Hey folks, Harry here with a rundown of the Golden Globes and my opinion on all the Film winners - HERCULES?!?!?! If you're out there, add your comments to the TV side of this when you get a chance...
Motion pictures
Drama: "The Hours."
The Hollywood Foreign Press had their heads so far up their asses in giving the award to THE HOURS - which has not one classic moment, not one memorable hang with you all your days scene. THE HOURS is one of those films, like A BEAUTIFUL MIND that will disappear from the minds of all in 3 months time. You won't rent it, buy it or even discuss it, save for those discussions in history where you say, "What the fuck were they thinking?"
Director: Martin Scorsese, "Gangs of New York."
WRONG! Scorsese's GANGS OF NEW YORK is a jumbled mess with visions of genius interrupted with vast mediocrity. You know, people talk about this being Scorsese's DREAM project, but like so many DREAM projects it really doesn't live. In fact, this is Scorsese's HOOK. Giving him the award out of honoring his career is the WRONG ROUTE TO GO! Hell give him a DeMille award if you want to honor his career. But give Director to Rob Marshall or Alexander Payne or Spike Jonze or Peter Jackson. All four have made films this year that tower over the muddled mess that was GANGS OF NEW YORK. The only deserving aspect of that film was Daniel Day Lewis - and I dare say - that given Lewis' career work to date, that had less to do with Scorsese and more to do with his own particular breed of mad genius.
Actor, Drama: Jack Nicholson, "About Schmidt."
Jack is just the king of cool. I mean, did you see the way he was making his moves on Nicole Kidman up there? A master. I would actually LOVE for the two of them to get married and have children. If nothing else... just because if Beatty could wind up with Annette Bening, why can't Jack get Nicole? Ya know, it makes sense... It really does. Jack's performance in ABOUT SCHMIDT was the best male performance of 2002.
Actress, Drama: Nicole Kidman, "The Hours."
My utter apathy for THE HOURS leaves me cold about this one. I just don't give two shakes about that film. I love Nicole though, but I would have picked just about any other actress and film before this one.
Musical or Comedy: "Chicago."
Absolutely Just! Now, if only Bill Condon had won or Queen Latifah. Then the night would have been complete. Alas. This film really is just fantastic. Everything it wins is completely justified and wonderful!
Actor, Musical or Comedy: Richard Gere, "Chicago."
A great year for Richard Gere. I mean, perhaps his best all around career year. Was very disappointed that I didn't get to hear about the Dali Lama or Tibet. I mean, he did thank just about everyone else in existence except that nurse at that hospital that everyone knows someone that knows her. Oh well, maybe at the Oscars.
Actress, Musical or Comedy: Renee Zellweger, "Chicago."
Well, wasn't that 35 minute acceptance speech just the cutest little thing you ever did see? And I love how her accent is getting heavier and heavier - just adorable. Makes me blush just thinking about it.
Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, "Adaptation."
Cooper was great in ADAPTATION - and I love that the film was being honored, but I really wanted to see John C Reilly on the stage... However, seeing him left in the audience brought back haunting echoes of Mr Cellophane Man... Cast him as Ben Grimm please!
Supporting Actress: Meryl Streep, "Adaptation."
Gosh, Meryl with an award... what a novel concept. Hehehe... This is a nice nod, though I'd of flipped if Kathy Bates had gotten the call.
Foreign Language Film: "Talk to Her," Spain.
Watching Almodovar get the call was delightful... however as much as I love TALK TO HER, I would have prefered nods to CITY OF GOD or the real best foreign film of 2002 - SYMPATHY FOR MR VENGEANCE!!!
Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, "About Schmidt."
This was the toughest category of the night, and I was really surprised and delighted to see Payne and Taylor get the call. I was really really really pulling for Donald and Charlie Kaufman to accept their award... rarely have I seen two screenwriters more breathlessly hone material so brilliantly.
Score: Elliot Goldenthal, "Frida."
Eliot's music for FRIDA is absolutely lush and wonderful. I just find it sad that Shore wasn't even nominated - especially when his year was made up of not only TWO TOWERS, but PANIC ROOM and SPIDER... both of which were superior compositions. Of course, as much as I love the FRIDA score... John Williams' amazing jazzy Johnny Williams work for CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will be my most played score of 2002 I believe.
