#770 Seven Hundred and Thirty-Eight Acting Double Mention

Another awards season has arrived—another Golden Globes, another Oscars. It feels as though, in the blink of an eye, the beast awakens, drawing attention from around the globe.

For the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, authority takes a backseat to entertainment. To create explosive moments, attract attention, and capitalize on star power, they often make "compromises and concessions." This includes nominations for questionable works like Deadly Companion, awarding the best film in the musical comedy category to popcorn fare like The Hangover, or offering six nominations across multiple categories—sometimes even doubling down on contenders.

This year is no different. Same recipe, same taste.

In the drama category, six films earned nominations: The Descendants, War Horse, The Help, The President Kills the Game, Moneyball, and Hugo. Behind these films, major stars provided the firepower: George Clooney and Alexander Payne for The Descendants, Steven Spielberg for War Horse, Clooney and Ryan Gosling for The President Kills the Game, Brad Pitt for Moneyball, and Martin Scorsese for Hugo.

This situation creates a predictable outcome, and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association—likely bowing to star power—gave these six films their nominations, mirroring the usual Ballon d'Or approach.

Despite this, these six films are currently the front-runners, with Crazy Love, The Tree of Life, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trailing behind, poised for competition in the second half of the awards season.

Meanwhile, the competition for best picture in a musical comedy has remained relatively weak, and this year's five nominees are no exception: The Artist, My Cancer-Fighting Me, Midnight in Paris, Me and Monroe, and Bridesmaids.

Among these, the most notable is Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. While other films have garnered some attention, the two small-budget comedies—My Cancer-Fighting Me and Bridesmaids—have become the year's big draws.

The Artist, which received accolades at the Cannes Film Festival with Jean Dujardin winning Best Actor, was picked up by the Weinstein Brothers for distribution. Despite mixed responses at various film festivals, The Artist is now making a significant push in the awards season, promoted as a nostalgic tribute to Hollywood's golden age.

Rumors suggest George Clooney personally endorsed Jean Dujardin, helping him break into Hollywood's inner circle. This could be a love letter to the Oscars, designed to appeal to the academy's aesthetics and preferences, and positioning The Artist as a strong contender for the musical comedy category.

So, as the musical comedy best picture category unfolds, the question remains: Will Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris maintain its strength? Will The Artist mount a successful counterattack? Or will Bridesmaids replicate The Hangover's surprise success?

In addition to the best picture category, the nominations for best director have five notable names: Martin Scorsese (Hugo), Alexander Payne (The Descendants), George Clooney (The President Kills the Game), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), and Michel Hazanavicius (The Artist). Among them, Hazanavicius is the breakout star of this year's nominations.

The nominations for actors, however, are where the real excitement lies.

Best Actress in a Drama:

Meryl Streep (Iron Lady), Viola Davis (The Help), Felicity Jones (Crazy), Glenn Close (Androgyny), and Rooney Mara (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) earned the top five spots. This is a mix of veteran powerhouses and new-generation stars, with no real surprises except for the exclusion of We Need to Talk About Kevin's Tilda Swinton and Melancholia's Kirsten Dunst.

Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy:

Michelle Williams (My Week with Monroe), Kate Winslet and Jodie Foster (The Killing), Charlize Theron (Teen Long), and Kristen Wiig (Bridesmaids) are the nominees. The success of Bridesmaids in this category is noteworthy, especially given its unexpected box office success.

Best Supporting Actress:

Berenice Bejo (The Artist), Octavia Spencer (The Help), Jessica Chastain (Androgyny), Jenny McTeer (Crazy in Love), and Jennifer Lawrence (Crazy in Love) are nominated. This category sees a rising generation of talent, with Chastain, Mara, and Jones emerging as the brightest stars.

Best Actor in a Drama:

George Clooney (The Descendants), Ryan Gosling (The President Kills the Game), Michael Fassbender (Shame), Brad Pitt (Moneyball), and Renly Hall (Crazy) make up the nominees. This category has been filled with notable performances, although Leonardo DiCaprio's pairing with Clint Eastwood in Hoover failed to generate the expected buzz.

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy:

Jean Dujardin (The Artist), Renly Hall (My Cancer Me), Owen Wilson (Midnight in Paris), Brendan Gerhard (Bad Guard), and Ryan Gosling (Crazy Stupid Love) are nominated. This category is generally predictable, though there are some standout performances.

Best Supporting Actor:

Christopher Plummer (Beginner), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Viggo Mortensen (Dangerous Methods), Albert Brooks (Driving), and Kenneth Branagh (My Week with Monroe) make up the final list. While the male supporting category is quieter, Christopher Plummer's nomination is a highlight, as he continues to impress with his performances.

Ultimately, what's truly worth discussing are the men in the spotlight: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, and Renly Hall—three gentlemen whose performances have made the biggest impact this awards season.