Jan 3, 2014

Christmas Movie Marathon, Day 23 — Christmas Vacation (1989)

So, I definitely let you guys down a little bit with my late posts, and I'm sorry about that. Being productive over winter break, student of not, is really difficult, especially in this last week. The last 8 movies will filter in as I get back into my routine, I promise!

I also promise to make a resolutions/plans post about the future of the blog and what I've got in mind for 2014. Happy New Year, guys!



It's pretty hard to think of watching a Christmas movie without Christmas Vacation coming immediately to mind. (Along with your favorite scene: Mine's the pledge of allegiance prayer.) I actually had seen some parts of this movie a ton of times before, catching it randomly on TV during the holidays, but, strangely enough this is the first time I've ever seen it all the way through! It's kind of been like that with a lot of these movies.























Even this past week while staying at a cabin with some friends (a dancy, drinky, relaxing time) a friend of mine word-for-word said, "Clark, I'd like to try to fumigate this here chair, it's a good quality item. If you don't mind me asking, how much did she set you back?" Having just watched the movie, I got the joke, and getting the joke is one of the sweetest things in life! This movie is a staple. Something I really liked about it, too, was that it wasn't too "stuck in time" like some movies can be. I mean, people love It's a Wonderful Life, and its most obviously set in the 1940s, but people romanticize that time much more than say the 1980s. Luckily there aren't too many instances of bad hair, pet rocks, or embarrassingly on-trend clothing... it's just understated and classic.




Sometimes I can get really exhausted with movies or TV shows where everything, and I mean everything, goes wrong just one thing after another. (Kenan and Kel is a GREAT example.) And I mean even in this movie, by the time the cat exploded and then the boss was kidnapped, I was a little annoyed by just how many setbacks there were, but I can't forget so soon that this is a National Lampoon's comedy. At least there were characters who sole purpose in the film was to react and comment on the ridiculousness of the Griswolds. Cue Elaine from Seinfeld, her pretentious husband, and their gross art deco style home! (fine, maybe that keeps the movie distinctly 80s, but the rest is timeless, okay.)























For a lot of people, my boyfriend included, going home for Christmas is not a fun and magical experience. People dread being forced to reunite with their families, immediate and extended, for a few days a year to endure torturous questions like, "What are you doing with your life?" or "How are you going to make money?" The only way to survive it is to avoid all political conversations and drink a lot of alcohol. Or maybe it's not even that, some people's families just don't get festive or particularly have anything in common, and that's really rough. I can understand it, because a lot of my friends go through those things, but I can't imagine it in my own house. The Griswolds seem to like each other at the end, but this movie really is relatable to people whose holidays are anything but normal, whatever normal actually is. Dang, I mean the entire National Lampoon's "Vacation" trifecta is about how abnormal family life is in general. Maybe that's why people love them so much?

Also, they're hilarious.


Tomorrow's movie is a Christmas movie that I've seen so many times that I could quote it to you..
Stephanie

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