And The Golden Globes Go To ... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

The Hollywood Foreign Press announced their Golden Globe nominations and they must be getting as old as the Emmy and Oscar nominators. Usually the Globes can be counted on for some fresh picks but this year the choices are pretty straight-laced and staid. Especially since all the critics awards are pouring out and the love seems to be spreading all over for outside-the-box fare (listed all at the bottom).

Here's the main Golden Globe nominations:

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire

Milk missed the cut. Then again, so did Doubt. I've only seen the under-Slumdog Millionaire and glad the little indie movie made the cut. Oh wait, The Dark Knight didn't make the cut either. Ouch.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Leonardo DiCaprio, Revolutionary Road
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Mickey Rourke? Sean Penn? Frank Langella? What is this? The 80's? Okay, but this was the predicted list so no huge surprises. Though no Richard Jenkins? I was hoping for that breakthrough. Or even Dev Patel. That would have been awesome.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott-Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road

Yay for Hathaway and Kristin! Meanwhile Streep competes with new-Streep Winslet. Oh wait, what happened to Cate Blanchett? for Jolie too?

BEST MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Burn After Reading
Happy-Go-Lucky
In Bruges
Mamma Mia!
Vicky Cristina Barcelona

What, no High School Musical 3? I really hoped WALL*E would make the grown up tables category, especially when the it's-not-actually-made-well-but-fun-cause-it's-Abba Mamma Mia got in.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Javier Bardem, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Colin Farrell, In Bruges
James Franco, Pineapple Express
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges
Dustin Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey

Yay Bardem!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Rebecca Hall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Frances McDormand, Burn After Reading
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey

Yay Rebecca Hall!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Tom Cruise, Tropic Thunder
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight

Okay, Tom Cruise was very funny in Tropic Thunder. I guess he's the gay to replace all the Milk guys?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler
Kate Winslet, The Reader

Solid group with another one for Winslet! And yay for Viola Davis! Too bad she bumps out Taraji P. Henson for the Black Actress spot. Heavens forbid there be two.

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road

Guess they are doing a complete shut-out for The Dark Knight (except for Heath) and Milk (except for Penn)

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

I didn't love Waltz with Bashir but it seems to be this years "smart" animated movie pick but I guess people know Kung Fu Panda more. (Granted, I actually liked it)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Dexter, Showtime
House, Fox
In Treatment, HBO
Mad Men, AMC
True Blood, HBO

Should I be surprised that The Wire and Friday Night Lights get shut out again? But for House? Yah, it had a great resurgence this year but then fell back to its old (boring) ways. And how is Lost which had the best year ever be completely shut out? I'm all for supporting the cable networks but just because it's on cable, doesn't mean it's automatically the best thing on TV.

BEST TELEVISION SERIES – COMEDY
30 Rock, NBC
Californication, Showtime
Entourage, HBO
The Office, NBC
Weeds, Showtime

Should I be surprised that Pushing Daisies, How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine or The Big Bang Theory were shut out for cable fare? Am I the only one not that impressed with Californication? And while I love Entourage, it did not have a great year.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors

If Kyle Chandler could be squeezed in, I would be okay with this. Well, Laurie is getting old news but on the other hand, he's the main reason FOR the show at this point.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – DRAMA
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: SVU
January Jones, Mad Men
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

If Connie Britton could replace Sedgwick, I would be okay with this. Well, maybe Hargitay needs a break here. But yay January Jones!

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk

Yay Connolly! He's totally the heart of Entourage and never given the credit. Boo Shalhoub. Monk is still ON? Where's Jim Parsons? Jeffrey Donovan? Lee Pace?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES – MUSICAL OR COMEDY
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary Louise-Parker, Weeds

Applegate yes. Ferrera yes. Fey yes. Louise-Parke yes. Messing maybe. I actually like her in The Starter Wife but the role is a bit self indulgent from producer... Debra Messing...

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment

I always hate these categories that combine the Mini-Series and Made-for-TV-Movies with regular series and even then, Laura Dern? Her performance in Recount was comically cartoonish and over the top. Where's Becky Newton? Vanessa Williams? Sandra Oh? Adrianne Padelecki? Wanda Sykes? Yunjin Kim? Elisabeth Moss? Kristin Chenowith?

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams

Where's Mark Urie? Clark Gregg? Hamish Linklater? Gaius Charles? Zach Gilford? Terry O'Quinn? John Slattery? Chi McBride?


L.A. Critics Award
Best Picture: Wall-E
Runner-up: The Dark Knight

Best director: Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Runner-up: Christopher Nolan, The Dark Knight

Best actress: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-up: Melissa Leo, Frozen River

Best actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Runner-up: Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

Best screenplay: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Runner-up: Charlie Kaufman, Synecdoche, New York

Best supporting actress: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Elegy
Runner-up: Viola Davis, Doubt

Best supporting actor: Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Runner-up: Eddie Marsan, Happy-Go-Lucky

Best foreign-language film: Still Life
Runner-up: The Class

Best documentary: Man on Wire
Runner-up: Waltz With Bashir

Best animation: Waltz With Bashir


N.Y. Critics Award
Best picture: Milk
Best director: Mike Leigh, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best actor: Sean Penn, Milk
Best actress: Sally Hawkins, Happy-Go-Lucky
Best supporting actor: Josh Brolin, Milk
Best supporting actress: Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Best screenplay: Jenny Lumet, Rachel Getting Married
Best cinematographer: Anthony Dod Mantle, Slumdog Millionaire
Best animated film: WALL-E
Best foreign film: 4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days
Best documentary: Man on Wire
Best first film: Courtney Hunt, Frozen River


D.C. Critics Award:
Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Director: Danny Boyle Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Mickey Rourke The Wrestler
Best Actress: Meryl Streep Doubt
Best Ensemble: Doubt
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger The Dark Knight
Best Supporting Actress: Rosemarie DeWitt Rachel Getting Married
Best Breakthrough Performance: Dev Patel Slumdog Millionaire
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy Slumdog Millionaire
Best Original Screenplay: Jenny Lumet Rachel Getting Married
Best Animated Feature: Wall•E


The National Board of Review:
Best Film: Slumdog Millionaire 
Best Director: David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino 
Best Actress: Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married 
Best Supporting Actor: Josh Brolin, Milk 
Best Supporting Actress: Penélope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona 
Best Foreign Language Film: Mongol 
Best Documentary: Man on Wire 
Best Animated Feature: Wall-E 
Best Ensemble Cast: Doubt 
Breakthrough Performance by an Actor: Dev Patel, Slumdog Millionaire 
Breakthrough Performance by an Actress: Viola Davis, Doubt 
Best Directorial Debut: Courtney Hunt, Frozen River 
Best Original Screenplay: Nick Schenk, Gran Torino 
Best Adapted Screenplay: Simon Beaufoy, Slumdog Millionaire and Eric Roth, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button 
Spotlight Award: Melissa Leo, Frozen River and Richard Jenkins, The Visitor 
The BVLGARI Award for NBR Freedom of Expression: Trumbo

Top Ten Films:
Burn After Reading
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Defiance
Frost/Nixon
Gran Torino
Milk
Wall-E
The Wrestler

Top Five Foreign Language Films:
Edge of Heaven
Let the Right One In
Roman de Gare
A Secret
Waltz with Bashir

Top Five Documentary Films:
American Teen
The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)
Dear Zachary
Encounters at the End of the World
Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired


Critics Choice Award:
BEST PICTURE
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

BEST ACTOR
Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale, Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt