Wednesday, January 17, 2001
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Wednesday, January 17, 2001 |
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year's Golden Globe Awards are almost too close to call By MICHAEL
BOYLAN The Golden Globe Awards will be aired this Sunday at 8 p.m. on NBC. This is where members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association give out awards, which more often than not serve as early indicators for which way Oscar will lean. The nominees for Best Drama are "Erin Brockovich," "Billy Elliot," "Gladiator," "Sunshine," "Traffic" and "Wonder Boys." "Billy Elliot" had a lot of buzz a few months ago, but people have long forgotten the story of the British boy who loves ballet. The same goes for "Wonder Boys," which hit screens last February and was never re-released nationwide as promised. "Traffic" has garnered a lot of other awards from critics but may be a bit of a downer, as is "Sunshine," the story of several generations of a Jewish family in Hungary during the first part of the 20th century. It is a toss-up between "Erin Brockovich" and "Gladiator," and whichever film wins will generate a major push to the Academy Awards. Both films are excellent, but "Gladiator" should take the prize. It had excellent performances from Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, great special effects and felt like an classic epic film. "Brockovich" was well acted and directed, but felt reminiscent of "A Civil Action." That's the problem with true stories; sometimes the truth repeats itself. The nominees for Best Comedy are "Almost Famous," "Best of Show," "Chicken Run," "Chocolat" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou." "Best of Show" was an almost entirely improvised film about dog shows and was a favorite among critics, while "Chocolat" is an artsy type film about a chocolate shop that stirs passions in a small town in France. It was admired by some and panned by others. Neither film will win. Nor will "Chicken Run," a claymation film popular among children and their parents from the summer. The contest is between the Coen Brothers' "O Brother" and Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical film, "Almost Famous." The winner should be "Almost Famous." Though "O Brother Where Art Thou" is beautifully filmed and acted, it does not take the audience anywhere. The film begins with a promise of a wild adventure but ends without any of the characters or audience members changed. "Almost Famous" is entirely different. William, the cub reporter for Rolling Stone, grows up before our eyes and is a symbol for how everyone in that era grew up seemingly way too fast. The film is about a lot of things and audiences leave the theater feeling affected. The nominees in Best Actor - Drama are Javier Barden, "Before Night Falls"; Russell Crowe, "Gladiator"; Michael Douglas, "Wonder Boys"; Tom Hanks, "Cast Away"; and Geoffery Rush, "Quills." The winner, running away, is Hanks. He is the heart of "Cast Away" and keeps the film engaging. Crowe could be a dark horse, but Hanks is an awards show favorite. For Best Actor - Comedy, the nominees are Jim Carrey, "The Grinch"; George Clooney, "O Brother Where Art Thou"; John Cusack, "High Fidelity"; Mel Gibson, "What Women Want." The winner is Jim Carrey by a landslide. He is to "The Grinch" what Hanks is to "Cast Away" and is as funny as ever. Besides, he makes the best acceptance speeches. The nominees for Best Actress - Drama are Joan Allen, "The Contender"; Bjork, "Dancer In The Dark"; Ellen Burstyn, "Requiem For A Dream"; Laura Linney, "You Can Count On Me"; and Julia Roberts, "Erin Brockovich." The winner will be Roberts. It would be nice for Burstyn to be recognized for an illustrious career or for Linney to nab an Oscar as an underdog, but Roberts finally earns her medal as an actress as the tough talking Brockovich, and deservedly so. The nominees for Best Actress-Comedy are Juliette Binoche, "Chocolat"; Brenda Blethyn, "Saving Grace"; Sandra Bullock, "Miss Congeniality"; Tracey Ullman, "Small Time Crooks" and Renee Zellweger, "Nurse Betty." The winner should be Zellweger who was the life in nearly every scene of the film, but Ullmam was fantastic as the coarse New Yorker who yearns to be cultured. Other winners should be Steven Soderbergh for director, whether for "Traffic" or "Erin Brockovich," and Cameron Crowe for Best Screenplay for "Almost Famous." The Best TV-Drama should be "The West Wing" and the Best TV-Comedy should be "Malcolm in The Middle." These may or may not be the winners, but if the buzz on the streets and from other critics' awards is correct, this is where the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is probably leaning. However, Pia Izadora once won a Golden Globe, award and who can even remember why? |
