Support for LAist comes from
We Explain L.A.
Stay Connected

Share This

Arts and Entertainment

These Are The Golden Globes Nominees You Should Watch, Based On Reviews

Black Panther is king -- it has the best reviews of any of the Golden Globes nominations for best picture in either drama or comedy/musical. (Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
We need to hear from you.
Today during our spring member drive, put a dollar value on the trustworthy reporting you rely on all year long. The local news you read here every day is crafted for you, but right now, we need your help to keep it going. In these uncertain times, your support is even more important. We can't hold those in power accountable and uplift voices from the community without your partnership. Thank you.

Awards season is officially underway, and that means it's time to add a lot more movies and TV shows to our queues or -- gasp -- to our plans to go out and see something at the theater.

The Golden Globes are out with the first big nominations of the season. They aren't seen as a particularly strong indicator of what the Oscar nominees will be, much less the winners, but there are still some great films on their list -- as well as some great TV shows, on a slightly different timetable from the Emmys.

We went through the scores from review aggregators Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic to help you make your decision about what to prioritize in this era of peak everything to watch before the actual Golden Globes ceremony on Jan. 22 (and ahead of the Oscars on Feb. 24).

FILM -- OVERALL CATEGORIES

Support for LAist comes from

BEST MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

THE BEST:

  • Black Panther (Rotten Tomatoes: 97%; Metacritic: 88)

MUST-SEE:

  • BlacKkKlansman (Rotten Tomatoes: 95%; Metacritic: 83)
  • If Beale Street Could Talk (Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 87)
  • A Star Is Born (Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic: 88)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Bohemian Rhapsody (Rotten Tomatoes: 62%; Metacritic: 49)

BEST MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • The Favourite (Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 90)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Crazy Rich Asians (Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 74)
  • Green Book (Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 70)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Mary Poppins Returns (No scores yet)
  • Vice (No scores yet)

BEST MOTION PICTURE - ANIMATED

THE BEST:

  • Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (Rotten Tomatoes: 100%; Metacritic: 84)
Support for LAist comes from

MUST-SEE:

  • Incredibles 2 (Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 80)
  • Isle Of Dogs (Rotten Tomatoes: 89%; Metacritic: 82)
  • Mirai (Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 81)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Ralph Breaks The Internet (Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 71)

BEST MOTION PICTURE - FOREIGN LANGUAGE

THE BEST:

  • Roma (Mexico -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 96)

MUST-SEE:

  • Shoplifters (Japan -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 94)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Capernaum (Lebanon -- Rotten Tomatoes: 72%; Metacritic: 68)
  • Girl (Belgium -- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%; Metacritic: 79)
  • Never Look Away (Germany -- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%; Metacritic: 69)

FILM ACTING CATEGORIES

Note: In acting categories, the scores are still for the film, not the performer, but we are including them to aid in your decision on whether you want to see these performances.

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

THE BEST:

  • Lady Gaga (A Star Is Born -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic: 88)

MUST-SEE:

  • Melissa McCarthy (Can You Ever Forgive Me? -- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%; Metacritic: 87)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Glenn Close (The Wife -- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%; Metacritic: 77)
  • Nicole Kidman (Destroyer -- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 64)
  • Rosamund Pike (A Private War -- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%; Metacritic: 76)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - DRAMA

THE BEST (TIE):

  • Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic: 88)
  • John David Washington (BlacKkKlansman -- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Willen Dafoe (At Eternity's Gate -- Rotten Tomatoes: 81%; Metacritic: 78)
  • Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased -- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%; Metacritic: 71)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody -- Rotten Tomatoes: 62%; Metacritic: 49)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 89)

MUST-SEE:

  • Olivia Colman (The Favourite -- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 90)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians -- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 74)
  • Charlize Theron (Tully -- Rotten Tomatoes: 86%; Metacritic: 75)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Emily Blunt (Mary Poppins Returns -- No scores yet)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • Robert Redford (The Old Man & The Gun -- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 80)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • John C. Reilly (Stan & Ollie -- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%; Metacritic: 72)
  • Viggo Mortensen (Green Book -- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 70)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Christian Bale (Vice -- No scores yet)
  • Lin-Manuel Miranda (Mary Poppins Returns -- No scores yet)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

