Globes confirm Oscar candidates

British  actress  Winslet  was  recognized  in  two  categories  at  the Globes

Emotion may  also  play  a  part  in the  late  Heath  Ledger’s  emergence as the best supporting actor nominee leaving everyone else in his wake.

Yet  there  does  also  seem  to  be  a genuine desire to recognizes both his remarkable performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight  and  the  blockbuster film in which it appears.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association may  only  be  a  small  and cliquish organization, numbering no more than around 100 people.

But it tends to serve as a fairly accurate bellwether of prevailing  sentiments  as  the  community  counts down  to  the biggest awards bash of them all.

Not  everything  is  cut  and  dried, however. For example, who will be named  best  actor  when  the  Oscars are announced on 22 February?

Two-horse race

Up  to  now  Sean  Penn  has  been grabbing most of the prizes on offer with his warm and winning portrayal of the gay politician Harvey Milk in Milk.

Mickey  Rourke’s  Golden  Globe win for The Wrestler puts him right back  into  contention,  though,  in what  is  increasingly  looking  like  a two-horse race. One can anticipate a  similar head to  head  between  the  animated  features Wall-E and Waltz with Bashir.

The  pictures  were  short listed  in different categories at the Globes but are  likely  to  be  competing  against each other at the Oscars.

It is hard to imagine two more different  films  than  Pixar’s whimsical tale  of  a  lovestruck  robot  and  Ari Folman’s  harrowing  meditation  on a  real-life massacre. Both have  their admirers, though, which makes predicting which will emerge victorious on Oscar night s a particularly tough call.

Rourke’s success at the Globes could boost his Oscar chances

There  is  still  a  long  way  to  go, much more  red  carpet  to  be  rolled and many more long speeches to be made.

For  the  most  part,  though,  the Golden Globes appear to have identifed just about all the primary candidates for Oscar glory.

The Academy  of Motion  Picture Arts and Sciences will announce  its nominations in 10 days’ time.

It remains  to be seen  if  it has any surprises to spring in an awards season  that  already  appears  to  be  running short of them.