‘The Brutalist’ and ‘Emilia Perez’ are now big favorites for Oscars

Two bold and boundary-pushing films stole the show at the 82nd Golden Globes on Sunday.

Brady Corbet’s sprawling postwar drama The Brutalist and Jacques Audiard’s genre-defying Spanish-language trans musical Emilia Pérez took top honors, setting the stage as early favorites for the Academy Awards on March 2.

Big Wins for “The Brutalist” and “Emilia Pérez”

The Brutalist, a 215-minute epic shot in 70mm, won Best Film (Drama), Best Director for Corbet, and Best Actor for Adrien Brody. The film’s ambitious storytelling and bold format earned praise, with Corbet addressing the challenges of its production in his acceptance speech: “I was told this film was un-distributable… But it works.”

Meanwhile, Emilia Pérez claimed Best Film (Comedy or Musical), alongside awards for Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña), Best Song (“El Mal”), and Best Non-English Language Film. Karla Sofía Gascón, who plays a transgender drug lord in the film, delivered a powerful speech: “You can beat us up, but you can never take away our soul or identity.”

Demi Moore Stuns with First Globe Win

In a night full of surprises, Demi Moore won her first Golden Globe for her performance in The Substance, a dark comedy about a Hollywood star seeking to regain her youth. Overcoming favorite Mikey Madison (Anora), Moore reflected on her career: “After 45 years, this is the first thing I’ve ever won as an actor. Thirty years ago, I was called a popcorn actress—this feels incredible.”

Sebastian Stan and Fernanda Torres Shine

Sebastian Stan picked up Best Supporting Actor (Musical or Comedy) for A Different Man, a daring role that beat his portrayal of Donald Trump in The Apprentice. Meanwhile, Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres took Best Actress (Drama) for I’m Still Here, a powerful portrayal of a family grappling with political upheaval in 1970s Brazil. Torres dedicated her award to her legendary mother, Fernanda Montenegro.

Nikki Glaser’s Sharp Hosting Wins Praise

Comedian Nikki Glaser hosted the Globes with wit and charm, delivering a monologue that poked fun at Hollywood’s elite while addressing the show’s controversial past. “You could do anything… except tell the country who to vote for,” she quipped, taking aim at the industry’s political influence. Glaser’s performance marked a significant improvement over last year’s lackluster hosting.

A Night of Unpredictable Wins

The Golden Globes continued their tradition of shaking up awards season. Among the night’s highlights:

• Wicked, a box-office juggernaut nearing $700 million, won for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, with director Jon M. Chu calling it “a radical act of optimism.”
• Kieran Culkin solidified his Oscar frontrunner status, winning Best Supporting Actor for A Real Pain.
• The animated film Flow, a wordless Latvian parable, edged out Inside Out 2 and The Wild Robot for Best Animated Film.
• Conclave, a papal thriller, earned Best Screenplay for Peter Straughan.
• Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross won Best Score for their work on Challengers.

Uncertainty Looms for Awards Season

With no dominant front-runner like last year’s Oppenheimer, the Oscar race remains wide open. Films such as The Brutalist, Emilia Pérez, Conclave, Wicked, and Anora are all vying for top honors, promising an unpredictable and exciting awards season ahead.