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Since today is Valentine's Day, I thought I'd pose this question to all you Mofos: What are your customary holiday films, and why?
Christmas and Halloween movies are easy, we all have our favorites. But what about Easter? The 4th of July? Thanksgiving? President's Day? Do you honor these holidays (and others) yearly by watching a certain film or films? What will you be watching today?
For me, there are three that really stick out.
1.) Valentine's Day: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Gondry)
Besides the fact that this film is my numero uno, it's just so deeply and uniquely heartfelt and genuine that I find it to be the most satisfying and relatable film on the nature of love, relationships, and what it all means to us. Not to mention, it's got this great line: "Random thoughts for Valentine's Day, 2004. Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap."
2.) The 4th of July: Amistad (1997, Spielberg)
Words like "freedom" and "independence" seem to get watered down a bit sometimes because the actual act of fighting for freedom becomes nebulous and invisible to us. We just don't see it as readily as we ought to. And for most of us, our freedom is already achieved and maintained. I watch Amistad to remind myself what it means to be denied freedom, and what it truly means to win it back.
3.) Halloween: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004, Cuaron)
I don't usually like watching super-scary slasher/haunt flicks on Halloween. It's just not how I generally think of the holiday. I have a lot of fond childhood memories shopping for/making costumes, going out to trick-or-treat, and watching stuff like "Casper" and all the cartoon Halloween specials. So, I rather like my Halloween films frivolous, playfully innocent, and fun. Azkaban, in this way, feels like a Halloween film to me, it's got such a wonderful style to it. Easily the best of the series so far.
Christmas and Halloween movies are easy, we all have our favorites. But what about Easter? The 4th of July? Thanksgiving? President's Day? Do you honor these holidays (and others) yearly by watching a certain film or films? What will you be watching today?
For me, there are three that really stick out.
1.) Valentine's Day: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004, Gondry)
Besides the fact that this film is my numero uno, it's just so deeply and uniquely heartfelt and genuine that I find it to be the most satisfying and relatable film on the nature of love, relationships, and what it all means to us. Not to mention, it's got this great line: "Random thoughts for Valentine's Day, 2004. Today is a holiday invented by greeting card companies to make people feel like crap."
2.) The 4th of July: Amistad (1997, Spielberg)
Words like "freedom" and "independence" seem to get watered down a bit sometimes because the actual act of fighting for freedom becomes nebulous and invisible to us. We just don't see it as readily as we ought to. And for most of us, our freedom is already achieved and maintained. I watch Amistad to remind myself what it means to be denied freedom, and what it truly means to win it back.
3.) Halloween: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004, Cuaron)
I don't usually like watching super-scary slasher/haunt flicks on Halloween. It's just not how I generally think of the holiday. I have a lot of fond childhood memories shopping for/making costumes, going out to trick-or-treat, and watching stuff like "Casper" and all the cartoon Halloween specials. So, I rather like my Halloween films frivolous, playfully innocent, and fun. Azkaban, in this way, feels like a Halloween film to me, it's got such a wonderful style to it. Easily the best of the series so far.
) then usually Elf