2004 Golden Globes
Mystic
River, Cold Mountain, Lost In Translation among top nominees
Cold Mountain, Lost in Translation and Mystic River were among the films hoping to cash in multiple nominations at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association event is regarded by many in Hollywood as one of the year's biggest parties, but it's also a way to generate front-runner buzz for the Oscars. Cold Mountain, about a U.S. Civil War deserter whose journey to find his sweetheart is marked by heartbreak and death, had a leading eight nominations, including best drama. Five nominations each went to Mystic River, about three adult friends whose lives are filled with tragedy and crime, and Lost in Translation, with Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson as lonely Americans in Tokyo. Besides Cold Mountain, best drama nominees were The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, Mystic River and Seabiscuit, while comedy movie contenders were Bend It Like Beckham, Big Fish, Finding Nemo, Lost in Translation and Love Actually. Among the stars who have agreed to present awards at the ceremony: TV's Friends star Jennifer Aniston, No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and lead Lord of the Rings hobbit Elijah Wood, along with Jim Carrey, Dustin Hoffman, Queen Latifah, Robin Williams and Jennifer Lopez. Although the Globes are distributed by a relatively small group, about 90 journalists who cover entertainment for foreign-based media outlets, a winning spot on the nationally televised NBC ceremony is highly coveted. Many actors and filmmakers use the Globes as a way to pique audience interest in their films and build momentum for the more prestigious Academy Awards, which are voted on by about 5,700 industry figures. The Globes have a history of honouring future Oscar winners, including Titanic, American Beauty and Gladiator. A win often bodes well for performers, too, with previous Globe winners including Hilary Swank for Boys Don't Cry, Julia Roberts for Erin Brockovich and Jack Nicholson for As Good as It Gets. The Golden Globes event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel comes just two days before Oscar nominations are announced Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, the Oscar ceremony is set for Feb. 29, about three weeks earlier than in previous years.
Howard
Shore wins two awards.
Canadian nominees on the red carpet at the Golden Globe Awards
said they felt privileged to be at the event Sunday night.
Denys
Arcand, nominated for The Barbarian Invasions in the best foreign film
category, said that attending galas such as the Golden Globes is a "full time
job" as the Oscars draw near. "It's what we do these days -- attend these
galas," the Montreal filmmaker said as he entered the 61st annual awards for
motion pictures and television. The Barbarian Invasions lost to a film from
Afghanistan called Osama on Sunday night, but it is Canada's entry this year
for the Academy Awards and could be nominated for an Oscar on Tuesday morning.
When asked if the decisions made at the Golden Globes are echoed later at the
Oscars, Arcand deferred to his wife Denise Robert, the co-producer of the
film. "I'm not too familiar with all of these things. Denise is the one to
ask," he said. Robert said the couple was just pleased to be at the Golden
Globes. "Nobody knows that (about the Oscars)," she said. "If we had to go
home tonight just with what we have here already, then we would be spoiled."
Barbarian Invasions has already collected a fistful of honours, including best
screenplay and best actress at Cannes. Toronto-born composer Howard Shore won
Golden Globes in two musical categories Sunday night for work done on Lord of
the Rings: Return of the King, and won two awards. Before he accepted the two
small golden statues, he said he was content with the nomination.