The 2018 Golden Globe nominees were announced yesterday, but if you’re a South African reading the list, you may be feeling a little out of the loop considering most of the listed films haven’t even been released yet.
So if you’re dying to catch up before awards season hits next year, here’s where, when, and how you can watch the nominees (legally) in SA. This list only includes Best Picture and acting nominees.
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Dunkirk
3 Nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Best Director for Christopher Nolan, Best Original Score (Motion Picture)
Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (review) is a war film about the evacuation of Allied soldiers during World War II. It was released in SA on 28 July, and is currently available for preorder on iTunes and Takealot.
Get Out
2 Nominations: Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Daniel Kaluuya
Despite the Golden Globes pigeon-holed categories, Get Out (review) is not a comedy or musical. It’s actually a horror flick with hints of comedy and tons of social commentary. It was released in SA in March, and is currently available on Google Play and iTunes.
Battle of the Sexes
2 Nominations: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Steve Carell, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Emma Stone
Battle of the Sexes is a period film about legendary tennis player Billie Jean King’s face-off with Bobby Riggs. The film premiered 1 December, and is still currently in theatres.
Baby Driver
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Ansel Elgort
Baby Driver became a quick cult classic this year, with Edgar Wright’s stylish direction and catchy soundtrack. It opened in SA in August, and is currently available on iTunes, BoxOffice and Takealot.
Victoria & Abdul
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Judi Dench
Victoria & Abdul stars Judi Dench in Queen Victoria’s later years, as the elderly royal engages in a peculiar friendship with one of her servants. The film premiered in SA earlier this year, and it is now available on iTunes and Takealot for preorder.
Mudbound
2 Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Mary J Blige, Best Original Song for “Mighty River”
Mudbound is an ambitious film about two World War II vets who arrive home after the war, only to find their families engaged in racially-charged tension. The Netflix original is currently available on the platform.
The Shape of Water, The Post, and Three Billboards dominated the Golden Globe nominations this year
Coming soon
Call Me by Your Name
Nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Timothée Chalamet, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Motion Picture for Armie Hammer
This coming-of-age queer film has been lauded as “one of the most mesmerizing films of the year“. It will be in local cinemas on 23 February 2018.
The Post
6 Nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Tom Hanks, Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Meryl Streep, Best Director for Steven Spielberg, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score
Spielberg’s The Post tells the story of the news publications who broke the Watergate scandal story, and the struggles they endured to do so. The film opens in cinemas 26 January 2018.
The Shape of Water
7 Nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Sally Hawkins, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Richard Jenkins, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Octavia Spencer, Best Director for Guillermo del Toro, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score
Guillermo del Toro’s The Shape of Water was a meme before it was even released, with many on social media excited by the prospect of fish sex. And that’s all you need to know.
The film will be released in cinemas 19 January 2018.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
6 Nominations: Best Picture (Drama), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Frances McDormand, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Sam Rockwell, Best Director for Martin McDonagh, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri has been described as a dark comedy about a mother who, grieving the murder of her daughter, demands more action from the town sheriff.
The film will be in SA theatres 23 February 2018.
The Disaster Artist
3 Nominations: Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for James Franco
James Franco’s The Disaster Artist is the story of the making of The Room, notoriously one of the worst films ever made. You can catch it in cinemas 9 February 2018.
The Greatest Showman
3 Nominations: Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Muscial) for Hugh Jackman, Best Original Song for “This is Me”
The Greatest Showman is about PT Barnum, the man behind what was billed as “the greatest show on earth”. The film stars Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, and Zendaya. It will be released in SA 29 December.
I, Tonya
3 Nominations: Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Muscial) for Margot Robbie, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Allison Janney
Tonya Harding was a US figure skater who found infamy when she was embroiled in a scandal that involved the assault of one of her competitors in the 90s. I, Tonya, starring Margot Robbie, comes out 16 February 2018.
Lady Bird
4 Nominations: Best Picture (Comedy or Musical), Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Muscial) for Saoirse Ronan, Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Laurie Metcalf, Best Screenplay
Greta Gerwig’s directorial debut has awed critics, and even surpassed Toy Story 2 as the freshest film on Rotten Tomatoes last month. Lady Bird only comes out in South Africa 4 May 2018, because life sucks sometimes.
Darkest Hour
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Gary Oldman
Gary Oldman has been inspiring Oscar buzz ever since the first trailer of him as Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour was released. You can see if that buzz is warranted for yourself on 2 February 2018.
Roman J Israel, Esq.
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Denzel Washington
Here’s a controversial nomination: Roman J Israel, Esq only has a 50% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — but critics were seemingly unanimous on Washington’s great performance despite a wonky story. The film’s out in SA 13 April 2018.
Molly’s Game
2 Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Jessica Chastain, Best Screenplay
Jessica Chastain plays Molly Bloom, a former Olympic-level skier who goes on to run one of New York’s most prestigious (and illegal) poker games. Molly’s Game is out 12 January 2018.
All the Money in the World
3 Nominations: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Michelle Williams, Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for Christopher Plummer, Best Director for Ridley Scott
Another controversy: All the Money in the World originally starred Kevin Spacey, but when news of his sexual misconduct allegations broke, director Ridley Scott recast the role with Christopher Plummer, who is now up for a Golden Globe. The film is out 16 February 2018.
The Leisure Seeker
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture (Comedy or Musical) for Helen Mirren
The Leisure Seeker tells of an elderly couple who escape their caregivers by embarking on a road trip down the East Coast of the US. It premieres 2 February 2018.
Downsizing
1 Nomination: Best Peformance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for Hong Chau
Downsizing is set in a future world in which human beings shrink themselves to spread their wealth. It opens 23 February 2018.
Release dates unknown
Phantom Thread
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture (Drama) for Daniel Day-Lewis, Best Original Score
In Daniel Day-Lewis’ last film, the renowned actor plays an obsessive fashion designer whose carefully tailored life unravels when he falls in love. The sad part? There’s no SA release date as of writing. Because life sucks always.
The Florida Project
1 Nomination: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Willem Dafoe
The Florida Project is an indie film about a precocious young girl who courts mischief with her ragtag group of friends. It, sadly, does not have an SA release yet.
Feature image: Screenshot, FoxSearchlight via YouTube
