The word going in last night was that the 90 member Hollywood Foreign Press Association didn’t like “A Star is Born.” And I guess that was true, since the HFPA– an eclectic group to say the least– pretty much snubbed the Bradley Cooper-directed film. Lady Gaga lost Best Actress to Glenn Close in “The Wife.” Cooper lost Best Actor and Best Director. Cooper’s screenplay lost as well.
But the Globes are rarely predictive of the Oscars. We’ll see more real signs next Sunday at the Critics Choice Awards. For the moment we have to live with the Globes choices, some of which made sense, some of which are off.
Frankly, I would have thought Lady Gaga would win the Globe and lose the Oscar to Glenn Close. Now it might be the other way around. But I do think Gaga is glad for the nomination and realizes that Close– who’s been waiting three decades for an award– may be having a moment at last.
The bigger surprise is that “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a movie with no director, won the Globe for Best Picture-Drama. That’s certainly a first. And the Best Director, Alfonso Cuaron, didn’t direct the Best Picture, but just the Best Foreign Film. Go figure.
The main takeaway on the movie side is that “Green Book” is back in the race. The movie won Best Comedy, and screenplay. Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor. IÂ do think “Green Book” is headed to Best Picture at the Oscars and that Viggo Mortensen still has a shot at Best Actor, along with Mahershala.
This doesn’t eliminate “Roma” from the race. Netflix will now position “Roma” as the art movie that must win the Academy Award.
So what about “A Star is Born”? You could say that $200 million at the box office is its reward. Maybe it was too successful. Lady Gaga can still win the Oscar, I think. It depends on how much the Academy voters respond negatively to the HFPA choices.
On the TV side, the biggest surprise was Amy Adams losing Best Actress for “Sharp Objects” to Patricia Arquette in “Escape at Dannemora.” They are each great performances but the latter had the advantage of airing as the HFPA voted. I think it was that simple. Next September for the Emmy Awards it may be a different story.
PS Amy Adams, meanwhile, has a shot at Best Supporting Actress in a movie for “Vice.” Regina King won that award last night for” “If Beale Street Could Talk.” King, like Adams, has waited a long time for recognition. So many talents! They should all win something!
