Check Out This Year's Golden Globe Awards Nominations

Scene from Deadpool

This morning, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA) released the nominees for their annual Golden Globes ceremony. Along with being one of the first major awards of the season, it is always a curious bunch of nominees to look at. This year proved to be no different, reflecting the best in drama while also giving us some semblance of potential upsets for awards shows to come. The following is a list of the movie nominees, including the good, the bad, and whatever Deadpool's Best Comedy or Musical nominations are supposed to be. Oh well, it wouldn't be awards season without The Academy's drunk cousin giving out nominations to off the wall selections. Read the list after the jump as well as personal commentary on each category.

Why We Need More Kid Friendly Best Picture Nominees

Scene from Pete's Dragon

With August coming to a close, the general conversation has switched over to the familiar broad topic: was this a good summer at the movies? Most people would argue that everything was disappointing, and the three weeks of Suicide Squad topping the box office remains disconcerting for some. However, August has made a strong case against this being a total waste with the presence of Pete's Dragon and last weekend's phenomenal Kubo and the Two Strings. Despite middling box office for both, they reflect that best that blockbuster entertainment can be. In a time where the Oscars want to branch out and reflect a more diverse pallet of genre fare, there is one question that could be asked: Can family cinema get nominated for Best Picture? To be totally honest, I think that we should greatly consider these two movies when it comes time to fill out those ballots. 

Review: "Kubo and the Two Strings" is a Gorgeous Masterpiece

Scene from Kubo and the Two Strings

In an era where animated films are more likely than not to get the CG treatment, one has to wonder if these movies carry the magic that they once did. Beyond the rare exceptions like How to Train Your Dragon 2 or Inside Out, most fall into a formulaic, familiar style that make for an enjoyable experience, but leave plenty to be desired in the aesthetic department. It is in reasoning like this that Laika's latest Kubo and the Two Strings isn't just the best animated film of the year, but possibly one of the most exciting and revolutionary aesthetically of the decade. The blend of stop motion and CG animation unveils the potential for what cinema can be by telling the story of a boy named Kubo (Art Parkinson), a Monkey (Charlize Theron), and a Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) as they go on a mystical journey that explores the grand themes of imagination. If nothing else, it's the studio's most assured film since 2009's Coraline, and it may be their most ambitious yet.

The "Kubo and The Two Strings" Teaser Shows Laika Continuing to Expand Their Style in Interesting Directions

Scene from Kubo and The Two Strings

There are few trailers for animated films that are as exciting as Laika Studios. The company that has revolutionized stop motion animation with digital effects and innovative story telling have done wonders by crafting family films that mix beautiful imagery with challenging stories. While the studio's output is small, three major films to date, each entry has shown at least some growth that proves why you should be taking them seriously. In the case of their latest, 2016's Kubo and The Two Strings, they come back to the game with one of their best teasers yet. From the team that brought you ParaNorman and The Boxtrolls comes their latest film, which looks to be just as innovative and challenging as everything they've done before. And that's a good thing.