Fassy for this section.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Jodie Foster - Carnage
Charlize Theron - Young Adult
Kristen Wiig - Bridesmaids
Michelle Williams - My Week with Marilyn
Kate Winslet - Carnage

Well well well, isn't this a weird category? Not weird in the way that none of these actresses deserve it, but weird in the way that I actually didn't see any of them coming. Why?
Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet - First off, I thought that they were going to campaign the actors in Carnage as supports. If I'm right, they all get the same amount of screen time, and they are all technically supporting each other. So it is weird to see Foster and Winslet in here, especially as I've heard that the only actor who finds consistency with their role is Christoph Waltz. And where is he? It's a surprise to see them here, particularly as Carnage has been curiously missing from the awards circuit (if this is anything to do with Roman Polanski, I will cut someone. He is awesome).
Charlize Theron - While Young Adult looks like a comedy, apparently it plays better as a drama. So I thought that they'd be campaigning her for the drama section. Anyway, apparently she's headed for Oscar, but I don't think that there is enough room for her in that category.
Kristen Wiig - PEOPLE BORN ON AUGUST 22ND REPRESENT! I guess I should be happy that my fellow August 22nd child is nominated, but I still don't get the hype around Bridesmaids. Mind you, Wiig is pretty funny...it is just her character who is really annoying. I guess all the love for Bridesmaids meant she was an instant nomination, but I didn't really see her getting in.
Michelle Williams - Of course I knew that she was going to get a nomination somewhere, but like I said, I didn't know that her movie was classified as a musical/comedy. So it's all very confusing for me.
A very surprising category indeed. But I like all of these actresses, so I guess I could give it the Lowkey Loki.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:

Kenneth Branagh - My Week with Marilyn
Albert Brooks - Drive
Jonah Hill - Moneyball
Viggo Mortensen - A Dangerous Method
Christopher Plummer - Beginners

I must say, this is the weakest category ever. Where are all of the good supporting performances at? I'm sure Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy has plenty of them. Anyway, I can't say I was expecting to see either Hill or Mortensen here. Well, Hill did get a nomination at the SAGs yesterday, but I can't see him being a serious Oscar contender just yet. Mortensen and A Dangerous Method have been largely missing from the awards circuit, so his nomination was not one that I thought would happen. I did think, however, that the HFPA would go for Armie Hammer purely because J. Edgar seemed like their sort of film. But I guess he'll just be left with his SAG nomination (since the category is so weak, he could possibly get into Oscar).
Branagh, Brooks and Plummer were all people that I expected to see. After Brooks' surprise snub yesterday, this was just what he needed to get into Oscar contention. I think he'll get there. Branagh and Plummer are both definite locks, though. But as we all know, Plummer will win. It's hard to see anyone beating him at this point. Just a Lowkey Loki...it's not too bad.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:

Bérénice Bejo - The Artist
Jessica Chastain - The Help
Janet McTeer - Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer - The Help
Shailene Woodley - The Descendants

Wow. No Melissa McCarthy. I genuinely am pretty shocked. I thought she'd be right up the HFPA's alley. Alas, I'm not exactly missing her presence in this category. I think this is pretty much what we're going to see at the Oscars. I wasn't sure about Bejo, but I think that she will get in, especially if Dujardin does too. McTeer is shaping up to be a real contender, and if I'm being honest I think she has a better chance than Close to get an Oscar nomination. Woodley is looking likely, too, mainly because the awards seem to like young actresses like her. I'm glad that Jessica Chastain got nominated, because I can finally put my mind at rest and be safe in thinking that her body of work this year won't work against her. And Spencer is a definite lock. Right now, I think she could win the award.
It's such a shame that Carey Mulligan didn't get nominated (hahahahahaha again with the Shame jokes!), because from what I hear she is brilliant and she should really get more recognition. I think she could definitely take either Bejo or McTeer's place. Considering all of the love she had elsewhere, she still has a huge chance. Vanessa Redgrave is slowly falling out of the race with her work in Coriolanus, which I can't say I'm happy about. This race is all about the snubs - while I love Chastain and Spencer, I'm not entirely happy with this line-up (even though I know it'll be the end result). So let's give it an Overwhelmed Owen.

