Award Season is finally upon us, and first up is the Golden Globes. This is our first sampling of what to expect for the Emmys and Oscars which come later in the spring. Usually, ‘Award Season’ means it’s the time of the year where we binge movies and tv series and ask ourselves, “why did I do that?” or better yet, “was that supposed to be good?” It’s the time of year for people (me) to sit around and pretend like they know a lot about the film world (nothing).  

As a kid I loved award shows, specifically the Grammy’s, because they became moments for me to find music, people and films that I wouldn’t have otherwise. It was like pulling back the curtain or temporarily popping the bubble that is rural Wisconsin living, but as I’ve grown older it seems that magical illusion has dulled. Lately, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (the people choosing the nominees) are just missing the mark completely. The public demand for more women, Black leads and other non-white male-centric stories have been a conservation for years, and yet we are still begging in the year 2021 (well 2020 too).  

So, this is my letter to the Golden Globes (HFPA). 

Dear Golden Globes,  

Where to begin? There’s so much to be said. I have so many questions. Such as, what are we doing here? And, have you been living under a rock? With some, you have got to be kidding, right? 

Let’s start off with the good. Thank you for nominating not just one (per usual practice) but three women directors this award season: four-time nominee Regina King for her directorial debut One Night in Miami, Chloé Zhao for Nomadland (also nominated for the film’s screenplay) and Emerald Fennell for Promising Young Woman (also nominated for the film’s screenplay). Two of which are women of color (King and Zhao), so I thank you for that and possibly that alone. 

The rest is absurd.  

One of my biggest disagreements is the blatant mistreatment of Lee Isaac Chung’s film Minari. You reduced this widely acclaimed film’s actors and director to only a foreign language film nomination even though Minari was not only filmed in the U.S., but Lee Isaac Chung was born in Denver, Colorado. I understand most of the dialogue is not in English, but it feels a bit archaic to shun this film from award shows in the same country it was made in, funded by and takes place in. I am not sure if the journalists at the HFPA know this, but there are many other languages spoken in the U.S. than English.  

But let’s move onto music. Recording artist Sia’s new movie is called “Music.” The movie focuses on the story of a girl named Music who has a form of non-verbal autism, played by the neurotypical actress Maddie Ziegler. After the film’s trailer released this summer, many people from both the disabled community and autism community spoke out against the way the movie portrays non-neurotypical people. Many people took to social media platforms saying how horribly offensive it was, and yet not only do we see Kate Hudsen being given a best actress nomination for her performance in the film, but the film was given a best picture musical/comedy nomination as well. This recognition was a slap in the face to the communities this movie was supposed to represent. 

I’ll wrap this letter up with this. You can’t continue only making way for non-white actors in a select few categories. Token actors to claim diversity will not be tolerated either. Categories such as Best Picture – Drama, Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical/Comedy, Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, Best Screenplay – Motion Picture, Best Musical/Comedy Series, Best Actress – Television Motion Picture, Best Actor – Television Motion Picture, Best Television Actress – Drama Series, Best Television Actor – Drama Series, Best Television Actress – Musical/Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actress – Television have either all or all but one white nominees. That is eleven categories and 55 actors/films with white leads give or take a few.  

 So, I’ll ask again What are we doing here? 

Jacob Rohan 

SEEN/RECOMMEND: 

  • Palm Springs (Hulu) 
  • Pieces of a Woman (Netflix) 
  • Emma. (HBOMax) 
  • Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Netflix) 
  • Onward (Disney+) 
  • Soul (Disney +) 
  • Wolfwalkers (AppleTV+) 
  • Mank (Netflix) 
  • The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix) 
  • The Flight Attendant (HBOMax) 
  • The Great (Hulu) 
  • Hillbilly Elegy (Netflix) 
  • On the Rocks (AppleTV+) 

EXCITED TO SEE: 

  • Nomadland (Releases Feb. 19 on Hulu)  
  • Promising Young Woman (Rentable for $19.99) 
  • Sound of Metal (Prime) 
  • The Father (Releases Feb. 29) 
  • The Personal Story of David Copperfield (Prime) 
  • Judas and the Black Messiah (HBOMax) 
  • The Little Things (HBOMax) 
  • One Night in Miami (Prime) 
  • Minari (Watchable on A24’s Screening Room or in select theaters) 
  • Another Round (Prime) 
  • The United States vs. Billie Holiday (Releases Feb. 26 on Hulu) 
  • I Care a Lot (Netflix) 
  • Small Axe (Prime)