Fool’s Gold
Words by Liam Horgan
The Golden Globes have always been hit and miss. At times vapid and inconsistent they serve as a reminder of Hollywood favouritism and elitism. Still in other years the Globes set a trend for the Academy Awards, often giving a boost to campaigns and sometimes guaranteeing their success. But this isn’t other years. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, last year's cinema release schedule was majorly shook up. Films which would otherwise have dominated the awards conversation were delayed, while smaller productions got their chance to shine via VOD and smaller cinema releases. Thus the Golden Globes are the first major film awards to reflect the turbulent year. With the Academy Awards this year pushed back to April, all eyes were on the Globes to set the tone for this year's awards season. So as I sat down to watch the nominees be announced I wondered, what films would they pick? What shows would be chosen? In a year where entertainment has been so key for escapism during weeks of lock-down, what would be picked to represent a year of home entertainment. The first nomination? Netflix’s Emily in Paris.
I flipped the table.
It’s been a tough year for Wes Anderson fans.
After finding a new, sturdier table, I built back up the courage to continue watching the nominations. Despite a shaky start, the nominees were looking okay. Three women were nominated for best director (Chloe Zhao, Regina King and Emerald Fennell) an improvement from last year's male dominated category. Then Kate Hudson was nominated for Music. I once again flipped the table. Things were not looking good.
Though Music has yet to be released, it currently sits on a measly 29% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film, conceived and directed by musician Sia has come under fire for it’s story line, which features Sia favourite Maddie Ziegler as a non-verbal girl with autism. Sia’s response on social media, was both insulting and demeaning.
I was now down two tables and Christin Milioti had been overlooked for her wonderful performance in Palm Springs. I thought it more prudent to watch the awards from the safety of my couch. It was a good thing I did.
Cristin Milioti in Palm Springs.
After nominating the much maligned Music the Globes had clearly decided to incite chaos. The bizarre nominations soon came thick and fast. Kate Hudson’s nomination had opened the floodgates and there was no stopping the ensuing mayhem. Ratched, a show nobody asked for was nominated for Best TV Drama. Michaela Coel’s emotional and personal, I May Destroy You didn’t get a single nomination. Coel’s project stunned critics and audiences upon release yet clearly the Globes felt Ryan Murphy’s visually gorgeous but empty drama had more to say.
Speaking of Ryan Murphy, let's talk about the nominations for Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical. James Corden, yes the carpool karaoke guy, was nominated for his performance of an openly gay Broadway star in Prom. Corden’s performance was less Heath Ledger, in Brokeback Mountain, and more a walking stereotype. Corden’s nomination is ironic given his refusal to apologise for the use of a homophobic slur during the Gavin and Stacey Christmas Special. If the Hollywood Foreign Press wanted to nominate a bad stereotypical performance in a bad comedy film, Jamie Dornan’s perplexed Irishman, in Wild Mountain Thyme, was right there. Next to Corden on the perplexing scale is Lin Manuel Miranda’s nomination for Hamilton. Sure there’s no rule stating recorded plays can’t be nominated, but a nomination for a 2015 stage performance which had already won numerous awards is bizarre. Maybe I’ll win an IFTA for my marvelous performance as Puss In Boots for my third class Christmas play after all?
Really the signs were there from the beginning. The Hollywood Foreign Press caused controversy last December for announcing that Lee Isaac Chung’s moving family drama Minari would only be eligible for Best Foreign Language film. Minari focuses on a Korean family as they move to Arkansas to start a new life. The Globes claim their rules state a film must be predominantly in English (Minari is partly in Korean), yet that didn’t stop them nominating Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, a film in which only thirty percent of dialogue is in English. Despite this, the Globes had a chance to really show their worth. Instead they decided to cement their place as a dumpster fire of an awards show. This year the tokenism is evident, the pandering to the elite over acclaimed works clear. The Globes aren’t about actual talent, they're about maintaining the status quo. It’s time the Globes had a reckoning, a new beginning.
Steven Yeun and Alan Kim in the emotional Minari.
Parasite winning Best Picture proved last year that there's an appetite for different, unique stories. As a whole 2020 showed that audiences worldwide are looking for engaging, well crafted stories. The Globes shutting out such tales, only signifies how stale they have become. Diversification isn’t a hard thing to get right but it can be slow. However if the Academy can do it, then so can the Hollywood Foreign Press. In a year that has not been kind to humanity, a little understanding goes a long way. Thankfully there is a silver lining, with the Oscars being pushed back to April, the Globes should have little to no effect on it. Here’s hoping the Academy will reward those that truly deserve it. Still, it would have been nice to have the Globes reflect the actual entertainment that got us through a tough year. That said award shows don’t reflect quality or reality. If they did, leading the nominations would be the only piece of entertainment which single-handedly united the world, Gal Gadot’s Imagine video.
