Tag: awards
2016 Golden Globes Nominations Blur The Boundaries Among Genres

2016 Golden Globes Nominations Blur The Boundaries Among Genres

By Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

When it comes to comedy, there is the kind of funny that makes you go “ha!,” and there’s the kind of funny that makes you go “huh?”

This year’s roster of Golden Globe nominees in the comedy or musical category encompasses both definitions. It’s reflective of the distinctive identity of the Globes themselves — the only major award that separates drama and comedy — and the complicated nature of some of today’s movie comedies from filmmakers such as the Coen brothers and Wes Anderson.

Among the major Hollywood awards shows, the Globes have the biggest tent, taking in traditional Oscar fare — which has increasingly come to mean smaller, darker independent fare — and the kind of populist movies that the Motion Picture Academy generally overlooks, as well as a few outliers that may not have been on anyone’s radar. This year is no exception, especially in the comedy or musical category.

Alongside two broad crowd-pleasing movies clearly aimed almost entirely at getting laughs — Melissa McCarthy’s Spy and the raunchy Amy Schumer rom-com Trainwreck — are three films that, to varying degrees, stretch the definition of what might be considered a comedy: Joy, The Big Short and The Martian.

All have comedic elements, but none is what you’d call a nonstop laugh riot, nor are they designed to be. Two of the films — David O. Russell’s Joy and Adam McKay’s The Big Short — can be seen as commentaries on the corruption and depletion of the American economy — while Ridley Scott’s The Martian is a sci-fi adventure in which the fate of Matt Damon’s stranded astronaut is at stake.

The films in the drama category are for the most part more traditional award season bait — Carol, The Revenant, Room and Spotlight — although the fifth nominee, Mad Max: Fury Road, is the kind of high-octane action flick rarely acknowledged this time of year.

Whatever the Globes may lack in predictive power for the Academy Awards (as can’t be repeated too often, Globes nominations are made by a small group of members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, not film industry professionals), they frequently make up for in their surprising array of nominations, and a Globes win can imbue a film with a sense of momentum as the awards season rolls on.

That’s especially relevant for The Big Short, which has solidified its standing as an Oscar force to be reckoned with in recent weeks, with a slew of nominations and critics awards. It was directed by one of the industry’s most successful comedy filmmakers, McKay, who also brought us Anchorman and Talladega Nights.

But the film’s subject matter — the 2008 financial crisis — couldn’t be more serious, and alongside many moments of darkly hued comedy, the film delivers a sobering look at the greed and corruption that led to the brink of an economic doomsday.

McKay told The Times recently that he had been looking for years for an opportunity to push beyond the traditional boundaries of comedy.

“The studios like certainty, so I’m a comedy guy and they’ll let me make any comedies I want,” he said. “But there was a little bit of resistance on different types of projects. I just love movies. I’ve always admired Danny Boyle — the way he’s able to jump genres at will.”

The inclusion of Scott’s The Martian raised eyebrows among many who felt that calling the film about an astronaut fighting for survival alone on Mars a comedy bordered on category fraud.

“A comedy’s a film whose #1 goal is to make people laugh,” Spy director Paul Feig tweeted in response. “If that wasn’t the filmmakers’ top goal, it’s not a comedy.”

For his part, Damon said in an interview last fall that comedy was an essential ingredient of the film from the start, as his character, Mark Watney, uses his wry sense of humor to keep his desperation at bay.

“That was one of the things Ridley and I talked about in our first meeting: How do you hold on to the terror and danger and the enormity of what the stakes are for this person and also retain the humor?” Damon said.

The fact is, the Globes’ nominations may simply be reflecting the fact that, both in film and on television, once-rigid genre distinctions are blurring more than ever — something McKay, for one, is happy to see.

“I don’t think genres are as restrictive as they used to be,” he said. “I’d like to keep not obeying the genre so much. The movie I always think about is Something Wild. That had a shocking tone shift halfway through, but it worked.”

The broad spectrum of films nominated by the HFPA is best reflected in the directing category. Five filmmakers who made vastly different movies — including George Miller’s gonzo action film Mad Max: Fury Road, Alejandro Inarritu’s western The Revenant and Todd Haynes’ period romance Carol — will face off.

But while Tom McCarthy’s ensemble drama Spotlight is among the few certified Oscar front-runners, some are predicting the HFPA may give the award to Ridley Scott in part to recognize his entire career.

The acting categories will see Hollywood veterans such as Lily Tomlin, Al Pacino and Jane Fonda face off against relative newcomers such as Schumer, Paul Dano and Alicia Vikander. In a nomination that surely struck a nostalgic chord with older moviegoers, Sylvester Stallone proved a Globes contender for supporting actor in a drama for his understated performance as Rocky Balboa in Creed — 39 years after his last Globes nod for the original Rocky.

