It won't be the red carpet, not even the possibility of Jimmy Fallon hosting the Academy Awards. There was a time when the Golden Globe Awards would give observers and film enthusiasts some ideas on which films would be nominated for an Oscar a few weeks after the awards night. It got lost when the Screen Actor Guild (SAG) Award was held a month before the Oscars, the BAFTA Film Awards was moved from April to February, and the Academy voters became receptive to foreign films. The recent awards night restored some order.
What would observers and film buffs get from the recent Golden Globe Awards? Here are five:
Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) sent a strong message to the Academy voters. Critics were dismayed when Paul Verhoeven's "Elle" failed to win a prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival. They were surprised that this thriller drama, the French submission to the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, didn't make it to the shortlist of nine films. "Elle" was named Best Foreign Film by the members of the press while Isabelle Huppert received her first Golden Globe Award (for Best Actress). Verhoeven praised Huppert during his acceptance speech while the French veteran actress was emotional upon being honored in America once more. (Audience at the Gotham Independent Awards first witnessed it.) Huppert may not be nominated for a SAG Award, but it didn't lessen her chances of winning an Academy Award next month. Marion Cotillard went through the same path nine years ago. Natalie Portman may be the early favorite (to win this category), but the Academy voters would fancy memorable speeches. And "Elle" might be nominated for Best Picture.
HFPA wanted "La La Land" to win the Best Picture Oscar. There was no surprise about this musical scooping the Golden Globe in Comedy/Musical while Ryan Gosling winning Best Actor (in Comedy/Musical). Meryl Streep and Annette Bening were the top contenders in the Best Actress category, but Emma Stone ended up on the stage (with the Golden Globe). The Oscar nomination would be a certainty, but Academy voters have mixed feelings about musicals. After all, this genre had its best days. A win would mean a revival, but it won't happen anytime soon. It might be a different case in the Best Director category, though.
Hollywood loves Viola Davis at the moment. She's the first black actor to win the Best Actress Emmy (in Drama) while Warner Bros. would let Amanda Waller star in a few more films based on DC Comics. Viola Davis was one of the few good things about "Suicide Squad", and she would add an Academy Award to her resume next month. Starring in her own movie might be next.
The Best Supporting Actor category could be anyone's guess, again. It happened in 2007 when everyone thought that Eddie Murphy would sweep the awards season. Alan Arkin, one of the big stars of the 1960s, had an Oscar during the twilight of his career. The winner of the SAG Awards would confirm it, but one acting category could turn out to be the unexpected surprise during Oscar night. This should be the one.
It's time to guess Casey Affleck's next project. There's no doubt that Ben Affleck's kid brother will win the Best Actor Oscar next month, a role that was first offered to Matt Damon. (Affleck and Damon were good buddies.) Many winners would end up starring in a big-budget production, yet the younger Affleck had been around for some time. Some Hollywood studios may be uncertain if he could be box-office gold (or poison). It seemed remote for Affleck to join the superheroes bandwagon. (He might make a memorable villain, though.) The most likely course would be another small-budget feature, and Affleck getting a chance for his second Oscar. It seemed the best in his case.
Do you agree with the above? If you don't, then tell us.
