Golden Globes: December 2008 Archives

By STEPHEN GALLOWAY

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association's decision to divvy up its Golden Globe nominations among a slew of pictures has made the task of predicting winners at the Jan. 11 event harder.

So where do the leading candidates stand?

Three movies tied for most nominations with five apiece: Paramount's "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," Universal's "Frost/Nixon" and Miramax's "Doubt." That would seem to make "Button" and "Frost/Nixon" the best bets for best picture (drama) ("Doubt" wasn't nominated) and hence the early front-runners for Academy Awards.

In fact, handicapping the Globes race is much more complicated.

Glenn Close, Ricky Gervais and Jake Gyllenhaal are bringing their star power to the Golden Globes.

The three actors are set to serve as presenters at the 66th annual awards ceremony, to be broadcast live on Jan. 11 on NBC.

Jan. 11 will be a big night for Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes -- but for different reasons.

Cruise is nominated for best supporting actor for his comic turn (and, ooh baby, chest hair) in the movie "Tropic Thunder" at the Golden Globes that night. But wife Holmes will be back in New York wrapping the last performance of "All My Sons," the Broadway show she helped make a hit.

Andrew Stanton, director of the animated film "WALL-E," poses with a toy version of the film's robot star today in Beverly Hills. The film received two Golden Globe nominations. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

Hollywood's most famous trash compactor continued his journey from the dump to the Oscars.

The robot star of "WALL-E" will roll the red carpet at the Golden Globes, now that the Disney/Pixar animated film secured nominations for animated feature and original song.

That likely means rubbing elbows -- are those technically elbows? -- with this awards season's hottest celebs, including Brad Pitt, who'd do well to avoid a red-carpet throwdown with the little 'bot, "WALL-E" director Andrew Stanton joked today.

Colin Farrell (right) and Brendan Gleeson in a scene from "In Bruges."

Though "In Bruges" was released in February -- an eternity away from the fall premieres of most awards-seeking films -- the Colin Farrell film emerged as an unlikely contender at the Golden Globes.

"In Bruges" scored three nominations from the Globes this morning, including best picture for a musical or comedy and dueling best actor in a musical or comedy nominations for Farrell and his co-star Brendan Gleeson -- a first for each.

"That was my agent on the phone. He says the Globes screwed us!" Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey on "Grey's Anatomy." (File)

Today's Golden Globes nominations contained few real surprises -- though the "Tropic Thunder" nods reminded us why we like this awards show so much better than the Oscars, who never would have deigned to honor such wacky comedies.

But one message is clear after one look-see at the nominees list: broadcast TV is doomed.

Among the Golden Globe nominees announced today: Bruce Springsteen, Peter Gabriel, Miley Cyrus and Beyonce Knowles are among the music-related nods.

Dude, we got a Golden Globe nod! James Franco (left) and Seth Rogen in "Pineapple Express."

When the casts of "Pineapple Express" and "Tropic Thunder" assembled, they likely weren't dreaming of their awards speeches.

Despite the outlandishness of the two comedies, each was honored this morning when Golden Globes nominations were announced.

Brooke Shields (from left), Rainn Wilson, Elizabeth Banks and Terrence Howard celebrate after they announced nominations for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards this morning in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP)

Here's the list of nominees for the Golden Globe Awards announced this morning in Beverly Hills, Calif. ...

"Is that what you're wearing to the Globes, dear?" Jon Hamm and January Jones in "Mad Men," both nominated. (File)

The HBO psychotherapy series "In Treatment" and the movie dramatization of the 2000 election aftermath "Recount" both earned five Golden Globes nominations this morning.

"In Treatment" was nominated for best television drama, with series star Gabriel Byrne, Melissa George, Dianne Weist and Blair Underwood getting nods for their acting. "Recount" will compete for best TV movie or miniseries, with Kevin Spacey, Tom Wilkinson, Laura Dern and Denis Leary nominated for their acting.

Two very different sides of Meryl Streep received Golden Globes nominations this morning, for "Doubt" (left) and "Mamma Mia!" (File)

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Frost/Nixon" and "Doubt" led the Golden Globes with five nominations each this morning, though the former two had a leg up with best-drama slots.

Other best-drama nominees: "The Reader," "Revolutionary Road" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

Meryl Streep had two nominations, best dramatic actress for "Doubt" and musical or comedy actress for "Mamma Mia!"; and Kate Winslet also had two, best dramatic actress for "Revolutionary Road" and supporting actress for "The Reader."

The late Heath Ledger was saluted for his role in "The Dark Knight" with the announcements of Golden Globe nominees for best supporting performance.

Also named in that category are Tom Cruise and Robert Downey, Jr., both for "Tropic Thunder," Ralph Fiennes in "The Duchess" and Philip Seymour Hoffman in "Doubt."

Clint Eastwood will be competing at the Golden Globes this year ... not for acting or directing, but for best original motion picture score in his film "Changeling."

Other nominees for best score unveiled Thursday include: Alexandre Desplat for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," James Newton Howard for "Defiance," A.R. Rahman for "Slumdog Millionaire" and Hans Zimmer for "Frost/Nixon."

That was the year that was: Jennifer Hudson poses with the award she won for best supporting actress for her work in "Dreamgirls" at the Golden Globe Awards back in January 2007. (AP file)

Hobbled by last year's writers strike -- but safe from this year's possible actors walkout (not so, the Oscars) -- the Golden Globes return to their rightful place this year as the big, fun party of awards season. And tomorrow's nominations are once again the official start to the Oscars race.