The Golden Globe Awards

If you know me well, you know I am an awards show junkie. But few awards shows have my devotion like those celebrating movies—the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards and the granddaddy of them all, the Oscars. In part because I am forever fascinated by the marvel of the movies, in part because like so many I am always curious to see who looks hot and who does not, and in part because there is always an emotional moment or two to savor, when these awards air, I am right in front of the television every time.

Last night's Golden Globes delivered everything I hoped they would. While I found Ricky Gervais mostly underwhelming, the show itself was short on boring moments and long on well-deserved victories, at least in my opinion.

Some of my highlights:

• Seeing Michael C. Hall, who is recovering from Hodgkin's disease, finally pick up an award for Dexter after being nominated so many times between this show and Six Feet Under.
  
  
• The standing ovation Jeff Bridges received after winning Best Actor in a Drama for Crazy Heart. Mr. Bridges may be the first in his family to pick up an Oscar this year, and it's a shame his father Lloyd won't be around to see it.
  
  
• Meryl Streep's graciousness during her acceptance speech for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy (for Julie & Julia), in which she quipped, "In my long career I've played so many extraordinary women, basically I'm getting mistaken for one." (Extra points for her wish to change her name to "T-Bone Streep," in honor of Best Original Song winner T-Bone Burnett.)
  
  
• Drew Barrymore's heartfelt emotion following her win as Best Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries for Grey Gardens. Long simply an awards show fixture, Barrymore was first nominated in 1985 for her performance in Irreconcilable Differences, so needless to say, she was very excited and emotional.
  
  
• Robert Downey Jr.'s humorously "selfish" speech, which he said was his wife's fault since "she told me Matt Damon was going to win at 10:00 this morning."

But the speech of the night belonged to Best Supporting Actress winner Mo'Nique. Recognized for her searing performance in Precious with the night's first award, she set a bar no one else could match.



While some have criticized Mo'Nique for her diva-like attitude regarding other awards she has won and others have questioned the Svengali-esque behavior of her husband/manager, with this speech, she proved there is substance behind the woman.

Here is the full list of winners:

Movies
Best Picture (Drama): Avatar
Best Picture (Musical/Comedy): The Hangover
Best Actor (Drama): Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
Best Actress (Drama): Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Best Actor (Musical/Comedy): Robert Downey Jr., Sherlock Holmes
Best Actress (Musical/Comedy): Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia
Best Supporting Actor: Christoph Walz, Inglourious Basterds
Best Supporting Actress: Mo'Nique, Precious
Best Director: James Cameron, Avatar
Best Screenplay: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air
Best Original Song: "The Weary Kind," Crazy Heart
Best Original Score: Up
Best Foreign Film: The White Ribbon (Germany)
Best Animated Film: Up

TV
Best Drama: Mad Men
Best Comedy: Glee
Best TV Movie or Miniseries: Grey Gardens
Best Actor (Drama): Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Best Actress (Drama): Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
Best Actor (Comedy): Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Best Actress (Comedy): Toni Collette, The United States of Tara
Best Actor (TV Movie/Miniseries): Kevin Bacon, Taking Chance
Best Actress (TV Movie/Miniseries): Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Best Supporting Actor: John Lithgow, Dexter
Best Supporting Actress: Chloe Sevigny, Big Love

On to the SAG Awards January 23, and then, of course, the Oscar nominations February 2! I love this time of year!