Techtite's TV Reviews!

"[Return of the King's Best Picture win] is great news for everyone who felt that 1) Jackson was grotesquely snubbed at the Academy Awards last year, as the only director whose film was nominated but not him (!), and 2) that perverted filmgoers that we are, the best film of the year should win best picture honors."

---from the review

------------------

Sidebar ::

-------------

The Top Five Good Points... In three hours, of course there'd be those little details that don't make it into the review, though are worth mentioning anyway. Here's five moments worth encapsulating here for all time...

---Peter Jackson's very humbling comment, saying something along the lines of that he loved just being nominated among such great directors. Well said. 

---Robin Williams, who when promoting the nomination for Lost in Translation, said jovially that it was probably the best comedy "since Popeye."

---Nicole Kidman's dress. 'nuf said.

---Brittany Murphy's surprisingly non-mocking applause for former flame Ashton Kutcher when he was on stage. Sure why not; she's engaged now, so why hold a grudge anymore?

---Diane Keaton's acceptance speech comment that she and her co-star Jack Nickelson's "Combined age is...125!"

The Bad Points... Then again:

---Sarah Jessica Parker's "Oh my goodness!" acceptance speech. Oh, shine it on, honey: out of the SIX seasons your TV comedy has been on the air, you've been nominated EVERY YEAR, and won four out of six times! Enough with the "oh gee what a surprise" rubbish.

---Robin Williams' snide look to kill at Jim Carrey as he awarded the Best Comedy Movie award. What; would he have preferred it that HE was allowed to be the jackass on stage this year?

---...that said; yeah, Jim Carrey; we can see it. You're BALD for your next movie. Big freaking whoop. Shut up.

---The best sitcom winner was an imported British sitcom, seen on a U.S. cable network few people can even see!

---Diane Keaton's shocked look when Keanu Reeves and Uma Thurman were on stage. Many reporters will ask her for many weeks afterwards why she seemed so shocked at these stars on stage. Anyone know why? Send me a note if you know. Thanks.

The Golden Globe Awards Show, 2004

A Review by Techtite

Very rarely does an awards show so quickly dig itself up from the ditch it dug itself into the prior year, as The Golden Globes did tonight. This is actually surprising, when the Nicole Kidman Fan Club ---otherwise known as the foreign press--- who had given top honors to The Hours last year, looked likely to give such honors to the good-not-great Cold Mountain, this year. Not so. In short; someone behind this year's Globes has their head on straight. In fact, aside from a totally inappropriate opening theme song, this was another fine job from the folks behind the Globes. In fact, if Oscar ever wanted to simply Xerox the Globes for its own list of winners, this is the year to do it.

Let's start from the top: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won as Best Dramatic Film. Furthermore, Peter Jackson won as Best Director. This was major good news to the movie fans with more than half a brain: finally, a winner that deserved to win! Yay! This was actually surprising, when to look at quantity (of nominations), all expectations were that Cold Mountain would sweep in such categories. Nope. In fact, out of 8 nominations for Mountain, only Renee Zellweger would win, as Best Supporting Actress. This, alone, was a perfectly deserved win for that film. After all, what's more impressive: an A-grade performance in an A-grade film, or an A-grade performance, in a B-grade film? Exactly. Renee truly deserved this award.

As for comedy films: Lost in Translation won, as Best Comedy/Musical. I've heard a lot of good things about this film but, to be honest, many people felt that politics and publicity would far overshadow its chances at a Globe. Finding Nemo was the #1 box office hit, Big Fish has a serious cult following going on, Love Actually is the romantic favorite, and Bend it Like Beckham is the dark horse with a little bit of all the above. In the end, Lost in Translation won the top honors. I've no comment personally because my local theaters have yet to show it. The good news: it's out on DVD in just two weeks! How's that for good planning?

As for actors in film: while all such winners this year were very deserved, my own personal "Yee-hah!" was when Bill Murray won for Lost in Translation, as Best Actor in a Comedy/Musical. After a slew of memorable roles in the past, this was an honor for Murray that was a long time in coming. Meanwhile, Sean Pen and Tim Robbins would both win for their roles in Mystic River, as best dramatic actor, and best supporting actor, respectively. As for actresses; as said earlier, Zellweger won Best Supporting honors, with Charlize Theron winning Best Actress/Drama (Monster), and Diane Keaton winning as Best Actress in a Comedy/Musical (Something's Gotta Give). Some have said this was a very predictable list of winners. Is that a problem...? No. Let's move on...

As for TV awards; what is it about the Globes, which insists to award the biggest honors to the most obscure of TV series? Best Comedy Series, for example, would go to The Office; a BBC series, currently shown on "BBC America," a new cable channel which my cable service has only this very month allowed me to see at all! Spiking the ball: this series' own Ricky Gervais won as Best Actor in a Comedy Series. On the other hand: 24 would finally win a long overdue award as best drama, while Anthony Lapaglia would get Best Dramatic Actor honors (Without a Trace). Meanwhile, Frances Conroy would win as Best Drama Actress (Six Feet Under).

Sure, most of these wins are "predictable." Believe me; I've saved the most predictable win for last. Sarah Jessica Parker --who has so far cruise-controlled her way through the final season of Sex and the City-- would still win, as Best Actress in a Comedy Series. She then attempts an Oh-I'm-so-surprised-I-won acceptance speech. Oh, come on. In the past six years her show has been on the air, Sarah's been nominated every...single...year! Out of six years nominated, she's won four times!!! "Oh my goodness [what a surprise this is]" worked in 1999, though now...? Not so much.

Now, let's discuss the show itself. Presenters this year were cordial and surprisingly apolitical. The only exception was, of course, Susan Sarandon, who when promoting the nomination of Mystic River --a film starring her longtime lover, Tim Robbins-- made the cryptically snide remark that it had "one special effect...the effect it has on its audience!" Obviously, this was a jab at the number of computer-enhanced nominees this year, though...so what, Susan? As someone whose most memorable role these days was as a "banger sister," I'd be more polite.

As for speeches, let's put it this way: At least there were no Michael Moore wannabes. However, Charlize Theron's speech did begin with an overly giddy "Eee-Yow!" that made even presenter Jack Nickelson jump, but to disagree with some critic's opinions elsewhere; no, her speech was a far cry from being as obnoxious as Julia Robert's sadly unforgettable Oscar speech. As for other speeches; the only gripe I'd have is that they were so...long. Where was the guy with his button on the music cue, to make sure some of these lackluster, dragging speeches were infinitely shorter...? If you can't think of someone's name in 90 seconds; tough cheese. Good-bye.

However, it was all good in the end: Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won as Best Dramatic Film, with Peter Jackson winning as Best Director. This is great news for everyone who felt that 1) Jackson was grotesquely snubbed at the Academy Awards last year, as the only director whose film was nominated but not him (!), and 2) that perverted filmgoers that we are, the best film of the year should win best picture honors. Anyone who doesn't agree: it's not that I'm not listening to you. You're just wrong.

Of course it can also be said this was a very predictable year. Well, so what? Sure people are shocked and chagrined whenever Shakespeare in Love wins over Saving Private Ryan but in the end...is such a mistake worth it, just so the viewer can experience cheap shock value when the incorrect movie's name is called...? Yeah, I know; this isn't the Oscars. It's the Golden Globes. Some years you can barely tell the difference. My point is simply that, if this is such a year, it wouldn't be bad at all.

                                                                    ---Techtite

Opinions? Speak your mind in Techtite's Letters Page!

Got a review you'd like to share? Techtite will post 2 of the best "guest" reviews received for any product, online, for all the world to see!