Over at his OscarWatch column, Dave Karger recently asked a question that has been bothering me for some time regarding this year’s awards race.
Namely, how the hell are the Golden Globes going to fill out the ballot in the Comedy/Musical races?
Best Actress looks solid enough. So far, we have two clear-cut frontrunners — Sally Hawkins and Anne Hathaway — in the Actress category, though I wonder if they will wind up placing Hathaway in the drama field, where I think she belongs. Meryl Streep will inevitably get cited for “Mamma Mia!” and I feel confident that Emma Thompson will grab a deserved nomination for “Last Chance Harvey.”
Karger thinks Sarah Jessica Parker could round out the list, though I might look at Beyonce Knowles in “Cadillac Records” (much as the thought of her playing Etta James upsets me) or Rachel Weisz in “The Brothers Bloom” as alternative filler nominees. (The Globes don’t mind elevating supporting roles when there’s a paucity of contenders, though Weisz is a legitimate lead, in my opinion.)
It’s the Best Actor category that’s really problematic. From what I can see, Dustin Hoffman has this in the bag for his endearing autumnal turn in “Last Chance Harvey” — not just because it’s a lovely performance, but because I can barely think of any competition for him. With the news that Josh Brolin has (rightly, I think) been denied comedic classification for “W.,” Karger thinks the other nominees might pan out like so:
I’d also make the case for Paul Rudd, who anchors the current hit Role Models with his signature deadpan delivery, and Ghost Town‘s Ricky Gervais, who was brilliant in a sophisticated comedy that nobody saw. The HFPA could go the more obvious route with Get Smart‘s Steve Carell or Hancock‘s Will Smith, but here’s hoping they’ll think out of the box and recognize another understated humorist: Michael Cera from Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist. We can dream, right?
Doesn’t sound like a very formidable race, does it? Of course, Karger misses one contender who I think could conceivably give Hoffman some trouble — Robert Downey Jr. in “Iron Man.” It’s sufficiently tongue-in-cheek to qualify as a comic performance, and everybody loves the man this year. His overtly comic work in “Tropic Thunder” (not eligible for the lead category, apparently) will help here too.
Who else? Javier Bardem in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” perhaps, but is he a lead? The Globes occasionally look to the arthouse to fill out this category — could that mean a nod for Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Synecdoche, New York” or Colin Farrell in “In Bruges?” Ben Kingsley in “The Wackness?” Anyone from “Burn After Reading?” Could “Cadillac Records”‘ Adrien Brody slip in under the Globe-friendly banner of “musician-biopics-masquerading-as-actual-musicals?” (Sure, he doesn’t sing; but strictly speaking, neither did Marion Cotillard last year.) I’m grasping here.
Weirdly enough, the Best Picture category is the hardest to determine of all, with no clear frontrunners in sight. “Happy-Go-Lucky” may be the year’s best-reviewed comedy (of sorts), but the Globes usually like a bit more razzle-dazzle in this category. They used to be partial to rewarding animated films here, which would bode well for “WALL-E,” but now they have their own animation category, it seems less likely.
I suppose most of the films I mentioned in the acting categories could grab a nomination here, but none of them feel like winners to me. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” may be the exception there, but is it too slight? However it turns out, this looks like one of those years where this category is unlikely to dent the Oscar race.
Slim pickings, indeed. There must be names I’m forgetting… who are they? Help me out here, readers.
Comments
30 responses to “Looking for comedy in the awards world”
How about Frances McDormand in “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day” and Jason Segel in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”
As much as I dislike the film: they could go completely crazy and nominate Will Smith for “Hancock”, if they give it to Downey Jr. for “Iron Man”. Sam Rockwell might also just be a random pick for “Choke”, even though the film sucks.
Apart from that the acting in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” was just as good as the film itself (which means: not good at all), they might still nominate Jason Segel. And Zac Efron (HSM3) could be a surprise nominee… just kidding.
I hope they’ll nominate James Franco for “Pineapple Express” though, because technically speaking you could call it a lead performance. And Rebecca Hall deserves to be nominated for VCB.
I think Jim Carrey will get a nomination for Yes Man. He tends to get nominated at the Globes a lot and from what I heard he knocks it out of the park in this movie.
Male:
Josh Brolin
Dustin Hoffman
Jim Carrey – for Yes Man (GG love him)
Richard Jenkins?
Javier Bardem
Female:
Sally Hawkins
Emma Thompson
Meryl Streep
Rebecca Hall
Sarah Jessica Parker
Anne Hathaway ? Drama?
Besy Comedy/Musical:
Mamma Mia!
Tropic Thunder
Last Chance Harvey
Happy-Go-Lucky
W.
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Really, I could make 10 slots for each Comedy/Musical category. I don’t think it will be difficult to find slots, at all.
John: According to Karger, “W.” has been denied comedic placement by the HFPA.
Are you mentioning Jenkins for “The Visitor?” A drama through and through, surely.
I was considering Rebecca Hall — I’m not sure if the HFPA would call her a lead or not.
I’m thinking that Hathaway will be drama. It’s not really a comedy at all, and I’m not sure why the HPFA would place it in that category. Then again, there was Pride and Prejudice . . .
I know that I’m adding the drama categories, but I might as well do preliminaries, right?
Best Picture, Drama (they could go the 2007 route this year):
Australia (winner)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Milk
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor, Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Synecdoche, New York
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler (winner)
Best Actress, Drama
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling (winner)
Kristin Scott-Thomas, I’ve Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Best Picture, Comedy/Musical (they may also go the 6-nominee route here):
Burn after Reading
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Hamlet 2
In Bruges
Pineapple Express
Tropic Thunder (winner…no, really)
Best Actor, Comedy/Musical (this and actress are gonna be the random nominees that don’t make the Oscar cut):
Jim Carrey, Yes Man
Robert Downey, Jr., Iron Man (winner)
Seth Rogen, Pineapple Express
Will Smith, Hancock
Ben Stiller, Tropic Thunder (think this might slip in)
Best Actress, Musical/Comedy:
….okay, fine, not sure about this one, except Hawkins for Happy-Go-Lucky.
Best Supporting Actor
Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder
James Franco, Pineapple Express (yep, said it)
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight (winner, no dip)
John Malkovich, Changeling
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road
Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Rosemarie DeWitt, Rachel Getting Married (winner)
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Michelle Williams, Synecdoche, New York
And that’s it.
Hopefully the HFPA will remember “In Bruges” and give it a couple of noms (particularly to Brendan Gleeson).
I’m also thinking that they’ll nominate Tina Fey for “Baby Mamma,” not a great movie, but she is having a great year.
Joel, you are forgetting “Doubt”, “Mamma Mia!”, and “Sex and the City” they’ll get nominated in their respective categories and will get noms for Meryl Streep (2), Sarah Jessica Parker, and possibly Cynthia Nixon (the best performance in the entire movie)
Robert De Niro for What Just Happened?
Everyone’s talking about it being a weak year, how desperate it is to figure out certain slots, and they went on and on about this last year, as well (oh, what a weak year).
I think there are a wealth of good, great, or superb comedies and drama thus far this year. I’m looking forward to more; and of course, next year, as well. ;-)
What about Elizabeth Banks in ZACK AND MIRI MAKE A PORNO? Quite a delightful, layered performance…
Mamma Mia! might just get something. I left it out for no reason. I had no musicals in my list, so replace that with Hamlet 2.
Sex and the City won’t get nominated. I simply don’t see it happening.
Doubt’s gotten some bad reviews. It’ll hurt the movie.
I would love James Franco to get a nod for his work in Pineapple Express. He was phenomenal in that.
Mamma Mia will probably get nominations for Best Picture M/C and Best Actress M/C purely because it’s a musical (a bare genre this year) and it’s Meryl Streep. The only other musicals this year with any profile whatsoever have been “High School Musical 3” and “Repo! The Genetic Opera”, which I think we can safely assume will not be getting nominated.
I think “In Bruges” will pop up. It’s an international film and they like that, right? Sarah jessica Parker will surely be nommed. They adore her and even if they snub the film I can’t see them ditching her. And, yeah, Tina Fey could be nommed for “Baby Mama” as sort of a “thanks for 2008” thing. And if they’re feeling bubbly there’s always “27 Dresses”.
But I still hold out hope that they will bestow a nomination to Anna Faris for “The House Bunny”. That girl needs props.
I can see Vicky Cristina Barcelona having a couple of nominations -Hall, Johansson (they love her), Cruz, Picture, Screenplay- and a shot at winning Best Comedy. After all they embraced Match Point three years ago…
Since Joel brought up his Golden Globe drama predictions, I’ll mention that we shouldn’t rule out Nicole Kidman for “Australia”. The HFPA loves her — they even nominated her for “Birth”!
I wouldn’t call Wall-E a comedy, I was closer to crying at many moments. But absolutely any nomination for it is welcome. Besides that movies that get nominated for golden globes comedy/musical award have the least chance of getting best picture nomination at Oscars.
Steve Coogan will be nominated for Hamlet 2.
Golden Globes Predictions:
Best Actor (Comedy/Musical):
Steve Coogan – Hamlet 2*
James Franco – Pineapple Express
Dustin Hoffman – Last Chance Harvey
Ricky Gervais – Ghost Town
Seth Rogen – Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Best Actress (Comedy/Musical):
Elizabeth Banks – Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Tina Fey – Baby Mama
Anne Hathaway – Rachel Getting Married
Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go Lucky*
Meryl Streep – Mama Mia
is Slumdog Millionaire being considered a drama or comedy/musical here? which way they will go?
