Golden Globe Nominations

"Previously on The Precursors..."  Gotham, Spirit, OFCS, NBR, NYFCC, LAFCA, BSFC, SAG

The shiny round fun began at 8:00 AM for the Globes annual film and television party with the nominees split, sometimes ungracefully, into Comedy/Musical and Drama categories. Except those pesky supporting actors! They have to share everything because who needs character actors (see also rampant category fraud every year plus SAG's unfortunate Ensemble rules) . America Ferrerra, Angela Bassett, Chloe Moretz and Dennis Quaid were on hand to read the nominations aloud.

Ready? Clicking on any of the names or titles will take you to previous articles about them. We are happy to report that director Todd Haynes' latest masterpiece (dude is a genius if you haven't heard) Carol led the nominations with 5 in total.

Full nomination list with commentary after the jump...

COMEDY/MUSICAL FILMS

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Tangerine Wishes & Globe Prediction Jitters

We're hoping against all hope at TFE HQ that Tangerine will somehow place in the Golden Globe Comedy or Musical categories in the morning. Not only because it's hugely deserving but because wouldn't that be a kick to see Sean Baker, Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor at the Globes? It would take a (good) miracle but we're due one after the (bad) miracles of SAG Nomination Morning, don'cha think? Great movies are their own awards though. So even if it never gets nominated for or wins another prize, cherish it. It's streaming on Netflix so if you haven't yet seen it, invite friends over (comedies are better with a crowd), serve donuts, turn out the lights and be amazed. You WILL have a good time.

The night before the Globe nominations what are you dreaming of and what are YOU predicting. I'll share mine after the jump -- because they're bound to be wrong and who wants that on the main page! -- for you completists... 

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"Brooklyn" Beyond Saoirse

Chris here. We're pleased as punch with all of the precursor love that's greeted Saoirse Ronan's timeless star turn in Brooklyn. Today though, in light of SAG's virtually female-free Outstanding Ensemble list, let's give some love to this film's unnominated but vibrant ensemble.

Yes, Saoirse Ronan is getting the majority of the prizes and praises for the film - heck, she could share an ensemble prize for the film with just herself and her multitude of emotions  in the film and you'd have no complaints from me. However, Eilis's journey in the film is more fully realized with the lived-in actors that surround Ronan's protagonist.

THE FAMILIAR FACES

• Emory Cohen as Tony Fiorello - I'll join those who were happily surprised with his performance, after ghastly work in The Place Beyond the Pines and elsewhere. Not just a pining lothario, he's also believably accepting of Eilis's need to be her own woman. Dreamboat of the Year.
• Domnhall Gleeson as Jim Farrell - A much more bland love interest to Eilis, but intentionally so. He really sells Jim's uncomplicated ambitions
• Julie Walters as Mrs. Kehoe - Archly hilarious as the matron of Eilis's boarding house for girls. She'd be a Supporting Actress contender if it weren't for competition with more screen time and *ahem* narrative focus
• Jim Broadbent as Father Flood - As charming as ever in a tiny role

And here's where it get's really good after the jump...

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Outstanding Achievement in Abs: Alexander Skarsgård

It's our first non fan-photoshopped look at Alexander Skarsgård as Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. It's apparently been retitled (?) The Legend of Tarzan and will open July 1st, 2016. Another image and the first poster after the jump...

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SAG Ensemble -- Everyone's Nominated... Except for You!

Happy SAG NOMINATION DAY! It's time for our glorious depressing tradition of trying to convince a UNION that they ought to look into slightly different rules that are less likely to devalue their dues paying members. Each year when the SAG ensemble nominees are announced the list of actual nominees from the films reveal that non-big name actors are routinely excluded. The problem is that the size of your fame doesn't always correlate with your role and the bulk of SAG's membership is non-famous actors.  If you're curious about why this happens it's due to the rules that you have to have your own title card to be considered part of the official ensemble. In other words you need to a) be famous or b) have a really good agent or c) have the leading role. The only exception to this rule is when the credits don't follow the normal rules. For example Woody Allen movies always list the cast alphabetically on a shared title card. In those cases, you have to be on the first title card to make it in which is why Corey Stoll, who gave the best performance in Midnight in Paris, was left out that year. He wasn't famous enough yet to be on the first page of credits. Now he tends to get his own title card. 

So let's look at who was honored and who was mistreated this morning by the group nominations.

BEASTS OF NO NATION
Nominated Cast: Abraham Attah, Idris Elba, Kurt Egyiawan (as "2nd I-C")

Who was left out: Just about everyone which makes it the strangest nomination of the group. Does three make an ensemble?  I have not yet seen the film -- child soldier dramas are a subgenre I avoid like the plague since they're mentally scarring -- but I hear that Emmanuel Nii Adom Quaye who plays "Strika" is quite good in the movie. 

more after the jump...

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