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Edwin Davies: I think this is a good result, though I agree with Matthew that it probably deserved to do better because it is a really fantastic piece of cinema. At the same time, it strikes me as a film which was always going to be something of a slow burn, building on word-of-mouth, critical support and awards attention to boost its fortunes over the long run. Next week will probably be the biggest indicator of how its fortunes will shape up, as we'll know then how many Oscars it's been nominated for, and whether or not it is connecting with audiences as strongly as the A+ Cinemascore suggests.

Kim Hollis: I'd agree that Oscar nominations are going to be critical, and it's really a shame that screeners weren't distributed early enough to get Selma the attention and support it needed on that front. I do think that it should have a strong weekend during the MLK Jr. holiday, which will give it some added momentum whether it gets major nominations or not. It's the kind of film that you want to see do well. I really admire the efforts that they've made to be sure that schoolchildren see it.

Max Braden: Something I've been waiting to see is whether this past year's upheaval in race relations due to events in Ferguson and Staten Island help support Selma. It's hard to tell if that's the case now. Would it have made as much at the box office a year ago? I think the buzz around Oyelowo's performance and Oprah Winfrey's involvement probably would have still been the driving force for audience interest. I'm sure the previous news events are still in the backs of people's minds when they think about the movie, but perhaps isn't the main reason people are seeing it. I did feel that the advertising for the movie tried to tell two tales: the history of Martin Luther King Jr. and also the events of Selma. I haven't seen it yet but the audience and critical response seems to be strong enough that I expect the movie's box office performance will be sustained through Oscar weekend.

Kim Hollis: What were your thoughts on the Golden Globes? What did you like/dislike? What do the awards do for you with regards to predictions for Academy Award nominations later this week?

Max Braden: Liked:
-Tina and Amy, of course.
-Clooney's speech, though you can always expect them to be expertly composed.
-Keaton's speech, though long, is a great example of the mindset of someone who (I think) is well grounded even despite (or maybe because of) his stardom past.
-Channing Tatum, whose inability to relax during award show presentations has reached side-splitting levels of entertainment for me.

Didn't Like:
- Margaret Cho's North Korean mockery, which felt like beating a dead horse and a little too much like an SNL skit for an awards show, even if it is the Globes. The first photo with Meryl Streep felt like a weak ripoff of Ellen's group Oscar selfie.
- The too-brief identification on screen for the category and award winners. It increasingly drove me crazy that I'd look away at my computer and look back and wonder through the whole acceptance speech who was talking and what they won for. If NBC can leave "#GoldenGlobes" on screen the entire show, surely there's room on screen to inform the audience about the less-than-famous people being awarded.

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