Deleted Scenes 12.20.07: The Overlooked List - Golden Globes Edition
Posted by Robert Sullivan on 12.20.2007
When the HFPA is pretending Across the Universe was good, I just have to step in and say otherwise.
Hey everybody, it's Rob again, and yes, this is Deleted Scenes again. And yes, again are we looking at my personal picks for The Overlooked List, the now-annual column of indiscriminate and frankly random date that details performances and whatever else that I feel are being disregarded by our glorious critics' circles/awards-giving bodies of all kinds.
But first, a word.
Or maybe more than one, actually. You see, the wonderful Hollywood Foreign Press Association indeed came back with their nominations for the Golden Globes, and indeed ignored a great many worthy works this year. This is not to be unexpected, as the HFPA and its rich history of questionable nominations (and Pia Zadora worship to boot) can attest.
However, since it's the end of the year and top-whatever lists are all the rage during the holiday season, it's time for a special installment of The Overlooked List.
In short, here are my personal top 5 what-the-fuck nominations from this year's Golden Globes…
5. Pretty much all of the Best Motion Picture – Drama category
Michael Clayton…? Well, I'll get to Michael Clayton later, just watch, I promise.
American Gangster, all right. It wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be, and was missing the certain indescribable je ne sais quoi that the pantheon of genre classics have (such as last year's Best Picture Oscar winner The Departed had), but okay. Nominate it if you want.
Eastern Promises, not that much, but still. Not exactly Best Picture – Drama caliber, but enough goodness to be charitable and say all right. (Other films that have been released have shoved Eastern Promises down my best-of-the-year list, but that's for another column and another day. Moving on.)
Or maybe it's just because of the totally unworthy nominee making the inclusion of Eastern Promises look like a heartbreaking work of staggering genius…
What in the fuck?
Denzel Washington's taste in watches must be absolutely exquisite, that's all I have to say.
4. Cate Blanchett in Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Just because it's got an accent doesn't make it good, HFPA. The movie was aggressively atrocious and she wasn't much better.
No, not much to say there, but damn it…I just hate those token nominations.
3. Michael Clayton love in general (Picture – Drama, Actor…)
Michael Clayton was a very serviceable legal drama. Maybe even a B- if it's lucky. But if we're nominating Michael Clayton for year-end awards, where the Hell was the love for John Grisham's The Rainmaker back in 1997?
Yes, you're SUPPOSED to be laughing at that. That idea's just as silly as thinking Michael Clayton the film or "Michael Clayton" the portrayal was anything near award-worthy.
2. Across the Universe for Best Picture – Comedy/Musical
The experience I went through in sitting through an entire screening of the abysmal Across the Universe is more worthy of entry into the Screenings of My Life series, but I'll cut to the quick and be short here.
This movie should sweep the Goddamned Razzies, that's how bad Across the Universe is.
John Lennon is happy Mark David Chapman shot him, that's how bad Across the Universe is.
Across the Universe is like taking a jaunt through the mind of a Ron Paul voter on crack. That is how insanely bad Across the Universe is.
1. Nothing for Once? Not even "Falling Slowly," nothing?
Seriously?
Across the Universe for Best Comedy/Musical and no Once?
Room for Shakira and no "Falling Slowly" from Once?
Due to the risk of the next eight paragraphs of this column turning into a hate-filled, semi-intelligible rant not seen since the glory days of the Unabomber, let's just move on.
Other thoughts on the Globe nominations, well…
Nothing for Once, as noted above…
Nothing for Zodiac…
Nothing for 3:10 to Yuma…
No nomination for The Cusack in Grace is Gone, but since I am BARELY keeping myself from going and seeing the film by myself (promised a fellow worshipper at the Church of Cusack I wouldn't see it without him), I won't judge anything without having seen it first. Only fair.
I just hope I'm getting my due and proper for writing a column on how the HFPA fucked up their nominations this year and not mentioned this getting a nod, people.
I will give the Globes some credit, though.
…
…
Good job nominating Clint Eastwood's song and score for Grace is Gone in their respective categories. Even you guys can't fuck up everything, HFPA. Congratulations.
Well, tomorrow's the SAG nominations, so it's a new day in the Oscar season. Hopefully my favorite unappreciated trinity of films can get some love there.
