IssuesEtc Segment: 72nd Golden Globe Awards 2015

January 15, 2015 Posted in 2014 / 2015 / Pastor Ted Giese / Movie Review / issuesetc.org / Radio Interview / Golden Globe Awards / Television Review

72nd Golden Globe Awards 2015

In this segment of IssuesEtc pastors Giese and Wilken talk about the recent telecast of the 72nd Golden Globe Awards. Provided in this interview are some general observations of the award show and a little discussion of what makes the Golden Globe Awards different from the Oscars (The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards). Click the banner blow to listen to the interview at IssuesEtc.org

Part of the difference between the two award shows is that the Golden Globe Awards are awarded by The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) a select group of around 90 international media journalists whereas the Oscars are awarded by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences with a voting membership numbering over 6,000 members from within the film industry. This basically makes The Hollywood Foreign Press Association an Oligarchy and the Golden Globe Awards then provide an excellent example of a system in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique. On the other hand the Oscars then represent a Meritocracy and are a good example of a system in which the talented are chosen and moved ahead on the basis of their achievement.

Both the Oscars and the Golden Globe Awards however are rather insular and viewers are often left feeling like they are watching the cool kids in high school. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler the hosts for the evening know this and even make a number of jokes about how un-relatable the film makers, actors and producers are to the general public. One of the better of these jokes was about birthday cake - audio of the joke is provided below:

In the midst of the parade of un-relatable moments there was one moment that was particularly more relatable and stood out in a very positive way. That was from Michael Keaton's acceptance speech for Best Performance by and Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. His speech for his win for his performance in Birdman (2014) highlighted virtues that many in North America do truly prize and aspire too - audio from the speech is provided below:

At various points in the segment pastors Giese and Wilken talk about the film Boyhood (2014) which was reviewed on IssuesEtc in the past year along with the film How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014). Boyhood took home the award for Best Motion Picture Drama, Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture (Patricia Arquette) and Best Director - Motion Picture (Richard Linklater). How to Train Your Dragon 2 won in the Best Animated Feature Film category. For reviews of How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Boyhood click on the links below. For a full list of winners chick here.

Listen here for audio of radio interviews about films from a Christian perspective with Pastors Ted Giese and Todd Wilken on IssuesEtc.org where Christianity meets culture. Here's a list of reviews for films released in 2014 which have been reviewed on IssuesEtc in the past year; many of these reviews can also be found in the Canadian Luther and Reporter on-line.