First of all, giving any kind of meaning whatsoever to the Golden Globes is to ascribe to a belief in the higher power of awards season, that somehow it all adds up. Yet often it feels as if it does, as subtle shifts in overall momentum for this film or that contender do seem to portend larger happenings. So please, people of the nations of awards watchers, gather around as we think upon a few things that did or did not happen Sunday night.
Everything here is a supposition toward what it might mean looking forward to Thursday’s Oscar noms. But even there, nomination voting closed at the end of last week, so any genuine impact from Sunday night will be felt in the post-nominations period.
The overriding narrative for the promotion of “The Revenant” has been how difficult it was to make. It was cold, Leo ate animal guts, the bear attack was a torturous bit of movie magic. The movie took home three major awards on Sunday night – for best picture, drama, best director for Alejandro G. Inarritu and best actor, drama for Leonardo DiCaprio – and also surpassed expectations at the box office, bringing in some $38 million.
So that story of how hard the movie was to make seems to be landing with awards groups and moviegoers alike.
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Comedian and host Ricky Gervais opened the show with jokes that made some laugh hysterically, and others cringe.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Jennifer Lawrence accepts the award for actress in a motion picture comedy for her role in “Joy.” “Every time I’m up here, it’s because of you,” Lawrence said of her director David O. Russell.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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In the final award of the night, Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the honor for motion picture drama for his film “The Revenant.”
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Brie Larson accepts the award for actress in a motion picture drama for her role in “Room.” After a long list of folks to shout out, she said, “I’m sorry to anyone I forgot, I’ll write you a thank you card.”
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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As Taraji P. Henson walked to the stage to accept her award for actress in a TV drama, she passed out cookies to those around her, including one to Lady Gaga. “Cookies for everyone tonight, my treat,” she said for her winning role playing a character named Cookie in “Empire.” And just as she was asked to wrap up her speech, she refused. “I waited 20 years for this,” Henson said.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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After being announced as a two-time Golden Globe award winner, Jim Carrey made it known that he isn’t just a regular person, he is a two-time Golden Globe award winner. Though, of course, his dreams won’t be fulfilled, as he said, until he becomes a three-time Golden Globe award winner.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Presenter Morgan Freeman announces the nominees for directing.
(Handout / Getty Images)
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Alejandro G. Inarritu accepts the award for director for “The Revenant.”
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Presenter Andy Samberg sparks laughs.
(Paul Drinkwater / NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
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Michael Keaton takes the stage to present an award.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Sophia Bush, left, and Kate Bosworth present an award onstage.
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Maggie Gyllenhaal introduces the nominated film “The Room.”
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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Music, what music? Ridley Scott made sure to get in all this “thank yous” while accepting the award for motion picture comedy for “The Martian.”
(Paul Drinkwater / Associated Press)
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‘Steve Jobs’ may not be over after all
Though “Steve Jobs” seemed to have flamed out after its release – “Unfortunate about the box office figures,” star Michael Fassbender quipped during a recent awards speech – it took home two of the major film prizes on Sunday, with Kate Winslet winning best supporting actress and Aaron Sorkin winning best screenplay.
So while Fassbender, Winslet and Sorkin have all seemed solid for nominations, could there be enough affection to push the movie toward a best picture nomination?
