2009 Golden Globe Nominations Announced

By David ChenDec. 11, 2008 7:20 am EST

This morning, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced the 2009 Golden Globe Nominees for the 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards. The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards will take place on Sunday, January 11th, 2009 and will air live on NBC at 8 PM EST.

A few observations:

Tom Cruise picked up what I think is a well-deserved nomination for his role in Tropic Thunder. He'll be competing with Robert Downey Jr. in the category.

Milk and The Dark Knight each only received one nomination for acting (Best Actor for Sean Penn and Best Supporting Actor for Heath Ledger, respectively). For me, this actually feels just about right number of nominations for each of these films.

The big winners here, in terms of nominations, are Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Doubt, and Frost/Nixon, picking up 5 noms each. Revolutionary Road, Slumdog Millionaire, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona each follow with about 4. And in a surprise turn, In Bruges picked up 3 nominations!

Neither Hans Zimmer's Dark Knight score nor Danny Elfman's Milk score received nominations.

While I'm heartened that The Wrestler (one of my favorite films of the year) received three nominations (One for Rourke, one for Tomei, and one for the song), I'm disappointed that it didn't get a nod for Best Director or Best Screenplay.

Although not listed below, the HBO productions John Adams and Recount picked up nominations for Best Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television, and are both favorites of mine to win that award.

Here are the major award nominations that pertain to film:

Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Frost/Nixon

The Reader

Revolutionary Road

Slumdog Millionaire

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 (Il Y A Longtemps Que Je T'Aime)

Kate Winslet – Revolutionary Road

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

Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

Burn After Reading

Happy-Go-Lucky

In Bruges

Mamma Mia!

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

Rebecca Hall – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Sally Hawkins – Happy-Go-Lucky

Frances McDorman – Burn After Reading

Meryl Streep – Mamma Mia!

Emma Thompson – Last Chance Harvey

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical

Javier Bardem – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Colin Farrell – In Bruges

James Franco – Pineapple Express

Brendan Gleeson – In Bruges

Dustin Hoffman – Last Chance Harvey

Best Animated Film

Bolt

Kung Fu Panda

Wall-E

Best Foreign Language FilmThe Baader Meinhof Complex

Everlasting Moments

Gomorrah

I've Loved You so Long

Waltz with Bashir

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureAmy Adams – Doubt

Penelope Cruz – Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Viola Davis – Doubt

Marisa Tomei – The Wrestler

Kate Winslet – The Reader

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion PictureTom Cruise – Tropic Thunder

Robert Downey Jr. – Tropic Thunder

Ralph Fiennes – The Duchess

Philip Seymour Hoffman – Doubt

Heath Ledger – The Dark Knight

Best Director – Motion PictureDanny Boyle – Slumdog Millionaire

Stephen Daldry – The Reader

David Fincher – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Ron Howard – Frost/Nixon

Sam Mendes – Revolutionary Road

Best Screenplay – Motion PictureSimon Beaufoy – Slumdog Millionaire

David Hare – The Reader

Peter Morgan – Frost/Nixon

Eric Roth – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

John Patrick Shanley – Doubt

Best Original Score – Motion PictureAlexandre Desplat – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Clint Eastwood – Changeling

James Newton Howard – Defiance

A. R. Rahman – Slumdog Millionaire

Hans Zimmer – Frost/Nixon

Best Original Song – Motion Picture"Down to Earth" – Wall-E

"Gran Torino" – Gran Torino

"I Thought I Lost You" – Bolt

"Once in a Lifetime" – Cadillac Records

"The Wrestler" – The Wrestler