THE BEST (TIE):

  • Emma Stone (The Favourite -- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 90)
  • Rachel Weisz (The Favourite -- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 90)

MUST-SEE:

  • Claire Foy (First Man -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 84)
  • Regina King (If Beale Street Could Talk -- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 87)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Amy Adams (Vice -- No scores yet)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN ANY MOTION PICTURE

THE BEST:

  • Adam Driver (BlacKkKlansman -- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Mahershala Ali (Green Book -- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 70)
  • Richard E. Grant (Can You Ever Forgive Me? -- Rotten Tomatoes: 84%; Metacritic: 87)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Timothée Chalamet (Beautiful Boy -- Rotten Tomatoes: 68%; Metacritic: 63)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Sam Rockwell (Vice -- No scores yet)

OTHER FILM CATEGORIES

BEST DIRECTOR - MOTION PICTURE

THE BEST:

  • Alfonso Cuarón (Roma -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 96)

MUST-SEE:

  • Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic: 88)
  • Spike Lee (BlacKkKlansman -- Rotten Tomatoes: 95%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Peter Farrelly (Green Book -- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 70)

TO BE DETERMINED:

  • Adam McKay (Vice -- No scores yet)

BEST SCREENPLAY - MOTION PICTURE

THE BEST:

  • Alfonso Cuarón (Roma -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 96)

MUST-SEE:

  • Deborah Davis, Tony McNamara (The Favourite -- Rotten Tomatoes: 94%; Metacritic: 90)
  • Barry Jenkins (If Beale Street Could Talk -- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 87)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Nick Vallelonga, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly (Green Book -- Rotten Tomatoes: 82%; Metacritic: 70)

TO BE DETERMIEND:

  • Adam McKay (Vice -- No scores yet)

TV -- OVERALL CATEGORIES

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

THE BEST:

  • The Americans (FX Networks -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 92)

MUST-SEE:

  • Homecoming (Amazon Prime Video -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)
  • Killing Eve (BBC America -- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Bodyguard (Netflix -- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%; Metacritic: 79)
  • Pose (FX Networks -- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%; Metacritic: 75)

BEST TELEVISION SERIES - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • The Good Place (NBC -- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%; Metacritic: 96)

MUST-SEE:

  • Barry (HBO -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)
  • The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime Video -- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%; Metacritic: 86)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Kidding (Showtime -- Rotten Tomatoes: 75%; Metacritic: 67)
  • The Kominsky Method (Netflix -- Rotten Tomatoes: 78%; Metacritic: 68)

BEST TELEVISION LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THE BEST:

  • A Very English Scandal (Amazon Prime Video -- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%; Metacritic: 84)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • The Alienist (TNT -- Rotten Tomatoes: 65%; Metacritic: 61)
  • The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story (FX Networks -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 74)
  • Escape At Dannemora (Showtime -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic 78)
  • Sharp Objects (HBO -- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 77)

TV ACTING CATEGORIES

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

THE BEST:

  • Keri Russell (The Americans -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 92)

MUST-SEE:

  • Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid's Tale -- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 86)
  • Sandra Oh (Killing Eve -- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%; Metacritic: 83)
  • Julia Roberts (Homecoming -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Caitriona Balfe (Outlander -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic: 71)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - DRAMA

THE BEST:

  • Matthew Rhys (The Americans -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 92)

MUST-SEE:

  • Stephan James (Homecoming -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Richard Madden (Bodyguard -- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%; Metacritic: 79)
  • Billy Porter (Pose -- Rotten Tomatoes: 97%; Metacritic: 75)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Jason Bateman (Ozark -- Rotten Tomatoes: 71%; Metacritic: 59)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION SERIES - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • Kristen Bell (The Good Place -- Rotten Tomatoes: 100%; Metacritic: 96)

MUST-SEE:

  • Alison Brie (GLOW -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 85)
  • Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel -- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%; Metacritic: 86)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Debra Messing (Will & Grace -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 73)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Candice Bergen (Murphy Brown -- Rotten Tomatoes: 43%; Metacritic: 53)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A TELEVISION SERIES - MUSICAL OR COMEDY

THE BEST:

  • Donald Glover (Atlanta -- Rotten Tomatoes: 98%; Metacritic: 97)

