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Weekend Movies: Five Reasons to Watch Lethal Weapon

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Shout out to Rachel Bellwoar, one of my fellow writers over at That’s Not Current. For at least two months now, there has been a brewing battle over at TNC regarding Christmas movie supremacy. I’m in favor of Die Hard (it’s not Christmas until Hans Gruber falls off of Nakatomi Plaza). Rachel, though, is insistent that the ultimate Christmas movie is Lethal Weapon. Now, for the record, I’m not conceding and admitting defeat. Merely putting aside differences during that time of year when you should be nice to other people. Admittedly, Lethal Weapon is good… it’s just not the ultimate Christmas movie. Its awesomeness cannot be denied, though. Here are five reasons to watch it this weekend.

#1 – Murtaugh

There are few things on this planet more satisfying that a person who has declared that they don’t have time for your crap anymore. Between the huffing and the side-eyes, it’s a glorious thing to watch unfold. Case in point: Danny Glover’s Roger Murtaugh, who is on the precipice of retirement (which, sadly, I will not be able to do until the age of 83… about six days after I pay off my student loans). This is where it all begins. The catch phrase we love and cherish: “I’m too old for this shit.” And yet Murtaugh still goes along with it because that’s who he is: the dude that looks out for his partner. Like it or not, he’ll always have time for your shit because you matter to him. Speaking of which…

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I’m too old for this too, man.

#2 – The birth of buddies

Buddy cop films are a reward unto themselves. They’re so formulaic: oil and water personalities are forced to work together unwillingly, then wind up bonding through danger and personal revelation in order to take down the stereotypical bad guys. It’s genius. I will fall for it every time, in part because half of my friends could be placed in the same scenarios with me and it’d be a pretty great buddy movie. Speaking of which, memo to Hollywood: find some sort of way to get Gina Carano in on this action. Really. Put her in something funny; she’s likable when she relaxes a bit in interviews. Give her a partner and let her be the Riggs role (not suggesting a remake, just something where she can shine). Let the buddy tradition live on.

#3 – Classic Riggs

While we’re at it, Mel Gibson’s Riggs is reason alone to watch this movie. Gibson is a gamble lately: no one wants to really line the pockets of an abusive misogynist, which is an article in its own right. We’re not here to talk about that, though. As Martin Riggs, he’s hysterical. A bit unhinged and completely unorthodox in his methods, Riggs totally needs someone to tell him that dangling someone off the roof of a building is a bad idea. However, we kind of see his point. He gets results, and he does the stuff we want to on some level. Good enough for me.

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Sup, sugar tits?

#4 – It’s an action flick

Movies with gun fights, car chases, explosions and over-the-top villains are AWESOME. That is all.

#5 – Depression around the holidays

Let’s get real here: the holidays can really suck if you’re going through some rough stuff. Whether it’s a bad breakup, the first holiday without a parent, the loss of a child, unemployment, familial rejection due to gender/sexual orientation, or readjustment to civilian life after extensive time away in the service, this time of year can be brutal. It leaves a lot of people feeling hopeless and unable to carry on. Watching Riggs, we see a man that has lost everything and wants to be done with living. And then he gets a reason to keep on going. While we all can’t pump bullets into bad guys to deal with our issues, it’s good to see that even when we think it’s all lost, there’s still something out there for us.

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It’s okay to be BFFs when you’re both packing heat.

Pop some popcorn, fire up the tree, and get watching this weekend.

Lying Cow: The Weight Issues in Love, Actually

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Last year, I defended the living hell out of the cue card scene in Love, Actually. I still stick to that: it’s not creepy. You know what, though? The movie’s not entirely off the hook. Do I love the different portraits of love in it? Yes, absolutely; overall, I do quite enjoy the film. However, I have a really huge problem with the way that weight gets treated in this film. It’s all directed at women, and it’s used in a way to reinforce that having the slightest bit of extra weight is somehow negative.