“I remember reading that Eugene O’Neill’s father (actor James O’Neill) played the Count of Monte Cristo for 30 years — and I’m past that,” Stallone told The Times of his history playing the perennial underdog boxer. “It’s the one character I actually wanted to follow in perpetuity until maybe his final demise. There’s just something about this journey.”

Now that that journey has taken Stallone to the Globes, could it soon take him all the way to the Hollywood title fight that is the Oscars? Stallone laughed off the prospect.

“My God,” he said, shaking his head. “Listen, I’ve been more than blessed with my share of good fortune.”

©2016 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Photo: Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr

 

 

Column: Golden Globes: Surprising Nominations Reflect The Impossibility Of Shortlisting Great TV

Column: Golden Globes: Surprising Nominations Reflect The Impossibility Of Shortlisting Great TV

By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times (TNS)

As if determined to avoid the “do any of you even watch TV?” reaction that inevitably accompanies the Round Up of Usual Suspects known as the Emmy nominations, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association produced a jaw-dropping list of Golden Globe nominees on Thursday.

And while it continues the long-standing tradition of Golden Globe wackiness, the list also rather bravely reflects the virtually unmeasurable nature of modern television.

It is simply impossible to quantify television in any meaningful way beyond personal preference or particular intent.

I say this with some authority, having just dutifully put together several end-of-year lists: There is just no way to acknowledge all the quality shows and performances in groups of 10, much less five or six, even if you divide them up, as the Globes do, into comedy and drama.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association clearly wanted to steer attention away from certain award franchises, notably Mad Men, for which only Jon Hamm was nominated, and broadcast comedies of any name, often in favor of shows that may not show up on any other list of any sort, and kudos to them.

The broadcast networks, with their 23-episode work horses, some of them consistently terrific, were mostly ignored in favor of “trophy television” — those newer, sleeker, 12-episode series served up by streaming services whenever and wherever you desire, which is kind of depressing. But with the exception of Flesh and Bone for miniseries (really, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Flesh and Bone?) there isn’t a nominee without merit, and the surprising nature of the lists is, in itself, refreshing.

Game of Thrones is the sole survivor from last year’s best drama list, and this year’s includes Narcos (Netflix) and Outlander (Starz), along with the less surprising Empire and Mr. Robot. I think it is safe to say no one was talking about Narcos as an awards contender, and though Outlander debuted with strong buzz and continues to have a captive audience, it seemed to fall off the top-picks radar, for no better reason than there are far too many top picks.

Both Narcos and Outlander appeal to non-American audiences, and provide an important reminder that the Television Renaissance is not just an American experience. Eighty-five percent of Narcos, which follows the exploits of Pablo Escobar, is in Spanish, and, according to some polls, it is the second-most-watched show in the U.S. and the U.K. (after Game of Thrones).

Outlander is about a British woman magically transported to 18th century Scotland, and though it debuted strong last year, it failed to win any awards — something the Globes may rectify, with nominations in the actor and actress category as well.

The comedy side was a bit less surprising: Transparent (Amazon), Orange Is the New Black (Netflix) and virtually-mandated-by-law nominees Veep and Silicon Valley (both HBO).

But instead of filling the remaining slots with broadcast favorites (black-ish, Fresh off the Boat, Brooklyn Nine-nine), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, God bless it, went with Casual (Hulu) and Mozart in the Jungle (Amazon). Both of which are very good shows, which now might actually be watched by people and possibly, though probably not, considered for Emmys.

The acting categories are a safer mix of obvious choices — Emmy winners Viola Davis and Hamm, breakout stars Tariji P. Henson (Empire) and Rami Malek (Mr. Robot) — and celebrations of the underrecognized — Eva Green (Penny Dreadful), Maura Tierney (The Affair) and Rachel Bloom, singing star of the valiant but struggling Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Many great shows, established (no Good Wife) and outlier (no UnREAL) were not acknowledged because, quite frankly, that is now the way it is with these awards. Television has become too vast, disparate and discrete to categorize in any way. During awards season, then, there is much to be said for simply spreading the love around.

©2015 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Photo: Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr

 

Honors Go To Many Cookbooks

Honors Go To Many Cookbooks

By Lee Svitak Dean, Star Tribune (Minneapolis) (TNS)

If it’s spring, the award season in the food world has begun. Last week the James Beard Foundation announced its winners in the cookbook awards, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals provided theirs a bit earlier. Both lists of best books serve as a serious prompt to head to the bookstore right now — and the kitchen soon after.

JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION BOOK AWARDS

Cookbook of the Year: “Yucatan: Recipes from a Culinary Expedition,” David Sterling, (University of Texas Press)

Cookbook Hall of Fame: Barbara Kafka

American: “Heritage,” Sean Brock, (Artisan)

Baking and dessert: “Flavor Flours: A New Way to Bake with Teff, Buckwheat, Sorghum, Other Whole & Ancient Grains, Nuts & Non-Wheat Flours,” by Alice Medrich (Artisan)

Beverage: “Liquid Intelligence: The Art and Science of the Perfect Cocktail,” by Dave Arnold (W. W. Norton)

Cooking from a professional point of view: “Bar Tartine: Techniques & Recipes,” by Nicolaus Balla and Cortney Burns (Chronicle Books)

Focus on health: “Cooking Light Mad Delicious: The Science of Making Healthy Food Taste Amazing,” by Keith Schroeder (Oxmoor House)

General cooking: “The Kitchn Cookbook: Recipes, Kitchens & Tips to Inspire Your Cooking,” by Faith Durand and Sara Kate Gillingham (Clarkson Potter)

International: “Yucatan: Recipes from a Culinary Expedition,” by David Sterling (University of Texas Press)

Photography: “In Her Kitchen: Stories and Recipes from Grandmas Around the World,” by Gabriele Galimberti (Clarkson Potter)

Reference and scholarship: “Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering,” by Adam Danforth (Storey)

Single subject: “Bitter: A Taste of the World’s Most Dangerous Flavor, with Recipes,” by Jennifer McLagan (Ten Speed Press)

Vegetable Focused and Vegetarian: “At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen: Celebrating the Art of Eating Well,” by Amy Chaplin (Roost Books)

Writing and Literature: “The Third Plate: Field Notes on the Future of Food,” by Dan Barber (Penguin Press)

IACP BOOK AWARDS

American: “Down South: Bourbon, Pork, Gulf Shrimp & Second Helpings of Everything,” by Donald Link and Paula Disbrowe (Clarkson Potter)

Baking/Savory or Sweet: “The Baking Bible,” by Rose Levy Beranbaum (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Beverage/ Reference/ Technical: “Butchering Poultry, Rabbit, Lamb, Goat, and Pork: The Comprehensive Photographic Guide to Humane Slaughtering and Butchering,” by Adam Danforth (Storey)

Chefs and Restaurants: “Bar Tartine: Techniques and Recipes,” by Nicolaus Balla and Cortney Burns (Chronicle Books)

Children, Youth and Family: “FutureChefs: Recipes by Tomorrow’s Cooks Across the Nation and the World,” by Ramin Ganeshram (Rodale Books)

Compilations: “The Great Outdoors Cookbook: Adventures in Cooking Under the Open Sky,” by Elaine Johnson and Margo True (Oxmoor House)

Culinary History: “Precious Cargo: How Foods from the Americas Changed the World,” by David DeWitt (Counterpoint Press)

Culinary Travel: “Cyprus: A Culinary Journey,” by Rita Henss (C&C Publishing)

Julia Child First Book: “Heritage,” by Sean Brock (Artisan)

Food Matters: “Citizen Farmers: The Biodynamic Way to Grow Healthy Food, Build Thriving Communities, and Give Back to the Earth,” by Daron Joffe with Susan Puckett (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)

General: “Twelve Recipes,” by Cal Peternell (HarperCollins Publishers)

Health & Special Diet: “At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen,” by Amy Chaplin (Roost Books)

International: “Ikaria: Lessons on Food, Life, and Longevity from the Greek Island Where People Forget to Die,” by Diane Kochilas (Rodale Books)

Literary Food Writing: “In Search of the Perfect Loaf: A Home Baker’s Odyssey,” by Samuel Fromartz (Viking)

Photography: “The Slanted Door,” by Charles Phan, photographed by Ed Anderson (Ten Speed Press)

Single Subject: “Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry,” by Cathy Barrow (W. W. Norton)

Wine, Beer and Spirits: “Proof: The Science of Booze,” by Adam Rogers (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Global Design: “A New Napa Cuisine,” by Christopher Kostow (Ten Speed Press)

E-Cookbook: “Tutka Bay Lodge: Coastal Cuisine from the Wilds of Alaska,” by Kirsten Dixon and Mandy Dixon (Alaska Northwest Books)

Jane Grigson Award: “Liquid Intelligence,” by Dave Arnold (W.W. Norton)

Design Award: “Relae: A Book of Ideas,” by Christian F. Puglisi (Ten Speed Press)

Judge’s Choice: “Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day,” by Leanne Brown (Self-published)

Judge’s Choice: “North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland,” by Gunnar Karl Gislason and Jody Eddy (Ten Speed Press)

People’s Choice: “Vegetarian Dinner Parties,” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough (Rodale Books)

Cookbook of the Year: “A New Napa Cuisine,” by Christopher Kostow (Ten Speed Press)

MORE AWARDS FOR PAST BOOKS

IACP also presented its first list of Culinary Classic books, as well as an honor for a historical volume.