Best Director - Motion Picture:

Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
George Clooney - The Ides of March
Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Martin Scorsese - Hugo

This is a really strange line-up. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure they all do great work, but I can't say that they were who I was expecting. I was expecting to see Steven Spielberg for War Horse, or Terrence Malick for The Tree of Life (actually, was I expecting that from the HFPA?), or maybe a little David Fincher for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. But no, there's...George Clooney? That's quite odd. Woody Allen is another odd choice, as I didn't think his work would be substantial enough to make it into awards circuits, and he could just enjoy the success with his screenplay. Hazanavicius, Payne and Scorsese were all to be expected, though, and we'll be seeing them Oscar night.
I can't say I was expecting this line-up, but I'm happy with the large majority of it. I think it could be a different story at the Oscars, though.

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: 

Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Alexander Payne, Nat Fixon, Jim Rash - The Descendants
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon - The Ides of March
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Steve Zallian, Aaron Sorkin, Stan Chervin - Moneyball

This is going to make me sound like I'm one of those braindead teenagers who hasn't a clue about movies, but I find it odd that The Artist is getting a lot of love in the screenplay categories. Because, you know, it is a silent film. Not really dialogue heavy. Okay, I'm putting it down to the fact that it has a good story, or whatever. (I'm not really that dumb...I just have trouble understanding the ethics behind this) Anyway, I hope this is Woody Allen's for the taking. But I doubt it will be. There's The Descendants to consider, and the awards seem to like Alexander Payne. There is also Moneyball, which happens to be co-written by Steve Zallian (a.k.a the guy who wrote my second favourite movie ever, Schindler's List) and Aaron Sorkin (a.k.a the guy who wrote my favourite script ever, The Social Network). The Ides of March, to me, is a confusing choice. But the HFPA seem to like Ides a lot, which I don't think will be translated to Oscar.
This just looks like our basic screenplay line-up. Apart from The Ides of March. I obviously haven't seen the film, but I just don't get how it is coming out of nowhere for all of these nominations.

Best Animated Feature:

The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2 
Puss in Boots
Rango

SEE! I just know that Cars 2 will get the Pixar pity vote. It is so unfair! Where the heck is Winnie the Pooh?! That movie was awesome. I think that they were just desperate to fill up five spots, when really there are only three spots that can be filled. For me, it is a race between The Adventures of Tintin and Rango. A while ago I would have said that Tintin would be the clear winner, but it looks like not even Master Spielberg can take down the chameleon that is Rango. That film has been sweeping a lot of the animated awards, mainly because us film-lovers 'get it'. I've heard nothing but mixed reviews for it from the 'normal people'. And when I say mixed, I'm like, the only person who liked it. It's been the same for Tintin, except I haven't seen that one. So I'm just gonna stick with Winnie the Pooh and hope it gets the nomination it deserves. Arthur Christmas, Cars 2 and Puss in Boots seem a little too glossy for me.
For the Winnie the Pooh snub and the Cars 2 inclusion, I will give it the Overwhelmed Owen. It's just so unfair.

Here are the other nominations (even though you already know them) that I don't know that much about thus far to have an opinion on them:

Best Original Song: 

'Lay Your Head Down' - Albert Nobbs
'Hello Hello' - Gnomeo & Juliet
'The Living Proof' - The Help
'The Keeper' - Machine Gun Preacher
'Masterpiece' - W.E.

Best Original Score: 

Ludovic Bource - The Artist
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore - Hugo
John Williams - War Horse
Abel Korzeniowski - W.E.

Best Foreign Language Film:

The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood and Honey
The Kid with a Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Here's the tally of Fassy's, Loki's and Owen's:
4 Happy Fassy's
5 Lowkey Loki's
2 Overwhelmed Owen's

Not bad HFPA, not bad. What do you think of 2012's line-up for the Golden Globes?