There are three women we need to discuss in this: Karen (Emma Thompson), Natalie (Martine McCutcheon), and Sophia (Carla Vasconcelos).

Karen

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So, Karen’s story is depressing as all hell. Karen spends her days as a loving stay-at-home mom to her two children. What she doesn’t know at the time is that husband Harry (Alan Rickman, rest his soul) is cheating on her with his secretary Mia (Heike Makatsch). At one point, Karen makes reference to her weight gain, comparing herself to Pavorati. Harry offers a half-assed remark about how Pavorati would be lucky to wear her clothes, but really, what would have been nice would have been comments about how he still thinks she’s beautiful. Although, looking at the fact that he’s cheating on her with someone younger and thinner, the compliment would ring hollow. It makes the heartbreak she feels even more acute: as someone who perceives herself to “just” be a stay-at-home mother, who has gained weight, and whose husband is having an affair with a saucy young thing that’s thinner than she is, that has to hurt. Hell, I had someone crush the fuck out of my feelings last year with a comment about my weight; as a woman, you’re self-conscious about that, and it’s even worse when it gets confirmed to you in one way or another that someone more slender is going to take your place, or that you aren’t attractive as you are – that you have to meet some ideal in order to have value. And get this: while Harry proclaims that he’s a fool, we don’t get to see him makes amends. It’s not even that Karen doesn’t get that apology – we don’t get that apology. It pisses us off for every time that the thinner person has gotten praised while we’re the ones toiling away, making sure that the everyday happens, from compliments to quiet insults. Karen deserved better than this, no matter how large her ass had gotten.

Natalie

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You know what else bothers me? When someone who is not heavyset is made to feel like a brick wall. When Natalie firsts meets David (Hugh Grant), she brings up that her recent ex-boyfriend dumped her because she was getting fat. Later on, several staff members make comments on the fact that she has large thighs. To which I say: fucking get bent. McCutcheon wears the shit out of a pencil skirt in that movie and looks a hell of a lot better than Makatch’s Mia. Maybe it’s the fact that McCutcheon is totally my type; it could very well be bias on my part. Grant’s David doesn’t notice her weight at first, and is incredulous when comments are made; David just sees Natalie, who he finds terribly attractive on several levels. It would have been great if it had been left at this, but no. David has to make a comment when she jumps up and wraps her legs around him at the airport in the epilouge. No, David. Just, no. When a woman (or man – we’re not picky here) jumps you and plants that enthusiastic of a kiss on you, you smile and be happy that someone is that much of a happy puppy to see you. Keep your weight comments to yourself. Or go fuck yourself. Either one is fine by me.

Sophia

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Oh. I had to save this one for last. I cannot even with this character. Between her father’s amazed reaction that someone would possibly want to marry his overweight daughter to the insults that get lobbed at her, I fucking CANNOT. Referring to your child as “Miss Dunkin’ Donut”? No. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. On top of it, the father is incredulous at the notion that someone would want to marry his heavier child. Why is there this notion out there that anyone over starving weight does not deserve to get married? That people who happen to have some meat on them don’t deserve to be found attractive and/or loved? It’s bullshit. Let’s call it what it is: it’s pure, unequivacable bullshit. The idea that someone is going to wind up alone and unloved because of their weight is an insult to everyone. You shut yourself off from amazing people if you think that way, and honestly, if you think that way, I don’t want to know you. Period. What’s even worse? This character goes on to make nasty comments, making her not even likably sarcastic, but bitter and angry. She’s a stereotype. I’m blaming the writers for this. It’s the true low point of the film.

