The 68th Annual Golden Globes was a handful of disappointing surprises this year. However, second-time host Ricky Gervais was not one of them. With a razor-sharp tongue and Foster’s beer in hand, Gervais took no prisoners in his punch lines. Within minutes of the telecast, Charlie Sheen’s wholesome activities were brought forward.

“It’s going to be a night of partying and heavy drinking, or as Charlie Sheen calls it… breakfast,” Gervais said.

Almost as hilarious as Gervais’ punchlines were the nominees.

Jennifer Love Hewitt (who was in pure Snooki technicolor at the ceremony) was nominated for her performance in Lifetime’s “The Client List.” Other nominees in this category included the fantastic Claire Danes and Dame Judi Dench. Hmm…looks like the Hollywood Foreign Press felt like including all the C-List productions for this year. This makes me wonder why didn’t they nominate “Legion” for Best Comedy?

However, the biggest mess (other than Helena Bonham Carter’s dress) of the night was the category “Best Picture: Comedy or Musical.”

“The Tourist,” which is listed by the Internet Movie Database as an “Action, Drama, Thriller,” led me to scratch my head as to why the Hollywood Foreign Press decided to include it in this category. I do not recall Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie adorning feather headdresses and breaking into song (like in “Burlesque,” another puzzling nominee) during the film, so it is definitely not a musical. Can a film be recognized as a comedy if it is only funny by reason of sheer awfulness?

My ultimate qualm with the Golden Globes was the winner for “Best Motion Picture Drama” – “The Social Network.” David Fincher, with an adapted screenplay by renowned writer Aaron Sorkin, crafted a film of how Mark Zuckerberg, portrayed by Jesse Eisenberg, stabbed his friends in the back to create the social networking site that would eventually cripple an entire generation of face-to-face communication. The film was smart, intriguing and culturally relevant, but was it worthy of the coveted award? No.

The honors should have truly gone to groundbreaking filmmaker Darren Aronofsky (“The Wrestler,” “Requiem for a Dream”) and his dark, twisted fairytale “Black Swan.” Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) is a porcelain beauty who wins the coveted title role in “Swan Lake,” only to lose herself in a pursuit of perfection. Thanks to a very hands-on director, a hot mess Winona Rider, ecstasy and an evening auditioning for the “L-Word” with Mila Kunis, Nina is able to grow wings (kind of literally) and become both renditions of the swan.

Aronofsky’s film is no swan princess. It is manic, surreal and you will find yourself needing some kind of relaxant after viewing. Unfortunately, the craze surrounding “The Social Network” will undoubtedly turn out the stage lights for this rare breed of film.

I rest all sense of hope with the Screen Actors Guild Awards on Jan. 28. Maybe they will be able to get it right. But then again, maybe they will give Jennifer Love Hewitt an Oscar. Who knows?

Shelley Holmgren can be reached at 581-7944 or [email protected].