Reacting To The Golden Globe Nominations

I've said it once and I'll say it again: It's a truly strange year. If you were to ask me which film had the edge after yesterday's SAG announcement and now the Globes, I still couldn't give you a confident guess.

"Trumbo" led yesterday's SAG nominations, the strangest occurrence I've ever seen. Today, "Carol" led the Golden Globe nominations, which is less strange, though still doesn't mean it's our frontrunner. The Globes have a long history with Harvey Weinstein, as every awards show does, so I don't know whether to chalk it up to the film's overall excellence or their affinity for Weinstein.

Similarly, "Brooklyn" a film I thought was universally beloved was not embraced as heavily here. "Room" on the other hand, showed some surprising strength, which could be good news for Brie Larson. Saoirse Ronan's surge in Best Actress critics' awards last week should not be overlooked, but if Larson starts winning, then look out.

Take a look at the full list of nominations below.

Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" Trailer Surfaces Online

Quentin Tarantino has assembled a starry ensemble for his latest (eighth!) feature film. Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kurt Russell, Tim Roth, Damián Bichir, Bruce Dern, and even Channing Tatum will star in the western.

Set sometime after the Civil War, the plot revolves eight westerners who seek refuge in a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass during a blizzard.

Specifics on the plot are still a little thin, with the latest trailer doing a far better job at introducing the colorful characters than telling us what the story is. But if there's anything Tarantino is good at doing (for better or worse), it's spinning a very intricate story filled with memorable characters. We know he can deliver that at the very least, so whatever the  end result is, it won't be boring.

Judging from the trailer, it seems to be meaty opportunity for Jackson, who was the best part about the otherwise meanderingly long "Django Unchained". Leigh's involvement also intrigues me, as it's been some time since the actress has had anything to do. Both actors are vastly underrated in terms of critical adoration, so let's hope that Tarantino hasn't saddled them with a thankless role like he did to Kerry Washington.

Who knows if the Academy will go gaga for this in the same way they did with "Inglorious Bastards" or "Django", but seeing as it's Tarantino and Weinstein is distributing, it's definitely a contender.

"The Hateful Eight" will be released on Christmas Day, just in time for awards season. You can watch the trailer below.