 

So now that I’m done ranting about these individually, I’m going to rant a little bit more. You know who doesn’t get this kind of treatment? Skinny Juliet (Keira Knightly), who is the center of a love triangle. The rail-thin American foursome that Collin (Kris Marshall) encounters are all sexy, swanky and portrayed as deserving of unrestrained lust because these are dream girls that are into our bumbling hero. Even the slender Judy (Joanna Page) is rewarded for her onscreen nudity with a date and eventual proposal from John (Martin Freeman). As much as you can argue that it’s part of the storyline, consider this: none of those actresses mentioned above is above a size 4 at best, and each is tiny enough to fit into skinny jeans and bare at least a midriff. Emma Thompson, Martine McCutcheon and Carla Vasconcelos all look closer to the way that most of us do, whether it’s an extra ten pounds or an extra fifty. It’s so nice to see that anything larger than a coat rack gets cheated upon and/or humiliated, commented about behind her back, or insulted to her face. Worst of all, it’s implied through action and word that these women are somehow undeserving of love, let alone the same decent treatment all human beings should be afforded. I don’t care if you’re male, female or anything in between: no one has the right to make you feel poorly about yourself. Nobody. If anything, this year has taught me that yes, you are indeed lovable no matter how much you weigh. No one gets to make a comment otherwise – show that person the door if they do. I don’t give a shit if they’re even dressed at that point – show that person the door, and don’t hestitate because that fucker does not deserve you. And most of all, love yourself, extra bits and all. Chances are, someone wouldn’t change you for the world, whether you know it or not.

While Love, Actually does have some points of excellence – unrequited love, the portrait of mourning, parent/child bonds – this is one area that the film that stumbles. People of all body types can be and are loved. We should get that representation in film as well, and without the condition that weight is something to be looked past or overcome. Sometimes, you fall hard for a person and you don’t see weight; you just see that person. It’s incredible when it happens, and it needs to stop being a joke or a point of comparison.

Trailer Tuesdays

Universal Reboots its Signature Monsters

First things first: many thanks to Erin for giving me a couple of weeks to focus on moving into a new home and hosting family for Thanksgiving in the new place. It was a slice. And here’s hoping everyone had a splendid Thanksgiving and is at least OK with hearing Christmas carols every time you walk in a department store until December 26th; the same four or five songs that have been rebooted 343,545,654,654,645 times plus Baby, it’s Cold Outside. Nothing prepares one for the holidays like the vague insinuation of date rape.

Since I’ve been away, I’ve learned of the reboot Universal plans to give its classic movie monster series from the 1930s and 1940s, beginning with The Mummy. This is not to be confused as a revisit of the Brendan Fraser films (which I personally liked and is closer plot-wise to the original 1932 film) but takes a more serious tone with Tom Cruise as its leading man. The titular mummy appears to be the objective of some military-backed mission that brings it to London via plane crash: a crash that Cruise’s character seems to not so much survive but return from the dead in a Highlander sort of way. So he’s either immortal, or superhuman, or under some spell from the mummy. The mummy is also reimagined in a way reminiscent of the Enchantress character from Suicide Squad. So the bandages are gone and she sports four irises and face tattoos.

At first, the trailer looks as if it is giving away too much of the movie, but the editing of scene choices and dialogue is so confusing that I’m at a loss to guess what the mummy’s deal is or how Cruise factors into it. He seems to have some preternatural understanding of it, given his reaction at the beginning, but it’s not clear how. Overall, this clearly has a more Marvel sensibility, with plane crashes, explosions, and grandiose showdowns with the mummy, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the road Universal is taking to keep up with the other studios’ offerings of gods and monsters of the comic book variety. Seems a shame, really. A little elegance went a long way in the classic monster movies, but I guess the Apple generation needs its bells and whistles.

The Mummy is scheduled to come out June 9, 2017

Coming This Week

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I started Christmas shopping this past week. Let’s just say that the older I get, the more I like online shopping, wherein I don’t have to listen to overly permissive parents try to get little Peyton to behave.

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An accurate representation of the author attempting to get in the holiday spirit while at the mall.

We’re going to turn this around this week though. To get into the spirit of things, we’re going to take a look just how infuriating the subject of weight is in Love, Actually (hint: this ends with me going on a rant). After that, we’re going to recommend a worthy contender for a good Christmas movie: Lethal Weapon.

We’ll also have a trailer this week. As for Outgoing Transmission: it’s not my place to say, but Nika’s in need of some good vibes this week. We’re giving her all the time she needs.

Hope to see you there. Stay safe and warm.

Saturday Shorts: The Little Match Girl

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We’re officially into December, which means that Christmas kindness and cheer is about to get rammed down our throats like that girl on a pole in Cannibal Holocaust. I’m kidding. Okay, half-kidding. So while we’re all feeling good about ourselves, sometimes, we need to bring it down a peg by actually opening our eyes and taking a good look at the world around us. Namely, the there are people suffering and we’re too damned busy preparing TEH BEST CHRISTMAS EVAH! Here’s the good folks at Disney bringing us a spin on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Match Girl.

Dark as fuck, people.

This adaptation remains pretty true to the story, which is pitch black. It does leave out a few things, like the fact that the little girl in question does have a home to go to (it’s cold and dad beats her when she doesn’t sell matches), or that the only person that ever showed her kindness was her now-dead grandmother. In fact, it’s Oma that tells her that a shooting star means that someone is dying and will be brought to heaven. What I liked best about this film was that it didn’t sugar coat that this kid’s life sucked. Sometimes, we take for granted how good we have it. Yes, we may be annoyed by jobs or family members or traffic, but at the end of the day, most of us have it way better than this kid. We’re not shivering out on the streets, lighting matches for glimpses of warmth and happiness as we’re obviously dying in the cold. That’s the genius of this short: this child is dying. Nothing comes and saves her, save for the sweet relief of death. The animation is beautiful and the switches between the cold grayness of winter and the warm, rich household full of food and hugs with ease, but you can’t deny the truth. In the end, we’ve just watched a cold, hungry child die alone while trying to stay warm. It’s a reminder that sometimes, you don’t need perfection in these months; just gratitude for what you have, and a willingness to make someone else’s life better.

Happy Saturday.

Weekend Movies: Five Reasons to Watch Little Women

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I seldom do chick flicks because I can’t stand their extreme emotional manipulation. There, I said it. I don’t like movies that go out of their way to prey upon my stereotypical triggers for crying. I don’t want to get lured into emotional blackmail so that I’ll cry in a theatre with a bunch of strangers. I will, however, watch 1994’s Little Women. It’s one of the few. Here are five reasons why you should watch it this weekend.

#1 – It’s a Christmas movie

Christmas happens at least twice in this movie. Given, it spans over quite some time and features other seasons, but when there’s more than one Christmas, it definitely counts. It starts off in the cold and has two major events that occur in this time frame: there’s the gift of the breakfast to the poor German family at the beginning, and then the happy moment with the piano later on. Shit, I mentioned the piano. Now I’m feeling things.

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I see Christmas greenery. It counts.

#2 – Dead Claire Danes

Much like my loathing of Julia Roberts (I do not fucking forgive you for that annoying laugh, Julia), I greatly dislike Claire Danes. You can say that she’s good on Homeland all you like, but she bugs the ever-loving shit out of me. Spoiler for anyone that’s familiar with the source material: her character, Beth, bites it. Yeah, I know, I ruined Christmas. However, if you’ve ever had one actor that you can’t stand in a role that dies, you know the sick satisfaction of it. It’s not a proud moment – nor do I wish any harm on Ms. Danes – but I’ll take it. After all, we’re still stuck with reminders of My So-Called Life, which wasn’t even that good. So bite me. I already know I’m going to hell.

