Movies Features

BACKGROUND: The top ten films at the Golden Globes

By Andy Goldberg Jan 11, 2012, 14:20 GMT

(FILE) A handout picture dated 17 January 2010 and provided by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) shows British actor Ricky Gervais hosting the 67th Annual Golden Globes Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, USA. T EPA/HOLLYWOOD FOREIGN PRESS ASSOCIAT

Los Angeles - The following are brief descriptions of the best picture nominees at Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, DRAMA

The Descendants: Director Alexander Payne's wry comedy stars George Clooney as a low-key lawyer faced with a mountain of challenges - including an unfaithful dying wife, a wayward teenage daughter and a controversial business deal that's the talk of all Hawaii. Has earned great reviews and lots of early award buzz.

Hugo: Oscar winner Martin Scorsese's first foray into 3D is another tribute to film history. It portrays the adventure of a wily orphan who lives in the main Paris train station and whose path collides with one of the forgotten pioneers of cinema.

The Ides of March: A political thriller written, directed and starring George Clooney, The Ides of March takes a searching look behind the scenes of a dirty election as an idealistic staffer played by Ryan Gosling is forced to betray his principles. A dark horse in the awards race despite the involvement of Clooney.

Moneyball: Brad Pitt plays an innovative baseball coach who uses modern techniques to turn a team of disadvantaged underdogs into the talk of the league. Based on a true story written by economics journalist Michael Lewis, the film has garnered lots of attention in early critics' awards.

War Horse: Directed by Steven Spielberg in an adaptation of a children's novel and 2007 play of the same name, War Horse is a World War I drama about a young man's quest to find his horse which has been conscripted by the British army. The film has been popular in the early awards season and has been nominated as one of the top ten movies of the year by the American Film Institute.

The Help: A civil rights drama set in the 1960's US South in which a young white journalist decides to write about the daily racism suffered by the black women who work as maids in the houses of wealthy white people. A box office and critical success, the film has won numerous awards and nominations early in the season.

BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY

The Artist: A silent black-and-white tour-de-force by French director Michel Hazanavicius. It stars Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo as two actors whose fortunes diverge when Hollywood switches from silent movies to talkies around 80 years ago. A critical favourite, it's considered the early frontrunner in the Oscar race.

Midnight in Paris: A mercurial Woody Allen directs a romantic comedy that stars Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams as a yuppie couple on a pre-wedding trip to Paris, where Wilson's character begins having magical experiences that lead him to reconsider his life. Critics have called it Allen's best film in 20 years.

Bridesmaids: A raucous female comedy about the pre-wedding dramas among a group of colourful bridesmaids. Seen as the female answer to the bawdy male humour of films like The Hangover, it was a box office and critical hit.

50/50: A wry comedy drama starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anna Kendrick, Bryce Dallas Howard and Seth Rogen that somehow manages to turn a battle with cancer into a vehicle for laughs. It is based on the experiences of screenwriter Will Reiser, and has been a box office and critical hit, yet has not seen much success so far in the awards season.

My Week With Marilyn: Stars Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe on location in England, shooting the 1957 film The Prince and the Showgirl. She finds escape from the trappings of fame in the company of a young film student who is working on the set. Williams' portrayal of the screen icon has made her a favourite for best actress awards.