comment #1

byanyother says ...

It's just been sort of a bland year compared to the last few.

comment #2

Calraigh Bracken says ...

Are you kidding? This year is a banner year in comparison to last year. Apart from There Will Be Blood last year... what is there to say? At least there's actually a ceremony this year.

comment #3

EDouglasCS says ...

I think this is the first year where we may get some surprises.... love it and can't wait to watch the show.

comment #4

byanyother says ...

I didn't much care for Blood when it came out, I will never watch it again probably, but looking back and especially compared to this year, I have to appreciate its grand audacity and boldness. The ending was kind of a drag but the film itself was a big, ballsy move. But there were so many great films last year. This year they are much more subdued. Revolutionary Road, weirdly enough, is one of the few big chances on material among the bunch. They are all mostly safe choices - stage plays that already worked, Slumdog - easy to love, The Dark Knight - an artful genre film (and the best all around, imo). I don't know. It just doesn't feel like new territory compared to the Departed year and last.

EDouglas, I'm not expecting any surprises so we'll see!

comment #5

BurmaShave says ...

Calraigh, are you one of those who sees 3 movies a year? Because otherwise I literally can't get where you're coming from. ONCE, ZODIAC, EASTERN PROMISES, I'M NOT THERE, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, JESSE JAMES, RATATOUILLE, MICHAEL CLAYTON, THE DARJEELING LIMITED, INTO THE WILD, AWAY FROM HER, GONE BABY GONE, THE SAVAGES, BOURNE ULTIMATUM, PERSEPOLIS, THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY... I mean just off the top of my head, to name a few. One of the best movie years in ages.

comment #6

JHR says ...

I agree with BurmaShave; 2007 is one of the best years for movies in recent memory...to his list I would add a few more off the top of my head: 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS...JUNO...BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD...LA VIE EN ROSE...LARS AND THE REAL GIRL...3:10 TO YUMA...

comment #7

hollyman says ...

The Globes are a Sham. the HFPA vote? Come on! They don't mean a thing! Jeff you are smart this year! Enjoy your rest and not having to deal with the BS of the Globes going to the after-parties..

comment #8

MindlessObamaton says ...

F'n LOVED L&TRG. Mad props to that one, JHR.

TWBB is such a monumental leap in PTA's abilities, which were pretty good to begin with. It leaves all filmmakers of his generation in the dust. It is a timeless classic. I've shown the film to both my mom and grandmother, who is 92 and she LOVED the film, but growing up in CA probably had something to do with that. But they both thought it also was a film that could've been made 30, 50 years ago and you's be hard pressed to realize it was made in the modern age. Amazing flick.

comment #9

The Winchester says ...

If the globes have balls, they'll give that award to Franco for best Comedic Actor. Failing to do that, I have no faith in the awards, and will continue to call them the Shasta cola to the Oscar's Coke.

comment #10

George Prager says ...

It's all good except when a huge ensemble cast film/TV show wins and everyone in said ensemble cast along with all of the writers/directors/producers are dragged onstage all at once. You want them to get crushed, have them falling off the stage.

comment #11

jbf81 says ...

Best comedic actor should go to Colin Farrel, In the Bugres was fantastic

comment #12

Ray says ...

@ The Winchester - I think you're giving the Golden Globes too much credit. The Globes are more like a Kool Aid packet in comparison to the Oscar's Dom Perignon.

I'm not even a fan of the Oscars usually ... but the Globes suck.

comment #13

K. Bowen says ...

The bad thing about this awards season is that the year has been on the weak side. The good thing about this awards season is that there are fewer sure things, meaning there's actual suspense. I don't know if there is a clear favorite in any category other than maybe Ledger in Best Supporting Actor. Even then, it wouldn't shock me to see Brolin standing with the trophy in the end.

comment #14

The Winchester says ...

Ray, I second your "Not a fan of the Oscars", and to keep the analogy running, I don't even think the Oscars could be considered Dom Perignon. So how about this:

Globes: Hi-C :: Oscars: Mums.

Remember last year, when the globes were just announced because nobody would show up? Good times.

comment #15

Sabina E says ...

I only want to watch the Globes tonight for 3 reasons:

1) Slumdog Millionaire
2) A.R Rahman
3) Shahrukh Khan, who is rumored to be one of the awards presenters... or so the Times of India claimed anyway.

comment #16

The Winchester says ...

And K. Bowen, I agree this is a weaker year, and the surprise is sort of the fun. A lot of the blogging and analyzing over which movies deserve awards (and Entertainment Weekly's incessant coverage) has taken a lot of the fun and surprise out of the proceedings.

And as good as Brolin and Ledger are, I would love to see Downey pick up the Oscar that night. And I wouldn't be as shocked, either.

comment #17

hollyman says ...

The Globes are a big farce. Just about all the members do not have outlets. Its just one big fan club. They go to junkets and take pictures with the movie stars and eat the food and get screeners during award season. ITS A JOKE!

comment #18

MindlessObamaton says ...

Anne Hathaway has already won the GG for Best Actress!!!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479171,00.html

comment #19

Calraigh Bracken says ...

No Burma, I 'm not one of '' those who only sees 3 movies a year''.

ONCE - I live in Dublin and it 's difficult for me to relate to Glen Hansard as an actor. Over this side of the water he's painted himself as a heartthrob singer-songwriter for 15 years. I'm simultaneously happy and a little embarrassed about the whole production.

ZODIAC- One of the best films I've seen. I loved it. I agree, an exceptional movie.

EASTERN PROMISES- Viggo Mortensen is this film. For the most part, style over substance. Certainly not one for the ages.

I'M NOT THERE- are you kidding?

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN- I enjoyed it, I think Tommy Lee Jones got the short end of the stick, I'm not sure I'll ever watch it again.

JESSE JAMES- Beautiful to look at, but much like Pitt himself, it doesn't add anything to anyone's sensibilities.

RATATOUILLE- I confess, I didn't see it. And probably won't, ever.

MICHAEL CLAYTON- I loved the idea of it more than it's actual execution, Tom Wilkinson stole the show and it was essentially much ado about nothing.

THE DARJEELING LIMITED- Wes Anderson should probably just go away now and never come back.

INTO THE WILD- Loved it. I even loved Kristen Stewart in it.

AWAY FROM HER- Julie Christie could have a horribly disfiguring disease and she'd still be watchable but as much as I admire Sarah Polley's work, I think this film was incredibly overrated.

GONE BABY GONE- I really loved it, it was a solid, well scripted drama and Ryan should have won, but it ain't no masterpiece.

THE SAVAGES- Nope, not in my book. I almost came out of it hating Laura Linney. Almost.

BOURNE ULTIMATUM- I have used this word maybe 4 times- Meh.

PERSEPOLIS-- Amazing and it introduced the world to Marjane Satrapi and the world is better for it.

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY- An incredible film and I've watched it 3 times, gets better with every viewing.

LA VIE EN ROSE was really, a sham.

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD- a very, very average film with a horrendous opening sequence.

LARS AND THE REAL GIRL had a beautiful performance by Gosling but the film itself left me cold.

I hated JUNO with the fire of a thousand suns.

3:10 TO YUMA was the worst thing a Western can be-dull, dull,dull.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS, 2 DAYS is maybe the standout movie of 2008 along with TWBB, for me.
Honestly,I didn't think it was all it was cracked up to be for movies.
However I agree, this year is certainly not hugely better but there are standout movies for me. THE READER, THE HURT LOCKER ( well 2009 now, I suppose) THE DARK KNIGHT, WALL-E, I'VE LOVED YOU SO LONG, DEAN SPANLEY (Peter O'Toole is incredible in it) GOMORRAH, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, DOUBT, IN BRUGES, A FILM WITH ME IN IT (which I admit, nobody has seen) THE WRESTLER.

I'd go on but I won't.

comment #20

Edward Havens says ...

If the HPFA were smart, they'd have Amitabh Bachchan be the person who presents the Slumdog clip. But since I doubt they are that smart, let's hope the Academy is. Announcing Bachchan will be at the Oscars would make the show the biggest thing in India this year, and would go a long way towards fostering good will internationally.