• 4 years ago
Politics take center stage at the Golden Globes, as '1917' and 'Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood' take top prizes


Concerns beyond Hollywood took center stage at the 77th annual Golden Globe Awards, with presenters and winners citing the brushfires in Australia and the need to address the climate crisis, possible war with Iran and abortion rights during Sunday's event in Beverly Hills.
As to the business at hand, the World War I epic "1917" and "Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood" took best drama and musical or comedy. The latter added to its haul with wins for writer-director Quentin Tarantino and Brad Pitt for screenplay and supporting actor, respectively, its three awards more than any other film.
In one of the most closely watched contests, "1917" director Sam Mendes won as well, which should give the film a boost both in the Oscar race and as it heads into wide theatrical release on Jan. 10.
The Globes have a reputation for favoring big movie stars and international talent, and that generally held to form, in a night where the selections were eclectic as usual. Netflix, notably, also had a limited impact on the film categories, despite its strong nomination performance with "The Irishman," "Marriage Story" and "The Two Popes."
Joaquin Phoenix delivered a scattered speech -- peppered with a few bleeped expletives, and a call for action about climate change -- in claiming the drama acting prize for "Joker," one of the few blockbusters among the roster of movie winners. (The movie was released by Warner Bros., like CNN, a unit of WarnerMedia.)
Taron Egerton and Renee Zellweger were both honored for playing and performing as musical legends -- Elton John in "Rocketman" (John was as well for his original song), and Judy Garland in "Judy" -- while Awkwafina became the first lead actress winner of Asian descent for the comedy "The Farewell."
"Parasite," the twisty South Korean thriller from director Bong Joon-ho, was chosen as best foreign-language film. Admiration for the movie is running high enough in Hollywood and critical circles that it's also considered a contender to make noise beyond that category throughout awards season.
The Globes are always watched closely as a bellwether for the Oscars, though the results can obscure as well as clarify. In a bit of an upset, for example, the small movie "Missing Link" topped an assortment of box-office blockbusters in the animation category. Laura Dern also edged a field that included Jennifer Lopez -- who many consider the Oscar favorite -- for her supporting role in "Marriage Story."
The Golden Globes tilt heavily toward movies given their proximity to the Oscars, so many of the TV prizes were dispatched near the outset.
HBO's "Succession" -- which focuses on a media dynasty that bears a more-than-passing resemblance to the Murdochs -- was anointed best drama, with an additional honor for Brian Cox as the family's ruthless patriarch. The pay channel -- like CNN, part of WarnerMedia -- claimed two

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