It’s that time of year. The thing that makes January and February just about bearable. Awards Season is now officially underway with the Golden Globes which took place last night at the fabulous – if slightly mundane-looking – Beverly Hilton.

So let’s take a look at the key film categories and see if they tell us anything about how the season might pan out on the road to the Oscars at the end of February. The winners in bold.

 

 

Best motion picture – drama

Winner: Bohemian Rhapsody

Black Panther

Black Klansman

If Beale Street Could Talk

A Star is Born

Trouper Verdict: Bohemian Rhapsody winning this award came as a bit of a surprise as it wasn’t liked much by the critics.

 

Best motion picture – comedy or musical

Winner: Green Book

Crazy Rich Asians

The Favourite

Mary Poppins Returns

Vice

Trouper Verdict: A bit of a surprise that Green Book was even put in this category as it is neither a musical nor a comedy – neither particularly is Vice, but these two should make the Oscar Best Picture nomination list.

 

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture – drama

Winner: Rami Malek – Bohemian Rhapsody

Bradley Cooper – A Star is Born

Willem Dafoe – At Eternity’s Gate

Lucas Hedges – Boy Erased

John David Washington – BlackkKlansman

Trouper Verdict: Rami Malek’s closest competition here was Bradley Cooper.

 

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture – drama

Winner: Glenn Close – The Wife

Lady Gaga – A Star is Born

Nicole Kidman – Destroyer

Melissa McCarthy – Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Rosamund Pike – A Private War

Trouper Verdict: What a celebrity line-up. Close and Gaga have been marked out as competitors this season.

 

Best performance by an actor in a motion picture – comedy or musical

Winner: Christian Bale – Vice

Lin-Manuel Miranda – Mary Poppins Returns

Viggo Mortensen – Green Book

Robert Redford – The Old Man and the Gun

John C Reilly – Stan and Ollie

Trouper Verdict: Not a great deal of competition here frankly. Christian Bale is unrecognisable in this role – quite remarkable.

 

Best performance by an actress in a motion picture – comedy or musical

Winner: Olivia Colman – The Favourite

Emily Blunt – Mary Poppins Returns

Elsie Fisher – Eighth Grade

Charlize Theron – Tully

Constance Wu – Crazy Rich Asians

Trouper Verdict: Colman didn’t have a great deal of competition here either, and her profile has been given a boost as a result.

 

 

In conclusion, it was an interesting night with no dominating winner. Also notable that Roma was not eligible in the Best Picture categories due to it being in a foreign language. Things will be different at the BAFTAs and the Oscars.

 

 

Photo courtesy: Joe Shlabotnik