#3 – Christian Bale will break your heart

Call it Batman: The Early Years. Bale’s Laurie loses his parents and gets his first version of Alfred (aka wealthy grandpa) in this film. He’s young, with great hair, intense eyes and a poor attempt at growing a moustache. However, before all of that, he gets his heart stomped on, and hard at that. It’s painful to watch because you actually really like his character (or, worse, you’ve been there, which, if that’s the case, I’m so sorry). If you want to reach through the screen and comfort someone, you’ve done your job well. Bale does his job very well in this film.

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Oh Laurie…

#4 – Excellent political statements

Marmie (Susan Sarandon) doesn’t screw around when it comes to telling it like it is. She’s part of the Trascendental movement, which really had no time for the self-justifying crap that most Antebellum Americans sold themselves on. She called shenanigans on racism, social class and sexism. She taught her kids to be good people, valuing good deeds and character over status and comfort. In a world where our girls are still learning their value and still fighting to be heard rather than placated, we need more Marmies now more than ever. Rock the fuck on, Marmie.

#5 – The life of a writer

Here’s a glimpse into the life of a writer: it keeps us up at night. We’re exhausted because our brains won’t slow down. We obsess over it. We work hard to breathe life into our characters. We’ll run ourselves ragged for one more evening of getting something out of our heads. And yet we love what we do. Jo (Winona Ryder) perfectly sums up what it’s like to be a writer: the drive, the need, the identity. Want to know what it’s like to function that way? Stop and take a good look at her.

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“That one there! I wrote that one there!”

This film’s traditional Christmas fare at my place, so here’s to sharing one of my holiday staples with you lovely people.

No, I Do NOT Want To Build A Snowman: My Problem with Frozen

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I hate musicals. Naturally, within the first two minutes of Disney’s Frozen, I was already pondering whether or not a fall from the balcony of the movie theatre would kill me or merely render me paralyzed and unable to escape the sheer madness of singing going on around me. Kidding aside, I just couldn’t get on board the love train that every other mom seemed to experience with this film. Yes, there was an impressive voice cast, and yes, the animation was crisp. It tried hard to be funny. However, that’s not my main beef with Frozen. No sir. You see, for a film that tries to place the emphasis onto the healing power of sisterly love, Frozen sure as hell manages to miss the mark by giving a a main character that has to base her existence on having a man in her life.

On the surface, the film doesn’t intend to go in this direction. At the climax, we find out that Prince Hans (voiced by Santino Fontana, who won the jackpot in the name department), suitor to Princess Anna (Kristen Bell), has been in it all along in order to get a chance at the crown, leaving the princess absolutely crushed at the realization that he wasn’t into her while she formed an attachment to him. Anna wants to marry this guy, and hopes that his love for her will save her from a life-threatening curse; the disappointment she feels is acute and visible to the audience. Romantic love, though, isn’t what saves her from certain death; it’s her sense of attachmetn to her older sister. In order to save her sister, Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), from harm, Anna leaps in front of her, blocking a killing attack. In turn, Elsa grieves the loss of her sister and kisses her, which ultimately provides the “true love’s kiss” needed to heal Anna. The moving part comes when the queen and princess realize that their love for one another is what saves the day – not a prince’s kiss, as traditional Disney cannon would have it. It’s love outside the box (please forgive me for that horrific pun). It’s feminist, it’s a good example, it’s uplifting. Swell of music, with the throng of children rushing out to buy dolls of their progressive idols.

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Aw. Yay feminism.

The problem? Like it or not, Anna needs to have a man around in order to complete her, which defeats the progress of the ending.

Anna can’t be without a man. This is a character that is so hungry for affection that she accepts a marriage proposal from a virtual stranger in order to fill the void of having someone special in her life. It’s worth noting that Anna doesn’t seek out friendship immediately upon the doors opening to the palace, which limits the nature of her companionship. Anna isn’t funcitoning under the guise of finding any old person with which to spend time; she’s not happy finding another woman to braid her hair and attend various functions around the kingdom. The eighteen-year-old Anna is experiencing the impulse to pair up with a member of the opposite sex. As adults, we can recognize this as the beginnings of a sex drive. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing: it’s part of normal human development (sidenote to our asexual readers: this isn’t meant as a statement against your orientation; it’s meant as a slam against the traditional, socio-religious notion that women can’t feel sexual attraction until there’s a ring on it). On the surface, it appears as though our ending cures her of the need to wrap up her identity as part of a “we” as opposed to just being herself: she doesn’t wind up married at the end of the film, and is having a ton of fun with her sister around Arendelle.

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Boo. Hiss.

Enter Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), stage right. Throughout the film, Kristoff wrestles with a growing attraction that our storytelling tropes tell us is close to love. Kristoff argues with Anna; he assists her on her quest to save her sister; he attempts to honor her wishes in order to ensure her happiness. He even talks himself out of kissing her in order to honor her engagement, displaying a sense of chivalry and respect toward the young woman’s social standing. The audience recognizes this as the actions of the man that is going to win the heart of the heroine; we like him, and we’re happy that in the end, he’s beaming with love and pride as she finally kisses him. This is where things start to go sideways: the writers could have just left this alone. He could have been a good friend, proving that men and women can actually be platonic pals. Hell, his character could have been a plucky young girl that helps the spirited Anna find and redeem her sister. Either option would have reinforced the notion that a man (or any type of romantic attachment) is not necessary to ensure a personal sense of completion and happiness. That’s not the middle or the ending that Disney gives us, however. It has to make sure that the ends are tied neatly, and that Anna has a mate to take care of her romantic needs because this is what’s expected of our girls: we want them to marry and have babies because that’s apparently the one true way to happiness, regardless of what the individual may want. Anna gets the preconceived notion of love as the closing action of this film, telling the little girls watching this film intently that the only way they can truly feel complete is by having another person with them. It’s not enough for her to have a good relationship with her sister or function as an ambassador to disadvantaged youth – you need to be paired off in order to achieve the social ideal of happiness. You can package it up in bright, snowflake-adorned wrapping paper, but it doesn’t make the message any less clear: in order to be happy, Anna needs a man. She can have the love of her sister, but in order to reach the pinnacle of happiness, she needs Kristoff and his kiss. She needs that romantic love to reach the apex of self-worth. Think it can’t be done, that we need the romantic element in order to have a good story? Go back and watch Big Hero 6, which has zero romantic subplot and a lot of substance in terms of dealing with grief. It can and has been done, and done well at that. It’s just a matter of what values you want to sell to your kids: social norms, or the chance to be an individual.

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Nice try.

The bottom line is that Anna requires a romantic relationship to define her happiness, which is in direct conflict with those that trumpet the feminist elements of the film. While it’s beautiful and moving that the love of one’s sister can save the day, it’s worth noting that this element must be included in order for the audience to feel a sense of closure with the story. The story would have been just as moving – if not more so – with the absence of Kristoff in favor of platonic female companionship; that’s crafting a story with depth rather than relying upon stereotypes. It’s insidious in this respect. The question then becomes one with which a growing number of adults grapple: do we really need someone else to make us happy? Is romantic love necessary to find a sense of fulfillment? And when do we get to start showing our kids that you can be just fine without defining your sense of self-worth via another person?

Coming This Week

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I don’t know about you, but I did not go shopping this weekend. In fact, I tend to dislike shopping. Unless if it’s makeup or an anime shop; then all bets are off. So it’s been a matter of avoiding all stores this weekend because, well, that’s an express train to  hell, the likes of which I have no desire to bear witness.

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How I envision Christmas shopping.

This week, we’re getting into the Christmas spirit by talking about how much I hate Frozen. Specifically, we’re going after the fact that Anna needs a dude to feel complete. Thursday will see a recommendation for a movie I technically classify as Christmas-y: Little Women. On Friday, we hope to have the triumphant return of Nika with the long-awaited Soldier’s Girl. So let’s crack open some eggnog and get this party started, shall we?

