At 8 p.m. EST on January 10, Ricky Gervais emceed the hottest mess of an awards show since the 85th Academy Awards, when audiences were lucky enough to experience Seth McFarlane’s illustrious “We Saw Your Boobs” opening number. From Leo’s unfortunately timed facial expressions to an unbearably awkward Mel Gibson situation, the Golden Globes were certainly a ride from beginning to end. Unfortunately, this ride felt like it was broken and you weren’t allowed to get out of your seat until everyone in the room felt just as uncomfortable as you.
This year, Gervais’ jokes were predictably controversial, ranging from Caitlyn Jenner’s driving to Jennifer Lawrence’s very publicized crusade for equal pay, and nailing pretty much every celebrity in between. A large number of people seemed to believe his humor went too far, but the show still managed to pull in about 18.5 million viewers. That’s not terrible, but it is down 4 percent from last year’s show featuring Tina Fey and Amy Peohler as hosts.
In the midst of his predictably controversial humor, there was one particular joke Gervais seemed to lean on again and again that raises interesting questions into the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and how they categorize nominations: how on Earth is "The Martian" a comedy? I don’t like to make a habit of this, but to quote Gervais, “'The Martian' was funnier than 'Pixels,' but then again, so was 'Schindler’s List.'” The latest Ridley Scott film tells the story of a man stranded on Mars after a catastrophic storm, and details his attempts to return to Earth. It's intense, emotional, and while it's definitely funny in parts, you wouldn't walk out of the theater thinking, "Wow, Matt Damon should definitely try stand-up."
Not only was it nominated by the HFPA for Best Picture -- Comedy or Musical -- it won.
According to the HFPA official Golden Globe Consideration Rules, there is no official definition of a comedic film. The only guidelines for a motion picture to be nominated for a Best Picture category (either Drama or Comedy/Musical) are that it is over 70 minutes and screened in the “greater Los Angeles area during the qualifying year” (January 1 through December 31). Essentially, committees of the HFPA get to decide what’s funny and what isn't. What this lack of categorical definition creates is the repeated incident of comedy nominations that just aren’t comedies. They may be dramas with comedic moments, but at the end of the film when the credits roll, you aren’t laughing. The purpose of a comedy is to progress the narrative in a lighthearted and humorous way, possibly including dramatic moments, but always coming back to the jokes. "The Martian," like so many other movies seen every year in this category, is a serious dramatic narrative with comedic moments to ease tension.
Amazingly enough, the HFPA already has a category for that kind of film. I believe we call it, Best Picture -- Drama.
Despite the attention its strange nomination has gotten in the media this awards season, "The Martian" is by no means the first of its kind. Numerous dramas have been nominated for Best Picture -- Comedy or Musical throughout the years.
Here are six of my favorites.
1. "Her" (2013)
“You know, I can feel the fear that you carry around and I wish there was… something I could do to help you let go of it because if you could, I don’t think you’d feel so alone anymore.”
Joaquin Phoenix does sport one of my five favorite mustaches in the history of film, but there's way too many existential crises for this to honestly be considered a comedy.
2. "Pride and Prejudice" (2005)
“LADY CATHERINE: I warn you, I am not to be trifled with. A report of most alarming nature has reached me. That you intend to be united with my nephew, Mr Darcy. I know this to be a scandalous falsehood. Though not wishing to injure him by supposing it possible, I instantly set off to make my sentiments known.
ELIZABETH BENNET: If you believed it impossible, I wonder you took the trouble of coming so far.”
It features lots of similarly scathing Georgian Era burns, but it's a period piece for crying out loud.
3. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" (2004)
“When I was a kid, I thought I was [ugly]. I can’t believe I’m crying already. Sometimes I think people don’t understand how lonely it is to be a kid, like you don’t matter. So, I’m eight, and I have these toys, these dolls. My favorite is this ugly girl doll who I call Clementine, and I keep yelling at her, ‘You can’t be ugly! Be pretty!’ It’s weird, like if I can transform her, I would magically change, too."
Imagine hating your ex so much that you hire a team of professionals to erase all your memories of them. The movie does end on a positive note, but then again, so did Slumdog Millionaire.
4. "Vicky Christina Barcelona" (2008)
“Life is short. Life is dull. Life is full of pain. And this is a chance for something special.”
Only Woody Allen could turn infidelity, vaguely consensual threesomes, and violent jealousy into a comedy nomination.
5. "My Week With Marilyn" (2011)
“Here's what I remember most: her embrace. Her belief in me. And the joy she gave. That was her gift. When I think of her now, I think of that time when a dream came true. And my only talent was not to close my eyes.”
Because nothing says comedy like a misunderstood female icon's story being told through the eyes of a man.
6. "Lost in Translation" (2003)
“I just feel so alone, even when I'm surrounded by other people.”
I've seen this movie multiple times and while I still have no clue what exactly it's trying to be, it's definitely not a comedy. I'm not really sure if it's anything.
I love these movies. They are all poignant, meaningful, and they make audiences think. On an unrelated but equally important note, three of them feature Scarlett Johansson. Each of these films is cinematically and artistically significant in their own way; the way is just not funny. Here's looking to next year's Golden Globes, and hoping that the HFPA finally realizes that when I walk out of a movie theater contemplating the meaning of life and my place in it, I'm usually not laughing.
