Super Bowl Update

Why, hello Blog! It's now 2012. I haven't posted at all yet in the new year. Today will change that, as MLK Day has been dedicated as a writing day, so all the odds and ends of posts will finally make it to "Published" status. There is much to talk about, but we will start at the most recent and work backwards and then jump forwards. I have always been a fan of non-linear stories.

So the Globes! Usually a fun awards show uniting our Hollywood favorites from TV and the silver screen. The last two years with host Ricky Gervais their was a heightened sense from the audience that any sort of nasty or offensive joke could be hurled their way, which put the room on edge despite all the alcohol they were consuming. This year's telecast just didn't have much sparkle for me. Jesse Tyler Ferguson photo-bombing Eric Stonestreets's nomination Wile E. Coyote-style with the word card, summed up my experience with the Globes. Lots of expected winners. A couple of frustrating headscratchers (Kelsey Grammer over Bryan Cranston???). But having just watched 10 hours of Downton Abbey this weekend, I was primed for more drama or intrigue than was actually on hand. At least Gervais, Madonna and Angelina speaking in British accents was a comfort. But Gervais didn't really bring that much to it this year. I wanted him to go for the jugular, have the audience nervous. I wanted the winners to be more over-emotional in their speeches. It just didn't happen. I think also part of the problem was that I just haven't seen many of the nominated movies this year. In 2010 and 2011, I had somewhat organically seen almost all of the nominated films from the previous year, but this time it feels like the only one I've seen is The Artist. There aren't a lot of giant crowd pleasers in the mix.  Still even if the awards were a little sleepy, and the movies not well-known there were some highlights.

Christopher Plummer Wins Best Supporting Actor! How can one vote against Captain Von Trapp? One cannot. One should not. I love him. I have not yet seen Beginners, but it makes me happy that he is getting recognition for the role. Dude has been working in the industry for 7 decades. I hope he takes home the Oscar next month.


George Clooney rules all. Clooney should host next year. Everyone loves him. If George Clooney told a joke at your expense in front of your peers and for millions of people watching at home worldwide with that trademark twinkle in his eye, you would first say "Clooney knows my name!" and then, "Thank you, sir. I'd like another!" Between his joshing of Brad Pitt by taking to the stage with his cane, trying to convince David Fincher to hand Meryl Streep her forgotten reading glasses, and giving a tip of his hat to Michael Fassbender's endowment during his own Best Actor acceptance speech - I'm telling you Golden Globes, Clooney is your man.

Madonna wins? I am confused as to how "Life's A Happy Song" from The Muppets was snubbed in the Best Song category. I'm expecting the Academy to correct this mistake. Instead Madonna won, and I guess she said something about something (I vaguely recall her saying she was too busy being a writer-director-producer-British Person to POSSIBLY write a song for the movie... until she did!) but the part I liked best was when she was talking and someone dashed across the back of the stage in full view of the stage. Sadly, they were not streaking, and the moment of intrigue quickly faded.

Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy harmonize for the nominees. These two singing a little ditty to the Best Supporting Actress nominees was cute and attention-grabbing and graciously in-tune. Well-played.

Presenters Behaving Badly. It was certainly better banter than we got from Rob Lowe and Julianne Moore when their prompter broke and they had to read a print-out verson. And THEN they didn't even have the good manners to stand still while the creators of Downton Abbey gave their acceptance speech for Best TV Miniseries/Movie. They kept making faces at someone in the front of the audience until someone must have told them they could be seen in the wideshot and then they (sorta) behaved.

Amy Poehler, Robbed Again. Look, I don't watch that HBO show with Laura Dern. I'm sure she's fantastic. I like Laura Dern just fine. But Parks and Rec is the funniest thing on TV. And Amy deserves to win for it. Do right by her next year, Emmys. For serious. SAG Awards? Aren't you coming up soon? Take the lead, here.


Wins for The Artist mean that cute-ums dog can take the stage! If I've only really seen one nominated film this year, I'm glad it's The Artist because I think that's a fun and fantastic film. A win for Score seemed inevitable. A win in Best Actor was a little less expected since Jean Dujardin says practically nothing the whole film and you'd think the "talkie" films might have an edge. But the win for best Comedy/Musical meant the whole gang got to go up on stage and that meant the little dog too. Uggie is the best, and certainly an important element of the film so I'm glad they let him join in the on-stage celebration.

So that's basically it. I would also say that the order the awards were given out this year felt especially disorganized. No wonder stars sometimes leave for the bathroom during their category, it's almost impossible to follow along as they jump between movies and tv, supporting actors and lead actors, you barely have any idea what's left to hand out once you're two hours in. But in case you are interested in seeing the full list of winners, here they are in reverse order of how they won. It wasn't the Best of Globes, nor the Worst of Globes. But Jessica Lange DID win for her supporting work in American Horror Story, so we can all walk away happy.

Best Picture (Drama): The Descendants
Best Actor in a Movie (Drama): George Clooney, The Descendants
Best Picture (Comedy or Musical): The Artist
Best Actress in a Movie (Drama): Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Best Actor in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Jean Dujardin, The Artist
Best TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Modern Family
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Hugo
Best Supporting Actress in a Movie: Octavia Spencer, The Help
Best Actor in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Matt LeBlanc, Episodes
Best Actress in a TV Series (Drama): Claire Danes, Homeland
Best Foreign Language Movie: A Separation (Iran)
Best Supporting Actress - TV Series, Miniseries, TV Movie: Jessica Lange, American Horror Story
Best Screenplay: Midnight in Paris, Woody Allen
Best Animated Movie: The Adventures of Tintin
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series, Miniseries, or TV Movie: Peter Dinklage, Game of Thrones
Best Actress in a Movie (Comedy or Musical): Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn
Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Idris Elba, Luther
Best Original Song: “Masterpiece,” W.E.
Best Original Score: Ludovic Bource, The Artist
Best TV Series (Drama): Homeland
Best Actor in a TV Series (Drama): Kelsey Grammer, Boss
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie: Kate Winslet, Mildred Pierce
Best Miniseries or TV Movie: Downton Abbey
Best Actress in a TV Series (Comedy or Musical): Laura Dern, Enlightened
Best Supporting Actor in a Movie: Christopher Plummer, Beginners