Golden Globes 2018 Film Surprises and Snubs: ‘The Greatest Showman’ Lands 3, But ‘The Big Sick’ Is Shut Out
Fox Searchlight had a lovely Golden Globes nominations morning, notching 15 nominations as Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water” continued its Critics Choice surge with seven nominations, followed by Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” with six. The other expected drama nominations were Fox’s Steven Spielberg journalism valentine “The Post” (six), Sony Pictures Classics gay love story “Call Me By Your Name” (three), and Warner Bros.’ Christopher Nolan war movie “Dunkirk” (three).
Finally, Working Title/Focus Features’ other World War II drama, “Darkest Hour,” seems to be strictly a Gary Oldman Drama Actor play, while Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread” landed nods for Daniel Day-Lewis and Johnny Greenwood for Score. Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” (A24) posted strong results on the Comedy side (four).
The typically idiosyncratic — and senior — Hollywood Foreign Press honored many old friends Monday morning as it did not fail, as usual, to surprise. Obviously, with both Drama and Comedy/Musical categories, there’s room for inclusion.
This year, for the first time in three decades, veteran awards campaigner Harvey Weinstein was taken out of the mix. If anyone was going to come through for “Wind River” and Jeremy Renner, which tried to separate themselves from the beleaguered The Weinstein Co., it was the HFPA. But no dice.
Here’s how today’s Globe contenders factor into the long-term Oscar mix — if the do at all.
Read More:Golden Globes 2018 Film Nominees Led by ‘The Shape of Water’ and ‘The Post’
“All the Money in the World” lands three drama nominations!
Marking a first-ever for a motion picture, Ridley Scott excised scandal-tainted Kevin Spacey in the role of billionaire J. Paul Getty and replaced him, within weeks of the movie’s holiday release date, with his original pick for the role, Christopher Plummer, and screened the work-in-progress just in time for the HFPA’s voting deadline. Sure enough, they responded with three key nominations for director Scott (knocking out “Call Me By Your Name” director Luca Guadagnino), Best Actress Michelle Williams, and Supporting Actor Plummer.
...and so does “The Greatest Showman.”
Also unlikely to be a strong Academy play is Fox’s Christmas extravaganza “The Greatest Showman,” starring Best Musical/Comedy Actor nominee Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, which also landed nominations for Comedy and Best Song (“This Is Me”). Arguably, the movie took away a slot that could have gone to indie fave “The Big Sick” (Amazon/Lionsgate), which landed no nominations.
Netflix nabs three film nods, Amazon is shut out
Globes fave Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father” landed a foreign-language nomination for Netflix, while Mary J. Blige scored Supporting Actress and Best Song (“A Mighty River”) for “Mudbound.” (Noah Baumbach’s “The Meyerowitz Stories” was snubbed.) And the Globes shunned Amazon’s expected comedy contender “The Big Sick” and drama “Wonder Wheel,” with nothing for writer-star Kumail Nanjiani, Holly Hunter, Zoe Kazan or Kate Winslet, respectively. “The Big Sick” screenplay and Hunter, especially, could still score further awards down the line.
Denzel Washington over Jake Gyllenhaal
This was Jake Gyllenhaal’s best chance to follow up his Critics Choice nod (out of seven) for his powerful role as Boston bombing victim in “Stronger.” Instead, the Globes went with Denzel Washington’s over-the-top turn as a conscientious lawyer with his feet stuck in the past in “Roman J. Israel, Esq,” which did not turn up on many prediction charts. Writer-director Dan Gilroy went back into the editing room after earning tough reviews out of Toronto. But Washington is a Golden Globes favorite, having earned eight nominations and two wins (“The Hurricane” and “Glory”) since 1988, plus the 2016 Cecil B. DeMille Award.
This one nomination is unlikely to be repeated elsewhere.
The HFPA loves its dames
Landing Comedy nominations were two beloved British dames who needed a boost: Helen Mirren, as a wife fighting against her husband’s dementia in “The Leisure Seeker” (Sony Pictures Classics), and Judi Dench as a querulous, aging queen in “Victoria & Abdul” (Focus Features). The actresses nabbed their films’ only nominations; Dench is the most likely to advance in the crowded SAG and Oscar Best Actress categories.
Jessica Chastain’s in the game…
With the actress race so competitive, the Globes went with Jessica Chastain as high-stakes poker wrangler Molly Bloom in “Molly’s Game’ (STX), which also scored a Screenplay nod for debuting director Aaron Sorkin.
…Annette Bening is not.
Bening could have used a lift for her superb turn as 50-ish actress Gloria Graham in true story “Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” (SPC). Next stop: SAG.
“Baby Driver” lands a comedy nod
Another surprise was up-and-comer Ansel Elgort landing a Comedy Actor spot for his star turn in Edgar Wright’s actioner “Baby Driver,” which is likely competing for tech recognition at the Oscars. James Franco is expected to easily win this category on his way to SAG and Oscar nominations.
‘Downsizing’ has one nomination: Hong Chau
Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing” landed just one nomination: Vietnamese rising star Hong Chau, who steals the movie from Matt Damon. This nod could give her some awards traction going forward.
The 75th Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Seth Meyers, will take place on Sunday, January 7, 2018 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel for live broadcast on NBC.
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