Hollywood held its biggest party of the year with the 81st Golden Globes on Sunday, Jan. 7. With its highs and lows, the 2024 Golden Globe Awards saw groundbreaking achievements from actors, directors, screenwriters and composers, serving as a celebration of cinema. West Ranch students share their thoughts on the fashion, celebrities and awards presented at the iconic event.

   Every time the Golden Globes rolls around, the talk of the town centers on the brave or basic fashion seen by attending celebrities. One standout actor who made a bold statement on the red carpet was Barry Keoghan, who was nominated in the Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama category. The Irish actor was styled in Louis Vuitton, with red checkered trousers, a red plaid cropped wool jacket and a round-collared shirt, all adorned with pearls and a golden belt chain. Although the star of “Saltburn” stood out from the crowd, many felt the outfit was incohesive and messy.

   “I don’t like the checkered pants,” sophomore Mishal Ahmad voiced. “I like the red, and I always appreciate the effort to not just wear a plain black suit and tie, but the pattern and fit of the pants and the cropped jacket throws off the look. He could have done better than this.”

   One standout actress who showed up in style was Margot Robbie, who was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture. Following the heels of her star role in “Barbie”, Robbie walked out on the red carpet in a glitzy Armani pink sequin dress and an oversized pink tulle boa. Her glamorous outfit was inspired by the Superstar Barbie doll from 1977, serving as a fun gesture to her role.

   Sophomore Daniela Lesmana proclaimed, “I think she absolutely slayed with her outfit. I loved that she stayed on theme with Barbie; it’s nice that she’s continuing with that. I love the sequins on the dress and the giant boa she had wrapped around her.”

   Other fashionable actors and actresses at the awards show include Colman Domingo’s simple yet sleek Louis Vuitton suit, Bella Ramsey’s minimalist Prada attire, Taylor Swift’s glittery green Gucci gown, Hunter Schafer’s wispy Prada dress and Jeremy Allen White’s subversive Calvin Klein tux coupled with a sheer shirt.

   Freshman Mitchell Merrilees shared his thoughts on Jeremy Allen White’s outfit: “His suit was nice and simple to me, and I think he pulled it off well. The sheer shirt was a unique touch that made it stand out, though.”

   The Golden Globes could not happen without a host, and this year, comedian and actor Jo Koy was chosen to be at the helm of Hollywood’s celebration of cinema. However, when Koy stepped on stage and began his monologue, celebrities in the audience reacted in disdain towards Koy’s jokes, which many here at West Ranch agreed were distasteful and out-of-touch.

   Ahmad remarked. “I think it’s really interesting, because there must have been multiple people who went through [Jo Koy’s] script and jokes, and they ended up okay-ing it. No one at the Golden Globes thought the jokes were funny, and when they were panning through the audience, no one was laughing. I think his speech was really disrespectful.”

   Lesmana added, “I feel like [the Golden Globes] totally did it on purpose to make his jokes so controversial and stupid, because no one has ever talked about the Golden Globes this much.”

   Even though Koy painted the event negatively in the eyes of many audiences, this should not diminish the incredible achievements celebrated at the Golden Globes.

   One momentous record set on Hollywood’s hottest night was from Lily Gladstone, who was the first indigenous Best Actress winner for her role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killer of the Flower Moon.” Another history-setting accomplishment was seen from actress Ali Wong, who became the first Asian American actress to win Best Actress in a Limited Series for her role in the Netflix limited series “Beef.” These momentous achievements by actors and actresses from underrepresented groups don’t go unnoticed by audiences. 

   Sophomore Logan Hindes explained, “I think it’s great seeing new milestones in the cinema industry and celebrating and recognizing people for their work. Representation is important.”

   Other actor awards handed out during the night included Cillian Murphy for Best Male Actor in a Film-Drama, Kieran Culkin for Best Male Actor in a TV Series-Drama, Sarah Snook for Best Female Actor in a TV Series-Drama, Jeremy Allen White for Best Male Actor in a TV Series-Musical or Comedy and Emma Stone for Best Female Actor in a Film-Musical or Comedy.

   In response to Emma Stone’s victory in her category, fellow actress Jennifer Lawrence was seen cheering with pure enthusiasm and excitement. Lesmana shared her thoughts on the lighthearted scene.

   “I loved [Jennifer Lawrence’s] reaction to Emma’s win,” she vocalized. “I thought it was so pure and sweet, and it just made me like Jennifer more. I loved how supportive she was in that situation.”

   A commonly overlooked element in movies is their music. The soundtrack in a film can mold its tone and set the mood, and at the Golden Globes, this music was celebrated during the night. The two awards given for film music were “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish and Finneas in “Barbie” for Best Original Song in a Film along with Ludwig Gorranson’s “Oppenheimer” soundtrack for Best Original Score in a Film.

   Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” tugged at the heartstrings of viewers following its use in “Barbie,” and many were more than happy to see it awarded at the Golden Globes. “I think that song was just so beautiful. It resonated with me on such a deep level, and I’m glad to see it get the credit it deserves,” revealed Ahmad.

   Many outstanding films were released in 2023, and as such, many of those movies were nominated in their respective categories. However, only a handful of them made the cut. Movies that were awarded during the Golden Globes included “Oppenheimer” for Best Film-Drama, “Poor Things” for Best Film-Musical or Comedy, “Barbie” for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement and “The Boy and the Heron” for Best Animated Film.

   On the subject of “The Boy and the Heron,” which beat out nominee “Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse” for the Best Animated Film award, Merrilees expressed, “I do think ‘The Boy and the Heron’ is a really good film, but personally, I feel ‘Spiderman: Across the Spider-Verse’ deserved the award more. The animation, to me, was more impressive and unique, but both are still excellent films.”

   With Hollywood’s celebration of the 2023 cinema year coming to an end, here is to a new year filled with new groundbreaking films and outstanding achievements from cast and crews alike. Cats, be sure to check out upcoming films this year at your local theaters!