5 things we learnt about the Oscars race from the Golden Globe nominations

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s SAG nominations, the Foreign Press Association today announced their own Golden Globe nominations. As you’ll have predicted with weary acceptance, I’ve implored my lacklustre thinking cells to consider what the announcement means to 2014’s Oscars race.

I guess in many ways, you could say that today was yesterday’s tomorrow. And if you’re not saying that then can I recommend that you take the longest, hardest look at yourself in the nearest mirror (although the vicinity of the mirror is optional, I’m simply trying to endorse your very own convenience. My pleasure).

For the less able of you, I’m hacking on about the fact that a mere day after the SAG award nominations were announced, we have a complete and, indeed, longer set of filmy names to look at and consider. The dear, dear Golden Globes used to be a firm statement of intent upon the awards season, but has recently taken a lengthy sojourn to backlash city. Luckily for you however, my perpetual insistence to remain behind the times means that I’m still keen to consider them as a chief indicator for the Academy awards.

A real list of the nominations is here and my thoughts are down there:

1. It’s a shoot-out between Gravity and 12 Years a Slave

Ok, so we’ve probably known this for a good while now, but the Best Picture will more than likely be picked between these two. Having considered their best film nominations and nods for Cuaron and McQueen, and utterly cleared your mind of words like ‘argo’ and ‘zerodarkthirty’, they are dead certs for Best Picture nominations at the Oscars.

At this point, their competition seems to consist primarily of American Hustle, which looks like a jocular performers’ romp as opposed to a heavyweight contender, and Captain Phillips which is perhaps a little to Argo-ish to pick up the votes it will require. Nebraska is certainly a dark (black and white, indeed) horse, but it’s been a hell of a long time since Bruce Dern’s win at Cannes and it’s a pony that may well have bolted a long time ago.

2. Idris Elba is the Mandela

Idris Elba in ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom’ (Credit: The Weinstein Company)

Call me a disgusting old cynic but absorb these card, hold spoonerific facts:

a) Nelson Mandela exited this earthy realm on 5th December 2013;

b) Golden Globe nomination ballots closed on 9th December 2013; and

c) Idris Elba was Golden Globe nominated for his role as Nelson Mandela on 12th December 2013.

Hey. Hey.

Now the bounce may not quite last until March, but may well secure Elba his first Academy Award nomination come the 16th January. And, for fear of reprisals, that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

3. The Best Original Song category could be an utter star-off

Coldplay, U2, Taylor Swift, Justin Timberlake. No, it’s not the playlist for Radio 2’s upcoming ‘Middle of the Road’ Music Festival. They’re all nominated for a Golden Globe this year for their Original (the term is, of course, used in its lightest terms) Songs. Great news for my dad; a bummer for the rest of us.

If it makes it any easier to bear, Jon Bon Jovi, Keith Urban and Taylor Swift (I know…AGAIN) were all nominated last time around without troubling the Academy’s crimson carpet, so there is yet hope that Chris Martin and Bono can leave their dinner jackets in one of their many walk-in wardrobes.

4. Aha. There may be a Partridge amongst the paparazzi

While Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa’s dismally weak jokes meant that it was never in danger of a shock Oscar call-up, Steve Coogan may well still get an invite. As ventured in this very blog, his splendid screenplay for Philomena has impressed the Foreign Press Association sufficiently to garner a screenplay nod and this should be a good indicator that the Academy will duplicate the honour.

5. There’s still hope for my Mads

With 2012’s The Hunt inexplicably earning a Best Foreign Language Film nomination (yes, I know that it probably isn’t inexplicable and no, I don’t want your boring explanation as to why that is) and likely to do the same at the Oscars, there is yet a slim hope that the masterful Mads Mikkelsen may muster a mention from the Academy.

Ok, so it’s true that the last couple of days weren’t overly kind to him and the Best Actor category is, as ever, looking very strong (it’s got ruddy dead Nelson Mandela in it for crying out loud), Mikkelsen’s stock is pretty strong at the moment after his lead A Royal Affair was nominated last year and now that he’s Hannibal shitting Lecter. Stranger things may or may not have happened.

