Sorry, technical difficulties. Final thoughts on the 63rd annual Golden Globes:
Don’t you hate it when the Oscar horserace is finished before the ballots are even in? “Brokeback Mountain� was considered the Best Picture frontrunner; it won big tonight (besides Best Picture/Drama, Ang Lee took home the Best Director trophy and it also won for Best Screenplay, wins likely to be repeated come Oscar night, as well as Best Song). “Capote’s� Philip Seymour Hoffman and “Walk the Line’s� Reese Witherspoon were prior favorites for the Best Actor and Actress Oscars: Done, and done. Outside of a quirky upset, don't expect major deviations in all the upcoming awards ceremonies, which will seem increasingly redundant as the season unfolds.
The only major Oscars that might deviate from the Globes tonight are the supporting acting categories; George Clooney and Rachel Weisz appeared in films that the Motion Picture Academy might have trouble warming up to.
That said, “Brokeback Mountain� certainly is the Zeitgeist movie of the moment. Films like “Good Night, and Good Luck.�, “Syriana� and “Munich� all cried out to be vociferously debated on the nation’s op-ed pages – they all, to different extents, comment on current political travails. But I’ve seen more op-ed pieces on “Brokeback Mountain� than those three films combined.
Perhaps those movies wore their agendas on their sleeves too much. “Brokeback Mountain� was intent merely to tell its heartbreaking story, without editorial commentary. And the fact that, despite what some pundits may have suggested, the film is being embraced in places it could have been eschewed is a testament to the power of its filmmakers.