A quick look at the GG's

The Golden Globe awards, oops, sorry the Golden Globes press conference, has come and gone and there were a few surprises on hand to rev us up for what will hopefully be an actual Academy Awards ceremony.

Actor-Johnny Depp (Sweeney Todd) won for Best Actor in a comedy or musical and Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) won for Best Actor in a drama. As a result, Tom Hanks (Charlie Wilson's War), who could still win the big Oscar was deprived of a win, as was Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Savages) and Denzel Washington was left out for American Gangster.

Actress-This race was much more exciting and I'm quite thrilled with both winners. For musical/comedy, Marion Cotillard won for La Vie En Rose, which means Ellen Page (Juno), Amy Adams (Enchanted), Nikki Blonsky (Hairspray) and Helena Bonham Carter (Sweeney Todd) came up empty handed. The first two were the only others who would have been most deserving to win. The actress award went to the radiant Julie Christie for Away From Her. Angelina Jolie (A Mighty Heart) and Keira Knightley (Atonement) lost to Christie who IS the most deserving of the Academy Award although Jolie still has a good shot of winning.

The supporting actor award went to Javier Bardem for No Country For Old Men which means that, once again, Hoffman (Charlie Wilson's War) lost out.

Supporting Actress went to Cate Blanchett for I'm Not There!!??!!! Yes, that's right, one of the most boring and pointless movies, in my humble opinion, of last year. The Bob Dylan pic was so slow and tedious and I would have rather have seen any one of the other four women win this award. There could be another winner come Oscar time; I hope so.

Best Picture comedy/musical was no surprise: Sweeney Todd. Juno was the only other film I think was most deserving.

Best picture drama was no surprise (maybe): Atonement. This film, along with No Country For Old Men was the most deserving. I haven't yet seen There Will Be Blood but it opens in my area this weekend.

Best Director was most shocking of all. Winner Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (another movie that hasn't yet opened in my area) is getting many critical acclaims and beat out Tim Burton, Joel & Ethan Coen, Ridley Scott and Joe Wright. Will there be an upset at the Oscars? It's happened before.

My predictions for who will be nominated for an Oscar are coming up.

Stay tuned....

paul