Fun & Famous

PRICE SLASH

by Maddy Stolk

Award season is almost upon us again, and a reason to publicly come out for a quantity of binge-watching that normally requires an intervention. On December 12, the nominees for the Golden Globes were announced, and anyone wanting to keep a finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist must have seen the majority of them. Or read on.

Finally recognition (even if it's just nominations for now) for both Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell in ‘The Americans’. They commit high treason daily, torture and kill as if they were just picking up a loaf of bread at the bakery, and dive into bed with potential targets without scruples, only to later dismember them and dump them in a suitcase in a river. And you will inevitably fall in love with them. Fun fact: in real life, Matthew and Keri are now also a couple, with a brand new baby and all. Fun fact number 2: both President Obama and the late David Bowie are fans.

Anyone who hasn't seen ‘This Is Us’ can safely drop everything and treat themselves to ten delightful episodes featuring the most sympathetic, believable, heartwarming, and heartbreaking characters that TV has to offer. A standout role is reserved for Milo Ventimiglia (a.k.a. Jesse in ‘Gilmore Girls’, who makes up for his lack of screen time in the revival here).
The fact that ‘This Is Us’ has to compete in the best TV series category against ‘Stranger Things’ is a cruel twist of fate; it's like choosing between two lovers. King Solomon would know what to do, but a half series is not a series, so let's leave that. The underage cast of ‘Stranger Things’ posted a video online showing the moment they heard they were nominated, and it's so touching that you want to hand them that Golden Globe right then and there. But yes, Milo. And Mandy Moore. And Chrissy Metz – who practically splashes off the screen, what a star.

“Bring it 2017: I can't wait!”

That Sarah Jessica Parker is nominated for best actress in a comedy (‘Divorce’) is a comedy in itself. ‘Divorce’ is not funny. It's also not thrilling and not good, it's actually precisely nothing. The estranged husband in question is such a jerk that it's completely unbelievable that the two were ever married, and Sarah herself is so unbearable that you want to hit her on the forehead with a frying pan. Which is a fine piece of acting, but not of the kind that deserves a Golden Globe.

‘Toni Erdmann’, featuring Dutch pride Hadewych Minis in a supporting role, scooped up almost all the awards at the European Film Awards. A world-class achievement for a nearly three-hour-long German arthouse film, and not unjustified if they repeat that trick at the Golden Globes.

Finally, Jimmy Fallon hosts the event, and dryly remarked after the announcement: ‘I’m really looking forward to spending time with the Hollywood Foreign Press before Donald Trump has them all deported.’ It's almost January 8 (see what I did there, fellow Christmas haters?), so I have homework to do. ‘La La Land’, ‘Moonlight’, ‘Manchester by the Sea’: so much to see, so little time.

Bring it 2017: I can't wait!