Golden Globe Movie Nominees

The nominations for the Golden Globe Awards are in ...

Best dramatic motion picture nominees include: "The Aviator," "Closer," "Finding Neverland," "Hotel Rwanda," "Kinsey" and "Million Dollar Baby."

I'm at a loss on the "Closer" phenomenon. Despite good production values and an excellent cast, the characters struck me as a sociophobic's fantasy of how humans would act if Edward Albee were God. Interesting for the sheer magnitude of its pottymouthed cynicism, if nothing else, but personally, it's nothing I'd consider one of the best movies of the year. Then again, I've only seen two other films on this list (at this point, anyway), so what the hell do I know? Call me a primitive, but I would have nominated "Spider-Man 2."

Best comedy or musical motion picture nominees are: "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "The Incredibles," "The Phantom of the Opera," "Ray" and "Sideways."

If this were any other year, I'd be swinging from the rafters singing the praises of "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" or "The Incredibles," but as any reader of this blog might know (that means you, Mom), I've thrown my lot in with "Sideways." By the way, was "Eternal Sunshine" really a comedy? Those Golden Globe foreign journalists sure are cosmopolitan with their sense of humor.

Best performance by an actress in a drama: Scarlett Johansson in "A Love Song for Bobby Long," Nicole Kidman in "Birth," Imelda Staunton in "Vera Drake," Hillary Swank in "Million Dollar Baby" and Uma Thurman in "Kill Bill Vol. 2."

Wow. Did dramatic roles for women really suck that badly in 2004? What about Helen Mirren for "The Clearing" or Catalina Sandino Moreno for "Maria Full of Grace"?

Best performance by an actress in a comedy or musical: Annette Bening in "Being Julia," Ashley Judd in "De-Lovely," Emmy Rossum in "Phantom of the Opera," Renee Zellweger in "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" and Kate Winslet in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Call me crazy, but I would have nominated Jennifer Garner for "13 Going on 30." It's not easy being an adolescent in an adult's body -- trust me, I know. Besides, Ashley Judd was a de-saster in "De-Lovely." Get it? De-saster. Heh heh.

Best performance by an actor in a drama: Javier Bardem in "The Sea Inside," Don Cheadle in "Hotel Rwanda," Johnny Depp in "Finding Neverland," Liam Neeson in "Kinsey" and Leonardo DiCaprio in "The Aviator."

Not a bad list, but I maybe would have tossed in Jeff Bridges for "The Door in the Floor."

Best performance by an actor in a comedy or musical: Jim Carrey in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," Jamie Foxx in "Ray, " Kevin Kline in "De-Lovely," Paul Giamatti in "Sideways" and Kevin Spacey in "Beyond the Sea."

Giamatti gave the performance of the year. Christ, am I predictable or what?

Best supporting actress: Natalie Portman in "Closer," Laura Linney in "Kinsey," Meryl Streep in "The Manchurian Candidate," Virginia Madsen in "Sideways" and Cate Blanchett in "The Aviator."

These are all great selections, but Madsen deserves it solely for her scene in which she muses on the allure of wine. Then again, Portman should get special recognition for portraying a stripper.

Best supporting actor: Morgan Freeman in "Million Dollar Baby," Clive Owen in "Closer," Thomas Haden Church in "Sideways," David Carradine in "Kill Bill Vol. 2" and Jamie Foxx in "Collateral."

Thomas Haden Church or Clive Owen should win it.

Best director: Alexander Payne for "Sideways," Clint Eastwood for "Million Dollar Baby," Martin Scorsese for "The Aviator," Mike Nichols for "Closer" and Marc Forster for "Finding Neverland."

Payne should win, but my bet is that Forster will.

Best screenplay: David Magee for "Finding Neverland," John Logan for "The Aviator," Patrick Marber for "Closer," Charlie Kaufman for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor for "Sideways."

As remarkable as "Sideways" is, the screenplay for "Eternal Sunshine" is the literary equivalent of a Russian nesting egg, a true mind-bender. How can Kaufman not win?