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Golden Globe winners, including Rachel Bloom with her Golden Globe for Actress in a TV Series, Comedy or Musical, stop by the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards press room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Actor Sylvester Stallone, winner of Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture for “Creed,” poses in the press room at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Kate Winslet accepts her Golden Globe for Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Director Alejandro González Iñárritu, left, and actor Leonardo DiCaprio pose with awards for Best Motion Picture, Drama; Best Director, Motion Picture; and Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama, for “The Revenant” in the press room at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Winner Oscar Isaac for Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Taraji P. Henson in the press room with her Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Matt Damon, winner for Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Producers Mark Pybus, left, Colin Callender and Rebecca Eaton, winners of Miniseries or Television Film for “Wolf Hall,” pose in the press room at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jimmy Naples, left, and Sam Smith, winners of the Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for “Writing’s On The Wall” from the movie “Spectre”, at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Aaron Sorkin, winner of Screenplay - Motion Picture for “Steve Jobs” at the 73rd Annual Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 10, 2016.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Director Laszlo Nemes, center, actor Geza Rohrig, second from left, and other members of the “Son of Saul” team pose with the award for best foreign-language film for “Son of Saul,” in the press room at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards show at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jennifer Lawrence won the award for lead actress in a motion picture comedy for “Joy.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Christian Slater took home the prize for actor in a supporting role in a series, limited series or motion picture made for television, for “Mr. Robot.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Gael Garcia Bernal of “Mozart in the Jungle” wins for actor in a TV series, musical or comedy.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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“Mr. Robot” creator Sam Esmail, center, and the cast pose together after winning the Golden Globe award for best TV series drama.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Maura Tierney holds her Golden Globe for supporting actress in a limited series/TV Movie for “The Affair.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jon Hamm holds his Golden Globe for “Mad Men.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Winners of the best motion picture musical or comedy for “The Martian”: Simon Kinberg, left, Ridley Scott and Michael Schaefer.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Pete Docter, left, and Jonas Rivera, winners of the best animated feature film for “Inside Out.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Lady Gaga with her Golden Globe for actress in a miniseries or a motion picture. She will perform the national anthem at Super Bowl 50.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Gael Garcia Bernal, Bernadette Peters and Lola Kirke share the Golden Globe for TV series comedy for “Mozart in the Jungle.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Matt Damon campaigns for Ridley Scott too
The gambit to run “The Martian” in the category of comedy or musical paid off. The film won best picture in the category and best actor for lead Matt Damon. In accepting the award, Damon humbly noted the 18-year gap since the last time he won a Globe and how he now had a better appreciation for the moment.
As he did in a speech last weekend, Damon also took the opportunity to campaign for “Martian” director Ridley Scott, noting how many other actors in the room had worked with him and the deep body of work the filmmaker has accumulated over the years.
In accepting the best film prize, Scott himself jokingly questioned whether the film is really a comedy and then spoke eloquently of how the success of a movie like “The Martian” and in turn “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is good for the industry overall. Finishing on a remembrance of his late brother, director Tony Scott, gave the moment an unexpected emotional resonance that could also go far with other potential awards voters.
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Without question, Amy Adams is enjoying the evening.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Steve Carell and his wife, Nancy, were among the A-listers at the event.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Gina Rodriguez smiles for the cameras as she enters the room.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Christian Slater, left, and Rachel McAdams join the festivities.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Taraji P. Henson, one of the award winners, has reason to smile.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jeffrey Tambor and Kasia Ostlun make their arrival.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Helen Mirren graces the affair with he presence.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Michael B. Jordan, center, arrives at the party.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Brie Larson was a winner for the movie “Room.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Amy Schumer and sister Kim Caramele pause amid the hubbub backstage.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Queen Latifah arrives at the party.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Natalie Dormer makes her way to the celebration.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Terrance Howard and Michelle Ghent-Howard join the festivities.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Brian Wilson arrives.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
‘Spotlight,’ ‘Carol,’ ‘The Big Short’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ all go home empty-handed
The HFPA were not interested in spreading it around. A raft of nominations going into the night did not guarantee any wins during the show. “Carol” had five nominations, more than any other film, and went home empty-handed. As did “The Big Short” with four nominations, “Spotlight” with three and “Mad Max: Fury Road” with two.
All those films have proven popular with critics, which may be part of the reason they have seemed to have so much heat around them, but of a kind which may not correspond to enthusiasm from Oscar voters. All are still very much in the race, but perhaps slightly less rock-solid than they looked going into Sunday night.
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‘Room’ closes around Brie Larson
Brie Larson’s win for best actress, drama was a much-needed bit of uplift for the movie “Room,” as it had recently been coming up short, without nominations from the Producers Guild or Writers Guild. (It wasn’t eligible for the WGA, but being left out of any conversation can still hurt overall perception.) Even so, Larson’s win Sunday night solidifies her as the frontrunner for best actress.
Screenwriter Emma Donoghue, who adapted her own novel, still seems likely competitive moving forward even without the WGA, but the movie’s chances in other categories may be slipping away. And Larson’s young co-star Jacob Tremblay is beginning to look more like a long, long shot for a nomination in the supporting actor category.
