The nominations for the Golden Globe Awards were announced yesterday. I think they made some great choices, although does anyone want to explain to me why Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a comedy?

Anyways, if you were a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press, what would you vote for?


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Best Motion Picture - Drama:

The Aviator (2004)
Closer (2004/I)
Finding Neverland (2004)
Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Kinsey (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
The Incredibles (2004)
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Ray (2004/I)
Sideways (2004)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:

Javier Bardem for Mar adentro (2004/I)
Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland (2004)
Leonardo DiCaprio for The Aviator (2004)
Don Cheadle for Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Liam Neeson for Kinsey (2004)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:

Scarlett Johansson for A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004)
Nicole Kidman for Birth (2004)
Imelda Staunton for Vera Drake (2004)
Hilary Swank for Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Uma Thurman for Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Jim Carrey for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Jamie Foxx for Ray (2004/I)
Paul Giamatti for Sideways (2004)
Kevin Kline for De-Lovely (2004)
Kevin Spacey for Beyond the Sea (2004)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:

Annette Bening for Being Julia (2004)
Ashley Judd for De-Lovely (2004)
Emmy Rossum for The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Kate Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Renée Zellweger for Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:

David Carradine for Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
Thomas Haden Church for Sideways (2004)
Jamie Foxx for Collateral (2004)
Morgan Freeman for Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Clive Owen for Closer (2004/I)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture :

Cate Blanchett for The Aviator (2004)
Laura Linney for Kinsey (2004)
Virginia Madsen for Sideways (2004)
Natalie Portman for Closer (2004/I)
Meryl Streep for The Manchurian Candidate (2004)

Best Director - Motion Picture:

Clint Eastwood for Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Marc Forster for Finding Neverland (2004)
Mike Nichols for Closer (2004/I)
Alexander Payne for Sideways (2004)
Martin Scorsese for The Aviator (2004)

I haven't seen a lot of those films- some havent been released in the UK yet, and others I havent got around to seeing (I need to start renting some modern movies! I usually watch old films!)

I have seen Birth- and Nicole Kidman gives a fantastic performance. I've seen Kill Bill, and it's a great film, but I didn't think Uma Thurman's performance was really standout. Phantom of the Opera is an excellent movie too- but I don't think Emmy Rossum will get Best Actress- she isn't the best of actors, but then again acting and singing at the same time must be difficult (and her voice is amazing).

I'd just like to say that I'm VERY happy that Hilary Swank is nominated. Apparently people doubted that she would make a comeback, and now it's already being discussed that she could very well have an Oscar nomination again.

Best Motion Picture - Drama:
Finding Neverland (2004) I just loved that movie. It's not like anything else.

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
The Phantom of the Opera (2004) It hasn't come out yet, but I just know I'm going to love it.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:
Johnny Depp for Finding Neverland (2004) I think he was better in this than in Pirates of the Carribbean.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:
Imelda Staunton for Vera Drake (2004) I'd just love to see Imelda Staunton win an award. Maybe she'll become better known.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
Kevin Spacey for Beyond the Sea (2004) Haven't seen this one yet, but just from the previews he looks spookily like Bobby. And kudos to him for bringing Bobby back in the spotlight.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
Kate Winslet for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) I've been paying close attention to her career ever since Sense and Sensibility, and I think this was one of the best performances she's ever given.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
David Carradine for Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) I don't know anyone that saw the film that didn't rave about him.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture :
Laura Linney for Kinsey (2004) Don't really have a reason for this one. Just like to see Linney win.

Best Director - Motion Picture:
Marc Forster for Finding Neverland (2004) That movie was beautifully directed. Normally the directing award goes hand in hand with the best picture, so that's why I'm voting for this guy :)

Originally posted by webuster
I haven't seen a lot of those films- some havent been released in the UK yet, and others I havent got around to seeing (I need to start renting some modern movies! I usually watch old films!)

I have seen Birth- and Nicole Kidman gives a fantastic performance. I've seen Kill Bill, and it's a great film, but I didn't think Uma Thurman's performance was really standout. Phantom of the Opera is an excellent movie too- but I don't think Emmy Rossum will get Best Actress- she isn't the best of actors, but then again acting and singing at the same time must be difficult (and her voice is amazing).

A lot of them haven't been released here yet either, but I already have my opinions formed on many of them ;)

Has Phantom of the Opera been released in the UK already? I'm jealous. I've been waiting very impatiently for it to open here.

I just want one of the Desperate Housewives to win in the Best Actress in a Comedy.

I'm hoping to see "Beyond the Sea" sometime but for now anything that "Ray" was nominated for gets my vote.

Liza, Phantom of the Opera was released last week in the UK, I saw it the first day, and it was fantastic. I've never seen the stage show, but I can't get the songs out of my head. It was a little long and slow sometimes, but all in all it was fantastic- great sets, songs, and a brilliant story. One problem is the lip-synching- Emmy Rossum's lip synching during the cemetary is really really noticeable.

The Hollywood Foreign Press needs to rewrite its definition for a "Musical." I thought musicals were films like Moulin Rouge and Chicago. Movies like Ray, De-Lovely, and Beyond the Sea, which are biopics about musicians who sing in the films at times, shouldn't qualify as musicals that get grouped with Comedies. Jamie Foxx, Kevin Kline, and Kevin Spacey should have been considered for each of their respective roles in the Drama category. Their nominations cancelled out other worthy comedic performances like Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic.

Originally posted by GeorgeJefferson
The Hollywood Foreign Press needs to rewrite its definition for a "Musical." I thought musicals were films like Moulin Rouge and Chicago. Movies like Ray, De-Lovely, and Beyond the Sea, which are biopics about musicians who sing in the films at times, shouldn't qualify as musicals that get grouped with Comedies. Jamie Foxx, Kevin Kline, and Kevin Spacey should have been considered for each of their respective roles in the Drama category. Their nominations cancelled out other worthy comedic performances like Bill Murray in The Life Aquatic.

They are musicals though. You can have dramatic musicals, and have for years. Funny Girl and Evita were both based on real people. West Side Story and Cabaret were both very dramatic, but nobody denies they're being musicals. Being nominated for musical/comedy isn't any less of a nomination than drama. In fact, many actors believe musicals and comedy are much harder.

I know what you mean about what qualifies as a musical. I don't consider films like 'The Rose' or 'Fame', which are both excellent movies, to be musicals, in the conventional sense, because movies like 'Fame' are about singing schools, where singing and music is expected, whilst in a musical like 'West Side Story' or 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' the characters bursting into song is a different way of the writer allowing the characters to express themselves (so I believe).

De-Lovely uses Cole Porter's songs to tell his life story though don't they, so technically I'd count it as a musical, whilst Beyond the Sea has scenes with Bobby Darin onstage singing, which is different.

Damn, I've got into the whole 'what's a musical?' thing again!

Originally posted by webuster
I know what you mean about what qualifies as a musical. I don't consider films like 'The Rose' or 'Fame', which are both excellent movies, to be musicals, in the conventional sense, because movies like 'Fame' are about singing schools, where singing and music is expected, whilst in a musical like 'West Side Story' or 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' the characters bursting into song is a different way of the writer allowing the characters to express themselves (so I believe).

De-Lovely uses Cole Porter's songs to tell his life story though don't they, so technically I'd count it as a musical, whilst Beyond the Sea has scenes with Bobby Darin onstage singing, which is different.

Damn, I've got into the whole 'what's a musical?' thing again!

I'm only picking at this because we did a semester on film genres and musicals was the one we spent the most time on. By definition, any movie that includes singing is a musical. Normally there would have to be a fair number of songs, Frank Sinatra singing one song in the background wouldn't really count, but that's the general rule. I think Pillow Talk only had three or four songs in it, but that's generally considered a musical.

The setup of musicals can vary. Bob Fosse intentionally made all the songs in Cabaret take place on the stage, so that it would seem more realistic. In All that Jazz all the songs were either on a stage or in a dream sequence. Same thing in Chicago. Then there's films like That Thing You Do, Sister Act, and Sister Act 2 that are in similar positions. They're musicals alright, they're just not what most people think of when they hear that word.

