Golden Globes 2020 Nominations

[Steve Williams]

The biggest surprise from this year’s Golden Globe nominations is the lack of surprises. As expected, Netflix continued encroaching on awards season in both the movie and television categories, earning 17 each, or 34 nominations across the board. The streaming platform’s dominance also signaled the slight slipping of HBO’s power hold on television: The network earned 15 nods, trailing Netflix’s TV nominations by two.
Netflix’s “Marriage Story,” a domestic drama directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, earned six nominations. It was followed closely by Netflix’s other event movie, Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” which earned five nods, including two in the best supporting actor category for Al Pacino and semiretired Joe Pesci.

Tying “The Irishman” in number of accolades was Quentin Tarantino’s history-rewriting “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood,” which delved into the Manson “family” murders. Todd Phillips’s controversial anti-superhero film “Joker” and Fernando Meirelles’s papal dramedy “The Two Popes” trailed with four nods each.
It’s an even tighter race on the television side, with no clear front-runner. Three shows based on real life events — HBO’s “Chernobyl,” Netflix’s “The Crown” and “Unbelievable” — all earned four nominations each.

And the trend of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association seeming to prefer television shows with recognizable stars continued this year, which might account for the critically dismissed “The Morning Show,” “The Kominsky Method” and the second season of “Big Little Lies” (Meryl Streep, Reese Withersoon, Laura Dern) tying the critical-lauded “Fleabag,” “Fosse/Verdon,” Succession” and ''Barry.” with three nods each. Hulu’s “Catch-22? was something of an unexpected dark horse, nabbing two nominations (though it’s worth noting that it stars George Clooney.)
Ricky Gervais will host the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Jan. 5 on NBC.

 

[Steve Williams]

NOMINATIONS BY MOTION PICTURE: “Marriage Story” — 6; “The Irishman” — 5; “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” — 5; “Joker” — 4; “The Two Popes” — 4

NOMINATIONS BY TV SERIES or PROGRAM: “Chernobyl” — 4; “The Crown” — 4; “Unbelievable” — 4; “Barry” — 3; “Big Little Lies” — 3; “Fleabag” — 3; “Fosse/Verdon” — 3; “The Kominsky Method” — 3; “The Morning Show” — 3; “Succession” — 3

The list of nominations for the 2020 Golden Globes:
Best motion picture, drama
“1917”
“Joker”
“Marriage Story”
“The Irishman”
“The Two Popes”

IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: No surprises here, though it is notable how strong of an awards contender Netflix has become. The company has three titles in the mix for best drama: “The Irishman,” “The Two Popes” and “Marriage Story,” released this past Friday. Though “1917” has yet to hit theaters, critics have already described it as “an undeniable technical achievement” for its depiction of World War I. “Joker,” which earned mixed reviews in the United States, was perhaps bound for HFPA glory after winning the Venice Film Festival’s top prize earlier this year.

Best actress in a motion picture, drama
Charlize Theron, “Bombshell”
Renée Zellweger, “Judy”
Saoirse Ronan, “Little Women”
Scarlett Johansson, “Marriage Story”
Cynthia Erivo, “Harriet”

IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Theron’s transformation into Megyn Kelly turned heads from the moment the “Bombshell” trailer first hit YouTube, but Zellweger is likely the front-runner in this category for her electric portrayal of Hollywood legend Judy Garland.

Best actor in a motion picture, drama

Adam Driver, “Marriage Story”
Antonio Banderas, “Pain and Glory”
Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Jonathan Pryce, “The Two Popes”
Christian Bale, “Ford v Ferrari”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: It’s a tight race between Driver and Phoenix, who have most often been named as likely Oscar nominees since their respective projects premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
The season of Adam Driver has been a decade in the making

Best motion picture, comedy or musical
“Dolemite Is My Name”
“Jojo Rabbit”
“Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood”
“Rocketman”
“Knives Out”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Coincidentally, the five films listed above are the same ones that earned their leads a best actor nomination. Netflix, which has a strong showing in the drama category, sneaks into this one as well with “Dolemite Is My Name.”

Best actress in a motion picture, comedy or musical
Awkwafina, “The Farewell”
Beanie Feldstein, “Booksmart”
Emma Thompson, “Late Night”
Ana de Armas, “Knives Out”
Cate Blanchett, “Where’d You Go, Bernadette”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: This collection of actresses is somewhat of a study in contrasts, given that it positions a few who are early into their American film careers — Awkwafina, Feldstein, de Armas — opposite two award season veterans. Awkwafina is the likely front-runner for her portrayal of an American woman who returns to China to say goodbye to her ailing grandmother in Lulu Wang’s semi-autobiographical dramedy, “The Farewell.”

