The Golden Globes’ Nods to ‘Barbie’ and Taylor Swift Signal a Clear Message to the Oscars

The recent Golden Globe nominations have highlighted a critical aspect of award shows: acknowledging popular films, something the Oscars could potentially benefit from. The Globes, under new ownership and with a revamped voting body, have shifted their broadcast to CBS following scandals and ethical concerns. This change has not deterred them from recognizing commercially successful movies.

The Golden Globes awarded numerous nominations to two of the year’s biggest hits, “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” with nine and eight nominations, respectively. Additionally, they introduced a category specifically for popular movies, featuring Taylor Swift’s record-breaking “The Eras Tour” concert film and the latest “John Wick” installment.

Despite this, the Globes still managed to include a variety of smaller and unique films in their nominations. They continued their tradition of favoring well-known stars, with Jennifer Lawrence receiving a nomination for “No Hard Feelings,” and Natalie Portman for Netflix’s “May December,” which was somewhat controversially categorized as a comedy.

The approach by the Globes suggests an awareness that award shows need to engage viewers by nominating films that people have actually seen, especially considering the general decline in award show ratings. The Oscars, which once considered but ultimately abandoned a “popular film” category, have struggled to include mainstream movies organically in their awards process.

Critics groups and other influences on Oscar voters often prefer less mainstream, often streamed films, which contrasts with the public’s theater-going choices. This year’s Globes nominations reflect this, with Netflix leading in film nominations and other streaming services like Amazon and Apple TV+ also being recognized.

The success of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” at the box office means viewers might be more inclined to watch the Golden Globes, hoping to see these films receive accolades. While this doesn’t negate the past issues of the Globes or solve the various factors contributing to lower viewership of award shows, it does highlight the importance of connecting with the audience.

In essence, the success of award shows may hinge not only on who wins the awards but also on engaging a wider audience by including films that have garnered popular and commercial success.