Tonight, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association will celebrate the best in the year of film and the best in the calendar year of television. It will also be the reunion of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as co-hosts. Last time, they nailed the gig. Whether they were charming our pants off with their best buddy banter or taking digs at James Cameron, it was an entertaining broadcast—and probably set the bar too high for the controversial Seth MacFarlane at the Oscars.
Leading the way among film nominees is 12 Years a Slave, which in my mind has to be the frontrunner for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Following right behind with six and five nods respectively are American Hustle and Nebraska. Both films were helmed by award season darlings David O. Russell and Alexander Payne. Russell’s Hustle was blessed with a stellar cast, combining the charismatic leads of his nominated films from 2011 and 2012—The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, and Payne’s Nebraska was another cleverly scripted movie that extracts sharp comedy out of its genuine misery, very much taking the cues from his last nominated film, The Descendants.
But it is Steve McQueen’s masterpiece about the brutality and inhumanity involved in the American slave trade that exceeds them both in scope and impact. While McQueen has made a career of searing stories about personal tragedies—Hunger and Shame—12 Years captures one of the greatest large scale injustices that still plagues our nation’s race relations in a way that is both unbearable and beautiful in its unfiltered execution.
In the world of the small screen, television has had another extraordinary year in terms of how the level of storytelling has elevated. Newcomers from the internet, Netflix’s House of Cards and Orange is the new Black both garnered tremendous acclaim, but Orange only earned one nomination for Taylor Schilling’s lead role while House of Cards leads the way with four nominations. Also scoring four nods was the TV movie Behind the Candelabra, starring Michael Douglas as Liberace. Also grabbing three nominations was Breaking Bad for its bone-chilling conclusion, and The Good Wife, clearly the most recognized scripted drama on network television—especially impressive considering cable’s dominance over the last decade.
I would be remiss not to plug Showtime’s new show Masters of Sex, nominated for Best Drama Series and Best Actor in a Drama for Michael Sheen’s William Masters—half of Masters and Johnson, the duo behind the revolutionary study on human sexuality. Also earning two nods and worth your attention is the miniseries Top of the Lake. Elisabeth Moss is nominated in her lead role as a New Zealand detective investigating the disappearance of a pregnant preteen. Both were in my top five for my favorite series of 2013.
Tune in at 8pm EST to watch the ceremony on NBC. Also, make sure to tune in to this post where I will be liveblogging the proceedings. Read my reactions to the nominees who got robbed, my opinions on the pair of hosts as well as my delights over the deserving winners. See y’all in the blogosphere!
8:00pm: Here we go, folks! Glad to at least see Carson Daly leave my screen.
8:01pm: I prefer The Golden Globes: Based on the novel Push by Sapphire.
8:02pm: Matt Damon as a garbageperson. He might win for that, haha.
8:03pm: Explosion at the Wig Factory, the original title of American Hustle. Dead on.
8:05pm: Julia Louis-Dreyfus with the electronic cigarette, nice touch.
8:06pm: It’s not an awards ceremony if you haven’t made fun of George Clooney dating younger woman.
8:07pm: Tima Fey calling out sexism!!! “Matthew McConaghey lost 45 lbs for Dallas Buyers Club. Or as woman call it, being in a movie.”
8:08pm: Slavery jokes! Don’t hold back, ladies!
8:09pm: I would be VERY interested in the original programming brought to us by Snapchat.
8:10pm: “Masters of Sex…was the degree I got from Boston College.” I freaking love Amy.
8:11pm: First award! Supporting Actress in a motion picture…J-LAW! Big surprise. She is queen of the world right now.
8:12pm: I could listen to Jennifer Lawrence give humbled speeches all day.
8:13pm: Supporting Actress in a TV series or miniseries or TV Movie…Jacqueline Bisset. Don’t know much about Dancing on the Edge, but she seems SERIOUSLY shocked. Love it.
8:16pm: Chiwetel Ejiofor was in that TOO?! What a year for that guy!
