For those of you who know me best, you know that the Golden Globe Awards are my 3rd favorite awards show of all time... (1st is the Oscars, 2nd is the Tonys - of course).
This year, when I found out the Golden Globes were cancelled due to the strike, I was sad, but knew that it was for the best. If the Oscars get cancelled, though, I will be writing a nasty letter to someone in hollywood. So, beware.
Tonight I sat and watched the 2 hour Dateline special... not very impressed. I was glad for the interviews with James McAvoy, Ellen Page and Jeremy Piven, but was less wowed with the rest of the show.
At 9:00 EST, I was sad to see Billy Bush co-hosting the Golden Globes press conference. Billy Bush ruins television - I watched as he butchered the "Grease - You're the One That I Want!" show, and to make tonight's broadcast worse, I had to listen to his unwitty banter about my beloved cinema. Sigh.
Earlier today, my sister and I wrote down our predictions for who would win tonight's awards. Although this was my worst year yet (I only got 12 out of 25 right - yikes), I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with what won.
Though I was sad the Golden Globes were not presented as they usually are, some of my favorite movies and performances were recognized. Sweeney Todd and Johnny Depp deserved their awards tenfold... Johnny Depp is such an amazing actor and Sweeney Todd is such a unique movie musical that I am glad they were rewarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press.
Though I did not see La Vie en Rose, I correctly predicted Marion Cotillard would win. I loved her in Big Fish, but knew that her performance as Edith Piaf was going to bring world-wide attention to this great actress.
I was a little shocked that Juno walked away 0 for 3... I've seen this movie twice now and really enjoyed it and thought it would take Best Screenplay. Ellen Page is a great actress, but it's not her time to win the ginormous awards... yet.
My sister and I celebrated audibly when they announced Atonement won Best Picture (Drama). Though we both put down No Country for Old Men to win, we were so excited when Atonement's name was read out loud. Sarah hasn't seen No Country yet, and we both saw Atonement yesterday.
I saw No Country for Old Men a few weeks ago and was not impressed. I walked into the theater 100% ready to love this film and I walked away feeling like I had been let down. I enjoy most of the work done by the Coen brothers (notably The Big Lebowski, The Hudsucker Proxy and O Brother Where Art Thou?), but this movie was not as awesome as I thought it was going to be. The acting was great - Javier Bardem is so good and soooo creepy, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Tommy Lee Jones and even Woody Harrelson were all really great too - but I just was not buying the story. I will admit I haven't read the book yet. Usually I read the book before I see the movie, but I didn't have the time. I get the whole "Good vs. Evil" bit, but I wasn't sold on the end product.
However, I was rooting for Atonement even before I saw the movie. Early last year I found out James McAvoy and Keira Knightley were starring in a WWII movie based off an Ian McEwan novel, so I decided I was going to read the book so I knew what I'd be getting myself into. I started the book, got a little bored with the first chapter, then picked it back up a couple weeks later and couldn't put it down. It had been awhile since I was so engrossed in a book - trying to read as fast as I could so I could find out what was going to happen next. As I read I got attached to the characters, involved with the story, so much so that I was so angry with what was happening to the fictitious people I was reading about. I quickly finished the book and was impatiently awaiting the release of the movie.
Too bad I live in the middle of friggin' nowhere... Atonement was released in some cities in December, whereas I had to wait until January 11th for it to get here, and until January 12th when I could finally see it.
Sarah and I went to the first showing on a Saturday afternoon... we sat amidst people two and three times our age. Elderly women in wheelchairs, middle aged couples, even some older families.
The movie started and I was hooked - because I read the book, I was fully aware of the story and characters I was about to see up on the big screen. This past year I have become a huge fan of James McAvoy, and this film just solidifies that - he's a great actor, and he's only 28. This man has a huge career ahead of him (let's hope this summer's "Wanted" doesn't try to drag him into the glitz of hollywood... I don't think it will, but we just have to wait). McAvoy and Knightley make for a fine pair on screen and you really felt for them and what their characters were going through.
The three women who play Briony Tallis were amazing - seamless transitions of the same character as each woman had her screen time. And I loved how the music and the typing of the typewriter keys followed Briony around - you could hear her thoughts being laid out with each click of the typewriter. It was mesmorizing and it was driving. Gave me chills.
I very rarely cry at movies and I did not cry at this one, though I admit to tearing up during two scenes - the restaurant scene between Robbie and Cecilia and the apartment scene between Robbie and Briony as Cecilia could just watch. Holy smokes...
In the coming weeks, I'm going to continue processing my thoughts on Atonement and probably see it again, at least once. Looking back on all the movies I've seen in preparation for this awards season, Atonement graces the top of the list as movies I'm glad I got to see in theaters. I still need to see There Will Be Blood (watching Daniel Day-Lewis act is like watching an Olympic event - it's so intense) and maybe The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (if it ever comes here, sheesh).
And so the weekend ends... with such a pathetic Golden Globes presentation. Hopefully this time next year, everyone has their act together and my favorite time of year can proceed as it should.
While I prepare for another week at work, I am already looking forward to next weekend, to the next time I get to sit in the movie theater, in my favorite seat (Back Row, Center Seat... hence the title of my blog - oh snap), getting sucked into someone else's story for a couple hours.
Have a great day :)
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