“Book of Great Cookies,” by Maida Heatter, published 1977, (Knopf)

“The Greens Cookbook,” by Deborah Madison, published 1987 (Bantam Books)

“The Making of a Cook,” by Madeleine Kamman, published 1978 (Atheneum)

“Greene on Greens,” by Bert Greene, published 1984 (Workman)

“The Taste of Country Cooking,” by Edna Lewis, published 1977 (Knopf)

Historical Cookbook Award: “Bartolomeo Scappi’s Opera,” by Terence Scully, first published 1570 (University of Toronto Press, Scholarly Publishing Division)

Photo: Elizabeth via Flickr

Confusion On The Red Carpet

Confusion On The Red Carpet

Lupita Nyong’o picked up an Oscar last year for her searing portrayal of a scarred captive in 12 Years a Slave. But many in the Academy Awards audience — just reminded of the misery depicted in a film clip — must have felt a bit mixed up when the woman they associated with a tormented slave floated up the stage stairs in a sumptuous sky-blue Prada gown, holding up the pleated skirt lest she trip on the yards of luxury.

Nyong’o looked spectacular, and her Oscar was soon followed by rich contracts to become the face of Miu Miu, one of Prada’s high fashion brands, and of Lancôme Paris, a French cosmetics house.

One recalls the odd casting some years back of Charlize Theron — a real-life supermodel — to play a squat, homely serial killer in the film Monster. When Theron subsequently accepted an Oscar for best actress, she was back to her thin, leggy, blonde self, draped in a backless, sparkling Gucci gown. You can imagine the fuss on the red carpet.

We know, of course, that actors are only acting. The fan mags tell us that Bradley Cooper, who played the Texas ranch hand turned celebrated Navy SEAL in American Sniper, is shopping for a house in London with his English model girlfriend. That doesn’t reflect one way or another on Cooper’s acting talents.

That the professionals burned in our minds for the great suffering they have shown in films live lavishly off camera is a reality of Hollywood. But it works differently for male and female actors.

There won’t be much attention paid to Cooper’s clothes or that of other male nominees attending the Academy Awards ceremony. Their simple suits, though elegant, won’t clash loudly with the ordinary people they played in the movies.

The actresses, by contrast, must stop on the red carpet and pose hand on hip, often half-naked and balancing on stilettos. This isn’t like a fancy party, where women may manage their costumes more or less in private. Here there are a thousand cameras, each on hair-trigger watch for an embarrassing slip-up.

Even the smartest actresses look goofy on the red carpet as they freeze for cameras, every ringlet in wax-museum place. The red carpet can be humiliating, and some actresses are protesting its excesses.

One source of anger is said to be the “mani-cam.” An invention of E! Entertainment Television, the mani-cam is a camera in a box, which is held over the stars’ hands to give the viewers an intimate view of the women’s manicures and jewels.

Some actresses at the Screen Actors Guild Awards — Reese Witherspoon, Julianne Moore, Jennifer Aniston — refused to lend their hands to the mani-cam. Nonetheless, they did participate in the fashion show, stopping to model their Armani, Givenchy and Galliano gowns, respectively.

Is the mani-cam ridiculous, insulting and sexist? Yes. But it’s a difference of degree rather than of kind in the red-carpet spectacle.

When winners are announced, the men joyfully skip up the stairs to fetch their statuettes. But the actresses are seen nervously negotiating the steps in spike heels, an experience that probably causes more pain and terror than would the whips and handcuffs in Christian Grey’s “playroom.”

The female stars have a dilemma. Not doing the red carpet thing might cost them contracts with cosmetics companies. And in an ironic twist to Hollywood sexism, creating buzz on the red carpet leads to offers of serious parts in big movies.

Dignity doesn’t always come cheap for America’s top actresses. One hopes more will pay the price for it.

Follow Froma Harrop on Twitter @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com. To find out more about Froma Harrop and read features by other Creators writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Web page at www.creators.com.

Photo: Kim Kardashian arrives at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS)