Just this week, the film Nomadland won the Golden Globe for Best Drama in 2020. Last week, I heard what an amazing movie Nomadland was, so I turned it on at Hulu and sat down with my wife to watch it. The movie was so depressing, I asked my wife if I could fast forward it to the end and simply watch the ending. She said "I don't care what you do, this movie is terrible." She left the room and I fast forwarded the movie to the last 10 minutes, watching the screen within a screen images fly by.
Yes, it was well done.
Yes, it was gritty.
Yes, it was authentic and realistic.
Yes, Frances McDormand probably deserves an Oscar.
But no, I would never even consider watching it again.
Viewing Nomadland was like standing in a field, then having a large man grab you and drag you through the dirt by the legs.
No fun and unpleasant.
In contrast, iCarly came to Netflix this month and part of the promotion of the show is news of a reboot, minus Jeannette McCurdy. McCurdy is doing her own press, talking about how she quit acting. On top of that, she not only quit acting but she's "ashamed" and "embarrassed" by iCarly.
McCurdy's comments made me sad, because I would much rather watch iCarly than Nomadland. I hope McCurdy has some solace knowing that she brought millions of people, across multiple generations, joy. I have fond memories of watching iCarly with my kids and laughing.
How can I compare iCarly to Nomadland? One is a snapshot of the zany adventures of youth vs the grim realities of approaching death. At some point, there's something to be said for spending your time being happy.