Original Song: U2, "The Hands That Built America" from "Gangs of New York."
This is one of those AWARD courting songs - Personally - I feel that GOLLUM'S SONG is vastly superior in terms of serving the mood and feel of the film, and in terms of being atmospheric and adding to tone of the film... it is just the best song - however - since Madonna didn't win for that sewer she sang with Bond... I suppose I'm not too angsty about it.
I'd comment on the below - but I don't know if any are justified or highly criminal cuz I let Hercules The Strong watch all the television - if he wishes to comment, then I welcome his comments:
Television
I think I’m on record with regard to how completely lame and awful I think the Hollywood Foreign Press Society is. America, are you aware that these are the same folks who honored Pia Zadora for “Butterfly”? Can you name one person who votes for these idiotic awards? I think not. America only knows or cares that Jack Nicholson and Robin Williams will show up for the big Globes TV show.
I had already decided to just ignore all award shows this year, including the far more important Emmys, because it’s become increasingly obvious that I have no desire to publicize these problematic kudofests. I am not on the same page as these award people (save maybe the American critics and the AFI folks).
But my dear and very famous friend Harry Knowles, of whom we are all so fond, publicly pleads for comment. Go to him, he calls you, you can't refuse. So let Herc just sneak over here onto the movie side of AICN for a minute:
But my dear and very famous friend Harry Knowles, of whom we are all so fond, publicly pleads for comment. Go to him, he calls you, you can't refuse. So let Herc just sneak over here onto the movie side of AICN for a minute:
Drama Series: "The Shield," FX.
“The Shield” is an exceedingly smart and entertaining enterprise, but my five nominees this year would have been “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “24,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Firefly,” and “The West Wing.” And “Buffy” would have won.
Actor, Drama: Michael Chiklis, "The Shield," FX.
Chiklis’ character is of course the reason to watch “The Shield” but I would have gone with Keifer Sutherland in “24.” But Chiklis definitely makes the top five alongside Bradley Whitford (“The West Wing”), Neal McDonough(“Boomtown”), and James Gandolfini (“The Sopranos”).
Actress, Drama: Edie Falco, "The Sopranos," HBO.
It should have gone to the amazing Sarah Michelle Gellar for “Buffy.” Runners-up: Jennifer Garner for “Alias,” Jolene Blalock for "Enterprise" and Sarah Clarke for “24.”
Musical or Comedy Series: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO.
I would have gone with “Gilmore Girls,” followed by “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” “South Park,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” “Undeclared” and “The Tick.”
Actor, Musical or Comedy Series: Tony Shalhoub, "Monk," USA.
Tony Shalhoub equals hugely talented, but I would have gone with Trey Parker (Cartman on “South Park”), followed by Larry David (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Bernie Mac ("The Bernie Mac Show"), Patrick Warburton (“The Tick”) and Seth Rogan (“Undeclared”).
Actress, Musical or Comedy Series: Jennifer Aniston, "Friends," NBC.
Aniston is a very funny young woman, but I would have given it to Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”), with the runners-up including Aniston, then Lisa Kudrow (“Friedns”), then Monica Keena (“Undeclared”), then Liz Vassey (“The Tick”).
Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries or Movie Made for Television: Donald Sutherland, "Path to War," HBO.
I didn’t see “Paths of War,” but it’s hard to believe Sutherland was better than James Marsters in “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” My runners-up include Victor Garber and Bradley Cooper in “Alias,” Nicholas Brendon in “Buffy,” John Amos in “The West Wing,” or Alex Denisof in “Angel.”
Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries or Movie Made for Television: Kim Cattrall, "Sex and the City," HBO.
That dried-out over-emoting “Porky’s” refugee wouldn’t make my top million. Far, far more deserving is Alyson Hannigan for “Buffy.” Runners up include Emma Caulfield for “Buffy,” Alexis Bledel for “Gilmore Girls,” and Mary Louise Parker and Stockard Channing for “West Wing.”
Miniseries or Movie Made for Television: "The Gathering Storm," HBO.
Actor, Miniseries or Movie Made for Television: Albert Finney, "The Gathering Storm," HBO.
Actress, Miniseries or Movie Made for Television: Uma Thurman, "Hysterical Blindness," HBO.
Life is too short for TV movies, even those produced by HBO. But again, I’d first go with what the Emmy people like.
