The Golden Globes

So, did anyone watch the Golden Globes last night? I always enjoy them a little more than the Oscars (though I have a lot more excitement for the Oscars... not sure why) and it was definitely full of surprises. But as the night went on, I was starting to think there wouldn't be a single American who would win, since the Hollywood Foreign Press was apparently giving awards to everyone who was, well, foreign.

Gabriel Byrne FINALLY got props for his groundbreaking work in In Treatment, thank goodness. I would have settled for the newly married Michael C. Hall (who got hitched to his "sister" last week) but I was thrilled for Byrne. Too bad he didn't show up.

Worst Dress: Renee Zellweger. What... was THAT? And I don't mind Zellweger -- not like my husband, who can barely stand her (he's always yelling OPEN YOUR EYES! at the screen) but man, when she stepped up to the mike and started talking, both of us yelled it in unison. What's with that squint? Is she nearsighted and couldn't see the teleprompter?

The Heath Ledger win was inevitable, but also sobering. And I think they handled it well, and Christopher Nolan gave a very tasteful speech about how we should focus on the legacy he left behind, and stop focusing on the potential that will never be realized.

Slumdog Millionaire. I posted that I loved this movie, and I do, don't get me wrong, but I thought the kudos were a little over-the-top. I didn't see it as Best Picture material. It's a feel-good film, with a LOT of feel-bad in it. But maybe I'm looking at it wrong. Maybe the Best Picture doesn't have to be all epic and tragic and swooning and Brad Pitt. But I was surprised, nonetheless. When it won best screenplay I said to my husband, "I'm so happy they gave it that. Screenplay is always the bone they throw to the underdog who won't win best picture, and I'm glad they got it." D'oh. I was also happy about the music winning, because it's fantastic. Also happy to see so many of them there, including Kapoor (oh, and someone posted a comment that I must not mean Kapoor, but someone else, because Kapoor is only in Indian films... I love Indian films. Can't understand a word of them, but I love watching them anyway, so yes, I did mean Kapoor). Good thing: everyone who has been saying they'd love to see it but it's not playing in their city will probably find it in theatres very soon!

John Adams had a bit of a sweep. The show is fantastic, and I was especially thrilled that Laura Linney won. She, incidentally, was wearing my favourite dress of the night. Paul Giamatti was so goofy and wonderful at the mike, and Tom Wilkinson is just amazing in everything. So it was nice to see that get so many kudos.

My least-favourite win: Anna Paquin. For the record, I love her. The Piano is one of my all-time favourite movies. I've seen it so many times I've lost count, and I used to be a pianist and died inside every time I saw her finger get cut off. I still remember giggly little Paquin winning the Oscar and not being able to speak, and she was wearing this adorable little outfit with a poofy hat and finally blurted out in her New Zealand accent, "I'd like to thank the Academy..." I was thrilled when I saw she would be starring in True Blood, and while I raved about the opening episodes, I didn't really get a chance to blog on it again afterwards. I'm happy to say I loved it (a LOT of people didn't; maybe it's because I watched it all at once over about a week). BUT... I thought Paquin's performance was a little too wide-eyed, over-the-top, and, well, not very good. There's a scene where she's walking through a cemetery and she's overly shaky, like some kid acting in a community theatre production and having to let the back row know she's scared so she's shaking far more than she should. Crying scenes she would squeeze her eyes shut as hard as she could like she was desperate to bring on the tears. There's a lot of yelling and exasperation and very little subtlety in the character. She won over January Jones (who has the best name in the room, and had to act through a very difficult season of Mad Men for her character) and Kyra Sedgwick. I haven't seen The Closer, but everyone who does watch it loves it and says she's really amazing.

Worst acceptance speech of the night: Um... Anna Paquin? I know I sound like I'm really coming down hard on her, but her acceptance speech was dull and long and thanked everyone we've never heard of, including her hair and makeup people. Ugh.

Most profound acceptance speech of the night: The director of Waltz with Bashir, who said during the 4-year production of the movie, 8 children were born. He hopes that some day they all watch the movie about the war and they see it as some fairytale that could never happen again. I loved that speech.

Most awesome acceptance speech: Tracy Jordan accepting for 30 Rock. I loved how Tina Fey just nonchalantly handed the Globe to him and he stepped up and declared himself the face of post-racial America, and then went on a rambling drunken thank-you speech that was SO awesome (made even better by Alec Baldwin leaning in to remind him to thank someone). I don't think Tina Fey can do any wrong this year. She is so loved by everyone. Her speech was almost as funny as Jordan's, especially when she addressed the Internet haters. Ha!

I'm thrilled for Kate Winslet winning BOTH of her acting awards. Wow. And I think the biggest roar of approval that went up in the crowd was when Mickey Rourke won for The Wrestler. I've been dying to see that film for a while now, but it's still playing in select theatres here. Entertainment Weekly had a pretty amazing interview with him, discussing his downfall and where he went (he hated his pretty boy face and dropped acting to become a professional boxer, perhaps in a subconscious attempt to destroy those good looks) and his face is kind of hideous now, but he actually looked pretty good last night at the Globes.

All in all, it was a pretty entertaining night, and it's always nice to see underdogs winning. I'm thrilled for Slumdog Millionaire, and I hope this means a LOT more people will be seeing it. I was a little sad to see Button and Milk shut out, though. I wonder if Penn will keep getting beat by Rourke, and since both movies are excellent overall but don't shine for one particular thing (other than Penn) this is simply a harbinger of what's to come? What are your thoughts?

UPDATE: Turns out, those Internet posters Tina Fey was telling to suck it are real! They post on the LA Time site, The Envelope, and have apparently been trashing Tina for a while. Only thing is, dianefan and cougar-letter are actually the same person (she changed her name partway through) and the other one, Babbson whatever, is a Fey fan. Check out the article on the Envelope today, and see all the Tina haters below. They're all bitching about how vain Fey is that she's actually reading the Internet chatter generated on herself. Like they haven't spent all day googling their names to see what blogs have been saying about all of them the day after they get named on international television.