list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Home Alone on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Home_Alone/15739/default.aspx Title: Home Alone
Year: 1990
Director: Chris Columbus
Plot: Home Alone is the highly successful and beloved family comedy about a young boy named Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) who is accidentally left behind when his family takes off for a vacation in France over the holiday season. Once he realizes they've left him "home alone," he learns to fend for himself and, eventually has to protect his house against two bumbling burglars (Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern) who are planning to rob every house in Kevin's suburban Chicago neighborhood. Though the film's slapstick ending may be somewhat violent, Culkin's charming presence helped the film become one of the most successful ever at the time of its release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 39
Number of Lists: 59
Number of blog posts: 10
Number of discussion threads: 12
SpoutRating: 3
]]>Tue, 25 Aug 2009 17:42:35 GMTHome Alone1990Chris ColumbusHome Alone is the highly successful and beloved family comedy about a young boy named Kevin (<a href="/players/P____16081/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Macaulay Culkin</a>) who is accidentally left behind when his family takes off for a vacation in France over the holiday season. Once he realizes they've left him "home alone," he learns to fend for himself and, eventually has to protect his house against two bumbling burglars (<a href="/players/P____56237/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Joe Pesci</a>, <a href="/players/P___112705/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Daniel Stern</a>) who are planning to rob every house in Kevin's suburban Chicago neighborhood. Though the film's slapstick ending may be somewhat violent, Culkin's charming presence helped the film become one of the most successful ever at the time of its release. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide39Tag Target (>10)5910123http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t04245q224o.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Home_Alone/15739/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Movie_Polls/Which_of_these_movies_written_but_not_directed_by/657/43611/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Movie Polls
Post Date: 8/18/2009 2:10:31 PM
Body: Please reference this thread for the rules of this group. Part two of the John Hughes poll. Hughes sure liked his Christmas movies. He also wrote the screen play for the remake of Miracle on 34th Street which I didn't include here. Again thanks to laurabot for the suggestion of a John Hughes poll. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Christmas VacationDutchThe Great OutdoorsHome AloneHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkMr. MomPretty in PinkReach the RockSome Kind of WonderfulVacation
]]>Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:10:31 GMTRisseladaMovie Polls8/18/2009 2:10:31 PMPlease reference this thread for the rules of this group. Part two of the John Hughes poll. Hughes sure liked his Christmas movies. He also wrote the screen play for the remake of Miracle on 34th Street which I didn't include here. Again thanks to laurabot for the suggestion of a John Hughes poll. Please vote only once in each poll. Movies referenced in this poll:Christmas VacationDutchThe Great OutdoorsHome AloneHome Alone 2: Lost in New YorkMr. MomPretty in PinkReach the RockSome Kind of WonderfulVacation http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_August_3_Home_Invasion/625/43413/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/5/2009 11:33:00 AM
Body: [quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] Emery, you HAVE seen the personal statement that has always been on my profile haven't you? [/quote] Yes of course I have and I have to admit that I thought of you and your brilliant observations while watching The Collector last week. Pancakes, Emery [/quote] Hah, yeah I just read the synopsis for The Collector! Too bad you say it wasn't that good. The first two Home Alone movies were amongst the most watched in my youth and I still like to put them in around every Christmas. It was actually during one of these Christmas parties watching Home Alone that I shouted out suddenly "Ever seen the movie Straw Dogs?" I guess something about how or when I said it was amusing the the company and they would repeat it around me, so I kind of took it on as my catch phrase. The home invasion parts were of course the centerpieces for the Home Alone movies though and every child's delight. Basically it was like the sillyness of a human cartoon, but with all of the human pain. I'm surprised that you made this the weekly topic this week while you are at the same time running your Michael Haneke marathon and didn't even bring up Funny Games! Now that is a home invasion movie if I ever saw one!! Also, I've never seen it, but from what I know about the plot of Panic Room, it sounds applicable too. Has anyone seen it? I find David Fincher to be a capable director, although after seeing The Game I can't say that all of the plots he takes on are that believable. Anyone ever heard of or seen Lady in a Cage? I haven't but I love the idea of the plot.
]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:33:00 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme8/5/2009 11:33:00 AM[quote user="leeroy711"] [quote user="Risselada"] Emery, you HAVE seen the personal statement that has always been on my profile haven't you? [/quote] Yes of course I have and I have to admit that I thought of you and your brilliant observations while watching The Collector last week. Pancakes, Emery [/quote] Hah, yeah I just read the synopsis for The Collector! Too bad you say it wasn't that good. The first two Home Alone movies were amongst the most watched in my youth and I still like to put them in around every Christmas. It was actually during one of these Christmas parties watching Home Alone that I shouted out suddenly "Ever seen the movie Straw Dogs?" I guess something about how or when I said it was amusing the the company and they would repeat it around me, so I kind of took it on as my catch phrase. The home invasion parts were of course the centerpieces for the Home Alone movies though and every child's delight. Basically it was like the sillyness of a human cartoon, but with all of the human pain. I'm surprised that you made this the weekly topic this week while you are at the same time running your Michael Haneke marathon and didn't even bring up Funny Games! Now that is a home invasion movie if I ever saw one!! Also, I've never seen it, but from what I know about the plot of Panic Room, it sounds applicable too. Has anyone seen it? I find David Fincher to be a capable director, although after seeing The Game I can't say that all of the plots he takes on are that believable. Anyone ever heard of or seen Lady in a Cage? I haven't but I love the idea of the plot. http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Weekly_Theme_for_August_3_Home_Invasion/625/43401/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 8/4/2009 11:23:50 PM
Body: I got this idea after catching a advanced screening of a new film that came out this past weekend. I won't give too much away but the basic plot is a burglar breaks into a house to find it severely booby trapped.... No, I'm not talking about a new sequel to Home Alone. This film was called The Collector. It was basically the newest installation to the Saw series slasher flicks. Actually it was pretty sub-par in most respects but it did give me the idea for this week. I am talking about all those films that make my wife keep checking that the door's locked every 15 minutes. There's definately something much more frightning about the bad guy actually making into your house. That's supposed to be base. It's been a while since I've scene it, but I think Straw Dogs is one of the best examples of using that setting to create a very uncomfortable feeling. So what of it?? I know there's quite a few more horror/slasher films I've left off but I am also really interested if anyone could name any non
]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:23:50 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme8/4/2009 11:23:50 PMI got this idea after catching a advanced screening of a new film that came out this past weekend. I won't give too much away but the basic plot is a burglar breaks into a house to find it severely booby trapped.... No, I'm not talking about a new sequel to Home Alone. This film was called The Collector. It was basically the newest installation to the Saw series slasher flicks. Actually it was pretty sub-par in most respects but it did give me the idea for this week. I am talking about all those films that make my wife keep checking that the door's locked every 15 minutes. There's definately something much more frightning about the bad guy actually making into your house. That's supposed to be base. It's been a while since I've scene it, but I think Straw Dogs is one of the best examples of using that setting to create a very uncomfortable feeling. So what of it?? I know there's quite a few more horror/slasher films I've left off but I am also really interested if anyone could name any non http://www.spout.com/blogs/risselada/archive/2009/5/20/42342.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Risselada Blog
Post Date: 5/20/2009 10:21:50 AM
Body: This blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. Angels with Dirty Faces Angels with Dirth Faces (most likely the inspiration for the name Angels with Filthy Souls, the fake gangster movie featured in Home Alone as most people my age probably think of when hearing the title) throws a lot of different elements together. You have the main story with James Cagney's and Pat O'Brien's characters as friends who by circumstance get thrown into opposite paths in life but remain friends of sorts. You get a vehicle for the Dead End Kids that solidified them as a viable box office draw in their first main film outside of the Dead End story that made them famous. You get a love story that doesn't develop into much. And a few other elements here and there. Cagney is always so captivating to watch, and the interactions with the Dead End kids can be amusing as well. I was ready to rate this movie higher than I did until the end which quite annoyed me. *some spoilers to follow* The idea that Father Jerry feels like he needs to persuade Rocky pretend that he is a coward at the last minute of his life to persuade the Dead End Kids' characters to follow the Christian faith is really absurd and rather