And The Winner Is…Who?
The Golden Globe Snooze-Fest Report
As predicted earlier, these award shows are nothing more than ego-stroking events for Hollywood insiders. Many believe the Golden Globes set up the big winners for the Oscars. If that’s the case, get ready for a sea of awards going to people and movies with limited release status. Of course these award shows also force feed the movie-goer-ticket-buyer with flicks Hollywood thinks the public should see.
Now, I’m the first to say some limited release movies do deserve a broader release. However, there are really two forms of limited release movies. The first are ones Hollywood simply want to bury. In many cases they’re good movies, but they don’t fit the Hollywood mold. The second category of limited release flicks is made up of movies that Hollywood wants to force on the viewing public.
Unknowns Sweep Golden Globes
Slumdog Millionaire cleaned up at the Globes winning for Best Drama, Best Director, Best Soundtrack and Best Screenplay. The movie is about a kid from the slums of Mumbai who appears on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. It’s also full of a mostly unknown cast members and an unusual storyline. Slumdog came from behind, beating Oscar favorites such as Frost/Nixon, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Doubt. Those flicks were completely shut out at the Golden Globes.
Another notable unknown to win a Globe was Woody Allen’s film Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Then from the not-surprising-category of winners, WALL-E was named Best Animated Film. While I liked WALL-E and it of course shows off the brilliant animated talented people at Pixar, this, in my opinion, was not the strongest animated flick of the year. But, with the global warming/humans are fat slobs polluting the earth agenda, it comes as no surprise that the Hollywood insiders tapped the robot movie as Best Animated flick of the year.
Then there’s Kate Winslet walking away with two Golden Globes. While Winslet is not an unknown, the movies she won the awards for certainly are. Winslet won Best Supporting Actress for The Reader and Best Actess in a Drama for Revolutionary Road. Truth be known, the only bright spot in the Golden Globes revolves around the fact that Heath Ledger was named Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Dark Knight. But alas, having to recognize Ledger and The Dark Knight has got to be killing the Hollywood insiders! Ledger’s performance was incredible, and worthy of numerous awards. But, reality is, The Dark Knight is the polar opposite of most movies recognized by the insiders.
Do you agree with me on this? Do you agree that many of the award shows are simply ego-stroking events for Hollywood insiders? Here’s the list of winners at the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards. How many of these movies did you see? How many of these movies did you even hear about before the awards?
2009 Golden Globe Award Winners
-
Best Movie – Slumdog Millionaire
-
Best Movie, Musical or Comedy – Vicky Cristina Barcelona
-
Best Director – Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
-
Best Actress, Drama – Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
-
Best Actor, Drama – Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler
-
Best Actress, Musical or Comedy – Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
-
Best Actor, Musical or Comedy – Colin Farrell, In Bruges
-
Best Supporting Actress – Kate Winslet, The Reader
-
Best Supporting Actor – Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
-
Best Screenplay – Slumdog Millionaire
-
Best Animated Film – WALL-E
-
Best Foreign Language Film – Waltz With Bashir
-
Original Score – Slumdog Millionaire
There’s the list. What do you think? Do you agree with what I’m saying here? Also, did you see any of the movies on that list?
Leave me a comment and let me know!
Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus
Dr. Rus has 30+ years experience in the field of communication. He takes this experience, and his passion to encourage others to positively effect their environment, when providing insight and movie reviews. 
Great post! I couldn’t agree more. Truth be told, I did a double take when I heard which movie heard the big awards because I’d never heard of the movie. Award shows, except maybe the CMAs and ACMs aren’t really my thing, anyway. Thanks for the report–it’ll help me know which movies NOT to plan to see!
Yep, I agree. I stopped watching award shows quite a few years ago when these ego-stroking insiders decided their acceptance speeches would be a good time to engage in politics/political hate speech. That completely ruined award shows for me. Since then, I haven’t seen a single one.
I have only seen 2 of those movies (Wall-E and The Dark Knight) and of the others, I’ve only heard of Vickie Cristina Barcelona. I don’t know what it’s about, but I remember seeing a brief ad for it on tv somewhere.
I think award shows are silly. Ego stroking without a doubt.
As for the movies that I have seen/heard of…I have seen The Dark Knight and Wall-E, and have only heard of The Wrestler though know nothing about it.
Are blockbuster movies that are mainstream looked down upon? Are they too simple to win an award?
Justin Kendrick
Thanks for the review!
I only saw part of the awards ceremony. I’m into the whole red carpet & seeing celebs thing so that was fun.
Personally, I like to see the BEST movies rewarded for their efforts. If they are mega-blockbusters then that’s great. If they are small, “off-Hollywood” releases then I like that better since I’m a promoter of indie films.
I saw none of those but Wall-e. I have heard a little about some, seen some previews of some, but none interested me. I do believe Hollywood is totally out of touch with the real world, and the Golden Globes are just further evidence of that. Yes, spoiled actor, ego-stroking is the way I see the GG as well. Which is why I don’t watch the awards shows.