It was no great surprise to see that “La La Land” continued barreling through awards season on Golden Globes nomination morning by standing out in seven categories, and naturally “Moonlight” landed a strong showing as well.

But the Hollywood Foreign Press is a quirky organization that can act in surprising ways that sometimes reflect smart campaigning — and other times simply speak to the idiosyncratic nature of the organization. Here are some of the contenders that caught us off-guard.

Read More: Golden Globes 2017 Full Film Nominations List, ‘La La Land’ Leads Nominations With Seven Nods

Farewell, “Fences”?

Denzel Washington’s lively adaptation of the August Wilson play was considered a major contender for Best Drama because…well, it’s a beloved August Wilson play directed by Denzel Washington and featuring a top-notch cast, exactly the sort of material the HFPA seems likely to reward in big ways. But the film only landed two nominations,...