a no-go

The award season is shaping up to be a messy battlefield of disgruntled and picketing writers, frantic producers with award ceremonies in limbo, and designers sobbing in their show rooms full of frocks that will be saved for next year. The first and major casualty of the writers strike during the awards melee has been the Golden Globes scaling back its usual parade of film and television stars, who have all agreed not to show up due to the alliance between their Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild, to an hour-long news conference in which the winners will be announced. I realize that most, if not all, award shows are arbitrary and not in any way a true barometer for what represents the best films of the year, but there is an escapism, similar to the feeling you experience when you go to the movies, that is unparalleled and will be sorely missed, at least from this most faithful viewer. The glamour is why we tune in, otherwise we wouldn't care who is wearing what or whose arm so and so is on or those deliciously awkward presenting pairings. I'm gonna miss my Golden Globes this year for the delight in an award show that acknowledges comedy and is not full of the empty jokes of a bad host. It's a brisk, fun affair with not only movie stars but the actors and actresses from your favorite television shows. The Golden Globes also throws a curveball or two and is never short on memorable moments, unlike the easily predictable and bloodless Academy Awards. Do you remember how incredible the "Closer" supporting role upset was a few years ago? What about Dame Elizabeth Taylor opening the envelope for Best Picture Drama before reading the nominees and being genuinely confused? I'll never forget when Renee Zellweger was in the restroom when she won for "Nurse Betty." So many moments that will be replaced this year with Brian Williams reading off a laundry list of names. And what about all of the films and actors that need the attention of these award shows to boost their visibility? I don't think "Persepolis" is playing at your local mall theater and the average person probably has never heard of Marion Cotillard or Amy Ryan. Please writers, I beg you to come to some agreement before the dandiest award show of them all rolls around at the end of February. I guess there's always next year.

The guild nominations are looking pretty diverse. I've seen three out of the five nominees for the directing award ("There Will Be Blood" and "Diving Bell" haven't opened in Da Ville yet) and they could not be stylistically more disparate with each baring the precise imprint of their talented director. The support for "Michael Clayton" is growing and it would be great if Tony Gilroy got an Oscar nomination, but my heart belongs with Mr. Anderson. However, I would like to see a female or minority presence that is lacking in general this year.

The Directors Guild of America nominees:
Paul Thomas Anderson, "There Will Be Blood"
Joel and Ethan Coen, "No Country for Old Men"
Tony Gilroy, "Michael Clayton"
Sean Penn, "Into the Wild"
Julian Schnabel, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"

"Diving Bell" and "There Will Be Blood" are excellent I'm sure, but I loved the sumptuous and original work Roger Deakins contributed to "Jesse James." He's also having the best year ever with his twin nomination for "No Country", which was not a bad looking film either. After the Emmanuel Lubezki debacle last year I'm not trying to invest too much in this category but it is a fine group of lensmen.

The American Society of Cinematographer nominees:
Roger Deakins, "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"
Roger Deakins, "No Country for Old Men"
Robert Elswit, "There Will Be Blood"
Janusz Kaminski, "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly"
Seamus McGarvey, "Atonement"

The Writers Guild of America will be announced tomorrow.

Recent award winners:
Broadcast Critics Choice
National Society of Film Critics