I'm not saying that there can't be dramatic musicals. Moulin Rouge and Chicago were both dramatic musicals because they, along with older films like West Side Story, had musical numbers to interpret scenes throughout the movie. The only musical numbers in Ray are seen when he performs before an audience in the movie, not in conveying dramatic scenes. The rest, which is, by far, more screen time is all non-musical drama.

Originally posted by GeorgeJefferson
I'm not saying that there can't be dramatic musicals. Moulin Rouge and Chicago were both dramatic musicals because they, along with older films like West Side Story, had musical numbers to interpret scenes throughout the movie. The only musical numbers in Ray are seen when he performs before an audience in the movie, not in conveying dramatic scenes. The rest, which is, by far, more screen time is all non-musical drama.

It's still a musical though.

Maybe the best thing for the Golden Globes to do would be do group dramas with dramas and comedies with comedies regardless of whether or not they are musicals. That way, actors in the comedy categories would stand a fair chance against each other rather than being against a strong dramatic performance. Does anyone think that Jim Carrey or Paul Giamatti stand a chance against Jamie Foxx in Ray?

I think the whole 'musical' bit should be dropped from the awards category too. I'm not sure how many years the Golden Globes have been going, but they probably started in the musical heydey, when most musicals were conventional musical comedies. Now musicals, whichever way you categorise them (conventional sort or films like 'Ray') are mostly dramas.

I have to say though that I loved how in 'Chicago' the musical numbers took place inside Roxie's mind- that's probabaly one reason people likes it so much- because it was more realistic in that sense.

Originally posted by Liza


Has Phantom of the Opera been released in the UK already? I'm jealous. I've been waiting very impatiently for it to open here.


So have I...omg...I can't wait, it's not gonna be released in my town till January 22...blah...

I dunno, I want the Phantom of the Opera to win, b/c I love that show, I've seen it once already, and I'm seeing it again when I go to London...and I've listened to the soundtrack nonstop since August when I saw the show the first time, so it's safe to say I love it.

I listened to clips of the soundtrack today...I want...to cry. Emmy Rossum can sing...decently...no great OPERA singer though, and no Sarah Brightman...but I think she'll do well. Patrick Wilson (Raoul) not bad, I just wish he had more of a manly stronger voice. Gerard Butler...sounds like he's straining to hit notes and doesn't have that evil nasaly, cynical voice that I've heard from the other people who play the Phantom. I dunno, I'm hoping that it'll be better on film...but I'm not digging what I've heard. Minnie Driver sounds good though, from what I've heard.

This was sorta off topic but *shrugs* oh well. Just thought I'd share, it looks like it'll be pretty good though, as far as play to movie goes.

Shutting up now ;) :happyface

http://theatre-musical.com/phantom/other/michaelsarahstranger.gif

I'd heard some of Gerard Butler's singing before going to see Phantom, but it does work much better when you actually see it on film.

Minnie Driver didn't do her own singing, and even though Carlotta is supposed to be over the top, her singing should've been taken down just a little- she drowned out everybody else in scenes she was in.

The Phantom's lair, the ending and the opening sequence are my three fave scenes.

Originally posted by webuster
I'd heard some of Gerard Butler's singing before going to see Phantom, but it does work much better when you actually see it on film.

Minnie Driver didn't do her own singing, and even though Carlotta is supposed to be over the top, her singing should've been taken down just a little- she drowned out everybody else in scenes she was in.

The Phantom's lair, the ending and the opening sequence are my three fave scenes.

Seriously? Minnie Driver didn't do her own singing?

Yeah, I'm not sure who did Minnie Driver's dubbing, but Driver said in an interview that although it was a shame, she didn't want to attempt an opera singer's voice and fall flat on her face, because she believed opera singing takes many years of training to get it to the professional leve Carlotta was supposed to be at. It's really silly even casting her considering the majority of the film has singing in it- but Driver's facial expressions and spoken lines are really funny. I love the bit where she loses her voice.

Miranda Richardson was very good as Madam Giry, and Patrick Wilson was great too. In fact, the whole cast were great! This film has to at least win in costume/sets categories at the Academy Awards!