insulting I think. First of all, it's hard for me to believe that something like Rocky crying and begging before going to the electric chair is really going to cause a major life conversion for these kids. And secondly, and most importantly, it insinuates that a viable Christian faith can be achieved in a way other than through revelation of the truth of the Gospel and God's love and grace. Not only that, it insinuates that this faith can be or in some cases must be based on lies! And it's also so strange because a primary theme of the film is a very self aware exploration of how Hollywood can produce gangster films which people want to watch because the life of the gangster is so fascinating while complying with the Hays Office which required that any gangster movies depict the results of a life of crime as being undesirable. The Dead End Kids are kind of like the American audience. It's like they are saying, we know you came to this movie to live vicariously through the gangster, to enjoy the riches and excitement of a life of crime, but we have to lie to you at the end with an incongruous ending because the Hays Office is requiring us to. I think there are ways of being more honest in a depiction about a life of crime and still reveal some of the pitfalls, emptiness, anxiety, and other potential negatives of such a situation without having to feel like it's all forced. And you know, it could even be entertaining. Rating: 7/10
]]>Wed, 20 May 2009 14:21:50 GMTRisseladaRisselada Blog5/20/2009 10:21:50 AMThis blog entry is part of my "movie year countdown round #2". Read more about that here. Angels with Dirty Faces Angels with Dirth Faces (most likely the inspiration for the name Angels with Filthy Souls, the fake gangster movie featured in Home Alone as most people my age probably think of when hearing the title) throws a lot of different elements together. You have the main story with James Cagney's and Pat O'Brien's characters as friends who by circumstance get thrown into opposite paths in life but remain friends of sorts. You get a vehicle for the Dead End Kids that solidified them as a viable box office draw in their first main film outside of the Dead End story that made them famous. You get a love story that doesn't develop into much. And a few other elements here and there. Cagney is always so captivating to watch, and the interactions with the Dead End kids can be amusing as well. I was ready to rate this movie higher than I did until the end which quite annoyed me. *some spoilers to follow* The idea that Father Jerry feels like he needs to persuade Rocky pretend that he is a coward at the last minute of his life to persuade the Dead End Kids' characters to follow the Christian faith is really absurd and rather insulting I think. First of all, it's hard for me to believe that something like Rocky crying and begging before going to the electric chair is really going to cause a major life conversion for these kids. And secondly, and most importantly, it insinuates that a viable Christian faith can be achieved in a way other than through revelation of the truth of the Gospel and God's love and grace. Not only that, it insinuates that this faith can be or in some cases must be based on lies! And it's also so strange because a primary theme of the film is a very self aware exploration of how Hollywood can produce gangster films which people want to watch because the life of the gangster is so fascinating while complying with the Hays Office which required that any gangster movies depict the results of a life of crime as being undesirable. The Dead End Kids are kind of like the American audience. It's like they are saying, we know you came to this movie to live vicariously through the gangster, to enjoy the riches and excitement of a life of crime, but we have to lie to you at the end with an incongruous ending because the Hays Office is requiring us to. I think there are ways of being more honest in a depiction about a life of crime and still reveal some of the pitfalls, emptiness, anxiety, and other potential negatives of such a situation without having to feel like it's all forced. And you know, it could even be entertaining. Rating: 7/10 http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_December_15_Ho_Ho_Ho/625/38428/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 12/15/2008 10:34:59 PM
Body: A Christmas Story Without a second thought, my favorite Christmas movie. I owe this movie SO MUCH for bringing my semi-dysfunctional family together every holiday season. Just about the time when everyone has had enough food and alcohol and the conversation begins to lull, I turn this movie on and all that hate and resentment for each other just melts away and another Christmas disaster is avoided. Thank you A Christmas Story! National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Another film that seems to help subside all those eggnog induced rages with my family members. Home Alone Grew up with this movie and have loved it each and every time I've watched it. For some reason, it never gets old for me. Too bad that mischievous boy grew up to be a whole lot of crazy. Scrooged This is the only Scrooge inspired film that I like. Bill Murray is spot on throughout. A Nightmare Before Christmas Probably no explanation needed for this one. The Family Stone Didn't get too much attention during and after its release, but a great fractured family film.
