Golden Globe Nominations Play Ball...Mostly

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the nominations for the 72nd Annual Golden Globes today. The Globes surprisingly stuck with most of the films and artists leading the conversation (No "The Tourist" this year), while slapping down some past favorites. More analysis in a minute. First, take a look at the nominees.

 BEST DRAMA FILM
"Boyhood"
"Foxcatcher"
"The Imitation Game"
"Selma"
"The Theory of Everything"

BEST DRAMA ACTOR
Steve Carell, "Foxcatcher"
Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game"
Jake Gyllenhaal, "Nightcrawler"
David Oyelowo, "Selma"
Eddie Redmayne, "The Theory of Everything"

BEST DRAMA ACTRESS
Jennifer Aniston, "Cake"
Felicity Jones, "The Theory of Everything"
Julianne Moore, "Still Alice"
Rosamund Pike, "Gone Girl"
Reese Witherspoon, "Wild"

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY FILM
"Birdman"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"Into the Woods"
"Pride"
"St. Vincent"

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY ACTOR
Ralph Fiennes, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Michael Keaton, "Birdman"
Bill Murray, "St. Vincent"
Joaquin Phoenix, "Inherent Vice"
Christoph Waltz, "Big Eyes"

BEST MUSICAL/COMEDY ACTRESS
Amy Adams, "Big Eyes"
Emily Blunt, "Into the Woods"
Helen Mirren, "The Hundred Foot Journey"
Julianne Moore, "Maps to the Stars"
Quvenzhane Wallis, "Annie"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Robert Duvall, "The Judge"
Ethan Hawke, "Boyhood"
Edward Norton, "Birdman"
Mark Ruffalo, "Foxcatcher"
J.K. Simmons, "Whiplash"

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, "Boyhood"
Jessica Chastain, "A Most Violent Year"
Kiera Knightley, "The Imitation Game"
Emma Stone, "Birdman"
Meryl Streep, "Into the Woods"

BEST DIRECTOR
Wes Anderson, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"
Ava DuVernay, "Selma"
David Fincher, "Gone Girl"
Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, "Birdman"
Richard Linklater, "Boyhood"

BEST SCREENPLAY
"Birdman"
"Boyhood"
"Gone Girl"
"The Grand Budapest Hotel"
"The Imitation Game"

BEST ANIMATED FILM
"Big Hero 6"
"The Book of Life"
"The Boxtrolls"
"The LEGO Movie"
"How to Train Your Dragon 2"

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
"Force Majuere" (Sweden)
"Gett: The Trial of Vivian Ansalem" (Israel)
"Ida" (Poland)
"Leviathan" (Russia)
"Tangerines" (Estonia)

BEST SCORE
"Birdman"
"Gone Girl"
"The Imitation Game"
"Interstellar"
"The Theory of Everything"

BEST SONG
"Big Eyes", from "Big Eyes"
"Glory", from "Selma"
"Mercy Is", from "Noah"
"Opportunity", from "Annie"
"Yellow Flicker Beat", from "Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1"


Well, you know it's December when Meryl Streep breaks a Golden Globe record. She scores her 29th nomination here with "Into the Woods". Among the HFPA darlings not scoring nominations this year is Angelina Jolie. Her directorial effort "Unbroken" was completely shut out of all categories, and she failed to net an acting nod for "Maleficent" (which was submitted under "Musical/Comedy" because of the lack of competition). Past Globes favorites Clint Eastwood and Bradley Cooper were also left off the invite list for their film "American Sniper".

After defeats at the SAG nominations yesterday, both films really needed a boost here. There is zero overlap between Globe voters and Oscar voters, but a nomination can encourage an Academy member to pop in their screener over their holiday break. Given that the HFPA usually bends over backwards to get legendary stars like Jolie and Eastwood to their party, their respective shutouts are not a good sign.

David Fincher did get a spot at the director's table, even if his film was shut out of the Drama category. "Gone Girl" seemed like a sure thing for Best Drama Film here, but despite nominations for director, actress, screenplay, and score it failed to make the cut.

"Birdman" predictably led the field with 7 nominations, with "Boyhood" and "The Imitation Game" close behind at 5. Two other films with strong showings were "Foxcatcher" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel", both of which really needed the support they got here. Neither film is firmly in the Best Picture lineup at the Oscars, but they now have space to edge into the top 10.

If nothing else, The Golden Globes have reminded us all that Dame Helen Mirren was in a movie this year. With her 13th nomination, she might just be the Globes' British version of Meryl Streep.