Best actor in a motion picture, comedy or musical
Roman Griffin Davis, “Jojo Rabbit”
Daniel Craig, “Knives Out”
Eddie Murphy, “Dolemite Is My Name”
Leonardo DiCaprio, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood”
Taron Egerton, “Rocketman”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Nothing too shocking here, but kudos to Davis, a tween actor who plays a Hitler youth in the satirical “Jojo Rabbit,” for landing a nomination alongside the likes of Murphy and DiCaprio.

Best director, motion picture
Bong Joon-Ho, “Parasite”
Martin Scorsese, “The Irishman”
Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood”
Sam Mendes, “1917”
Todd Phillips, “Joker”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: These nominees are pretty much in line with those for other directing awards, but the lack of women is bound to receive attention — especially given how well critics received Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” and Marielle Heller’s “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

Best supporting actress in a motion picture
Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Jennifer Lopez, “Hustlers”
Annette Bening, “The Report”
Margot Robbie, “Bombshell”
Kathy Bates, “Richard Jewell”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Lopez’s name has popped up in numerous discussions of this season’s Oscar race, and while the HFPA’s taste often differs from the academy’s, this could help her case. Dern was most likely to receive a nomination, as her memorable performance of a fiery divorce attorney made its way into almost every review of “Marriage Story.” Bates hadn’t drummed up quite as much awards buzz, but listen, it’s Kathy Bates.

 

[Steve Williams]

Best supporting actor in a motion picture
Al Pacino, “The Irishman”
Joe Pesci, “The Irishman”
Tom Hanks, “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”
Anthony Hopkins, “The Two Popes”
Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Holy movie stars! It’s difficult to imagine a category packed with more star power (especially considering this is for supporting actor). Joe Pesci came out of two decades of semiretirement to appear in Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman,” which could position him as a front-runner if Al Pacino’s turn as Jimmy Hoffa in the same film doesn’t split those votes. Every voting body loves actors playing actual people, which could boost the fortunes for Hanks, who portrays “Mister” Fred Rogers. But don’t sleep on Brad Pitt’s (maybe murderous) stuntman. After all, did any image circulate more this year than the one of him pulling his shirt off on that roof?
The glorious, quiet return of Joe Pesci

Best TV series, drama
“The Crown” (Netflix)”
“Succession” (HBO)
“The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
“Killing Eve” (BBC America)
“Big Little Lies” (HBO)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: This category played out mainly as expected (how could Golden Globes voters ever leave out “The Crown”?!), although there’s no sign of “Game of Thrones,” the groundbreaking fantasy series that shattered ratings records over its seven seasons on HBO. It was left off the list last year, too, but there was always a chance the Globes would get nostalgic over its final season. The obvious newcomers are “The Morning Show” and “Succession” — the former with plenty of movie stars, the latter with plenty of critical acclaim.

Best actress in a TV series, drama
Olivia Colman, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Jennifer Aniston, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show” (Apple TV Plus)
Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve” (BBC America)
Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies” (HBO)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Fun fact: Olivia Colman has won both times she has been nominated for a Golden Globe, and there’s no reason to think her streak should end. “The Crown” (and Colman) are both beloved by critics and the HFPA. But voters also adore A-list movie and TV stars, so Aniston, Witherspoon and Kidman should prove formidable competition. Anyway, this category looks pretty similar to most predictions, although some expected actresses from HBO’s new series (Zendaya of “Euphoria” and Regina King of “Watchmen”) to show up on the list.

Best actor in a TV series, drama
Brian Cox, “Succession” (HBO)
Billy Porter, “Pose” (FX)
Tobias Menzies, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Kit Harington, “Game of Thrones” (HBO)
Rami Malek, “Mr. Robot” (USA)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: The series finale of “Mr. Robot” airs in a couple weeks, and as a farewell present, the Globes gifted Rami Malek with a nomination. He’s arguably the only surprise in this category, as many prognosticators were sure that Brian Cox, Tobias Menzies and Kit Harington would also land nominations. (Incidentally, Harington is the sole nod for “Game of Thrones.”) The other mild shock? The lack of Jeremy Strong, another standout on “Succession.”