]]>Tue, 16 Dec 2008 03:34:59 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme12/15/2008 10:34:59 PMA Christmas Story Without a second thought, my favorite Christmas movie. I owe this movie SO MUCH for bringing my semi-dysfunctional family together every holiday season. Just about the time when everyone has had enough food and alcohol and the conversation begins to lull, I turn this movie on and all that hate and resentment for each other just melts away and another Christmas disaster is avoided. Thank you A Christmas Story! National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Another film that seems to help subside all those eggnog induced rages with my family members. Home Alone Grew up with this movie and have loved it each and every time I've watched it. For some reason, it never gets old for me. Too bad that mischievous boy grew up to be a whole lot of crazy. Scrooged This is the only Scrooge inspired film that I like. Bill Murray is spot on throughout. A Nightmare Before Christmas Probably no explanation needed for this one. The Family Stone Didn't get too much attention during and after its release, but a great fractured family film. http://www.spout.com/blogs/mercurial/archive/2008/11/24/37594.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: a filmblog
Post Date: 11/24/2008 6:51:58 PM
Body: The Year My Parents Went On Vacation follows the emotional journey of a child hastily abandoned by his parents that is forced to adapt to the unfamiliar surroundings he now finds himself transplanted to. In the weeks leading up to the 1970 World Cup, Mauro is moved from his comfortable home to the noisy and alien streets of São Paulo, Brazil to stay with his grandfather while his parents go on a spur of the moment 'vacation.' Left standing with suitcase in hand on the curb of his new home, Mauro is immediately confronted with the death of his impromptu caretaker and left to forage for himself in an empty apartment. Days turn to weeks and an unlikely friendship forms between Mauro and the elderly Jewish neighbor that begrudgingly views the child's situation as an exercise in faith. The simplistic nature of the film allows for a heartwarming adventure about the naiveté of youth and the struggle of maintaining ones religious and political convictions in the face of hardship. A more dramatic companion to such films as Home Alone and Persepolis.
]]>Mon, 24 Nov 2008 23:51:58 GMTmercuriala filmblog11/24/2008 6:51:58 PMThe Year My Parents Went On Vacation follows the emotional journey of a child hastily abandoned by his parents that is forced to adapt to the unfamiliar surroundings he now finds himself transplanted to. In the weeks leading up to the 1970 World Cup, Mauro is moved from his comfortable home to the noisy and alien streets of S&atilde;o Paulo, Brazil to stay with his grandfather while his parents go on a spur of the moment 'vacation.' Left standing with suitcase in hand on the curb of his new home, Mauro is immediately confronted with the death of his impromptu caretaker and left to forage for himself in an empty apartment. Days turn to weeks and an unlikely friendship forms between Mauro and the elderly Jewish neighbor that begrudgingly views the child's situation as an exercise in faith. The simplistic nature of the film allows for a heartwarming adventure about the naivet&eacute; of youth and the struggle of maintaining ones religious and political convictions in the face of hardship. A more dramatic companion to such films as Home Alone and Persepolis. http://www.spout.com/blogs/spoutblog/archive/2008/11/12/37255.aspx Post By: SpoutBlog
Post To: SpoutBlog on spout.com
Post Date: 11/12/2008 3:00:44 PM
Body: I saw Christmas decorations in a storefront Sunday, so I guess it’s already time to break out the holiday movies. And it’s evidently time for distributors to release holiday fare to theaters, even if Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which hits theaters this Friday, isn’t exactly the latest crowd-pleasing installment of the Santa Clause franchise. In fact, with such ingredients as estrangement, mental illness, alcoholism and cancer, it doesn’t seem like a very happy holidays kind of film. Even if it is actually a comedy. But then how many holiday movies are completely void of depressing themes and scenes? I’m sure to have grown up thinking more about the homeless, suicide and family dysfunction from films set at Christmas and Thanksgiving than I did thinking about the happiness that comes with these holidays. One of the most tearjerking moments for me as a kid was certainly seeing Mickey Mouse crying over his dead son in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It’s no wonder so many people get sad this time of year. Movies are influential, and for every bit of slapstick we see this season, there’s potentially room for thoughts of abandoned children to go along with it. Worse for our tearducts are the films that aren’t necessarily thought of as “holiday movies,” which are typically more honest about how much of a bummer holidays can truly be. So get out your hanky and check out our list of ten most depressing holidays in