No female directors, ‘Big Sick’ and other Globes surprises

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The sweet romantic comedy “The Big Sick” and female directors were among the more surprising shut outs from the Golden Globe nominations Monday, which, as usual, includes many expected and worthy choices among some that are more peculiar.

Trying to make sense of the nomination choices of the 90 some members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association can often be a futile exercise — there are always going to be oddities like an Ansel Elgort nod for “Baby Driver” — but here are some of the biggest snubs and surprises:

NO FEMALE DIRECTORS, COMPOSERS

Women might be at the center of four out of five of the films that snagged best director nominations, including “The Shape of Water,” ”Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” ”The Post” and “All the Money in the World,” but the filmmakers behind the projects this year were all men. It’s a glaring oversight in a year jam-packed with excellent female-directed films, like Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” Dee Rees’ “Mudbound,” Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman,” Angelina Jolie’s “First They Killed My Father” and Sofia Coppola’s “The Beguiled.”

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“Lady Bird” did get a nod for best motion picture, musical or comedy and its Gerwig-penned screenplay, Jolie’s was nominated in the foreign film category, and Mary J. Blige was singled out for her performance in “Mudbound,” but it’s hard not to notice the lack in the directing category in an industry where, in 2016, only 7 percent of the top 250 films of the year were directed by women.

No female composers were nominated either.

THE BIG SHUT OUT

One of the more shocking exclusions from the Globe nominations is the romantic comedy “The Big Sick,” which comedian Kumail Nanjiani based on his real life courtship, and life-threatening setbacks, with his now wife Emily V. Gordon. The two wrote the screenplay together and Nanjiani played himself in the film, opposite Zoe Kazan, with Holly Hunter playing her mother. The film has been one of the most celebrated of the year since its premiere last January at the Sundance Film Festival and splashy acquisition by Amazon. Another Sundance film, “Wind River,” was also among the surprising shut outs, especially after the filmmakers wrested back control from The Weinstein Company.

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JORDAN PEELE IGNORED

Jordan Peele’s directorial debut “Get Out” scored both a best comedy/musical nomination and a nod for its lead actor, Daniel Kaluuya, but the man behind the phenomenon, Peele, failed to get recognition for his screenplay or his direction. Peele took it in stride, tweeting that he was, “so damn proud of Daniel and the cast and crew of GET OUT” with a fist bump emoji.

LOVE FOR UNREVIEWED FILMS

Two films that have yet to be released or reviewed (and in some cases even seen) by critics, “All the Money in the World” and “The Greatest Showman,” scored three Golden Globe nominations each. The P.T. Barnum musical “The Greatest Showman” earned a best musical or comedy nomination and an acting nod for Hugh Jackman. The Getty kidnapping drama “All the Money in the World,” which got a publicity boost when Scott decided to replace Kevin Spacey with Christopher Plummer six weeks before the film’s release, got a nod for Plummer, actress Michelle Williams and Scott. Films like “The Post,” ”Phantom Thread” and “Molly’s Game” are also yet to be released in theaters, but at least those have been widely seen and evaluated by critics and press beyond the mysterious members of the HFPA.

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NEWCOMERS OUTSHINE TELEVISION MAINSTAYS

Popular and critically-acclaimed shows “Veep,” ”Narcos” and “Orange is the New Black” were shut out of Globes nominations this year, giving way in some cases to newcomers like Showtime’s “SMILF,” USA’s “The Sinner,” Amazon’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and HBO’s “Big Little Lies” and “The Deuce,” but the Globes often favor the new and shiny television shows.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT TAKES ITS TOLL

Under the glare of sexual misconduct allegations against Kevin Spacey and Jeffrey Tambor, neither “House of Cards” nor “Transparent” received any Golden Globe nominations. Both shows, and actors, have been Golden Globes darlings. Tambor has won once and been nominated twice since 2015 for his performance in “Transparent,” while Spacey has picked up one nomination and one win since 2014. While it might not be all that surprising or, exactly, a snub, it is notable for being an early indication for how awards season might go for not only those accused of sexual misconduct, but the shows and films they’re associated with too.

Pamela Adlon did, however, get an acting nomination for “Better Things,” despite its association with Louis C.K., a co-creator and frequent writer on the FX show. C.K. will have no future association with the show, but the same is also true of Spacey and “House of Cards.”