Fandango Awards Watch
Fandango Film Commentator
Fandango Film Commentator
Best Comedy or Musical - Golden Globes
Chuck Says:
For The Best Comedy or Musical category at the Golden Globes is often a bellwether of assorted Oscar nominations. The last four years' Globe winners in this category (Dreamgirls, Walk the Line, Sideways and Lost in Translation) all received various Oscar nominations, although none of them went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture (which is usually reserved for dramas).
This year, the movie everyone has their eyes on is the sixth Tim Burton-Johnny Depp collaboration Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, based on a real 19th century legend and Stephen Sondheim’s classic Broadway musical. The trailer looks fantastic. And even though Depp's an untested singer, hey, if he could pull off Captain Jack Sparrow for an Oscar nomination, chances are good that this flick (and his performance in it) will be among the Globe nominees.
Another seeming lock for a Globe nod is the well-reviewed Hairspray, with Travolta, as proud mama Edna Turnblad, a candidate for Best Actor (or even Best Actress, if the Globes had a sense of humor). The movie received a 93 percent positive rating on review site Rotten Tomatoes, and Travolta has a loyal following among the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that presents the Golden Globes.
© Universal Pictures
On the comedy front, Judd Apatow was 2007's reigning king, directing the hit Knocked Up and producing summer's other funniest comedy, Superbad. I laughed hardest at Superbad, but my bet is that Knocked Up, which was targeted for an older demographic, will get the Golden Globe nomination.
Other contenders for comedy would be the tale of a special pregnant teen named Juno (a winning sophomore effort from Thank You for Smoking director Jason Reitman) and Steve Carell's movie about a widower dad on holiday with his family in Dan in Real Life.
© Buena Vista Pictures
Having seen all but Sweeney Todd (which hasn’t been screened yet for critics), I'm glad to report that it's a good field this year for this category. If Depp and Burton can pull off their eccentric, darkly witty period musical, it's the foregone winner. Two maverick Hollywood titans, an established story and the cachet “cool” factor...it's a no-brainer.
It’s my personal hope - and yes, I’ve been thumping the drum for this one for awhile - that the Globes will not overlook Once, the small, perfect musical tale of two musicians who discover the once-in-a-lifetime experience of each other.
Stacie Says:
Chuck speaks the truth. The Globes are more than just a chance to watch A-list celebrities drunk on champagne and slurring thank-you speeches. They’re like your cheat sheet for the office Oscar pool–there’s a very good chance Globe winners will go on to win Academy Award nominations, if not Oscars.
© Warner Bros.
I’d also agree that Sweeney Todd is the one to watch, with its fantastic, high-profile blend of dark drama and songs by Depp and Helena Bonham Carter.
I don’t think, though, that the Globes will take note of such broad comedies as Superbad and Knocked Up. Sure, Borat got a nomination last year, but it’s in a different league from those coarse, ribald movies...funny as they were, and much as I liked ’em.
Is it likely Ratatouille will get a nom (or dare I say it, a win) in this category? The Incredibles and Finding Nemo were nominated in recent years. The Globes don’t award animated films, so they seem to land in the comedy/musical category even if they’re not necessary comedies in the traditional sense. Ratatouille certainly isn’t, but I find it hard to believe that the Globes would overlook the year’s best-reviewed animated film. Plus, it has that international appeal, which the Globes love.
© Fox Searchlight Pictures
Other possible contenders: I’ll go with Chuck on Once, which most of the country missed, but did receive stellar reviews. Dan in Real Life has a shot thanks largely to Steve Carell, whose Little Miss Sunshine was nominated last year. And there’s also the little-seen but well-received Edith Piaf biopic, La Vie en Rose, whose star Marion Cotillard will absolutely get a nomination in the best actress musical or comedy category.
