44 | DECEMBER 23 • 2021 

RIFFING ON THE GOLDEN 
GLOBES FOR HOLIDAY 
ENTERTAINMENT
The Golden Globe nomina-
tions were announced last 
week, but the future of the 
Globes is unclear. The orga-
nization that runs the Golden 
Globes, the Hollywood 
Foreign Press Association 
(HFPA), has always been a 
dubious organization. HFPA 
members are the only voters 
for the Globes. Only a hand-
ful of its 100 or so members 
are “serious” journalists who 
write for respected media 
outlets. Most are not more 
than bloggers. 
But the big studios have 
long played “footsie” with 
the HPFA because the 
Golden Globe nominations, 
and “fun” awards ceremony 
bring media publicity that 
helps at the box office. 
The HPFA long weathered 
minor scandals, but the coup 
de grace came last March 
when the LA Times reported 
that the HFPA had no black 
members and hasn’t had 
one since 2002. The HPFA 
went into overdrive with a 
proposed “reform” plan, but 
critics and studios didn’t 
think it could be implement-
ed (add diverse members, 
etc.) in time to make the 
2022 Globe awards accept-
able.
In May, major studios 
announced they wouldn’t 
work with the HPFA (pro-
vide special screenings of 
their films, etc.) until major 
reforms were in place and, in 
June, NBC announced that 
they wouldn’t broadcast the 
Globes ceremony. The HPFA 
said it will go ahead with the 
ceremony (Jan. 9, 2022), 

but it’s unclear whether any 
other major media outlet will 
air/stream it in America. 
This all said, I found the 
new Globe film nominations 
to be useful as a reasonably 
good guide as to “what to 
watch” over the upcoming 
holiday week. 
All five best film (comedy/
musical) nominees have a 
Jewish connection. Don’t 
Look Up is a satirical sci-fic-
tion film. It opened in a few 
theaters on Dec. 10 and will 
begin streaming on Netflix 
on Dec. 25. Here’s the basic 
plot: Two low-level astron-
omers (Leonardo DiCaprio 
and Jennifer Lawrence) 
must go on a giant media 
tour to warn mankind of an 
approaching comet that will 
destroy our planet.
This film is really a thinly 
disguised attack on all those 
who deny climate change 
is happening. In Don’t, the 
sky is literally falling but all 
sorts of people, for various 
reasons, deny the science. 
Reviews are mixed, with 
many critics saying that 
the film makes some good 
points but is frequently dis-
jointed and heavy-handed. 
The big ensemble cast has 
been widely praised. 
Jonah Hill, 37, has a big 
part as the chief of staff 
to the president, who just 

happens to be his mother 
(Meryl Streep). Appearing 
in much smaller roles 
are Timothee Chalamet, 25; 
Sarah Silverman, 51; Liev 
Schreiber, 54; and Ron 
Perlman, 71. 
Adam McKay (Anchorman) 
directed and co-wrote the 
film. (His children were 
raised in the Jewish faith of 
his wife, Shira Piven, 60, sis-
ter of actor Jeremy Piven). 
McKay is an ardent Bernie 
Sanders supporter. The 
film’s co-writer, David Sirota, 
43, was a senior adviser to 
the 2020 Sanders’ cam-
paign. 
The other four nomi-
nees are Cyrano, Licorice 
Pizza, Tick Tick Boom and 
West Side Story. I have 
previously discussed all 
but Cyrano, which doesn’t 
open widely until Jan. 
22, 2022. It’s a musical 
based on the famous play 
Cyrano DeBergerac. Peter 
Dinklage plays the title role. 
Cyrano played off-Broadway 
(2018) and got good, if not 
great reviews. The score 
was composed by twin 
brothers, Aaron and Bryce 
Dessner, 46. They are mem-
bers of The National, a well-
known arty rock group. 
Tick Tick Boom, about 
Rent composer Jonathan 
Larson, is now streaming 

on Netflix (Andrew Garfield, 
38, is Globe-nominated for 
playing Larson); West Side 
Story, directed by Steven 
Spielberg, 74, (a Globe 
nominee) is in theaters; and 
Licorice Pizza, co-starring 
musician Alana Haim, 29, 
opens wide in theaters, 
including the Maple Theater 
in Bloomfield Township, on 
Dec. 25. Haim got a best 
actress (comedy) Globe 
nomination and Licorice got 
great reviews.
Over in the best drama 
film category, you’ll find 
three films with a Jewish 
connection: Coda, King 
Richard and Dune. I previ-
ously noted that Dune stars 
Timothee Chalamet. The 
musical score was written by 
Hans Zimmer, 64. He got a 
Globe nomination for best 
score. Dune was a huge box 
office hit and a sequel is 
now in the works. Its avail-
able on pay-for-view. 
Likewise, I previously 
wrote that King Richard, 
about the father of tennis 
stars Venus and Serena 
Williams, featured Jon 
Berenthal, 45, as the sisters’ 
coach. I recently “dug-out” 
that the film’s screenwriter 
— Zac Baylin, 42, is the son 
of a Jewish father. I liked 
this HBO film more than I 
thought I would.
Somehow, Coda, which 
began streaming on Apple+ 
last August, wasn’t on my 
radar then. Coda centers on 
Emily Rossi, the only mem-
ber of her family who isn’t 
deaf. The drama: Will Emily 
stay home and be the fami-
ly’s essential communication 
helper or pursue collegiate 
musical studies? Marlee 
Matlin, 56, co-stars as 
Emily’s mother. 

CELEBRITY NEWS

NATE BLOOM COLUMNIST

ARTS&LIFE

Marlee 
Matlin

ANGELA GEORGE VIA WIKIMEDIA

HARALD KRICHEL VIA WIKIMEDIA

Jonah 
Hill

