Awards Season 2022: Golden Globes Winners

Last night (Sunday 9th January 2022), the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) announced the winners of the 79th Annual Golden Globe Awards, for both television and film.

There was no traditional ceremony, no red carpet, no telecast, and no media. The winners were released via Twitter and a press release afterwards. The show itself focused on the HPFA's philanthropy. As one unnamed commentator said, "This was essentially the most expensive Instagram production ever."

Here is the full list of film winners.

Best Motion Picture (Drama): The Power Of The Dog

Best Motion Picture (Musical or Comedy): West Side Story

Best Director: Jane Campion (The Power Of The Dog)

Best Actor (Drama): Will Smith (King Richard)

Best Actor (Comedy or Musical): Andrew Garfield (tick, tick… Boom!)

Best Actress (Drama): Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Best Actress (Comedy or Musical): Rachel Zegler (West Side Story)

Best Supporting Actor: Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power Of The Dog)

Best Supporting Actress: Ariana DeBose (West Side Story)

Best Screenplay: Kenneth Branagh (Belfast)

Best Original Score: Hans Zimmer (Dune)

Best Original Song: "No Time To Die" (No Time To Die)

Best Foreign Language Film: Drive My Car

Best Animated Feature Film: Encanto

The Power Of The Dog and West Side Story were the big winners of the evening, with three Globes apiece. 

Yesterday should also have been the 27th Critics Choice Awards ceremony, but - in a statement released just before Christmas- a decision was made to postpone the ceremony, given the current public health crisis (something that has also seen the Grammys and the Sundance Film Festival cancel in-person events). A new date is still to be announced. 

Congratulations to all winners!

Next up with awards season is the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards nominations, which will be revealed on Wednesday (12th January)

Countdown: 10 Oscar-Nominated Actors Who Have Appeared In Doctor Who

Few television shows are as iconic or as culturally dominant as Doctor Who. Even if you're not a fan, you know about the TARDIS, the Daleks, K9. Its influence is felt all over the world and- much like the Harry Potter franchise- it's seen as a bit of a mark of street cred to appear in it. This goes for actors just starting in their careers as well as established stars.

So, here are ten Oscar-nominated actors that have appeared in Doctor Who. They are listed in the order in which they appeared on the show.

1. Pauline Collins

Pauline Collins is not only one of a small group of Oscar nominees who have appeared in Doctor Who, but she's also one of a small group of actors who have appeared in both the classic and revived series too. She played Samantha Briggs in the Patrick Troughton story The Faceless Ones and then appeared as Queen Victoria opposite David Tennant in Tooth And Claw. She was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Shirley Valentine.

2. Richard Todd

Todd's Oscar nomination came in 1950 for his lead role in The Hasty Heart. It would be more than 30 years later before he would appear in Doctor Who, appearing as Sanders in the rather trippy and philosophical Peter Davison story Kinda.

3. Eric Roberts

Few roles in Doctor Who are as iconic as the Doctor's nemesis, The Master. Roberts (nominated for Best Supporting Actor for Runaway Train) took the role in the 1996 TV Movie opposite Paul McGann. He doesn't quite fit the role but seems to be having an absolute ball, especially with lines as camp as 'I always dress for the occasion'.

4. Andrew Garfield

One of this year's Best Actor nominees for his stunning turn in Hacksaw Ridge, Garfield appeared as Frank in the 2007 two-part story Daleks In Manhattan/Evolution Of The Daleks.

5. Carey Mulligan

The 2007 episode Blink (which introduces the Weeping Angels) is widely thought of as one of the best episodes of the revived series. That's in no short measure to the brilliant performance by Carey Mulligan as substitute companion Sally Sparrow. Mulligan would go on to be nominated for Best Actress for her role in An Education.

6. Felicity Jones

Eight years before her Best Actress nomination for playing Jane Hawking in The Theory Of Everything, Felicity appeared as socialite-with-a-secret Robina Redmond in the very fun Agatha Christie inspired episode The Unicorn And The Wasp.

7. Sophie Okonedo

Sophie Okonedo was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in Hotel Rwanda. She played kick-ass future monarch Liz Ten in The Beast Below (Matt Smith's second story as the Doctor). Whilst it's not very good, Okonedo is excellent. She reprises her role in a later episode, The Pandorica Opens.

8. Imelda Staunton

Imelda Staunton was nominated for Best Actress for her role in Vera Drake in 2005 (the same year as Sophie Okonedo). In 2011, she appeared as the Voice of the Interface in the Matt Smith story The Girl Who Waited. Her soothing tones help companion Amy Pond survive alone on an alien planet.

9. Ian McKellen

Acting legend Sir Ian McKellen has been nominated for two Oscars: Best Actor for playing film director James Whale in Gods And Monsters and Best Supporting Actor for playing Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring. In 2012, he provided the Voice of the Great Intelligence in the Christmas special The Snowmen.

10. John Hurt

The late, great John Hurt was nominated for two Oscars- for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Midnight Express and Best Actor for The Elephant Man. In 2013, he appeared as The War Doctor, a previously hidden incarnation of the Time Lord, for the 50th anniversary story The Day Of The Doctor and went on to reprise his role for audio dramas for Big Finish.


BONUS: Peter Capaldi

The incumbent Time Lord- who will sadly be leaving the series at the end of this year- is not only an Oscar nominee but an Oscar winner! In 1995, Peter won the Best Live Action Short Film Oscar for writing and directing Franz Kafka's It's A Wonderful Life. Here he is, with his award:

Review: Hacksaw Ridge (UK Cert 15)

After a decade since his last stint as director (for the bloody Mayan action-adventure Apocalypto), Mel Gibson makes a triumphant return to the Hollywood fold with Hacksaw Ridge, a mature and unflinching war drama which tells the extraordinary true story of Desmond T. Doss. Doss served as an Army Medic during the Second World War but, due to his religious beliefs (he was a staunch Seventh-Day Adventist), he never carried a rifle and never killed anyone. Instead, he saved over 75 wounded soldiers from Hacksaw Ridge (part of the Battle of Okinawa) and became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. 

I'll be honest with you. I didn't expect to like, enjoy and respect this film as much as I did. Whatever you may think of Mel Gibson's past indiscretions (for want of a better word), this is a remarkable film.

It's led from the front by a charismatic and powerful performance by Andrew Garfield as Doss. Garfield has the acting chops and personality to carry a film (see The Amazing Spider-Man films if you want proof of that) but here he's simply superb, embodying Doss' unwavering belief without it ever becoming polemical or one-note. Doss had a real struggle with the Army to be allowed to serve without carrying firearms, which the film shows, and you feel for him every step of the way. Garfield has real chemistry with Teresa Palmer (who plays Doss' girlfriend and later wife Dorothy) which adds an extra dimension to the character. Garfield has been winning award nominations left, right and centre and it's truly deserved. 

Hugo Weaving puts in a great supporting turn as Doss' war-scarred hard-drinking father Tom, who survived the First World War whilst his friends didn't, and returns to town with survivor's guilt and a burning dislike of the military. His disappointment when both sons enlist is palpable but he eventually supports Desmond's decision. Rachel Griffiths has less to do as Doss' mother Bertha but is instrumental in instilling faith into him and is more supportive of his decision. Palmer's performance as Dorothy is quite lovely too; she's not just there as window-dressing, she's a strong and independent woman and a character in her own right.

When Doss gets into the Army, a whole raft of new characters come in but it's to the film's credit that- even if some of them are only broadly sketched out- all the men in the platoon have discernible characters. Vince Vaughn is particularly good as platoon Sergeant Howell, and he gets some good laughs as well as some dramatic moments. Of the platoon men, it's Luke Bracey who gets the most character development as Smitty Ryker, who doesn't believe in Doss' outlook, calling him a coward, yet eventually respecting the man for it. 

Gibson's films have never shied away from showing harrowing and gory violence and Hacksaw Ridge is no different. Once the film shifts to the theatre of war, it's all out as bombs, bullets, blood and body parts start flying around. It never feels gratuitous, never feels exploitative but absolutely in keeping. War is hell and it would be a massive disservice not to show it as such. At times, it's not an easy watch but it's undeniably powerful.

At a running time of 2hrs 20m, it's a long film but the story justifies it. You need to see Doss' early life and his courtship with Dorothy and the travails he went through to be allowed to serve in the Army before seeing him in the hell on Earth that was Hacksaw Ridge. There doesn't feel a part that's indulgent or padding.

The film ends with archive footage of the real Doss, talking about his time in the war and his dedication to helping save lives rather than taking them is truly moving and inspirational. The man was a bona fide hero, even more so for never carrying a gun, and the film is a very fitting tribute to him.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Tez

Review: The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (UK Cert 12A)

 SPOILER WARNING! This review discusses and/or mentions a few important plot points. If you would prefer not to have these spoiled, please stop reading now and come back once you've seen the film.  

Are you sitting comfortably? Good, because you'll need to be. There is so much going on in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 that, even at a bum-numbing 142 minutes, a few things are left hanging. The knowledge that a third and fourth instalment, plus two spin-off films, are in the works gives screenwriters Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner the luxury of not having to tie everything up. Thank heavens, because if they'd had to, the final edit could have easily given The Lord Of The Rings a run for its money.

The story starts with Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) loving life and loving being Spider-Man and keeping New York safe. After a dust-up with Russian mobster Aleksei Sytsevich (Paul Giamatti, earning his 'with' credit with a total of about five minutes' screen-time) on the morning of his graduation, Peter and girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) are looking forward to life after college. However, besides the usual relationship issues, there's still the mystery over what actually happened to Peter's parents, the return of Peter's old friend Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) and a brand new threat to deal with: the formidable Electro (Jamie Foxx). Loyalties will be tested, alliances formed and hearts broken as the webslinger faces his toughest times.

Despite the fact that one of the marketing campaigns for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is 'enemies unite'- and you do get three of Spidey's best-known villains- the film manages to quite cannily sidestep the Spider-Man 3 trap of throwing too many villains at the screen and not giving them enough to do or not enough screentime.

There's so many different elements to the story that it does take a long time to get all the pieces in position. Throughout it all, Garfield is an engaging and powerful central presence. He can sell the quippy, wisecracking Spidey as much as he can sell the heartbroken and headstrong Peter and- even when the script is uneven- you believe in his performance. This is certainly helped by the fact that the chemistry between Garfield and on-(and off-)screen girlfriend Emma Stone is undeniable and absolutely palpable at some places. You believe in them as a couple and that really pulls at the heartstrings throughout when the relationship is thrown into choppy waters. The promise Peter made Gwen's late father still weighs heavily and it makes for a few sombre moments.

Stone is excellent again- Gwen's no shrinking wallflower, she's a gutsy young woman who can make her own decisions. She doesn't need rescuing and is an equal to Peter and to Spider-Man. Prior to editing, there were scenes filmed which would introduce Divergent star Shailene Woodley as Mary Jane Watson, even one where Gwen and Mary Jane meet. I think it was a good move to remove these scenes (not least because of the already crammed storyline) but because the main love story here needs to be that of Peter and Gwen and everything that entails. Comic-book fans will know how that storyline pans out and the film remains true to it, even managing a stylish homage to one of the iconic comic book panels at the end. Even if you know what's going to happen, it's still an absolutely gutwrenching and emotional moment when it does come (again sold by Garfield's devastated performance). 

As for the other labyrinthine strands the story takes us in, some are more successful than others. For instance, Dane DeHaan brings more charisma, menace and emotion to his role of Harry Osborn in this one film than James Franco managed in three. Home to see his dying father Norman (a reptilian and uncredited Chris Cooper) and finding himself in charge of Oscorp, Harry becomes obsessed with finding a cure for the illness that killed his father and is killing him. It's a real shame that certain advertising campaigns chose to plant a massive spoiler signposting DeHaan's character progression because Harry's transition from ally to adversary would have carried more weight had it been kept under wraps.

Getting to see what ACTUALLY happened to Peter's parents and finding out more of their story is one of the more successful parts. Campbell Scott builds on his stoic and strong performance from the first film as his ethical dilemmas and the danger he faces start to build. There's the usual second-act misdirection as a few painful truths have to come out from Aunt May (Sally Field, superb as always) but the final resolution of that particular storyline (assuming it has now been put to bed) is emotionally satisfying.

The one bum note in all of this is the Electro storyline. Meek and mild Oscorp grunt Max Dillon, an invisible and unregarded man, gets involved in a terrible accident that leaves him with his superpowers. That's fine. All well and good. The first showdown between Electro and Spidey in Times Square is one of the film's set pieces and is a high-octane balls-to-the-wall everything-and-the-kitchen-sink battle which looks fantastic. My problem is Foxx's performance. It just didn't seem right. He didn't convince as the mousy Max (not helped by a slightly ridiculous cartoonesque soundtrack just before his hideous accident) and the hero-worship of Spidey which turns into an unhinged obsession wasn't handled right either. He's better when he is Electro but is disposed of pretty quickly in the final fight (another admittedly visually stunning set-piece). A stronger actor could have sold the pathos or the loneliness better but Foxx just didn't do it for me.