My super apologies, but I just can’t justify spunking reams of cyberspace on listing the nominees in full, so Wikipedia will have to be your friend. I’ll be back in due course with more films For Your Consideration, reviews and the Oscar nomination news. As no serious person ever says in all sincerity, peace out y’all.

For Your Consideration: Philomena

Philomena (2013)

If we’ve learnt anything from the last few years (and only God knows whether we have) it’s that journalists are a bunch of little shits.

Possibly the most remarkable thing about this fresh and unexpected acquired knowledge, is that it was left to two of Britain’s most dazzlingly inscrutable celebrities to take the time out of their hectic schedules and impart it upon us unworthy hordes. Thank you, Hugh. Much appreciated, Steve. We truly are unworthy.

And yet, Steve Coogan has been big enough and, dare I say (for the very real fear of being sued for defamation), ugly enough to adapt journalist Martin Sixsmith’s The Lost Child of Philomena Lee – the account of his investigation into the inhumanely cruel swiping of Philomena’s infant son by the nuns from her Irish convent in the 195os – and even to cast himself in the role.

After being recently shamed out of his position as a spin-doctor for the Labour government, Sixsmith is initially reluctant to take on the eponymous Philomena’s (Judi Dench) human interest story. Until, that is, he realises it could be good for his dwindling profile.

The disarming strength of the film is that it plays out as a classic buddy road movie between Sixsmith and Lee, as their search for her son goes transatlantic. He’s a curmudgeon through and through. He goes to swanky (with, seemingly, a silent ‘s’) parties and the opera. Has plans to write a book about the Russian Revolution. Is used to a first-class lifestyle and, a hardened atheist (his exclamation of “Fucking Catholics” is a comedy highpoint), has no qualms in treading all over the little guy. She is entirely lead by her faith, enjoys nothing more than to indulge in trashy romance novels and is awed by the size of American food portions.

Courtesy of Si Hill – http://www.SiHill.co.uk – @Siiighhill

Inevitably, but with no ounce of saccharine and only a mere smattering of cliché, Sixsmith realises that there is more to life than his career and profile. He establishes himself as Philomena’s champion, finding it impossible but to become embroiled in her sorrow.

As do we, for a tag-team of reasons. The first is Dame Judi. The very essence of charm, humility wit, and helplessness, it is an astonishing turn that the Academy will find difficult to ignore. Although Cate Blanchett’s Blanche DuBois-esque soak in Blue Jasmine is hot favourite, only a Godless bastard would begrudge Dench to beat Cate to Oscar number two.

The second is the razor-sharp script from Coogan and appropriately named co-writer Jeff Pope – winner of the Best Screenplay award at the Venice Film Festival. Its power is derived from the jarring contrasts between devilishly funny and demoniacally tragic. The laugh out loud lines are invariably succeeded by an incident of crushing sadness. The effect is genuinely flooring.

Unfortunately – and as a lover of all things Partridge I say this with a heavy heart – the film’s one real misstep is Coogan’s casting. There is nothing actively wrong with his performance. But the haughty, self-interested Coogan that we have previously been proffered in the likes of The Trip and, you know, The News, is so close to Sixsmith that it is difficult to get lost in the character. This is only exacerbated by the utter quality of his opposite number; imagine having to compete with Dench. In The Trip ‘Coogan’ claims that he has lost out on many roles to Michael Sheen and, reluctant as he is to do so, he will perhaps only be successful on the big screen by taking on more diverse and caricatured personalities.

But Philomena is a human interest story of the highest order and if, as Sixsmith grouchily asserts at the head of the tale, such stories are for weak-minded, ignorant people then my old boss is completely correct – I’m about as weak-minded and ignorant as they come.

Philomena; 2013; Dir: Stephen Frears; Stars: Judi Dench; Steve Coogan; Anna Maxwell Martin; 98 mins; 8/10; Probable nominations: Best Actress (Judi Dench); Possible nominations: Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope)