Golden Globes 2022: The Age of Netflix
Well here we are again
Isaac: It's been about 8 months since we wrote about the Golden Globes, which seems like way too short of a break. Especially with the scandal-ridden HFPA in charge of these awards. Last year's (8 months ago is not last year?) Globes were entrenched in mind-boggling, horrid decision making within the HFPA with bribes and an inexcusable lack- I'm sorry not "lack," but completely nonexistent diversity within the ranks of the selection committee. However, now they have effectively promised to make a change for the better! Yay! While these nominations do reflect a more diverse selection, it's really only been 8 months (have I said that yet?) since this proclamation for change, which is hardly enough time to build back much trust from the general public. Also worth mentioning is that NBC has refused to air the production until substantial results of improvement are seen; threats of boycotting loom large, so we'll wait and see. Hopefully, the end result is a broader representation of the diverse world of filmmaking that audiences deserve!
Hopster: Let me get this straight -- the Globes announced their nominations today (for an awards show that isn't going to be televised) on the same day that the Critics Choice Awards nominations (which moved into the Globes' TV slot) were also announced? So basically, the Globes are being petty that they lost their TV slot to the Critics Choice Awards, and now they're conducting industry-in-fighting? As if this whole process isn't petty enough? @HFPA - maybe don't have a slew of ethical concerns and unaddressed calls for diversity and you wouldn't have to sit on the sidelines.
Isaac: But hey, at least they got Snoop to announce the noms. In the meantime, let's chat about this year's noms. Belfast and The Power of the Dog were this years big nom winners with 7 each, and the streaming giant Netflix bagged the most movie nominations with 17! Some of the notable Netflix films lauded are The Power of the Dog, Tick, Tick... Boom!, Don't Look Up, The Lost Daughter, and Passing.
Hopster: Don't mind me jumping in and spewing my half-baked takes to these nominations; I am most definitely going to overreact now, discreetly walk back all my opinions at a later date, and pretend nobody notices. Please proceed as if I'm not here if you prefer.
Isaac: People don't forget our shitty opinions though, and I'll be sure to hold you accountable for whatever you're about to say! You can't just gatecrash my write-up and claim immunity from your reckless buffoonery. Regardless, here is a summary of the nominees for only the film-related categories:
Best Motion Picture - Drama
- Belfast
- CODA
- Dune
- King Richard
- The Power of the Dog
Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Cyrano
- Don't Look Up
- Licorice Pizza
- Tick, Tick... Boom!
- West Side Story
Hopster: Does anyone actually like how these categories are split up? In most years, this distinction is completely irrelevant -- a majority of great movies fit into both buckets, so what's the use in this categorization? Does this give musicals and comedies a little extra shine so they aren't completely overlooked like they are at the Oscars? Idk. This is always is just such a mess. But as long as the HFPA identifies and awards an eclectic, diverse spread of filmmaking talent every year, we should be in good shape!! Well, like usual, they got halfway there and then mailed in the rest. To start, Belfast, Dune, The Power of the Dog, and Licorice Pizza are all be obvious (& correct) choices; CODA is a nice surprise and West Side Story is nice -- though not a surprise. But after that, I'm not sold. King Richard was good, but are we sure it should grab a spot ahead of The Tragedy of Macbeth? Tick, Tick... Boom! is helmed by Lin-Manuel Miranda himself, but are we sure it's better than his other project from earlier this year (In the Heights)? Cyrano has an incredibly high ceiling for success, but then again, so does Guillermo del Toro's highly anticipated crime-thriller (Nightmare Alley). And Don't Look Up -- well, it boasts a big cast and was created by one of our most creative auteurs working today (Adam McKay); but if that's the criteria, why is The French Dispatch being completeley overlooked then (from the mind of the one and only Wes Anderson, alongside a cast with at least a dozen A-listers)?? Time will tell if these were ten of the best and most important films from 2021 -- but I seriously doubt it.
Best Motion Picture - Foreign Language
- Compartment No. 6
- Drive My Car
- The Hand of God
- A Hero
- Parallel Mothers
Hopster: I am too much of an American scumbag to keep up with and actively seek out more than a handful of international films in a given year (shameful, I agree), but even I know that Titane and The Worst Person in the World not being here is a pretty bad whiff.
Isaac: Yeah Titane not being here is kind of wild. I'll admit I've heard fantastic things about all of the above films, aside from Compartment No. 6, which I will now furiously Google. Some of my favorite films in recent memory have been International feature films and I love checking these out! Quick plug again for Titane, seriously what the hell.
Best Motion Picture - Animated
- Encanto
- Flee
- Luca
- My Sunny Maad
- Raya and the Last Dragon
Isaac: Where's The Mitchell's vs. the Machines???? What was one of the best and most creatively animated films of 2021 is nowhere to be found let alone not in this category?? I am, however, quite happy for the Raya and the Last Dragon nod as you know my appreciation. Aside from those two, I'd say Flee is on the top of my "need to see" movies. Its genre-blend of documentary and animated feature is something to behold, and I can't wait to check it out.
Best Director - Motion Picture
- Kenneth Branagh | (Belfast)
- Jane Campion | (The Power of the Dog)
- Maggie Gyllenhaal | (The Lost Daughter)
- Steven Spielberg | (West Side Story)
- Denis Villeneuve | (Dune)
Hopster: Life can be unpredictable at times, but collectively snubbing Guillermo del Toro, Joel Coen, and Paul Thomas Anderson seems like a huge fucking mistake to me.
