Golden Globe Nominations: Marvel Outperforms Scorsese

Christian Ziolkowski ’19 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
When it comes to this year’s Golden Globe nominations, nothing is as it seems. Except for the stuff that is. While the Hollywood Foreign Press’ annual selection of nominees contains its fair share of snubs and surprises, the Moonlight-vs.-La La Land-vs.-Manchester by the Sea narrative continues to define this award season. There were some notable snubs (Scorsese? Jarmusch? The older Affleck brother?), but 2016 has been a great year for movies—if nothing else—and competition was stiff. Read on to see who will be appearing at Hollywood’s drunkest night, and how these nominations will affect the one award show you actually care about.
Best Motion Picture – Drama
Hacksaw Ridge
Hell or High Water
Lion
Manchester by the Sea
Moonlight
In an incredibly competitive year, Hell or High Water pulled off quite the feat by beating out the likes of Silence and Fences for a nomination. This award will likely go to either Moonlight or Manchester by the Sea, and the winner will become the favorite challenger to La La Land for the Oscar. Moonlight has the buzz, but the Globes have a tendency to be much more unpredictable.

Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
20th Century Women
Deadpool
Florence Foster Jenkins
La La Land
Sing Street
Pick your jaws up off the floor. Yes, you read that right. A comic book movie is nominated for a Golden Globe. A Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture, no less. Deadpool’s two nominations are one of the day’s biggest stories, but it is unlikely to change the fact that La La Land will win this one. While it doesn’t deliver the non-stop laughs of last year’s winner, The Martian, La La Land is a groundbreaking, critically-beloved film in an otherwise weak category. It is a La La-lock to win.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama

Casey Affleck, Manchester by the Sea

Joel Edgerton, Loving

Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Viggo Mortensen, Captain Fantastic

Denzel Washington, Fences
This is Affleck’s trophy to lose, with his performance in Manchester by the Sea being hailed as one for the ages. Garfield’s nomination is also significant, showing that Mel Gibson is no longer awards-poison. It also takes away the sting of Martin Scorsese’s Silence, which also stars Garfield, being completely shut out.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Amy Adams, Arrival
Jessica Chastain, Miss Sloane
Ruth Negga, Loving
Natalie Portman, Jackie
Isabelle Huppert, Elle
This could be a slot for Amy Adams, the perennial Oscar bridesmaid, to slip in and steal an award for her subtle turn in Arrival. However, the momentum is with Portman, and a win here will likely set up a two-way race between her and Emma Stone for the Oscar.
Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Colin Farrell, The Lobster
Ryan Gosling, La La Land
Hugh Grant, Florence Foster Jenkins
Jonah Hill, War Dogs
Ryan Reynolds, Deadpool
This is an interesting one. Deadpool’s award love continues to be a wonderful surprise for fans of the comic book movie, and nobody saw Jonah Hill’s nomination coming. Ryan Gosling remains the frontrunner for his song-and-dance performance in La La Land, don’t count out Ryan Reynolds. The Foreign Press may reward Reynolds, as his hilariously foul-mouthed performance in Deadpool is unlikely to be recognized at the Oscars when nominations are not divided between comedy and drama.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Annette Bening, 20th Century Women
Lily Collins, Rules Don’t Apply
Hailee Steinfeld, The Edge of Seventeen
Emma Stone, La La Land
Meryl Streep, Florence Foster Jenkins
Lily Collins’ nomination, for the much-anticipated but little-loved Rules Don’t Apply, is a surprise, but this category did not stray much from expectations. Expect Emma Stone to win, and emerge as an Oscar frontrunner.
Best Supporting Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Mahershala Ali, Moonlight
Jeff Bridges, Hell or High Water
Simon Helberg, Florence Foster Jenkins
Dev Patel, Lion
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Nocturnal Animals
This category sees a few surprises, with Simon Helberg and Aaron Taylor-Johnson seemingly entering the Oscar race out of nowhere. But the real race was always between Mahershala Ali and Jeff Bridges, and the Moonlight star remains the favorite.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture
Viola Davis, Fences
Naomie Harris, Moonlight
Nicole Kidman, Lion
Octavia Spencer, Hidden Figures
Michelle Williams, Manchester by the Sea
This category is not an award race, it is an award coronation. Viola Davis is the heavy, heavy, heavy favorite to take home the gold at both the Golden Globes and the Oscars. Although people said the same thing about her in The Help before she lost the Oscar to Meryl Streep, so anything can happen.
Best Director – Motion Picture
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
Mel Gibson, Hacksaw Ridge
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
This is a big one. The Hollywood Foreign Press has nominated five heavy hitters, and these could well be the five Oscar nominees. The winner of this Golden Globe will immediately become the Oscar favorite. Damien Chazelle, Kenneth Lonergan, and Barry Jenkins are the frontrunners, with the edge going to the 31-year-old Chazelle. But Tom Ford and Mel Gibson’s nominations are both stories in their own right. Ford’s sophomore directorial effort, Nocturnal Animals, has shattered expectations this morning, with two nominations for Ford and one for supporting actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson. And by nominating Gibson’s comeback attempt, Hacksaw Ridge, the Foreign Press has revealed that they are ready to forgive the scandal-plagued actor.

Best Animated Film
Kubo and the Two Strings
Moana
Sing
My Life as a Zucchini
Zootopia
This one has been Disney’s from the start. Holiday box office darling Moana has the momentum, but expect it to come in second place. Zootopia, one of Disney’s most unique films in years with a timely subject matter and a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, is still the frontrunner.
Best Original Score
Moonlight
La La Land
Arrival
Lion
Hidden Figures
Moonlight and La La Land are two of the heaviest hitters this award season, and the original score category is no exception. The Golden Globes might not be the best indicator of how this category will play out on Oscar night, though. As most of the major categories are divided into Drama and Comedy/Musical, both are films likely to enjoy a lot of love at the globes. At the Oscars, though, these films will directly compete. Either Moonlight or La La Land could sweep many categories at the Oscars, and this award could swing wherever the momentum is. Don’t count Arrival out either…

Best Screenplay
Damien Chazelle, La La Land
Tom Ford, Nocturnal Animals
Barry Jenkins, Moonlight
Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea
Taylor Sheridan, Hell or High Water
The only real story here is the inclusion of Hell or High Water, which has seen a pleasantly surprising amount of attention this morning. Come Oscar time, screenplays will be separated into two categories, original and adapted. Barry Jenkins is expected to take home the Best Adapted Screenplay trophy, while Kenneth Lonergan will win Best Original Screenplay. Which one of them will get the Golden Globe is a toss up, but Manchester by the Sea is more mainstream, giving Lonergan a slight edge with the Hollywood Foreign Press.
Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Can’t Stop The Feeling,” Trolls
“City Of Stars,” La La Land
“Faith,” Sing
“Gold,” Gold
“How Far I’ll Go,” Moana
The only real surprise here is at only one of La La Land’s six songs was nominated. This will likely come down to “City Of Stars” and “How Far I’ll Go,” which was written by award-favorite Lin-Manuel Miranda.