movies: Movie: Planes, Trains and Automobiles Depressing holiday: Thanksgiving It’s likely that John Hughes is a real drag on holidays. His scripts feature kids forgotten at Christmastime (Home Alone and its sequels), poor teens who get cartons of cigarettes as presents (The Breakfast Club) and yuletide kidnappings (Christmas Vacation). Thanksgiving seems to be the most melancholy for him, though, as is clear from the bittersweet road trip movies Dutch and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the latter of which is up there with the saddest “comedies” ever made. Sure, it ultimately has a happy ending, but those last few minutes leave you bawling as you watch the montage and subsequent scene revealing John Candy’s true living situation. Film: The Apartment Depressing Holiday: Christmas It’s sad enough to be a lonely bachelor on Christmas Eve. It’s even sadder to be loaning out your home as a lover’s hideaway on such a night. Saddest of all, though, has to be returning to said apartment to find a half-dead woman in your bed who has attempted suicide with your sleeping pills (bonus points for her being your crush). The Apartment also has one of the more depressing New Year’s Eves on film, even if it does kind of figure into a “happy” ending. Film: Lethal Weapon Depressing Holiday: Christmas Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is also a lonely man on Christmas Eve dealing with suicide, but here it’s the contemplation of his own. While watching Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol on TV and thinking about his dead wife, he loads up his gun and wrestles with his demons. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching scenes to ever be included in an action movie. Film: The War at Home Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving Like Martin Riggs, Jeremy Collier (Emilio Estevez) is a Vietnam vet, and also like Riggs, he has trouble putting his gun away during the holidays. Unlike Riggs, though, Jeremy’s weapon is directed at his father (Martin Sheen) rather than himself, and that leads to a less-depressing but no less disheartening situation. Film: A Midnight Clear Depressing Holiday: Christmas One of the most bittersweet war films ever made, A Midnight Clear is set during Christmas, 1944, in the middle of WWII and involves an intended holiday truce between American and German troops. Unfortunately, things go wrong. Not only does the film remind us currently that so many soldiers are away from home and potentially fighting on Christmas, it also displays some depressing truths about humanity and war that are saddening regardless of the season. Film: The Ice Storm Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving This movie (which could also qualify for yesterday’s list of best dysfunctional families) reminds us of how sad Thanksgiving can be on an historical level thanks to the sardonic pre-dinne grace said by Wendy (Christina Ricci) regarding both America’s tradition of killing and robbing the Indians and its gluttonous disregard for the starving people around the world (didn’t we all go through that holiday protest phase?). Oh, and it features one of the most unsettling death-by-electrocution scenes ever. Film: Gremlins Depressing Holiday: Christmas The present holiday of this horror comedy classic is pretty sad considering all the death and destruction being caused by little green monsters, but the real depressing Christmas is the one from the past that Kate (Phoebe Cates) tells about. You know, the one where her father broke his neck and died on Christmas Eve while playing Santa Claus. And by recalling the details so slowly and in depth (she could have just simply said that her dad died on Christmas), she makes it even more somber a story than is welcome at such an already fearsome occasion. Film: Critters 2: The Main Course Depressing Holiday: Easter Obviously taking a cue from Gremlins, this sequel similarly involves little creatures terrorizing a small town during a holiday. And while not quite as gloomy for a young viewer as the earlier, better film, Critters 2 does feature a relatively upsetting scene in which “the Easter Bunny” is attacked by Crites and then crashes through a church window, ultimately bleeding from the mouth, dead. Film: Groundhog Day Depressing Holiday: Groundhog Day Not that anyone really celebrates this “holiday” (neither school nor post office is closed), but whatever. Though treated as black comedy, there is something quite depressing about all those suicide attempts made by Phil Connors (Bill Murray). It’s enough to cast a shadow (yuk yuk) on all the happiness that otherwise would come from Groundhog Day if it actually involved celebratory activities. Film: Roger & Me Depressing Holiday: Christmas Documentaries have the ability to make for the most depressing holidays, because they feature real life events — like a family being evicted from their home on Christmas day. This one is especially grim this year, as it’s possible that with the economy and mortgage crisis what they are that some families across America will be experiencing such a fate this December 25. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog
]]>Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:00:44 GMTSpoutBlogSpoutBlog on spout.com11/12/2008 3:00:44 PMI saw Christmas decorations in a storefront Sunday, so I guess it’s already time to break out the holiday movies. And it’s evidently time for distributors to release holiday fare to theaters, even if Desplechin’s A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël), which hits theaters this Friday, isn’t exactly the latest crowd-pleasing installment of the Santa Clause franchise. In fact, with such ingredients as estrangement, mental illness, alcoholism and cancer, it doesn’t seem like a very happy holidays kind of film. Even if it is actually a comedy. But then how many holiday movies are completely void of depressing themes and scenes? I’m sure to have grown up thinking more about the homeless, suicide and family dysfunction from films set at Christmas and Thanksgiving than I did thinking about the happiness that comes with these holidays. One of the most tearjerking moments for me as a kid was certainly seeing Mickey Mouse crying over his dead son in Mickey’s Christmas Carol. It’s no wonder so many people get sad this time of year. Movies are influential, and for every bit of slapstick we see this season, there’s potentially room for thoughts of abandoned children to go along with it. Worse for our tearducts are the films that aren’t necessarily thought of as “holiday movies,” which are typically more honest about how much of a bummer holidays can truly be. So get out your hanky and check out our list of ten most depressing holidays in movies: Movie: Planes, Trains and Automobiles Depressing holiday: Thanksgiving It’s likely that John Hughes is a real drag on holidays. His scripts feature kids forgotten at Christmastime (Home Alone and its sequels), poor teens who get cartons of cigarettes as presents (The Breakfast Club) and yuletide kidnappings (Christmas Vacation). Thanksgiving seems to be the most melancholy for him, though, as is clear from the bittersweet road trip movies Dutch and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, the latter of which is up there with the saddest “comedies” ever made. Sure, it ultimately has a happy ending, but those last few minutes leave you bawling as you watch the montage and subsequent scene revealing John Candy’s true living situation. Film: The Apartment Depressing Holiday: Christmas It’s sad enough to be a lonely bachelor on Christmas Eve. It’s even sadder to be loaning out your home as a lover’s hideaway on such a night. Saddest of all, though, has to be returning to said apartment to find a half-dead woman in your bed who has attempted suicide with your sleeping pills (bonus points for her being your crush). The Apartment also has one of the more depressing New Year’s Eves on film, even if it does kind of figure into a “happy” ending. Film: Lethal Weapon Depressing Holiday: Christmas Sgt. Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) is also a lonely man on Christmas Eve dealing with suicide, but here it’s the contemplation of his own. While watching Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Carol on TV and thinking about his dead wife, he loads up his gun and wrestles with his demons. It’s one of the most heart-wrenching scenes to ever be included in an action movie. Film: The War at Home Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving Like Martin Riggs, Jeremy Collier (Emilio Estevez) is a Vietnam vet, and also like Riggs, he has trouble putting his gun away during the holidays. Unlike Riggs, though, Jeremy’s weapon is directed at his father (Martin Sheen) rather than himself, and that leads to a less-depressing but no less disheartening situation. Film: A Midnight Clear Depressing Holiday: Christmas One of the most bittersweet war films ever made, A Midnight Clear is set during Christmas, 1944, in the middle of WWII and involves an intended holiday truce between American and German troops. Unfortunately, things go wrong. Not only does the film remind us currently that so many soldiers are away from home and potentially fighting on Christmas, it also displays some depressing truths about humanity and war that are saddening regardless of the season. Film: The Ice Storm Depressing Holiday: Thanksgiving This movie (which could also qualify for yesterday’s list of best dysfunctional families) reminds us of how sad Thanksgiving can be on an historical level thanks to the sardonic pre-dinne grace said by Wendy (Christina Ricci) regarding both America’s tradition of killing and robbing the Indians and its gluttonous disregard for the starving people around the world (didn’t we all go through that holiday protest phase?). Oh, and it features one of the most unsettling death-by-electrocution scenes ever. Film: Gremlins Depressing Holiday: Christmas The present holiday of this horror comedy classic is pretty sad considering all the death and destruction being caused by little green monsters, but the real depressing Christmas is the one from the past that Kate (Phoebe Cates) tells about. You know, the one where her father broke his neck