“Oppenheimer” became a Golden Globe triumph: received five nominations

In the early morning of January 8, Moscow time, the 81st Golden Globe Awards ceremony took place in Beverly Hills. It is presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). At the end of 2023, the best film was the drama “Oppenheimer” about the father of the atomic bomb, Robert Oppenheimer, which received five awards. And this is not the only film about how you have to pay with your own life in the name of science.

Moreover, similar words are heard in the winning film in the category “comedy-musical” “The Poor Miserables” by Yorgas Lanthimos, where the parents of the heroine with a child’s brain transplant literally gave their lives for the sake of science.

The Golden Globe has finally risen, as if there had never been a couple of years ago the scandals that surrounded the award, when influential film companies and producers accused its representatives of corruption and receiving gifts. At the same time, the award lost the support of NBC, which had broadcast the ceremony for many years, because racial gaps were discovered in the jury. Our colleagues worked on the bugs. New partners were found who accepted the award. Life is getting better. And despite the strong wind, because it is also winter in Los Angeles, A-list stars appeared on the star trail and a traditional parade of outfits took place.

The ceremony was hosted by stand-up comedian Jo Koy. For the first time, a specialized nomination for “Best Stand-up Comedy Performance on Television” also appeared, the first winner of which was British comedian Ricky Gervais. He was honored for his signature concert for Netflix, but he did not appear at the ceremony. Another innovation was “Best Film Distribution and Box Office,” where “Barbie” by Greta Gerwig was in the lead, as if created for a new nomination. The film grossed more than $100 million worldwide. And although he held the record for the number of nominations – there were nine of them – he was recognized in only one more – for the best song – What Was I Made For. Greta Gerwig will head the jury at the 77th Cannes Film Festival in May and will soon begin filming The Chronicles of Narnia for Netflix.

The main triumph of the Golden Globe was the three-hour, which in the age of speed is already something special, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which won as Best Dramatic Film. He received five out of eight nominations. Nolan himself won Best Director for a Drama Film. The film brought awards to the leading actor – the magnificent Irish actor Cillian Murphy (no other actor has eyes as bottomless and clear as lakes) and Robert Downey Jr. for the supporting role of Lewis Strauss. The Golden Globe was also awarded to Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson for Best Original Score.

This is a pulsating, non-chronological biopic about the American physicist Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, who led the development of nuclear weapons and the so-called Manhattan Project during World War II. As a result, he appeared before the Atomic Energy Commission, practically on trial, after Hiroshima and Nagasaki became victims of his infernal invention. The film turned out to be so in tune with the times, with the moods that have gripped the world, where there is no end to wars and blood is shed every minute, that there was no doubt about the choice of experts.

The USSR is mentioned more than once in Oppenheimer. America and Russia are compared to two scorpions in one jar. The script was written based on the book by Kai Bird, on the cover of which Nolan saw a photograph of Oppenheimer, which determined the choice of the leading actor. However, Cillian Murphy had to work on his appearance and go on a strict diet to match his real-life character.

The Golden Globe in the comedy-musical category went to the film “The Wretched Poor” by Greek director Yorgas Lanthimos, who has been making English-language films with an international cast in recent years. In September, the film received the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Lanthimos, who is known for his films The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, and The Favourite, turned to the novel by Scottish writer Alasdair Gray. Because of her abusive husband, Bella Baxter took her own life. However, a scientist was found who returned the unfortunate woman who threw herself into the Thames to the sinful Earth and transplanted the brain of her own embryo into her. Bella was brilliantly played by Emma Stone, who received the Golden Globe as best actress in the category “comedy-musical”. A child’s consciousness saves the heroine from doubts and gives her freedom. She is capable of doing what others cannot even imagine. Lanthimos has created an incredible and shocking version of Pygmalion as it could be in modern times.

“Anatomy of a Fall” by Frenchwoman Justine Trieu was awarded for Best Screenplay and Best International Film. She also co-wrote the script, written with her husband Arthur Harari during quarantine. At the 36th European Film Academy ceremony in December, the film received five awards, including Best European Film. Previously, Anatomy of a Fall was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. A special contribution to the triumphant fate of this film was made by the virtuoso German actress Sandra Hüller, who played the role of a successful writer whose life turns into hell after the tragic death of her husband and suspicions of his murder. Once again, a trial reveals the essence of a tragedy that could have been prevented.

Martin Scorsese, who presented one of his best films, “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and had seven nominations, like “The Unfortunate,” was left without significant awards. Although the American actress of Indian origin Lily Gladstone, who played the wife of Leonard DiCaprio’s hero, received a Golden Globe for acting in the drama category. While receiving the award, she spoke in the language of the indigenous people to which she belongs. But there was plenty of choice here. Sandra Hüller is also a strong competitor.

Paul Jamatia won Best Actor in the Comedy-Musical category for The Leftovers. Among his competitors is Nicolas Cage in “The Hero of Our Dreams”

Timothée Chalamet – “Wonka”, Matt Damon – “Air: The Big Leap”, Joaquin Phoenix – “Bo’s Fears”, Jeffrey Wright – “American Fiction”. The sharper the taste of victory. In addition, this year there were not five, but six candidates nominated in one nomination.

“Best Animated Film” – “The Boy and the Bird” by Japanese classic Hayao Miyazaki, who celebrated his 83rd birthday on January 5. The years take their toll, and the outstanding director does not hide it. As Miyazaki said, at the age of 40 he would have had enough time to make such a picture, but now it took him more than three years. The film tells the story of an 11-year-old boy who lost his mother and finds himself on the edge of worlds, looking into a place from which there is no return. Miyazaki’s film also coincided with the state of mind of many people, their confusion in the face of the catastrophe threatening the world.

“The Heirs” was named the best drama series, and “The Bear” was named the best comedy series. Kieran Culkin and Sarah Snook in “Descendants” were recognized as best actors in their category, with Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri winning the pair of best actors respectively in “Bear.”