8:17pm: “Go to hell, and don’t come back.” Brought to you by the Hollywood Foreign Press.
8:22pm: Best Mini-Series or TV Movie. How are they doing the order exactly?
8:23pm: Behind the Candelabra. Yeah, figured it would clean up here too. But Top of the Lake NEEDS to get some love. Maybe for Elisabeth Moss?
8:25pm: Oh, guess we’ll find out.
8:26pm: HELL YESSSSSSSSSSSS. So deserved! One of my favorite performances all year. Take THAT Helen Mirren! I’m just kidding, Helen. You’re great.
8:27pm: Sick dress, Elisabeth! I’m so happy for her! She fit in so many thanks in there. Was she surprised, really? Haha
8:29pm: Was Captain Phillips as gross and sensational as that trailer? Totally turned me off from seeing it.
8:35pm: Glad The HFPA president at least knows how obligatory and unnecessary his speech is. I like him!
8:36pm: Jonah Hill’s best acting was done just now, when he was panicking on live TV hahaha.
8:37pm: Did Paula Patton just call Robin Thicke sex obsessed?
8:38pm: Best Actor TV…OF COURSE IT’S BRYAN CRANSTON!
8:39pm: Walter White lives!!!
8:40pm: God I miss that show. Breaking Bad forever!
8:41pm: See, I told you, Breaking Bad will never die!!! Best Drama Series!
8:43pm: I still am delighted every time by Vince Gilligan’s accent.
8:43pm: A YEAH, BITCH FROM JESSE! My night is complete.
8:48pm: Now I finally know what Philomena is about!I seriously kept hearing about it but nobody could tell me any specifics.
8:50pm: Best Score. Probably Gravity, right?
8:51pm: This composer just made himself look SO G by saying he was at a yacht party with Diddy.
8:56pm: Bono wins Best Song for Mandela. Suppose I can’t object. BUT, I know my sister is freaking out right now that “Let it Go” from Frozen didn’t win. She can’t stop singing that shit!
9:02pm: Supporting Actor in TV Series or Mini-Series or TV movie…UGH. Sooo should have gone to Aaron Paul. I am NOT a fan of Jon Voight or Ray Donovan. First true disappointment of the night for me.
9:05pm: Need to see Her ASAP. I already know I’ll love it.
9:06pm: Robert Downey Jr is killing this. “if Julie Delpy wins it confirms the artistic integrity of sequels.” HAHAHA.
9:08pm: WOW, good for Amy Adams! Loved her for a long time. That was a TOUGH category, no nominees I would object to, and two others (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Julie Delpy) that I was rooting for. “A princess can punch.” Great quote, awesome speech. Adorable shoutout to daughter.
9:14pm: Amy Poehler as “Randy,” Tina’s son from a previous relationship. Awesome bit.
9:16pm: The search for the father. Idris Elba is an inspired choice hahaha.
9:18pm: Robin Wright is a SOLID actress. Not knocking her. But she did NOTHING in that show. She literally just smokes cigarettes with Kevin Spacey, jogs in cemeteries and fires people. I’m sorry.
9:19pm: Shia LaBeouf insults! Alright Jim Carrey!
9:25pm: Gonna get on my soapbox for a minute. I’m sure Jared Leto did an amazing job in his role, BUT the fact that we’re congratulating him for playing a transgender woman when there are undoubtedly transgender women out there who could have played the role is upsetting. I hope Leto learned a bunch from his role, and congratulations to him for the Supporting Actor in a Movie award, but let’s take stock for a moment. Why can’t we cast people who actually embody the identities portrayed?
9:28pm: Best Screenplay…HER! Spike Jonze is an amazing writer! So glad to see him recognized. Seriously can’t wait to see it this week!!! If you haven’t seen his adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are, PLEASE do yourself a favor and see it!
9:33pm: Best Actor TV Series-Comedy…Andy Samberg! I have seen only a couple episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, but he does bring his A-game. Good for him. And always glad to see some new blood awarded. Love to see the genuine surprise on newbies’ faces.
