Happy Monday, everyone!! It’s been a hectic day with several meetings, so I completely forgot that the Golden Globes nominations were announced. Unsurprisingly, Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another led with nine nominations, followed by Sentimental Value (8 noms) and Sinners (7 noms). I’ve seen all three of them, and they’re all great films, though I’d hoped Hamnet would garner more nominations than just six.
This is a massive year for NEON, leading the pack with 21 nominations, woot! Not too shabby for an indie film production and distribution company that’s launched just 8 years ago in 2017. They began on a small scale and have now become a significant contender, with their films racking up plenty of nominations over the years. Warner Bros scored 16 noms, and Netflix scored 13. Interesting given the news that Netflix has moved to purchase the studio for $72 billion, but now Paramount just outbids Netflix with an all-cash offer!
Now, generally speaking, I’m pretty happy with the film nominations, I’m not commenting on the TV noms as I haven’t seen most of those. The only thing I’d say is that ANDOR should’ve been nominated beyond the one nomination for Diego Luna. While we’re on the subject, let’s take a look at some of the snubs and surprises this year.
The 5 Glaring Snubs:
Where is Lucy Liu in the Best Actress category?
Given I just posted my review for Rosemead, I actually said that ‘I sure hope Liu’s performance won’t get overlooked this award season.’ Alas, she is overlooked by the Globes’ voting body 😦 It’s really a bummer, as Liu has been in the business for three decades and just finally got her first dramatic leading role. Her transformative performance is absolutely astounding. The biggest surprise of the Best Actress category is Eva Victor for Sorry, Baby. Um, sorry, but I don’t think Victor’s performance is better than Liu’s; she should’ve gotten a writing nod instead.
Where is Brendan Fraser in the Best Actor category?
I’m aware that Fraser has chosen not to attend the Golden Globes ceremony due to past negative experiences with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), but that doesn’t mean his performance isn’t worthy to be nominated. I love his performance in Rental Family, which I think is worthy of being shortlisted this year.
Hot take: I think Fraser’s performance in Rental Family is better than George Clooney’s in Jay Kelly.
No love for Is This Thing On? or Knives Out 3?
Bradley Cooper has been nominated eight times for a Golden Globe and has yet to win one. Well, he’s not getting one this year as he isn’t even nominated in the directing category. Is This Thing On? was such a pleasant surprise, and I thought at least Laura Dern would get in the Best Supporting Actress category.
I still need to see Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, which is out this Friday on Netflix, but it’s completely shut out despite its stellar reviews from critics and audiences alike. Well, I’m still excited to see it, especially for Josh O’Connor’s performance.
Female Directors overlooked once again
Women have often been sidelined during award season, and this year is no exception. Only Chloe Zhao manages to nab a nomination (deservedly so) in the Best Director category for HAMNET. Most notable Kathryn Bigelow (A House Of Dynamite), Lynne Ramsay (Die My Love), Hikari (Rental Family), Kelly Reichardt (The Mastermind), among others.
A few other glaring snubs
Poor Sydney Sweeney, it seems all the controversies around her don’t translate to box office gold or critical acclaim. Her performance in Christy is overlooked, though I haven’t seen that film. I actually think she’s quite good in Ron Howard’s EDEN, though the movie isn’t that great.
Despite all the early buzz, Tonatiuh and Jennifer Lopez fail to garner nominations for their performances in Kiss of a Spider Woman (review upcoming). I thought newcomer Tonatiuh did a great job and was definitely the MVP of that musical film by Bill Condon.
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Great Surprises:
The Globe’s voters LOVE Jacob Elordi!
He nabbed two nominations in the film and TV categories. I do love his performance as the monster in Guillermo del Toro’s FRANKENSTEIN, so I’m glad he’s nominated. Now I’m curious to see the Australian series, The Narrow Road to the Deep North.
Kudos to Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon
This is Hawke’s first Golden Globes nomination in the leading category, and he absolutely deserved it. Richard Linklater must be over the moon as his film Blue Moon also made the cut in the Musical/Comedy category.
Glad Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas made the cut!
I love Sentimental Value, and I knew that Stellan Skarsgard and Renate Reinsve would be nominated, but I’m thrilled that Norwegian actress Lilleaas also made the cut. Her performance is subtle and beautiful; the sisterhood between her character and Reinsve is one of my favorite parts of the film.
Helen Mirren to receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 2026 Golden Globes
I suppose this shouldn’t come as a surprise a Dame Mirren is a legend! She’s won three Golden Globes and been nominated 17 times, wow!! “Helen Mirren is a force of nature and her career is nothing short of extraordinary,” Golden Globes president Helen Hoehne said in a statement. (per People). Her contributions to the film and television industries are indisputable. I look forward to seeing Dame Mirren at the ceremony in January!
