Sunday, January 11, 2009

They got it wrong.

In honor of awards season and really the Golden Globes tonight (hehehe always sounds like boobies), I have decided to write a little blog action on how they got it wrong. (You can expect one of these for the Oscars too...I adore the Oscars)
Now I LOVE awards shows. I have a whole set up. Champagne and chips and salsa for the Oscars. Why? I have no idea, it started one year and stuck...they don't even go that well together but hey. I may not have seen all the movies or really cared but dammit I've read enough gossip to know who to root for and who isn't worth it.
So here is my opinion on three times when the Golden Globe Awards got it wrong.
(Buckle up, this is gonna be a long one!)
The year- 2000. The Race- Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama.
Here are your nominees. Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream), Bjork (Dancer in the Dark), Joan Allen (The Contender), Laura Linney(You Can Count on Me), and Julia Roberts (Erin Brockovich).
I think we all remember who won. Julia Fucking Roberts. She wore that fantastic black and white Valentino dress and very memorably thanked then boyfriend Benjamin Bratt (yum).
But did they get it right?
My answer-Nope.
I love Julia. That hair, that smile, for god's sake I know Pretty Woman by heart. And speaking of which, she had already gotten the award...for the deserving role...in 1991!
Now I fully admit I did not see all of Erin B. I got bored and turned it off, not a good sign. So here are my feelings on this one...they got it wrong. I did see Dancer in the Dark. Bjork was a-frickin-mazing. But the role was a little too artsy for some (not me). I'm pretty sure I saw The Contender but it was awhile ago...who cares, it's Joan Allen! I did not see You Can Count on Me but for christ's sake will somebody just give Laura Linney an award already, she's terrific!
Now, Requiem for a Dream I have seen...oh yes I have. And is there any way that you can tell me that Julia, dressed in leopard print and a push up bra, saving the town from the meanies at the plant beats out the brilliance that Ellen Burstyn brought to that screen? Is there? She was scary, vulnerable, funny, sad, and heart-wrenching. And she deserved that award dammit.
I will pause right here. Now Sara, how the fuck can you justify such a passionate opinion without having even seen all the movies? It's my blog, that's how.
Onward.
The Year-2008. The Race-Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical/Comedy.
Here are your nominees. Ryan Gosling (Lars and the Real Girl), Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War), Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages), John C. Reilly (Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story), and Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd).
And, of course, we all know who won. My sweet, incredibly talented, oh so deserving of an award Johnny Depp. And they got it wrong.
In just a few moments you will read how I feel about this movie version of Sweeney Todd but for now let's stick with Johnny. God he's gorgeous, he's so talented, he can do whatever he wants...except play Sweeney. I had always thought he looked too young, for one. And two, well...he really can't sing, really. He's ok but this is Sondheim dammit. I will not examine all of his competition just one. Ryan Gosling. Ryan Gosling who acted opposite a mannequin in Lars and the Real Girl...and didn't we all wish we were that mannequin? He brought to life this vulnerable, sad, innocent and joyful character with such ease and simplicity. And he should have won.
And finally.
The Year-2008. The Race-Best Motion Picture Musical/Comedy.
Here are your nominees. Across the Universe, Juno, Hairspray, Charlie Wilson's War and Sweeney Todd.
And who won? Sweeney Todd. And you guessed it, they got it wrong, for many reasons.
Let's examine the nominees.
Charlie Wilson's War...I've never seen the whole thing but compared to the other nominees I am disregarding it right now.
Juno-Funny, heartwarming, sassy. Could have won, I guess..but didn't, who cares.
Across the Universe-I LOVE this movie, I LOVE this soundtrack, I was pleasantly surprised by the performances, and I understand why it didn't win...although I possibly disagree.
Hairspray- Hairspray, Hairspray, Hairspray. How I loved John Waters' original. Ricki Lake, Debbie Harry and good lord Divine! I boycotted the Broadway play, I thought it was blasphemy. Then I stumbled across this gem of a movie and while I realize it is not really a "remake" I enjoyed it as much, if not more than the "original". It's a musical that does the "musical" justice. Nikki Blonsky is adorable, John Travolta is charming and James Marsden is fantastic. And don't even get me started on the talent of the dancers and singers or Amanda Bynes for that matter (I have a total girl crush). Like Chicago before it, Hairspray truly encompassed the movie musical and it was funny to boot, it should have won.
Why Sara? You love Sondheim, you love Johnny! Why choose a Zac Efron movie over that?
Here's why-I do not believe it was completely true to the script. What movie based on a play, book, etc. ever is right? The problem here is that the things that director Tim Burton chose to cut I believe, are imperative to the storyline and without them you completely lose the climax of the title character. He cut the chorus from a chorus driven story and in turn, I believe cut a major character and major motivation for Sweeney...and some pretty fucking unbelievable music, including one of my favorites, Judge Turpin's "Johanna" aka "Mea Culpa" which, disturbing as it may be, that's the whole point. It makes the Judge even more of a villain, which I don't think was portrayed as well as it could have been, by Alan Rickman...I do love him but he was not my favorite in this.
While there are things I thought were ok in Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd (the atmosphere, the way the bodies hit the basement floor head first and most surprisingly, almost all of Helena Bonham Carter's performance), unfortunately there was too much I didn't. I was disappointed because I think Tim Burton is amazing and I was really looking forward to it. It did not deliver and in my not so humble opinion, did not deserve to win.
Jesus, that was a long post! Sorry, next time I will cut it up into more than one. Anyhoo, there you have it. My thoughts on a few of the times that The Golden Globe Awards got it wrong. I know that there are more and I also know that there are people out there who will think I am full of shit.
I hope you enjoyed. And depending on the outcome tonight you may be hearing from me again very soon.
Peace out.

1 comment:

Kristi @ Mi Vida Ocupada said...

I'm not a big movie person but I have loved Johnny Depp for 20 years now :)