CHRIS PIZZELLO Reuters
The Golden Globes snubbed Gal Gadot and Wonder Woman. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association didn’t see fit to even nominate the movie or its star. It doesn’t bode well for them when Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 23, yet, let’s be clear: while the Globes may factor into the thoughts of many Academy members, it’s not a determining factor. They may indicate probabilities but they aren’t a sure thing when betting on the Oscars.
At last night’s 75th Annual Golden Globes Awards, late-night host Seth Meyers presided over a predictable catharsis of outrage over sexual harassment (we’ll hear more on that on Oscar night) but—to my mind—there was a surprise in the emergence of a front-runner for the Oscars, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The advance buzz surrounding Frances McDormand’s role in the film was favorable—she won for Actress, Motion Picture: Drama—but in addition, Three Billboards chalked up three other prizes: Screenplay (Martin McDonagh); Supporting Actor, Motion Picture (Sam Rockwell); and the all important one for Motion Picture, Drama. This is critical because the Oscars don’t award in separate comedy and drama categories and an Oscar seldom goes to a comedy,
I was thrilled that the trophy for Director, Motion Picture went to the maker of a different film, Guillermo Del Toro, for one of my favorites of 2017, the highly imaginative art house horror The Shape of Water. And I also enjoyed the victory of Lady Bird for top prize in Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy Actress; as well as its star for Actress, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy (Saoirse Ronan). Women are the common theme shared by these three movies and women may well dominate the Oscars this year.
One prize inapplicable to the gender, Actor, Motion Picture, Drama, went to Gary Oldman for his marvelous performance as Churchill in Darkest Hour. He enters the Oscar race with momentum. The Hispanic-themed Coco, Pixar’s entry for 2017, won for Animated Film. One is tempted to read it as a metaphor on immigration—albeit the difficult border crossing it depicts is between the lands of the living and the dead.
On African Americans, last year’s cause celebre, the Golden Globes fell silent.
