As 2024 comes to a close, it’s time to reflect on the year’s cinematic achievements and the upcoming award season. The Golden Globe Awards have officially kicked off the series of movie honors, but this year’s event left many scratching their heads.
Decline in Cinema? The Golden Globe’s Surprising Turn
There has been ongoing discussion in the film industry about the “decline of the cinema.” Streaming platforms have revolutionized the way we consume media. Apps like TikTok have reshaped entertainment preferences. Fewer people are heading to movie theaters. As a result, the buzz around film seems to be fading, replaced by shorter content and social media-based entertainment.
The 2024 Golden Globes seem to support this claim. Most nominated films were not widely known. Many of them weren’t even available in theaters. To watch these films legally, one had to subscribe to multiple streaming platforms. Services like Netflix, Disney+, and HBO have become necessary, but their costs are quite high. This has made many viewers hesitant to pay for all of them. 
For instance, if we look at IMDb rankings for popular films of 2024, none of the top five had ratings over 8. The number one film, Nosferatu , is a remake of a classic. This shows just how tough the competition is this year.
A Weak Year for the Golden Globes
In comparison to last year’s massive hits like Barbie and Oppenheimer, this year’s Golden Globe results were underwhelming. Let’s dive into the list of winners.
The Film Awards: A Few Surprises
Best Drama Film: The Roughneck (Beastly)
Best Drama Actor: Adrien Brody (The Roughneck)
Best Drama Actress: Fernanda Torres (I Am Still Here)
The Roughneck was the biggest winner of the night. It took home major categories, including Best Director for Brady Corbet. But this film has yet to reach international audiences. It was released in the U.S. on December 20, 2024, and its massive 215-minute runtime makes it less likely to achieve commercial success.
Best Musical/Comedy Film: Amelia Perez
Best Musical/Comedy Actor: Sebastian Stan (Different Men)
Best Musical/Comedy Actress: Demi Moore (Some Substance)
Amelia Perez made a significant impact, taking home four Golden Globe Awards. However, it only has a 6.4 rating on Chinese review sites, suggesting it wasn’t well received in certain markets.
Despite its mixed reception, Amelia Perez received ten nominations, making it the second most-nominated film in Golden Globe history. The plot, which involves a drug lord seeking gender reassignment and faking his death, won over voters. However, many domestic viewers found the story too outrageous to enjoy.
A Year of Unexpected Victories and Disappointments
The biggest surprise of the year came from Demi Moore. After 45 years in the industry, she won her first-ever acting award. In her acceptance speech, she reflected on her past as a “popcorn” actress. Despite starring in some box-office hits, she had never received a major acting award. Fans were moved by her emotional speech after receiving recognition for her role in Some Substance.
Another film, Enola, had a lot of hype after it premiered at the Cannes with the Palme d’Or . Despite five nominations, it failed to win a single Golden Globe.
Best Animated Feature: Cat’s Fantastical Journey
Best Foreign Language Film: Amelia Perez
Best Original Score: The Challenger
Dune: Part Two was a strong contender but only received two nominations. Despite high critical acclaim and commercial success, the film failed to win any awards. It seems to have suffered from being a sequel and considered “too commercial.”
Television Highlights: “Shogun” Shines
In the television categories, the Golden Globe spotlight shone on Shogun, a historical drama with an almost entirely Asian cast. The show’s lead actor Hiroyuki Sanada made history by becoming the first-ever Asian actor to win Best Actor in a TV Drama. Meanwhile, Tadanobu Asano won Best Supporting Actor for his role in the same series.
On the comedy front, Jean Smart won Best Actress for Desperate Writer. Jeremy Allen White took home Best Actor for The Bear .
Best Miniseries/TV Movie: Reindeer Baby
Best Actress in a Miniseries: Jodie Foster (True Detective: Night Country)
Best Actor in a Miniseries: Colin Farrell (Penguin)
A Cinematic Year of Major Upsets
Despite all the twists, this year’s Golden Globe Awards still had some unexpected upsets. One of the most notable highlights was the celebration of Asian representation with Shogun, which was much anticipated.
