While we are shifting into the new winter season, awards season is also following us into the new year, starting with the Golden Globes which aired on January 9. 

The Golden Globes are typically pretty high standard when it comes to the Hollywood industry. It’s sort of a pregame for the Academy Awards which are better known as the Oscars, which air on March 27, 2022. 

This award ceremony, while prestigious, generally works as a predictor for the Oscars. If so and so won Best Actress at the GG’s, I think she will win Best Actress at the Oscars. Maybe even, “This movie won Best Picture but everyone was pretty mad at that- I think this other movie will win the Oscar”. 

This year, the ceremony for the Golden Globes wasn’t televised like it usually is due to backlash. There were some controversies surrounding a lack of diverse voices within the Hollywood Foreign Press Association as well as the groups voting practices. The ceremony still happened, it was just more quiet and really only involved the nominees and other famous people. But we the people still got the results! 

I don’t watch a lot of TV, so I can’t give a solid opinion on the awards given to the television side- but I had small opinions here or there. 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for Television

• Jessica Chastain, Scenes From a Marriage
• Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
• Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
• Margaret Qualley, Maid
• Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown *WINNER*

I am a Wandavision stan before I am a journalist, so I’m obviously bitter about Elizabeth Olsen’s loss. I thought Wandavision was absolutely show-stopping and Elizabeth Olsen brought her A-game. However, Kate Winslet is very talented. 

The TV awards are really nothing too controversial, but also nothing I was immediately drawn to care about either. I’m sure there are loads of people who have very angry opinions about their television shows, but alas.

 Now onto the film industry. This is where I had the majority of my opinions. Mostly good ones, but some controversial ones. I truly believe I was a film critic in my past life. 

Best Actor in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy

• Leonardo DiCaprio, Don’t Look Up 
• Peter Dinklage, Cyrano
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom! *WINNER*
• Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza
• Anthony Ramos, In the Heights

For starters, this was an award for all of us. Andrew Garfield is one of, if not the most talented actor in the industry as of lately. He’s just a gleaming ray of hope in this dying industry we call cinema. This award was very deserved and his work as Jonathan Larson in Tick, Tick… Boom! was jaw-dropping and almost hard to differentiate between the real version. He also learned how to sing specifically for this role, which is always really cool to see. However, I think he’s third place in the Oscar’s lineup. Most experts think Will Smith from King Richard has a great possibility. With the Oscar’s seemingly favoring older actors, this is plausible. 

Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy

• Cyrano
• Don’t Look Up
• Licorice Pizza
• Tick, Tick … Boom!
• West Side Story *WINNER*

West Side Story has always had a special place in my heart. It was one of the musicals that really inspired me to do theatre throughout high school. That being said, I didn’t agree with this. The story has been told so many times and I think that this new version, honestly a revival, brought nothing newer to the table than the original version had. That is of course excluding the racially accurate casting which I was very happy to see. This award should have gone to either Tick, Tick…Boom! or Don’t Look Up, which were two very fresh, very new (revamped in a different way in TTB’s case) stories. However, I think WSS’s Oscar chances are much higher than the previously mentioned films. 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture

• Caitríona Balfe, Belfast
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story *WINNER*
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
• Ruth Negga, Passing

I absolutely adore Ariana Debose and I think she brought a brand new energy to Anita that was easily comparable to that of Rita Moreno’s. I loved the fiery energy and she has just as much chance to win an Oscar as the former Anita. She is first in line for me. Honestly, she’s one of the only female names I’ve heard buzzing around. 

Best Actress in a Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy

• Marion Cotillard, Annette
• Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
• Jennifer Lawrence, Don’t Look Up
• Emma Stone, Cruella
• Rachel Zegler, West Side Story *WINNER*

This really wasn’t surprising at all. Zegler is a very fresh face to the movie industry and as the leading lady in her first ever film I can see why it’s being awarded for an almost flawless performance. That being said, I was secretly rooting for Jennifer Lawrence as a Louisville local. I also just loved her in Don’t Look Up. I’m not sure how the Oscar will drift towards these actresses, but I think Zegler is definitely in first place right now. 

Best Motion Picture — Animated

• Encanto *WINNER*
• Flee
• Luca
• My Sunny Maad
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Lastly, I adored “Encanto”. It was easily one of my favorite Disney movies. I loved the music, the characters, the story, and the culture that was deeply put into every bit of it. I loved how it served as a representation of generational trauma and I loved that there was no clear villain because it wasn’t a story that needed one. It was a love letter to Colombia and it was absolutely flawless. I think it’s Oscar is coming and there’s almost no denying that. 

Regardless of how the Oscars turn out, the lineup this year is very interesting and very controversial to some. I’m extremely excited to see how this year goes when it comes to awards season. Hoping for all the wins for Andrew Garfield.