There are so many hints thrown in for later films. Two more of Spider-Man's most iconic villains are teased with background shots of mechanical equipment and the name of Felicity Jones' character may raise a few eyebrows. In places, this feels more like the start of a franchise than just another sequel but doesn't feel too blatant or cynical. The post-rendering to 3D was largely successful, giving some of the bigger setpieces a real depth. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 engaged me, engrossed me and I enjoyed it thoroughly. By the way, as has become standard with comic-book movies, I'd advise you stay for the mid-credits scene (there is only one). It's a jawdropping little teaser that opens up a few questions of its own.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Tez

Comic Book Movie Round-Up #3: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

So, the third of our comic book movie round-ups is for the sequel to the highest-grossing movie reboot of all time (to date). It is...

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Director: Marc Webb
Writer: Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci and Jeff Pinkner from a story by James Vanderbilt
Provisional Release Date: April 18 2014 (UK); May 2 2014 (USA)

What We Know:

It was announced on July 5 2012 that The Amazing Spider-Man was the first in a new movie trilogy which would explore how Peter Parker's journey was 'shaped by the disappearance of his parents'.

The official synopsis for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was released on February 6 2013:

"In The Amazing Spider-Man 2, for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield), life is busy - between taking out the bad guys as Spider-Man and spending time with the person he loves, Gwen (Emma Stone), high school graduation can't come quickly enough. Peter hasn't forgotten about the promise he made to Gwen's father to protect her by staying away - but that's a promise he just can't keep. Things will change for Peter when a new villain, Electro (Jamie Foxx), emerges, an old friend, Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), returns, and Peter uncovers new clues about his past."

Who's In?:

Andrew Garfield (Peter Parker/Spiderman), Emma Stone (Gwen Stacey) and Sally Field (Aunt May) will all reprise their original roles from The Amazing Spider-Man, along with Martin Sheen (Uncle Ben) who confirmed his return in December 2012.

New cast members for this instalment include- as stated above- Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx who is playing Electro and Dane DeHaan (Lawless, The Place Beyond The Fines) as Harry Osborn.

The Descendants actress Shailene Woodley will appear in the film as Mary Jane Watson.

Another Oscar-winning actor, Chris Cooper, has been cast as Norman Osborn. Whether he will make the transition to the Green Goblin is unclear.

Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Cinderella Man) will also appear as The Rhino, another of Spider-Man's comic-book adversaries

The Office actor BJ Novak will appear as an Oscorp employee whilst Colm Feore (Thor, Chicago) and Felicity Jones (The Tempest, Like Crazy) are also rumoured to appear in as-yet unspecified roles.

Marton Csokas (The Lord Of The Rings) has been cast. IMDb has him listed as Dr. Kafka which, in the comic-books, is a female character and founder of the Ravencroft Institute for the Criminally Insane. It has not been officially confirmed who Csokas is playing.

Anything Else?

Sam Claflin (Snow White And The Huntsman), Eddie Redmayne (Les Miserables) and Douglas Booth (Christopher And His Kind) all screentested for the role of Harry Osborn before Dane DeHaan was confimed in the role in December 2012.

Writers Kurtzman and Orci have defended the use of multiple villains in the film, claiming that all are 'essential' to the film's plot. One of the main problems of Raimi's Spider-Man 3 was too many villains, not enough time. So long as they can be balanced and well-served by the script, I don't see a problem. However if they're just there 'just because' it's not going to work. We'll have to see what happens.

This will be the first Spider-Man film to be filmed entirely in New York State.

Filming started on February 4, 2013 (shooting on film rather than on digital) and several shots have been released, including those below:

Dane DeHaan as Harry Osborn

Spider-Man in action

Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) meets Mary Jane Watson (Shailene Woodley)

Paul Giamatti as The Rhino

Jamie Foxx as Electro

Spider-Man's new suit

Several set photos that have emerged point to a major spoiler for the film's plot. Please click here to be redirected if you want to find out what it is.

Sony have recently denied rumours that they would sell the rights to the Spider-Man movie franchise to Marvel Studios; Sony co-chair Amy Pascal was quoted as saying it would 'never ever ever' happen. Spider-Man is the only Marvel creation whose movie rights are owned by Sony, so I can't see them wanting to relinquish them any time soon.

Footage from The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will be shown at this year's San Diego Comic-Con International in July.

Programme 17: The Amazing Spider-Man and What To Expect When You're Expecting

Programme 17 can be found here (and click here to view on VideoMajic.tv)!


We look at summer blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man and comedy-drama What To Expect When You're Expecting. Plus Tez has an issue with an aspect of movie advertising...


Podcast versions can be found here and here


Enjoy!


P.S. Keep an eye out for Programme 18, which is due in a few weeks...  it's gonna be epic!