MUST-SEE:

  • Bill Hader (Barry -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Jim Carrey (Kidding -- Rotten Tomatoes: 75%; Metacritic: 67)
  • Michael Douglas (The Kominsky Method -- Rotten Tomatoes: 78%; Metacritic: 68)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Sacha Baron Cohen (Who Is America? -- Rotten Tomatoes: 59%; Metacritic: 59)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THE BEST:

  • Laura Dern (The Tale -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 90)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Amy Adams (Sharp Objects -- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 77)
  • Patricia Arquette (Escape At Dannemora -- Rotten Tomatoes: 90%; Metacritic 78)
  • Regina King (Seven Seconds -- Rotten Tomatoes: 77%; Metacritic: 68)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Connie Britton (Dirty John -- Rotten Tomatoes: 64%; Metacritic: 58)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR A MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THE BEST:

  • Hugh Grant (A Very English Scandal -- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%; Metacritic: 84)

MUST-SEE:

  • Benedict Cumberbatch (Patrick Melrose -- Rotten Tomatoes: 89%; Metacritic: 80)

MIXED REVIEWS:

  • Antonio Banderas (Genius: Picasso -- Rotten Tomatoes: 52%; Metacritic: 52)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Daniel Brühl (The Alienist -- Rotten Tomatoes: 65%; Metacritic: 61)
  • Darren Criss (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 74)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THE BEST:

  • Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel -- Rotten Tomatoes: 93%; Metacritic: 86)

MUST-SEE:

  • Yvonne Strahovski (The Handmaid's Tale -- Rotten Tomatoes: 91%; Metacritic: 86)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects -- Rotten Tomatoes: 92%; Metacritic: 77)
  • Penélope Cruz (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 74)
  • Thandie Newton (Westworld -- Rotten Tomatoes: 86%; Metacritic: 76)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A SERIES, LIMITED SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION

THE BEST:

  • Henry Winkler (Barry -- Rotten Tomatoes: 99%; Metacritic: 83)

MUST-SEE:

  • Ben Whishaw (A Very English Scandal -- Rotten Tomatoes: 96%; Metacritic: 84)

GOOD REVIEWS:

  • Alan Arkin (The Kominsky Method -- Rotten Tomatoes: 78%; Metacritic: 68)
  • Kieran Culkin (Succession -- Rotten Tomatoes: 87%; Metacritic: 70)
  • Edgar Ramírez (The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story -- Rotten Tomatoes: 88%; Metacritic: 74)

MUSIC NOMINEES:

Note: We aren't including scores for these categories, due to how separated the quality of the music is from the decision to watch something, despite the music's important contribution to the final product.

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE - MOTION PICTURE

  • Marco Beltrami (A Quiet Place)
  • Alexandre Desplat (Isle of Dogs)
  • Ludwig Göransson (Black Panther)
  • Justin Hurwitz (First Man)
  • Marc Shaiman (Mary Poppins Returns)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG - MOTION PICTURE

  • "All The Stars" -- Black Panther (Music by: Kendrick Lamar, Anthony Tiffith, Mark Spears, Solana Rowe, Al Shuckburgh; Lyrics by: Kendrick Lamar, Anthony Tiffith, Mark Spears, Solana Rowe, Al Shuckburgh)
  • "Girl In The Movies" -- Dumplin' (Music by: Dolly Parton, Linda Perry; Lyrics by: Dolly Parton, Linda Perry)
  • "Requiem For A Private War" -- A Private War (Music by: Annie Lennox; Lyrics by: Annie Lennox)
  • "Revelation" -- Boy Erased (Music by: Troye Sivan, Jo�?nsi; Lyrics by: Jon Thor Birgisson, Troye Sivan, Brett McLaughlin)
  • "Shallow" -- A Star Is Born (Music by: Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt; Lyrics by: Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando, Andrew Wyatt)


You made it! Congrats, you read the entire story, you gorgeous human. This story was made possible by generous people like you. Independent, local journalism costs $$$$$. And now that LAist is part of KPCC, we rely on that support. So if you aren't already, be one of us! Help us help you live your best life in Southern California. Donate now.

Most Read