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Thanksgiving is for some a time for family to gather together and reconnect the bonds that sometimes physical distance can lessen. Others choose to observe the religious origins of the holiday using the time to give thanks to their God of choice for the good things in their lives. Some stock on beer, chips and face paint for the big college football game. Some prepare a week before by stretching out their stomach muscles with a series of steadily increasing-in-volume buffet visits that would put the most gluttonous of Roman Emperors to shame. But some need to train for a long day of eating and sitting on their keister watching movies. Thanksgiving is the SUPERBOWL of eating and watching; finding that perfect balance of alcohol to caffeine to balance out the tryptophan..
Most amateurs can only take a maximum of three films in a row, especially on such a tiring holiday, but you’ve got family to avoid and there’s no better way to be there, and yet not be there, than by diving into a movie marathon. Here’s some recommended viewing for your Turkey Day madness:
Let’s face it, if you don’t put this in the DVD player at a time of your own choosing, some half-wit cousin’s evil spawn will come screaming in at some point and disturb you in the middle of something else as it airs on television. As one of the finest of the original Peanuts specials (it won an Emmy!) it’s certainly not something to be afraid of watching and makes for a great kick-off to things. Maybe this story of an overly-pushy Peppermint Patty learning her lesson will resonate with some similar family members…but I wouldn’t count on it. Better put in a full length movie stat…
At some point there’s gonna be a sing-a-long anyway so why not put in folk musician Arlo Guthrie’s “Alice’s Restaurant”. No, not the 18 minute story/song but the 1969 film based on it and the crazy events of one Thanksgiving day. Take a break before dinner starts to go behind the woodshed with any other adults in the family who might need some extra appetite stimulus and then grab the cranberry sauce and throw this hippy classic in.
I’m gonna go with this one as Woody Allen’s most universally accessible and just plain best films. The story begins and ends at Thanksgiving parties hosted by Hannah, played by Mia Farrow, and her hubbie, Elliot (Michael Caine). Like most Allen films, this deals with neurotic characters having affairs but everything comes to the sort of happy ending that’ll have your Mom cheerfully dishing out a second dollop of Cool Whip on your slice of pecan pie.
It’s hard to look at Katie Holmes and not be annoyed by her new role as tabloid fodder as Mrs. Tom Cruise, but she was in a couple good pics, not the least of which was this one. If there’s a film to bring together your niece’s new boyfriend “Crow” with the fresh “Death Cab For Cutie” tattoo and your god-fearing Aunt Edna, it’s this one. Holmes plays the character April with charm, who tries to prepare an entire Thanksgiving feast for her skeptical family. “Pieces of April” is funny and touching without ever tickling the over-treacly gag reflex that films that sound like this often induce.
Dude, I can only take so much before I gotta see some special effects and guys in costumes punching each other. You may look at me askance for suggesting this, one of the very best of the superhero flicks, but remember the Thanksgiving dinner at Peter and Harry’s new apartment? Guaranteed no guest at your table is gonna be worse than Norman Osbourne. After this, it’s time to send the youngest off to bed.
A Thanksgiving film written by the guy who co-wrote Big Trouble in Little China and directed The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension? Count me in. Unfortunately there aren’t any ancient Chinese wizards or shape-changing aliens but with this great ensemble cast (Claire Danes, Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr, Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, and more) you’ll survive. It’s an enchanting tale of another horrible Thanksgiving and the bonding that often manages to wedge its way in between the moments of dread.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles
This year of all years you gotta show a John Hughes film, honoring the late filmmaker for his lifetime of work and this is the clear choice. I didn’t really have to talk you out of “She’s Having a Baby”, did I? Steve Martin and John Candy play two schlubs trying to make it home for the holidays and are one of the best cinematic Odd Couple pairings ever. “Those aren’t pillows!” No, indeed, they are not. And speaking of, let’s hope that curly hair on the throw pillow you’ve been using as a head rest for four hours came from the dog.
Enough with the happy. Sometimes you have to throw a cold dose of hate onto the piles of warm and comforting entertainment just to appreciate the in-between realm that your familial relationships probably lie. Ang Lee made a helluva disturbing little flick here with Sigourney Weaver, Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire and Elijah Wood that deals with a MAJOR family melt down; one with drugs, adultery and even incest. Believe me, that long time spat you’ve had running with your brother about copping a feel of your girlfriend in 10th grade will seem quaint after a viewing of this. Pain IS healing, folks.
For the indie scenester at your gathering may I suggest House of Yes? It’s got Parker Posey in it, which alone should be enough to keep any art film snob happy. It’s another disturbing tale of a family considerably more messed up than yours (I certainly hope) without anything vaguely resembling a happy ending so your eyebrow-jewelry wearing house friends can nod sagely as to its horrible truths. Plus, more incest and JFK assassination fetishes. For those who like their humor very very dark.
Eli Roth’s Thanksgiving
You can’t count me as a fan of either Eli Roth’s films or of the Robert Rodriguez/Quentin Tarantino two-fer cheesy horror fest Grindhouse but the fake trailer “Thanksgiving” Roth made for it is funnier, more shocking and a bigger crowd pleaser (if your crowd is at least mildly demented) than 99% of the horror films that come out every year. You might want to save this blood and boobs clip for the end of the event when only the bad kids manage to stay up, but you definitely don’t want to leave this midnight snack off the menu.
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