The 2009 Golden Globe Nominations: a combination of shock and...more shock

This morning, the nominees for the 2009 Golden Globe Awards were announced, and when I read the list of nominees, I was more perplexed than anything else. It was not that the Globes didn't feature films, directors, and actors that I fully expect to occupy the Kodak Theatre come Oscar Night, it was that there were several nominees that were included (or excluded) that just seemed to boggle my mind. A trend that has existed over the past few years is that the Golden Globes have been taken less and less seriously because of their failure to gauge the Oscar season with the accuracy that it has in the past. This year, I believe will be no exception.

Lets start with the jaw-dropping inclusions:

1. "The Reader" - Nominated for Best Picture (Drama), Best Director (Motion Picture), and Best Screenplay (Motion Picture) - I admit that the initial buzz around this film has been very strong. However, I have not heard it even in the discussion for Best Picture. The strongest buzz surrounding this film has been for Kate Winslet in the Supporting Actress category. I am chalking this one up to the United Hollywood Foreign Press voting for a film with a more internationally relevant story (a student's affair with a Nazi war criminal). However, if this is an indication of momentum, we could see this film nominated for Best Picture...I will now officially have to see it.

2. Tom Cruise - Nominated for Best Supporting Actor for "Tropic Thunder." I will admit, I got quite a kick out of this nomination. Tom Cruise's role was little more than a cameo...but that didn't stop him from having a ball with this performance as a bald, fat, foul-mouthed studio head who danced to Ludacris and Flo-Rida. He doesn't stand a chance at winning, but it was stunning to see his inclusion in this category.

3 James Franco - Nominated for Best Actor (Comedy/Musical) for "Pineapple Express." This may be the Globes' way of apologizing for ignoring his work in "Milk." It still is shocking...and quite amusing to see him nominated for his work as a "227" watching drug dealer. It is more of a testament to his talent...confession, I hope he wins.

Now the even more shocking exclusions:

1. "Milk" - Only one nomination (Sean Penn, Best Actor). The Globes' snubbing of this film is beyond forgivable. It was not nominated for Best Picture, Best Director for Gus Van Sant, Best Screenplay for Dustin Lance Black, and not one nod for any of the great supporting performances such as James Franco, Emile Hirsch...and most shocking of all, Josh Brolin. I fully expect this film to recieve a multitude of awards (It already has) and Oscar Nominations. However, the Golden Globes have already lost credibility with me...and I'm sure many others with this ignorance.

2. "The Dark Knight" - Only one nomination (Heath Ledger, Best Supporting Actor). It is the 2nd highest grossing film ever, one of the best reviewed films of the year, and would nearly guarantee big television rating numbers for the broadcast. However, I think that it suffers from a film Bradley effect...do the prestigeous voters of the Globes really want to nominate a comic book film for many awards. This film will earn a few nods, but its Globes omission is still slightly shocking.

3. Josh Brolin - snubbed for Best Supporting Actor for "Milk." I know that I already mentioned him in my rant in favor of "Milk"...but COME ON!!! Josh Brolin gives one of the most complex and gut wrenching performances of the year...and Tom Cruise gets nominated. Brolin will be nominated for an Oscar and has already claimed some of the early critics prizes for Supporting Actor. Again, this omission is simply jaw-dropping.

4. Michael Shannon - snubbed for Supporting Actor for "Revolutionary Road." The loudest buzz surrounding "Revolutionary Road," has been surrounding Shannon's gripping performance as an unhinged man who blatanly speaks the truth within the backdrop of suburban malaise. He is on the cusp of an Oscar nomination...I still think he will get in...but he is no guarantee.

5. Clint Eastwood - snubbed for Best Actor (drama) for "Gran Torino." The only real buzz for this film has been for Eastwood's performance...as himself...or more offically as a cranky old man who battles with a violent gang in his neighborhood as well as his own prejudices. He may be nominated for an Oscar for this film, but losing this nomination hurts. On the bright side, he was nominated for best original song...you read that right, Eastwood writes (and performs) the original song entitled "Gran Torino."

6. "Wall-E" - Only nominated for best original song and best animated feature. This groundbreaking feature is suffering the consequences for the creation of the Best Animated Feature category. It is a shame because this film is visually stunning and morally facinating...pretty good for a waste relocation robot with binocular eyes.

Depending on who you ask, the Golden Globes either did a wonderful job...or a terrible one. As far as I am concerned, the omissions that were committed by the Globes are unforgivable. I will still tune in on that cold January night when the winners are announced, but I may not like it. At least I won't have to listen to Billy Bush announce the winners for a second year in a row...or at least I hope not.

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