The Golden Globes are fun, right? Does anyone really take these awards seriously? I know some people (not me) take the Oscars seriously, but the Golden Globes? Didn't Pia Zadora get nominated for one of those? OK, no one remembers who that is, or why it was wrong. But just last year, Burlesque was nominated for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical). OK, you probably don't remember what Burlesque was either, but trust me, it wasn't very good. I think directing awards are an afterthought for the Hollywood Foreign Press, but let's take a look at who they nominated, and why they were wrong.
Who Are Those Guys?
(Columbia Pictures)
The Oscars are a relatively stuffy, formal event. The Golden Globes serve booze during the show, and it's basically a party. Naturally, the HFPA wants the cool kids to come to their party, so celebrities are more likely to be nominated than unknowns, in all categories. That, sadly, includes directors. I'm a fan of George Clooney's work as an actor, and I think he's done solid work as a director, too, but The Ides of March is not his best. It's stodgy, predictable, and pro forma in its studied cynicism. It tells us nothing about American politics that we haven't heard a bazillion times before. But he gets a nomination for being a great guest. I would say the same thing about Woody Allen, whose Midnight in Paris managed to be simultaneously slight and shrill, but Woody has already established that he's not coming to your Hollywood bash. He's been nominated countless times, and if he never shows up for Oscar, he's not showing up for the Globes.
