Little Leo wins big
"The Revenant" and "The Martian" take the trophies in films
The epic survival thriller “The Revenant” and the space adventure “The Martian” won big at the Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, boosting their chances for Oscars glory next month.
“The Revenant” – the story of legendary fur trapper Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio – won three top awards at the star-studded gala, for best drama, best actor for DiCaprio and best director for Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.
“The Martian,” the tale of an astronaut stranded alone on Mars, won two top prizes –best comedy film and best actor in a comedy for Matt Damon, who stars in the blockbuster.
The victories for the two films at the Globes put them in prime position as Hollywood’s annual awards season heats up, leading to the all-important Oscars on February 28.
“I cannot say how surprised I am and how proud I am to have survived this movie,” Inarritu said, referring to the harsh conditions in which the movie was filmed.
Inarritu’s movie “Birdman” won four Oscars last year including for best picture and best director, and many critics believe the Mexican director could emerge triumphant again this year.
DiCaprio, who got a standing ovation from his Hollywood peers, said he wanted to share the award with all the indigenous communities around the world.
“It is time that we recognise your history and that we protect your indigenous lands from corporate interests and from people that are out there to exploit them,” said the 41-year-old actor, who critics believe may finally win his first Oscar for the movie.
A-listers Kate Winslet and Sylvester Stallone also took home acting prizes at the ceremony held in Beverly Hills, which is seen as a good indicator of which movies and actors will fight for Oscars glory.
Winslet won for best supporting actress in a film for her role in the biopic “Steve Jobs”, Stallone won for best supporting actor in “Creed,” in which he reprised his iconic role of boxer Rocky Balboa.
“Spotlight,” an early Globes favorite about journalists from The Boston Globe who uncovered sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, went home empty-handed despite three nominations.
Also snubbed was “The Big Short,” based on a book about the financial crisis of 2007-2008.
Other films that vied for the best drama prize – and expect to figure in the Oscars conversation – are lesbian romance “Carol” starring Cate Blanchett, harrowing kidnap tale “Room,” and the summer action blockbuster “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
For best actress in a drama, Brie Larson won the Globe for best actress in a drama for “Room,” about a mother and her child held captive in a small room. She bested Blanchett and “Carol” co-star Rooney Mara.
In the best foreign movie category, Hungarian Holocaust drama “Son of Saul” was the winner.
The awards are decided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, made up of some 90 entertainment editors and writers from 55 countries who report on the industry year-round.
