(Lack of) Golden Globe nods

AND it is yet another year for the Globes. This year, I was more intrigued by the lack of nominations for certain films, than the number of nominations for others. There were also pleasant surprises all around the board.

First off, we have one of Sacha Baron Cohen's three alter egos, the PC challenged journalist from Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. You either love 'im, hate' im, or completely misunderstand this sharply comical take on American life and pop culture. Neither the Foreign Press nor the Academy are known for handing out too many nods for straight-up comedies or even satires, but I am guessing that not even they could ignore Cohen's acute criticisms of everything from Pamela Anderson to gangsta rap. The film received two nominations, Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical and Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical.

Another satire that found its way into the latter category is Thank You for Smoking, Jason Reitman's hilarious look at tobacco companies' spin doctors and the tangled webs they weave to deceive. Aaron Eckhart, who is in the same actor category as Cohen, is at once loathsome and irresistible as Nick Naylor, a Big Tobacco spokesman who struggles to justify his job and be a role model to his young son. Still, the film did not receive that much publicity, so it may be left out in the cold.

Two other nominations that pleased me were the two that went to Emily Blunt. She was nominated for The Devil Wears Prada, in which she was delightfully shallow as a fashion-obsessed personal assistant and for "Gideon's Daughter", in which she played a neglected daughter of a PR executive.

On the flip side, I was surprised that The Prestige did not receive any recognition from the Foreign Press. It offers some great performances, clever writing and is a dramatic thriller with some innovative twists, that can create endless debates once the film ends. I am not sure why it was overlooked; I am guessing that it is another film that did not receive enough publicity? The same goes for Inside Man, which boasted impressive writing and directing. I guess there are more good films than possible nominations.

The Golden Globe Awards will be held on January 15, 2007, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

The official Hollywood Foreign Press Association site - http://www.hfpa.org/