NEW YORK — Films such as “Past Lives” by Celine Song, “The Zone of Interest” by Jonathan Glazer, and “Killers of the Flower Moon” by Martin Scorsese have received early honors in Hollywood’s ongoing awards season.
These movies encompass a tender relationship drama, a poignant Holocaust film, and a sprawling epic about Osage’s murders.
The films “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” will clash in a much-anticipated showdown. Despite their contrasting attributes, both movies have emerged as strong contenders for this year’s Oscars.
The recently troubled Golden Globes announced their nominations for the 81st awards, placing significant importance on these two films that have taken the movie industry by storm.
Only Bob Fosse’s
Greta Gerwig’s film “Barbie” received nine remarkable nominations, tying it for the second-highest number in Golden Globe history. Only Bob Fosse’s “Cabaret” has achieved this feat, and Robert Altman’s “Nashville” even surpassed it. “Oppenheimer” came close, earning eight nominations, but it fell slightly behind.
Christopher Nolan’s ambitious biographical film on J. Robert Oppenheimer also garnered eight nominations.
While the Golden Globes will categorize “Barbie” under comedy and “Oppenheimer” under drama, these two films will compete against each other in several significant races. Who will win the Best Director award: Gerwig or Nolan? And who will take home the Best Supporting Actor award:
Ryan Gosling or Robert Downey Jr.?
Nolan, often regarded as one of the most skilled filmmakers of his time, has yet to win the Oscar for directing.His films have also yet to receive the coveted Best Picture award.
Gerwig and “Barbie” symbolize a significant shift toward greater inclusion in the historically male-dominated world of Hollywood. Both films offered something remarkably fresh in an era dominated by sequels and reboots and collectively earned an impressive $2.4 billion.
Academy Awards
The ongoing debates surrounding the Academy Awards will persist until March 10. However, Monday’s Globes indisputably indicated the commencement of phase two: Barbenheimer.
The strong presence of these two films is expected to provide much-needed stability to the Globes, which have been in turmoil in recent years. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, previously known for its eccentric nominations
(who can forget “Salmon Fishing in Yemen”?), has now been disbanded.
This year’s nominees were chosen by a new voting body of approximately 300 members, more than three times the size of the HFPA.
Following reports by The Los Angeles Times highlighting the lack of Black members in the press association, Hollywood initiated a boycott. As a result, the 2022 awards were not broadcast.
Now, the newly for-profit Globes, owned by Dick Clark Productions and Eldridge Industries, have relocated to CBS after being with NBC for several decades. The ceremony is scheduled for January 7th.
Dick Clark Productions
There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the upcoming awards show. No host has been officially announced yet, with reports suggesting various A-list celebrities passing on the opportunity. Although the Golden Globes have faced criticism in the past, the recent nominations did not add fuel to the fire.
The reaction to the nominations was consistent with previous years, with nominees expressing modest joy and the awards show facing light-hearted ridicule due to its somewhat controversial past.
Color Purple
The Golden Globes increased the number of nominees in their categories from five to six. As a result, there were fewer snubs than anticipated.
However, the most unexpected omission during the announcement was “The Color Purple,” a show-stopping musical produced by Blitz Bazawule and Oprah.
Unfortunately, it was not included in the best comedy or musical category. Nonetheless, both Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks received nominations for their performances in the show.
Movies like “The Color Purple” that have not received wide theatrical releases typically face challenges. Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” and Ava DuVernay’s “Origin” were overlooked.
Taylor Swift
In a careful observation of public excitement, the Globes acknowledged Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, Taylor Swift, by introducing a new award category for outstanding achievements in cinema and box office success.
Films were considered for this award if they grossed $150 million, with $100 million coming from the U.S., or achieved significant popularity through streaming platforms.
The inclusion of “Taylor Swift:
Academy Awards
The latest accolade comes after the Awards Academy Awards made a similar attempt in 2018 by introducing a “popular film” category. This endeavor faced swift criticism from academy members, resulting in its abandonment. In recent years, both award shows have experienced a decline in viewership and have tried to include box-office successes in their broadcasts.
The previous year’s Golden Globes garnered only 6.3 million viewers.
However, This year, the Globes and the Oscars have ample blockbusters in contention, so that adjustments might be optional.
With acclaimed films like “Killers of the Flower Moon” (7 nominations), Yorgos Lanthimos’ twisted fantasy “Poor Things” (7 nominations), Awards “Past Lives” (5 nominations), and Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” (3 nominations) entering the fray, there is no clear favorite yet to overshadow “Barbie” or “Oppenheimer.”
Box Office
The path to winning Best Picture at the Oscars may encounter unforeseen challenges despite the current positive outlook. It has been a rare occurrence for a Best Picture winner to surpass $100 million in domestic box office earnings since Ben Affleck’s “Argo” in 2012.
Notable films with high expectations, such as “Top Gun:
Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water,” have faltered in their quest for industry recognition, while smaller, independently produced movies like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “CODA” have emerged as victorious contenders.
Based on Monday’s nominations, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” seem to be the leading contenders this year. Get ready and choose your color palette wisely.