67th Annual Golden Globe Awards

I can't let the Golden Globes go by without at least mentioning my thoughts on them. I didn't see the whole show, but I caught some good moments. I'm just going to give a brief synopsis of my thoughts:

I'll admit that I am not a fan of Quentin Tarantino (for reasons which I will go into at another time), though I recognize and fully appreciate his gift as a director, and so was not as moved by the complimentary speech given by Christoph Waltz, who won Best Supporting Actor for Inglorious Basterds.

Avatar was not my pick for Best Picture, Drama, though I am not surprised it won. I do not agree with many other critics, however, who believe that this is a precursor to the Oscars, foretelling another 'Titanic' sweep by Cameron. I have a feeling that the academy will cave to the controversy caused by Avatar, though it will likely win some major effects awards, and well it should.

The highlight of the show for me was Meryl Streep's speech, after winning Best Supporting Actress for her role as Julia Child in Julie and Julia.

"I just want to say that in my long career, I've played so many extraordinary women that I'm getting mistaken for one," Streep said. "I'm very clear that I'm the vessel for other people's stories and other people's lives"

If you've ever listened to Streep's other interviews, or seen her on 'Inside the Actor's Studio,' you'll recognize that this selflessness is what makes Streep stand out as one of the greatest actresses of our time. The great actors are the ones who recognize that their job is to tell a story, to give voice to those who otherwise would have none, and to do it with respect, honesty, and empathy. This is the power of acting, and Streep is one of my great role models for exemplifying that.

The other highlight of the show was seeing Martin Scorsese presented with the Cecil B. DeMille award. They were spot on when they said that not only is Scorsese one of the greatest filmmakers of our time, but his devotion to film preservation, his clear passion for film history and for the art as a whole makes him a true gift to this industry. This is a man who fell in love with film and did something great with that love. If only we all followed our passion with such fervor. Another incredibly inspiring role-model. I can't get enough of seeing him recognized for all he's done for cinema.