Best: Michelle Williams enters the Best Actress race
The Christopher Plummer version of “All the Money in the World” hasn’t screened for the press yet (it will this week), but I’d been hearing for months that Michelle Williams’ performance was the best thing in it and one reason why Ridley Scott wasn’t giving up on a 2017 release. Now, we’ll believe it when we see it in terms of Plummer’s nod, but this effectively puts Williams back in the race for a Best Actress nomination.
Worst: “Call Me By Your Name” songs snubbed
Honestly, knowing the HFPA it was likely they were going to snub Luca Guadagnino in the Director category and James Ivory in the Screenplay category. What wasn’t expected, however, was selecting Mariah Carey and Marc Shaiman’s god awful title track from “The Star” or the forgettable “Home” from “Ferdinand” (that Nick Jonas is just too adorable, huh HFPA?) over either of Sufjan Stevens’ heartbreaking tracks from “Call Me By Your Name.” Hopefully “Mystery of Love” will make the Oscar cut, but fans should be slightly worried that history may repeat itself a month or so from now.
Best: Diversity is plentiful in the acting categories
O.K., we’re gonna ignore the historic Peele snub for a moment (and trust us, that’s hard to do). Putting that aside, the HFPA was actually pretty diverse in its acting nominations in both film and television. Nine non-white actors earned nominations including three in the Best Supporting Actress field (Octavia Spencer, Mary J. Blige and Hong Chau). There’s still a long way to go in other categories and the fact Jason Mitchell and Tracee Ellis Ross were overlooked in their fields was disheartening, but diversity is now the rule and not the exception with the HFPA at least.
Best: Gasp! Every category has five nominees like it’s supposed to!
This is pretty damn easy and, no, it’s not as silly as it sounds. For all the crap they get and all the criticism they deserve, you didn’t see the HFPA taking the easy way out this morning and awarding six or seven nominees due to “ties.” Granted, they have in the past, but it’s been awhile. And certainly gives them more credibility than, ahem, the BFCA’s Critics Choice Awards where the number of nominees seems to be determined on the best way to make your studio partners happy. Now, would we argue that the Emmy Awards standard of six nominees per category is probably a better bet in this day and age of Peak TV and competitive prestige pictures? Sure, but at least the are consistent with what they have already.
Worst: What happened to Megan, Debra and Sean from “Will & Grace”?
Everyone knew the HFPA wouldn’t be able to ignore their love for NBC’s comeback kid, “Will & Grace.” What no one expected, however, was that beyond the show’s nomination that only Eric McCormack would earn an acting nomination. McCormack is fine, but something’s wrong when he gets a nod and Megan Mullally, Sean Hayes and Debra Messing (a longtime HFPA favorite) don’t? I know Best Supporting Actress is a mess when it comes to the Globes, but no Mullaly? Really?
Best: Issa Rae glows up
Gotta give props were props are due and the HFPA wonderfully rewarded Rae for her fantastic work in the second season of “Insecure.” Rae is the only repeat nominee which is saying something. Moreover, with last year’s winner, Tracee Ellis Ross, and the venerable Julia Louis-Dreyfus not nominated Rae actually has a shot to win this.