As we enter yet another holiday season it’s time for a brief pop culture recalibration vis a vis du cinema:
Home Alone (1990)
Family of rich assholes do insanely wealthy rich people asshole shit and lose a kid because they are oblivious rich assholes.
Verdict: Uggghhhhhhhhhh.
Christmas Vacation (1989)
Family of rich assholes that almost certainly live down the street from *those* (^) assholes flip the fuck out because they might have to get their swimming pool financed.
Verdict: I love it but ugh.
Love Actually (2003)
Everyone is terrible and sometimes they bone, often for no good reason whatsoever.
Verdict: If I wasn’t a sucker for British people. Oy. Still an Ugh. But I love it. Because *I’m* awful.
The Night Before (2015)
Fast becoming a personal holiday classic, this one actually feels like real life and is a great time. It feels like a classic 80’s ‘into the night’ flick in some ways and it nails the vibe of being young and hanging with friends the night before Christmas.
Verdict: Hell yes.
Die Hard (1988)
Have we talked about how funny it is in Die Hard that one of the ways the lockdown of the building is visualized is that the escalator stops moving?
Verdict: We need a cut where John incredulously says ‘Fuckin’ California’ after every fight, kill and explosion.
Coco (2017)
If you’re seeing Coco this weekend be advised that it is preceded by a Frozen short that isn’t very good but IS very long. Spend the time doing literally anything else. It’s a very obvious contrast putting something this relentlessly bland and white before something so rich and proudly latin. You can’t help but trip over the disconnect.
Verdict: Wow. Coco is A++ classic Pixar in line with their toppest-tier classic films. It exceeded all expectations. Take your family/familia at once. Blown away. Now if you’ll excuse me (sniff) I have several dozen things in my eye.
Also. Today. Time Magazine called and offered me Person of the Year but I declined as I am more of a vibe than a person.
—jason malmberg
Flommist Jason Malmberg is a simple man who believes in brown liquor and small dogs. He also makes art sometimes. Copyright © 2017 Jason Malmberg.
PLEASE SUPPORT FLOMM
TIPS + DONATIONS DISCREETLY ACCEPTED