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
- Paul Thomas Anderson | (Licorice Pizza)
- Kenneth Branagh | (Belfast)
- Jane Campion | (The Power of the Dog)
- Adam McKay | (Don't Look Up)
- Aaron Sorkin | (Being the Ricardos)
Hopster: This is the Golden Globes trying so hard not to be the Golden Globes; but, try as they may, they're forever trapped in being the Golden Globes. The Globes stay Globin'.
Isaac: Remember in Office Space when Jennifer Aniston's character gets in trouble for not having enough pieces of flair on her uniform? Well, the Globes have 0 flair. They might have negative flair. Of all the screenplays out there and this is the lineup they pick? How unflair of them.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
- Jessica Chastain | (The Eyes of Tammy Faye)
- Olivia Colman | (The Lost Daughter)
- Nicole Kidman | (Being the Ricardos)
- Lady Gaga | (House of Gucci)
- Kristen Stewart | (Spencer)
Hopster: On paper, this seems like an awesome category, does it not?! Think about it for a second: Kristen vs. Olivia vs. Gaga -- what an incredible awards circuit. I haven't seen many of these performances yet, but I can assure you that will change.
Isaac: Ugh Kristen, YES!! Also very excited for Jessica Chastain to wrack up some accolades because she has been solid for a long and great career and doesn't get as much of the recognition as she deserves.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
- Mahershala Ali | (Swan Song)
- Javier Bardem | (Being the Ricardos)
- Benedict Cumberbatch | (The Power of the Dog)
- Will Smith | (King Richard)
- Denzel Washington | (The Tragedy of Macbeth)
Isaac: Apple TV+ what are you doin? We've got 2 entries in this list for movies that aren't even released yet, both by Apple TV+ Swan Song and The Tragedy of Macbeth. We lamented about this issue last year and of course Christmas to post-Christmas is the sweet spot for awards hopeful releases -- but how am I supposed to appreciate this list?
Hopster: This might be Will Smith's moment though, remember? That being said, I don't like betting against anyone else on this list. If this is Smith's year, it will be well-earned.
Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Marion Cotillard | (Annette)
- Alana Haim | (Licorice Pizza)
- Jennifer Lawrence | (Don't Look Up)
- Emma Stone | (Cruella)
- Rachel Zegler | (West Side Story)
Hopster: This is a golden opportunity and a highly winnable spot for Alana Haim. Let's hope.
Isaac: But Rachel Zegler tho
Best Performance by Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
- Leonardo DiCaprio | (Don't Look Up)
- Peter Dinklage | (Cyrano)
- Andrew Garfield | (Tick, Tick ... Boom!)
- Cooper Hoffman | (Licorice Pizza)
- Anthony Ramos | (In the Heights)
Hopster: An interesting assortment of talent from a bizarre collection of films.
Isaac: At least In the Heights got on the board!
Hopster: So true! Definitely happy for Anthony Ramos!
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
- Caitríona Balfe | (Belfast)
- Ariana DeBose | (West Side Story)
- Kirsten Dunst | (The Power of the Dog)
- Aunjanue Ellis | (King Richard)
- Ruth Negga | (Passing)
Hopster: My gut tells me that passing on Rita Moreno for a nom here is already a bad call.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
- Ben Affleck | (The Tender Bar)
- Jamie Dornan | (Belfast)
- Ciarán Hinds | (Belfast)
- Troy Kotsur | (CODA)
- Kodi Smit-McPhee | (The Power of the Dog)
Isaac: Huge shout out to my guy Troy Kotsur!! Loved CODA and love the nomination here. Kotsur is a huge cog in the heart machine of the film and deserves every accolade he wracks up this awards season. Just check out me raving about him.
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
- Alexandre Desplat | (The French Dispatch)
- Germaine Franco | (Encanto)
- Johnny Greenwood | (The Power of the Dog)
- Alberto Iglesias | (Parallel Mothers)
- Hans Zimmer | (Dune)
Hopster: My bet here is that Hans Zimmer runs away with this one. And to be fair, it might be his best work since Interstellar (don't sleep on Dunkirk or Blade Runner 2049 though). Likewise, Alexandre Desplat seems to never stop working and I was especially fond of his work in The French Dispatch. But this should go to Johnny Greenwood. When you compose the score for The Power of the Dog, Spencer, and the theme in Licorice Pizza all in the same year (and the output is phenomenal across the board), it has to be your year.
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
- "Be Alive" | (King Richard)
- "Dos Orugitas" | (Encanto)
- "Down to Joy" | (Belfast)
- "Here I Am" | (Respect)
- "No Time to Die" | (No Time to Die)
Hopster: Having Beyoncé and Billie Eilish compete in this category is just good business.
Isaac: Beyhive rise up
Froth
In the hopefully inevitable scenario in which there's some actual snow on the mountains for ski season, I've been mentally and physically preparing. Not by exercising or anything, but by drinking some well themed brews. Big Sky Brewing provides you with just that with the Powder Hound Winter Ale. Now this is a clean and crisp beverage that has some fantastic hoppy bitterness to it but also a great warming feel afterwards. There's some citrus flavors thrown in too so there's a solid balance and a good piney hint as well.
A light and decent beverage to get you in the mood for the slopes, and being upset at the HFPA. Both very time honored winter traditions!
Powder Hound Big Sky Brewing Company Winter Ale - American | 7.2% ABV @bigskybrewing