“The HFPA loves her — they even nominated her for “Birthâ€!”
As well they should have. “Birth” is the best performance of Kidman’s career.
If Vicky Cristina Barcelona gets a few GG noms Bardem will certainly get one. They love him.
I believe since the Globes added an animated feature category, the films there are no longer eligible for the drama or comedy/musical categories (unlike at the oscars) so Wall-E is out. For comedy/musical picture I think Mamma Mia! is pretty much a lock for a nom, and actually wouldn’t be shocked if HSM3 gets in since it is a hit and has better reviews than some recent musical nominees like The Producers, Phantom of the Opera, and Across the Universe.
Well Guy, I know Richard Jenkins in The Visitor is a dramatic performance, but if Lost in Traslation won in Comedy… Why not him?
There’s still the rumor that Jenkins will go for Comedy for being nominated and even won, because the Dramatic category is full.
My predictions:
Picture. Drama:
*The Reader (WINNER)
*The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
*Revolutionary Road
*Milk
*The Dark Knight
*Australia
Alt: Doubt
Surprise: Rachel Getting Married -I don’t know why, but I think this is a Drama, unleast for HFFA…
Actor. Drama:
*Sean Penn, Milk (WINNER)
*Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of B. B.
*Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
*Frank Langhella, Frost/Nixon
*Hugh Jackman, Australia -Australia will be a hit unleast at HFFA.
Alt: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler-I think he’s the classic acclaimed performance that was snubbed at HFFA.
Surprise: Michael Fassbenger, Hunger
Actress. Drama:
*Kate Winslet, The Reader / Revolutionary Road: This is the Oscar’s to lose for Winslet. But I think her Hanna Schmidtz goes to lead category and is better that a suffering wife.
*Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married: The IT Girl of this year.
*Meryl Streep, Doubt: HFFA loves her! But we need another reviews…
*Angelina Jolie, Changeling: HFFA loves her too!
*Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button: Like Streep and Jolie
*Nicole Kidman, Australia: HFFA loves the epic films.
Alt: Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved you So Long: Her film is too small and too subte for GG.
Surprise: Kate Beckinsale, Nothing But the Truth: If the film has good luck is possible.
Picture. Comedy or Musical:
*Slumdog Millionaire (WINNER) -BUT maybe it goes to Drama
*W -Charlie Wilson’s war type
*Mamma Mia!
*Cadillac Records
*Sex & the city: The Film
Alt: Happy-Go-Lucky
Surprise: HSM 3 -YIKES!!
Actor. Comedy or Musical:
*Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance, Harvey: If the cateogry is weak, he’s tha clean way for victory
*Richard Jenkins, The Visitor: Only if they chance for category, he’s the strong Hoffman’s contender.
*Josh Brolin, W: This year’s Charlie Wilson’s war.
*Adrien Brody, Cadillac Records: Because he’s in a Musical movie
*Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man: He’s the MAN of the year!
Alt: Brad Pitt, Burn After Reading: The funniest guy of the film
Surprise: Jim Carrey, Yes Man: HFFA loves him!
Actress. Comedy or Musical:
*Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky: She’s the frontrunner of that category
*MEryl Streep, Mamma Mia!: Between this and Doubt…
*Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex & the City: If they nominated her for “the Family Stone”…
*Beyonce Knowles, Cadillac Records: She’s a star after all…
*Rachel Weisz, The Brothers Bloom: Her reviews are fabulous and nomination a la MAria Bello
Alt: Tina Fey, Baby Mamma: She’s a great year and HFFA loves TV actors in film projects
Surprise: Anna Faris, The House Bunny: I’m sorry but I don’t buy her “nomination” easily
“Doubt’s gotten some bad reviews. It’ll hurt the movie”
Maybe, I’m wrong Joel, but I remember Doubt only received one bad review and that was for variety, in other critics raved generally the film and especially Streep and Davis’s performances. Maybe I’m wrong and I didn’t know other bad reviews
I find it funny that people who have commented on this still put W. and Josh Brolin on the comedy side when it says in the article that they were denied comedy status. Also Slumdog Millionaire is going drama.
“The HFPA loves her — they even nominated her for “Birthâ€!â€
Should I be ashamed that Birth was my favourite film of 2004? I’ll second the assertion that this film contained the best performance of Nicole Kidman’s career, as well as featuring beautiful scoring and cinematography.
In my defense, I never meant to imply that Nicole Kidman’s GG nomination for “Birth” was undeserved. I agree that it is one of her best performances. What I meant is that the HFPA nominated her for that film, even though she got very little other awards mentions for it. Thus, even if Nicole Kidman has little or no Oscar buzz for “Australia”, we shouldn’t count out the Golden Globes, since they always like to recognize her.
Does that make more sense?
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