A Notable Golden Globe Omission

A brief musing on this year's Golden Globe Nominations--  There is one title that is noticeably absent from the list.

After some despair this summer over a lack of mature, intelligent and original films, the fall season has exploded with movies that have appealed to me and that have been cinematically satisfying.


I'm proud that the films I chose to attend during the year are being recognized in large measure by the year-end critic's awards.  On this blog I have favorably reviewed several films that are now appearing on nominee lists everywhere: "Midnight in Paris", "The Descendants", "The Beginners", "Hugo", "The Ides of March", "Moneyball", "50/50", "Take Shelter", "The Help".  Even Films that I mostly disliked, like "Drive" and "J. Edgar", have captured some nominations. 

And I have yet to see "The Artist", "War Horse", "My Week With Marilyn" and "Iron Lady", all of which are of sincere interest to me.

But one film was completely ignored by the Hollywood Foreign Press.  And its absence has made me realize that it is perhaps the most interesting movie I have seen all year, and certainly the most beautiful. 

It is, of course, "The Tree of Life".

No film has stimulated more thought, made me see and feel more deeply, or left me with so many questions worth pondering.  It is freaking miraculous that this film was seen on American movie screens at all, and discussed favorably by so many viewers. 

It seems fitting that "Tree of Life" is not a guest at the Golden Globe party.  It is too lofty.  It is like an eagle soaring above the common fray of activity, too concerned with more noble ideas.  Great as many of this year's films have been, the ambitions of "The Tree of Life" remove it from the realm of simple filmmaking.  To throw it into competition for a movie award feels odd, like entering Beauty and Truth into a popularity contest.