Best TV series, musical or comedy
“Fleabag” (Amazon)
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
“Barry” (HBO)
“The Politician” (Netflix)
“The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Remember last year when “The Kominsky Method” won this category and all across the globe you could hear people asking “ … What’s ‘The Kominsky Method’?” Well, they still might not know, but the Michael Douglas-Alan Arkin show got a huge boost from that night, and it’s back again. This time, it faces tough competition from “Fleabag,” as well as newcomer “The Politician” — and you know how the HFPA feels about Ryan Murphy shows. (It loves them.)

Best actress in a TV series, musical or comedy
Phoebe Waller-Bridge, “Fleabag” (Amazon)
Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (Amazon)
Natasha Lyonne, “Russian Doll” (Netflix)
Kirsten Dunst, “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” (Showtime)
Christina Applegate, “Dead to Me” (Netflix)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Rachel Brosnahan has won this category two years in a row, so it makes sense that she would show up once again, even though the third season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” just dropped three days ago. Meanwhile, the strong buzz behind Kirsten Dunst in the quirky “On Becoming a God in Central Florida” and Christina Applegate in the darkly funny “Dead to Me” managed to triumph over A-list stars including Julia Louis-Dreyfus in her final season of “Veep” and Gwyneth Paltrow in “The Politician.”

Best actor in a TV series, musical or comedy
Bill Hader, “Barry” (HBO)
Ben Platt, “The Politician” (Netflix)
Michael Douglas, “The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
Paul Rudd, “Living With Yourself” (Netflix)
Ramy Youssef, “Ramy” (Hulu)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Last year’s winner Michael Douglas is back along with Bill Hader, and while HFPA voters seem pretty obsessed with “The Kominsky Method” and critics love “Barry,” we can’t count out the three newcomers. “The Politician” received mixed reviews, but the power of a Ryan Murphy series remains strong, while there’s always the movie star factor with Paul Rudd. The Golden Globes also enjoy awarding newcomers, and Ramy Youssef’s kind of autobiographical self-titled series earned plenty of praise earlier this year.

Best limited series or TV movie
“Chernobyl” (HBO)
“Unbelievable” (Netflix)
“Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
“The Loudest Voice” (Showtime)
“Catch-22” (Hulu)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: “Catch-22” was the wild card here (it showed up in few predictions), but it shouldn’t have been, given that the World War II series is executive produced by Globes favorite George Clooney. Otherwise, this category reads essentially as expected, although it’s going to be a close race between surprise hit “Chernobyl” and the gripping “Unbelievable,” both of which captivated critics and audiences this year.
The true story behind ‘Unbelievable,’ Netflix’s gripping new drama about the women who solved a serial rape case

Best actress in a limited series or TV movie
Michelle Williams, “Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
Merritt Wever, “Unbelievable” (Netflix)
Kaitlyn Dever, “Unbelievable” (Netflix)
Joey King, “The Act” (Hulu)
Helen Mirren, “Catherine the Great” (HBO)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Merritt Wever earned raves for her performance as an empathetic detective in “Unbelievable,” while Kaitlyn Dever also saw high praise for her role as a rape victim whom the police clearly didn’t believe. Michelle Williams, Helen Mirren and Joey King were also largely expected to land in this tough category, although many expected that Renee Zellwegger in Netflix’s “What/If” would also make the list.

Best actor in a limited series or TV movie
Jared Harris, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
Sacha Baron Cohen, “The Spy” (Netflix)
Russell Crowe, “The Loudest Voice” (Showtime)
Sam Rockwell, “Fosse/Verdon” (FX)
Christopher Abbott, “Catch-22” (Hulu)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Jharrel Jerome of “When They See Us” — Ava DuVernay’s lauded Netflix series about the Central Park Five — would have been an obvious choice here (he already won an Emmy for his role), but the series didn’t receive any attention from the Globes. Meanwhile, the only unexpected name in the category is Christopher Abbott. As for a potential winner, we would give the edge to Sacha Baron Cohen in a rare serious role in “The Spy” (unless Globes voters are drawn to Russell Crowe as Roger Ailes in “The Loudest Voice”).


Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV movie
Meryl Streep, “Big Little Lies” (HBO)
Helena Bonham Carter, “The Crown” (Netflix)
Emily Watson, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
Patricia Arquette, “The Act” (Hulu)
Toni Collette, “Unbelievable” (Netflix)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: The moment Meryl Streep was cast as the suspicious mother-in-law character in “Big Little Lies,” you knew she would be a lock for any and all award shows. Queen Meryl is obviously a shoo-in, although many expected her co-star Laura Dern to show up beside her on this list. Another notable absence is Alex Borstein in “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” though the Amazon series earned plenty of recognition in other categories.

Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV movie
Andrew Scott, “Fleabag” (Amazon)
Kieran Culkin, “Succession” (HBO)
Stellan Skarsgard, “Chernobyl” (HBO)
Henry Winkler, “Barry” (HBO)
Alan Arkin, “The Kominsky Method” (Netflix)
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: This was the year of the hot priest. You didn’t have to watch “Fleabag” to know that’s the nickname that Andrew Scott’s character — and, by extension, Scott himself — earned this year. You only had to spend a few minutes online. That sort of exposure can’t be bought, but the Hollywood Foreign Press loves a famous star, so Henry Winkler and Alan Arkin both have reasonable chances here.

Best screenplay, motion picture
Steven Zaillian, “The Irishman”
Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time … In Hollywood”
Bong Joon-Ho and Han Jin-Won, “Parasite”
Noah Baumbach, “Marriage Story”
Anthony McCarten, “The Two Popes”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: The Oscar for best screenplay is often winkingly referred to as “The Tarantino Award,” given that he’s won twice but never earned a best picture nomination or best director win. So, it’s not surprising to see him represented in this category. In fact, none of the nominations are particularly surprising, though Bong Joon-Ho’s “Parasite,” many critics’ favorite film of the year, is notable for being the only non-English film represented here.

Best animated feature film
“Frozen II”
“Toy Story 4”
“How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”
“Missing Link”
“The Lion King”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: This pretty standard set of nominees unsurprisingly includes “The Lion King,” which, while admirable for its visual achievements, paled in comparison to the original film. Nostalgia reigns supreme.

 

[Steve Williams]

Best foreign language film
“The Farewell”
“Pain and Glory”
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire”
“Parasite”
“Les Misérables”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: Though it was distributed by A24, an American company, “The Farewell” appears in this category because a good chunk of it features Mandarin. Critics have deemed the alliterative trio “Pain and Glory,” “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and “Parasite,” which also made its way into a few of the main categories, as some of the best films of the year.

Best original score, motion picture
Thomas Newman, “1917”
Hildur Guðnadóttir, “Joker”
Alexandre Desplat, “Little Women”
Randy Newman, “Marriage Story”
Daniel Pemberton, “Motherless Brooklyn”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: It’s a tough race, with Desplat’s “Mozart meets David Bowie” score fighting against Thomas Newman’s strings-heightening tension in “1917.” But if the HFPA ends up heavily rewarding “Joker,” there’s a solid chance that Guðnadóttir’s chilly score earns this award.

Best original song, motion picture
“Beautiful Ghosts,” “Cats”
“ (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” “Rocketman”
“Into the Unknown,” “Frozen II”
“Spirit,” “The Lion King”
“Stand Up,” “Harriet”
IMMEDIATE ANALYSIS: It was a musical year at the movies. First, there was the glut of classic rock-inspired movies, including ones inspired by the Beatles (“Yesterday”), Bruce Springsteen (“Blinded by the Light”) and Elton John (“Rocketman”). The soundtrack for “The Lion King” boasted songs from Beyoncé, and we have another installation in the chart-busting “Frozen” universe. The year will end with the screen adaptation of the beloved musical “Cats,” which may have a paw up here, given that this was the only nomination the movie received. That said, it may be hard to beat "(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” an original song John wrote for a movie about himself, on which he sings with Taron Egerton, the actor who portrayed him.

That’s awards show catnip.
Correction: An earlier version of this article reported that Netflix earned 17 nominations across all Golden Globes categories. The streaming platform actually received 17 nods in television categories and another 17 for film, or 34 total.

 

[NorthStar]

I knew you'd be on it Steve.
Which other films* (other than 1917) do you really want to see?
...Before year's end (or before Oscar's night).

* Films, docs, foreign, animated, TV shows, ...

 

[Steve Williams]

1917
Uncut Gems
Two Popes
Bombshell
and possibly Parasite and JoJo Rabbit

That's all I really want to see

What surprises me is that Chernobyl that won last year is again nominated and is up against my other favorite The Loudest Voice where Russell Crowe was simply amazing in the role of Roger Ailes

 

[NorthStar]

Steve, Chernobyl ... Original release: May 6 – June 3, 2019

 

[Blue58]

No mention of Mica Levi’s soundtrack to Monos, an oversight imo.

and Last Black Man in San Francisco deserves at least a nomination too.

 

[NorthStar]

Cinema Audio Society Nominations 2020:
‘Joker,’ ‘Irishman,’ ‘Hollywood’ Face Off Again