by The Cowl Editor on January 19, 2017
Arts & Entertainment
by Brigid Walsh `19
A&E Staff
The 74th annual Golden Globe Awards took place on Jan. 8, honoring the best of the film and television industry this past year. Of course, everyone was talking about La La Land and their record-breaking seven wins, which is the most Golden Globes ever won by a single film, but there were so many other amazing performances that were recognized this year at the Globes as well (and you should check these out too).
First, Manchester by the Sea, starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, takes place in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, where filming for the movie actually took place. It follows an uncle who is forced to take care of his teenage nephew after the boy’s father dies. Affleck’s performance as Lee Chandler, the uncle now responsible for his nephew, won him Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture–Drama. According to The Guardian, this movie explores “the painful and irreparable wrongness of life” and Affleck’s performance is one that you should see.
French actress Isabelle Huppert took home Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for her role in Elle, a French psychological thriller centered around a woman who plots revenge against her rapist. Huppert is an esteemed actress in France, and critics, as well as the Hollywood Foreign Press, noticed her magnificent and “standout” performance in this thriller, so it’s no shocker that she took home the award for this film.
Moonlight took home the award for Best Drama Motion Picture, which isn’t a huge shocker since the film received universal acclaim from critics. Moonlight, “a heartbreaker filled with miracles,” is based on In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue, a play by Tarell Alvin McCraney. The movie portrays the life of Chiron, a young black man growing up in a rough neighborhood in Miami, from childhood to adulthood. Critics have given positive reviews of the film based on its relatable struggle with identity. According to criticism by Soshua Rothkopf from TimeOut! New York, Moonlight is why we go to the movies: “to understand, to come closer, to ache—hopefully with another.”
Today’s film industry is pushing boundaries and exploring more and more concepts of human nature on screen. The diversity of this year’s nominees and winners at the Golden Globes is a prime example. These movies call to us because their performances and storytelling connect us to the characters. So, next time you want to watch a movie, consider one of these and appreciate what these movies can accomplish. As the Oscars draw closer, it may not hurt to check out some of the frontrunners either.