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2026 Golden Globes nominations
Motion Picture categories
The one marked with * (asterisk) is the one I’m rooting for this year
Best Picture – Musical or Comedy
Marty Supreme
Bugonia
Blue Moon
No Other Choice
Nouvelle Vague
One Battle After Another*
I’ve only seen two in this category so far, but my money is on One Battle After Another to win, with serious competition from Marty Supreme.
Best Picture—Drama
Sentimental Value
Hamnet*
Frankenstein
It Was Just an Accident
The Secret Agent
Sinners
I love Hamnet and Sentimental Value almost equally, but I give Hamnet the edge as I absolutely adore Jessie Buckley’s performance.
Best Director—Motion Picture
Paul Thomas Anderson—One Battle After Another
Ryan Coogler—Sinners
Guillermo del Toro—Frankenstein
Jafar Panahi—It Was an Accident
Joachim Trier—Sentimental Value
Chloe Zhao—Hamnet*
I’ve watched every film in this category, and they all deserve their nominations. However, Zhao’s incredible direction is both phenomenal and visceral, making me feel Agnes’ intense sorrow as if it were my own. It would send a powerful message to the industry if the only female director nominated took home the award.
Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Drama
Jessie Buckley—Hamnet*
Jennifer Lawrence—Die My Love
Renate Reinsve—Sentimental Value
Julia Roberts—After the Hunt
Tessa Thompson—Hedda
Eva Victor—Sorry, Baby
No performance this year affected me as much as Jessie Buckley’s Agnes did. Can’t believe this is her first nomination, as she’s done plenty of astounding work in the past.
Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Drama
Joel Edgerton — Train Dreams*
Oscar Isaac — Frankenstein
Dwayne Johnson — The Smashing Machine
Michael B. Jordan — Sinners*
Wagner Moura — The Secret Agent
Jeremy Allen White — Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere
I’ve seen Edgerton, Isaac, and Jordan’s performances so far, and out of the three, Jordan’s dual role in the genre-bending thriller is the most fun and memorable to watch this year.
Best Supporting Female Actor – Motion Picture
Emily Blunt — The Smashing Machine
Elle Fanning — Sentimental Value
Ariana Grande — Wicked: For Good
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas — Sentimental Value*
Amy Madigan — Weapons
Teyana Taylor — One Battle After Another
I didn’t expect to see Fanning and Lilleaas competing in the same category, but I’m thrilled that’s the case. Out of the two, I love Lilleaas’s understated performance the most.
Best Supporting Male Actor—Motion Picture
Benecio del Toro — One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi — Frankenstein
Paul Mescal — Hamnet
Sean Penn — One Battle After Another*
Adam Sandler — Jay Kelly
Stellan Skarsgård — Sentimental Value
I’ve been raving about how much I love Skarsgård’s role in Sentimental Value, but Penn’s hilariously intense performance in One Battle After Another is really something else. I’m not usually a huge fan of Penn, but honestly, it was an outstanding performance that’s hard to top.
Best Male Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Timothee Chalamet — Marty Supreme
George Clooney — Jay Kelly
Leonardo DiCaprio — One Battle After Another*
Ethan Hawke — Blue Moon
Lee Byung-Hun — No Other Choice
Jesse Plemons — Bugonia
My money is on DiCaprio, who’s already been bestowed the Best Actor award at the prestigious National Board of Review (NBR). He’s made smart choices throughout his career, and this latest triumph is poised to be the one to beat in the leading actor category.
Best Female Actor – Motion Picture – Musical/Comedy
Rose Byrne — If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You*
Cynthia Erivo — Wicked: For Good
Kate Hudson — Song Sung Blue
Chase Infiniti — One Battle After Another
Amanda Seyfried — The Testament of Ann Lee
Emma Stone — Bugonia
Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
One Battle After Another — Paul Thomas Anderson
Marty Supreme — Josh Safdie, Ronald Bronstein
Sinners — Ryan Coogler
It Was Just an Accident — Jafar Panahi*
Sentimental Value — Eskil Vogt, Joachim Trier
Hamnet — Chloe Zhao, Maggie O’ Farrell
Best Score Motion Picture
Alexandre Desplat — Frankenstein
Ludwig Göransson — Sinners
Jonny Greenwood — One Battle After Another
Kangding Ray — Sirat
Max Richter — Hamnet
Hans Zimmer — F1*
Best Song—Motion Picture
“Dream as One”—Avatar: Fire and Ash; Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt, Mark Ronson, Simon Franglen
“Golden”—K:Pop Demon Hunters; Joong Gyu Kwak, Yu Han Lee, Hee Dong Nam, Jeong Hoon Seo, Park Hong Jun, Kim Eun-jae (EJAE), Mark Sonnenblick
“I Lied to You”—Sinners; Raphael Saadiq, Ludwig Göransson
“No Place Like Home”—Wicked: For Good; Stephen Schwartz
“The Girl in the Bubble”—Wicked: For Good; Stephen Scwartz
“Train Dreams”—Train Dreams; Nick Cave, Bryce Dessner*
Best Animated Motion Picture
Arco
Demon Slayer: Kimestu No Yaiba Infinity Castle
Elio
Little Amelie or The Character of the Rain
KPop Demon Hunters
Zootopia 2*
Best Cinematic and Box Office Achievement
Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
KPop Demon Hunters
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning
Sinners*
Weapons
Wicked: For Good
Zootopia 2
Best Non-English Language Motion Picture
It Was Just an Accident
No Other Choice
Sentimental Value*
The Secret Agent
Sirat
The Voice of Hind Rajab
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
The Golden Globes still suck. I hate the Best Box Office award as I think it is fucking stupid. I also don’t like the podcast and stand-up bit though on the former. I’m glad Joe Rogan is not nominated though I have not listened to any of these podcasts. The only podcast I listen to every week is Solomonster Sounds Off which is a pro wrestling podcast as I’m on a live-chat right now.