9:40pm: Best Foreign Language Film…The Great Beauty. Uhhh, anything I attempt to say about this will just show my ignorance. So I’ll wait for the next category…
9:43pm: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is great with the props. A hot dog this time!
9:44pm: Melissa McCartney as Matt Damon. Comedy gold.
9:45pm: Michael Douglas. Surprise, surprise. Straight man plays famous gay man. THROW AWARDS AT HIM NOW. Eh, not impressed.
9:47pm: My girlfriend is really upset “Stringer Bell” (a.k.a Idris Elba for “Luther”) didn’t win…hahaha. That’s for all my “The Wire” fans out there. I see you!
9:52pm: FROZEN! There you go, sis! You can sleep soundly tonight. The movie you have seen six times in theaters won!!!
9:55pm: Best Actress- TV Comedy…SO HAPPY FOR THE HOST! Making out with Bono also a plus! She never wins for this role and it’s a crying shame. Parks and Recreation is such a well-written sitcom with a ton of heart. Congrats Amy Poehler!!!
10:02pm: Woody Allen truly has shaped the indie comedy. A great influence on some of the modern greats. Kudos. As a writer myself I can’t help but be in awe of the sheer volume of quality wit and storytelling.
10:08pm: Great point by Diane Keaton. “Woody’s women can’t be compartmentalized.” He really has created some great female roles, a great gift to Hollywood actresses.
10:16pm: Best Director-Motion Picture…Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity. If it’s an indicator of Best Picture, I’m not sure how I feel, BUT the film was pretty freaking gorgeous.
10:20pm: WOWWWW, Michael Bay diss!
10:21pm: HFPA really loves Brooklyn Nine-Nine! Best Comedy Series. I’ll have to keep watching more.
10:28pm: Best Actor in a Film-Comedy or Musical…Leonardo DiCaprio. He clearly put his blood, sweat and tears into this role. Controversy over the film aside, I will recognize that. Christian Bale was the only performance I saw though and he transformed himself in a remarkable way for American Hustle, so props to him, too. Oh, and categorizing Wolf of Wall Street as a comedy is ridiculous. It’s about a man who screws people over for money. There is dark humor, certainly, but it’s not supposed to be “funny.” It’s supposed to be sad, appalling, and an indictment of corporate greed.
10:37pm: Best Picture-Musical or Comedy…American Hustle. Seemed like a shoe-in. I quite enjoyed it. I know some didn’t, but all the performances were dynamite. And while it may have ran a tad long (seems like a theme this year), it was an entertaining heist-y film with great energy.
10:45pm: Best Actress in a Motion Picture-Drama…Cate Blanchett. Didn’t see Blue Jasmine but heard she knocked it out of the park. By the way, I would be much more interested in seeing PhiloMANIA than Philomena. HAHAHA, Leo was so damn flustered by his win, it’s kinda cute.
10:50pm: Best Actor in Motion Picture-Drama…Matthew McConaughy. Apparently this dude learned how to act suddenly! He was really good in Mud, had a dynamite cameo in Wolf of Wall Street and I need to definitely need to see Dallas Buyers Club. An important side note, has 12 Years a Slave not won ANYTHING yet? That’s not just surprising, it seems downright disrespectful. Seven nominations and squat so far. Better take home “the big one” then.
10:55pm: Looking at Twitter it seems like I’m right. The outrage over Chiwetel Ejiofor’s snub is particularly vocal.
10:57pm: Okay, thank goodness. Justice is served. Well, in the world of movies at least. For a while there it was looking like the typical “a film/show with a primarily black cast doesn’t get recognized” (“The Wire” *cough couch*). Still, a little disheartening that only ONE person of color won and that no LGBT folks (at least openly so) won (only people pretending to be). Hollywood, not as liberal as it pretends to be once again! On that note, GOOD NIGHT all. Let’s hope the Oscars don’t spurn Mr. Ejiofor!
CORRECTION: Alfonso Cuaron is a man of color, so TWO. Still an overwhelming minority though, so my disappointment is justified.
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