MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
The movie musical "Emilia Perez" and TV's Japan-centered epic "Shogun" won big at last night's Golden Globes. They each claimed four awards, closely followed by "The Brutalist." That's about an immigrant architect. It got three. The Globes have had a rocky few years, with boycotts in 2022 and the disbanding of their founding organization two years ago. But our critic Bob Mondello says things have stabilized enough under new management that they put on a pretty good show.
BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: It was not a high bar. Three years ago, the Globes were exclusively on Twitter, and last year they were pretty universally panned. So just getting through the evening without the Beverly Hilton Ballroom erupting in flames might have seemed an accomplishment. They did better than that. Host Nikki Glaser kept things bright and breezy.
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NIKKI GLASER: We have got some huge movie stars here tonight. Kate Winslet is here, Cate Blanchett...
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GLASER: ...Colin Farrell...
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GLASER: ...And let's forget so many huge TV stars as well - Kate Winslet...
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GLASER: ...Cate Blanchett, Colin Farrell.
MONDELLO: The stars provided eye candy and a few tears, and they finished up more or less on time. As these things go, that counts as success. The Globes are Hollywood's kick-off party for a trophy dispersal system you might call the awards-industrial complex, a two-month blitz of 30 guild and critics galas ranging from the AFCAs to the BAFTAs to the NAACP Image Awards, all leading up to the Academy Awards on March 2. Nobody follows the Oscars. What would be the point? Everybody follows the Globes, by which I do not mean watches them. Viewership's been way down recently. But arriving so early in award season does suggest that they could maybe influence other groups' choices.
So what did we learn last night? Well, the Globes' voters - about 300 entertainment journalists from 85 countries - seemed intent on spreading the love, especially in the film categories, where 10 films won at least one award. If you believe the Oscar voters take the Globes seriously - and there's not a lot of evidence for that - then giving top awards to the trans narco musical "Emilia Perez" and the 3 1/2-hour epic "The Brutalist" might register when Oscar voters choose nominees next week.
Demi Moore's teary acceptance speech for "The Substance" probably cemented her place in this year's Oscars lineup. The critically acclaimed comedy "Anora" getting shut out maybe dims its chances for nominations or not. Even with two best picture winners every year, drama and comedy musical, the Globes have only matched the Oscar best picture winner four times in the last decade. In fairness, with a less star-obsessed pool of Globes voters, that record may improve. The silliness that the ceremony is known for may not - even with free-flowing alcohol, trade-offs everywhere.
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GLASER: I just want to say you all look so amazing tonight. You really brought it. And I love where you put your cheekbones.
MONDELLO: Worth noting - with just a few exceptions, the Globe winners were still mostly white. Two women directors were nominated but didn't win. That's also true for the sole trans nominee. And the award reserved for blockbusters went to "Wicked," the year's third-biggest box office hit. Quirky? Well, a little, but hey. The Globes are trying for respectability now. Go figure. I'm Bob Mondello.
KELLY: Clips from the evening are courtesy of the Golden Globes and Dick Clark Productions, which puts on the show. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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