Golden Globes Analysis: What the ‘Emilia Pérez,’ ‘Brutalist’ Wins and ‘Anora’ Shutout Tell Us About the Oscar Race

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As a dedicated cinema enthusiast, it’s no exaggeration to say that the anticipation for the 2025 Golden Globes was sky-high, with the musical “Emilia Pérez” on Netflix and A24’s drama “The Brutalist” leading the nominations. So, it wasn’t entirely unexpected when these two powerhouses took home the Best Picture awards. Yet, when I pause to ponder the fact that a Spanish-language, French-directed musical about a trans gangster and an epic, VistaVision-filmed drama with an intermission were the top winners, it still seems almost surreal!

Some might claim these movies represent everything criticized about Hollywood, such as being overly verbose, didactic, and disconnected from reality. However, it’s important to note that neither film was actually produced in Hollywood, and the Golden Globe awards are decided by international journalists who work for media outlets outside of the United States. On the contrary, others might maintain that these daring and compassionate pieces are exactly the kind that deserve to be produced and acclaimed.

Independent of one’s stance on the matter, it’s incredibly significant to acknowledge that during the televised event, The Brutalist not only triumphed in the categories of best director (Brady Corbet) and drama actor (Adrien Brody), but also emerged victorious in the categories of best non-English-language film, best supporting actress (Zoe Saldaña), and best original song (“El Mal”). This recognition comes at a time when Oscar voters are preparing to cast their nomination ballots, which will be submitted on Wednesday.

Although Global and Oscar voters’ tastes don’t always align perfectly – with exceptions like last year when the new voting body for the Globes mirrored the old one, they did – it doesn’t mean other campaigns should pack up just yet. In fact, several representatives from different movies won individual Globe awards and delivered speeches that could boost their prospects further.

Demi Moore emerged victorious as the Best Actress in Musical/Comedy category for ‘The Substance’ on Mubi, outranking Mikey Madison from ‘Anora’, Emilia Pérez, Karla Sofía Gascón, and Cynthia Erivo from ‘Wicked’ among others. Moore’s win, as I had anticipated, was well-deserved for a remarkable acting display. Yet, her triumph may not be a one-time occurrence, given the heartfelt speech she delivered. This speech served to highlight her long career, her struggles with persevering in her later years, and the profound significance of this recognition at this juncture in her life. As Kerry Washington remarked upon Moore’s exit from the stage, “Good luck to whoever has to follow that speech.

It’s worth mentioning that the individual who followed with a speech also delivered an outstanding performance: Sebastian Stan, receiving the award for Best Musical/Comedy Actor for A24’s “A Different Man”. However, this could potentially pose a challenge for Stan, as his exceptional performances in both films he was nominated for this year – the other being “The Apprentice” from Briarcliff/Rich Spirit’s drama – have left Oscar voters torn between the two. I hope they don’t split their vote, because no one has had a more remarkable year than Sebastian Stan.

Additionally impressing on stage were Saldaña, whose speech mirrored Moore’s and was even more heartfelt; Brody, who moved everyone to tears as he spoke about his parents (who I was seated next to at the time); and Kieran Culkin, the best supporting actor winner for Searchlight’s “A Real Pain.” Just like Saldaña in her category, Culkin appears to be pulling ahead of the competition. His self-effacing humility in his speeches this season recalls the charm we saw in Robert Downey Jr.’s speeches last year, who dominated the same category that Culkin is now competing in. What a group of “character” actors!

Hoping that others will improve their use of the limelight in future instances, we note that Corbet read his best director acceptance speech off an iPhone, which isn’t advisable, but his heartfelt best drama picture acceptance speech was more impactful. Emilia Pérez’s director, Jacques Audiard, may not be criticized for his shaky English, but he could benefit from delivering more concise speeches, as seen in his acceptance speeches for best musical/comedy picture and best non-English-language film. Fortunately, during the former speech, he handed the microphone to Gascón, who handled the situation admirably.

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Other notable results?

In a surprising turn of events, Fernanda Torres, the shining star of Sony Classics’ “I’m Still Here”, emerged victorious in the Best Drama Actress category over heavyweights like Angelina Jolie (for Netflix’s “Maria”) and Nicole Kidman (for A24’s “Babygirl”). For a while, Fernanda Torres has been cherished by Film Twitter community, but it’s intriguing to witness tangible proof of her winning the accolade for her exceptional portrayal in Portuguese.

As a devoted admirer, I must admit that the moment Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross were awarded the best original score at the Oscars for Amazon/MGM’s Challengers was an unexpected thrill! Even though they’ve previously taken home two statuettes, this victory still felt like a delightful surprise.

In a surprising turn of events, the Latvian movie “Flow” by Sideshow/Janus, which was shortlisted for both the Best Animated Feature and Best International Feature at the Oscars, managed to outshine more prominent competitors such as Dreamworks’ “The Wild Robot”, Disney/Pixar’s “Inside Out 2”, Netflix’s “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”, and Disney’s “Moana 2” to secure the Best Animated Feature award.

In its second year, Wicked was awarded the Globe for outstanding cinematic and box office success. This prize seems to be a platform where voters can recognize a film that might not receive much recognition elsewhere, yet they appreciate the opportunity to see the stars of these films accept awards on stage.

However, let’s be clear: “Wicked” isn’t merely well-liked; it’s also, like two other shows that underperformed in their categories, such as “Conclave,” which won only for Best Screenplay at the Oscars, and “Anora,” which didn’t win any awards, is exceptionally good. I believe these films could make a more substantial impact at next Sunday’s Critics Choice Awards ceremony.

Dick Clark Productions, the organization behind the Golden Globes, is co-owned by Penske Media Eldridge – a partnership between Penske Media Corporation and Eldridge, who also own The Hollywood Reporter.

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2025-01-06 18:25