Yeah, that box office award was the stupidest idea and somehow that category is still there! The only podcast nominated that I’ve listened to is Smartless, which was quite funny though the guys tend to ramble a bit. Interesting that Amy Poehler is competing with her ex, Will Arnett.
I haven’t seen many of the movies that got nominated. But at least the two that I saw, Sinners and One Battle After Another, got some love! Lol.
I knew that One Battle After Another would sweep all the awards. I think Leo would be the one to beat this year, he’ll surely be nominated for Oscars as well. Not sure if Jordan would, as the horror genre usually gets overlooked.
Reading all the noms for the first time. Hoping to watch more of the movies before the awards; especially your favs!🎬🏆⭐️
Hi EF, hope you’ve been well! Yeah, there are still a lot I haven’t seen as well, hoping to see those I’ve missed during the Christmas break. Be sure not to miss HAMNET, so good!!
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After reading what you read:
Go Zhao!
Go Skarsgard!
Go Buckley!
The Globes are awards that have evaded me for … ever.
The Oscars and Emmys seem to be enough time spent, for me. However, am I correct in thinking that the Globes are a people’s choice, not industry insiders?
Question: Do you think the Globes are a bell weather for the Oscars and Emmys?
XOXOXO
The Globes’ voters are international journalists, as they’re formerly Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) that have disbanded because of lack of diversity. So yeah, what do they know? Ahah!
The Globes is widely considered an important, but not always accurate, precursor to the Oscars. Not sure about the Emmys but given the timing and different voting bodies, maybe it’s got less predictive power.
Okay, thanks!
So, I watched the new Knives Out last night. Your review was right on.
I enjoyed it, but not uber special.
Oh ok, cool! What do you think of Josh O’Connor as the co-lead? He’s becoming one of my favorites as I saw so many films with him in it this year. He’s also gonna be in Spielberg’s new sci-fi coming out next year, Disclosure Day!
I think Josh was terrific!
Hey.. I’ve been meaning to ask… off topic.
Do you have a fave movie kiss?
I don’t just mean the actual beauty shot of “the kiss”, but all the energy leading up to it, and any embraces that go with it.
Hey Resa!! What a fun question!! Favorite movie kiss… hmmm, there is one I adore from an unknown movie starring young Gerard Butler called Dear Frankie, it’s not so much the kiss itself but the moment leading up to it that’s so beautiful. It’s a beautiful little Scottish movie, you should watch it! Here’s the scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WfEm5rDrX4
Another one I love is not from a movie but from a BBC mini series North & South (2004), there is a kiss in the end at a train station, one of the most beautiful kiss ever because of how long the journey’s been for them to get to that point.
I just checked out the scene. Yes, a lovely kiss! I think I should watch the movie to get the full effect. I must say, it is different from the Gerard Butler I’m used to seeing on the screen.
Yes, the journey getting to the kiss!!!!
That’s how I feel about the kiss at the end of “Witness” – Harrison Ford & Kelly McGillis. xxxx
I had the biggest crush on Gerard ‘Gerry’ Butler after seeing him in the Phantom of the Opera in 2004, even flew to Toronto for TIFF as he was going to be there, I think I might’ve told you? Back then Gerry was still doing more drama stuff back in Scotland and Dear Frankie was one of the best little film. It’s sooo good, hope you can find it and watch it, the young boy in it (Frankie) is adorable and that kiss makes me swoon.
The BBC North & South is a must-see as well, it’s a four-part series but soooo well worth your time!
I really need to see Witness!! XOXOXO
I am not familiar with the earlier Butler. I must see “Dear Frankie”!
I’ll check for “North and South” as well!
“Witness” is a very different and cool movie. It is my absolute fave Harrison Ford movie.
XOXOXOXO