Weekend Movies: Five Reasons to Watch Elf

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I have a rule around my home concerning Christmas: nothing Christmas-y until after Thanksgiving. If I spot one string of lights before the fourth Friday in November, I will drop kick my shit across the room and erupt into a scream that will terrify adults and children alike. Now that we’re past that point, we can embrace the Christmas season. Which means that there’s a classic we’re going to cover. Kids, grab your maple syrup and spaghetti. Here are five reasons why we’re watching Elf this weekend.

#1 – Will Farrell screaming

You know what’s a good feeling? Watching someone get incredibly excited for anything. It can range from spotting a bag of candy to seeing a special person to the extreme enthusiasm for having a good day. Is Will Farrell’s Buddy exhausting? Christ yes. However, you can’t deny that it’s infectious and smile-inducing. The world would be a far happier if people got as excited to see one another as Buddy does in his life. That’s a nice lesson to take away.

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Pretty much.

#2 – Singing

I am not a big singing person. Musicals and I aren’t close friends; there are blessed few that I can tolerate. I used to hang out with people that loved musicals (curses, theatre majors!) and therefore sang at the drop of a hat. It was obnoxious. As a result, singing in movies grates on me in a way that most people will not understand. Not this film, however. Zooey Deschanel can sing any time she wants. I don’t care how much she gets ripped on for being the Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Her voice is beautiful and she can sing any time she wants.

#3 – The four horsemen

What Christmas film is complete without a gag concerning the four horsemen of the apocolypse? They’re out to get Santa. The four horsemen are pissed at Santa Claus and want to stop him at all costs. If that’s not a metaphor for life, I don’t know what is.

#4 – An accepting stepfamily

Sad fact: there are a lot of step parents out there that just don’t want a thing to do with the children that marry into the family. Those kids can get treated like an unwanted vegetable side dish at dinner, and it’s not right. Even worse, it’s perpetuated in films that all step parents hate their step children, which leaves little room for a portrait of how it should be. So when we see Buddy’s stepmother Emily (Mary Steenburgen), we’re thrilled. This is a woman that opens both arms, offers a smile, and does whatever it takes to show her support. She doesn’t care that Buddy dresses like an elf; in her mind, she has a responsibility to this person, and she not only makes an effort, but comes off as extremely supportive and marvelous. We need more Emilys on film.

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Anyone who makes this meal and allows it to be eaten is a friend of mine.

#5 – The happiness of children

There are points of this film where director Jon Favreau brings it back to the kids, and it’s beautiful. So often, we get caught up in what to buy, how much to spend, and how many presents are under the tree that we forget to think about the magic of the holiday. We forget that when we’re little, this season is filled with the possibility that something fantastic is going to swoop in. Suddenly, the air is more full, the smells are crisper, and there’s hope that a dream can come true. Kids from all walks of life feel this. It’s nice to see children get represented here as the ones that get that magic. Maybe we should be more like them.

In honor of kicking things off right, stick with Elf this weekend. Then go hug someone and take a deep breath.

Happy Thanksgiving From The Backseat Driver Reviews

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I don’t know about you, but I fucking love this holiday. There’s turkey. There’s mashed potatoes. There’s stuffing. There’s gravy. And if you’ve been really good this year, there’s pumpkin pie. PUMPKIN PIE! If you’re Italian-American like yours truly, you’re also getting a tasty side dish of homemade pasta (representing, Italian-American peeps). It is a day of wonders. Hell, even the vegans get in on the action with Tofurkey and a host of other dishes made cruelty-free. No judgment. Everyone is welcome at my table.

So, while there’s no analysis today, there is a celebration of the extreme happiness associated with food. Something from one of my favorite films. Take it away, Pugsley.

Happy Thanksgiving from the entire gang. Sauteed or barbequed.

We’ll be back on Friday with a recommendation. Stay safe, warm and fed.

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