and died on Christmas Eve while playing Santa Claus. And by recalling the details so slowly and in depth (she could have just simply said that her dad died on Christmas), she makes it even more somber a story than is welcome at such an already fearsome occasion. Film: Critters 2: The Main Course Depressing Holiday: Easter Obviously taking a cue from Gremlins, this sequel similarly involves little creatures terrorizing a small town during a holiday. And while not quite as gloomy for a young viewer as the earlier, better film, Critters 2 does feature a relatively upsetting scene in which “the Easter Bunny” is attacked by Crites and then crashes through a church window, ultimately bleeding from the mouth, dead. Film: Groundhog Day Depressing Holiday: Groundhog Day Not that anyone really celebrates this “holiday” (neither school nor post office is closed), but whatever. Though treated as black comedy, there is something quite depressing about all those suicide attempts made by Phil Connors (Bill Murray). It’s enough to cast a shadow (yuk yuk) on all the happiness that otherwise would come from Groundhog Day if it actually involved celebratory activities. Film: Roger & Me Depressing Holiday: Christmas Documentaries have the ability to make for the most depressing holidays, because they feature real life events — like a family being evicted from their home on Christmas day. This one is especially grim this year, as it’s possible that with the economy and mortgage crisis what they are that some families across America will be experiencing such a fate this December 25. Originally posted on:SpoutBlog http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_3_The_Movies_in_the/625/36912/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: leeroy711
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/3/2008 4:49:16 PM
Body: [quote user="rjsprague"] Yeah I was definitely thinking of Home Alone first. I can't think of anything else right now that wasn't already mentioned. I suck at this. :( I am thinking of some films that have shots of video games in them. Maybe we could do a theme for that sometime? :) [/quote] Yeah, Home Alone had a lot of references in it. 1. Joe Pesci's character is named Harry Lime: from The Third Man 2. In France, the family watches It's a Wonderful Life 3. The movie that Kevin watches "Angels With Filthy Souls" was made up for Home Alone, but it was a spoof on Angels With Dirty Faces. that's just what I found on IMDB
]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:49:16 GMTleeroy711Weekly Theme11/3/2008 4:49:16 PM[quote user="rjsprague"] Yeah I was definitely thinking of Home Alone first. I can't think of anything else right now that wasn't already mentioned. I suck at this. :( I am thinking of some films that have shots of video games in them. Maybe we could do a theme for that sometime? :) [/quote] Yeah, Home Alone had a lot of references in it. 1. Joe Pesci's character is named Harry Lime: from The Third Man 2. In France, the family watches It's a Wonderful Life 3. The movie that Kevin watches "Angels With Filthy Souls" was made up for Home Alone, but it was a spoof on Angels With Dirty Faces. that's just what I found on IMDB http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_November_3_The_Movies_in_the/625/36904/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: mercurial
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/3/2008 1:35:14 PM
Body: This is one of those things that's really hard to recall, yet I know I know an insane amount of them. WALL-E - > Hello, Dolly! Donnie Darko - > Evil Dead The Dreamers - > Freaks, Bande à Part, etc. Full of references. Interview With The Vampire - > Tequila Sunrise, Superman, Gone With The WInd Natural Born Killers - > Loaded with references to countless films and television. Home Alone - > Angels With Dirty Faces That's it for now . . .
]]>Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:35:14 GMTmercurialWeekly Theme11/3/2008 1:35:14 PMThis is one of those things that's really hard to recall, yet I know I know an insane amount of them. WALL-E - &gt; Hello, Dolly! Donnie Darko - &gt; Evil Dead The Dreamers - &gt; Freaks, Bande &agrave; Part, etc. Full of references. Interview With The Vampire - &gt; Tequila Sunrise, Superman, Gone With The WInd Natural Born Killers - &gt; Loaded with references to countless films and television. Home Alone - &gt; Angels With Dirty Faces That's it for now . . . http://www.spout.com/groups/Weekly_Theme/Re_Weekly_Theme_for_October_20_The_Montage/625/36564/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: Risselada
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 10/21/2008 7:10:04 PM
Body: [quote user="mercurial"]The Monster Squad - Amped up with the amazingly prototypical 80's song "Rock Til You Drop," the montage in this film has a group of little kids building their arsenal to fight Dracula, Wolfman, the Mummy and a slew of others to save the world.[/quote] This made me think of the Home Alone movies. When he's preparing the houses with all of his traps.
]]>Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:10:04 GMTRisseladaWeekly Theme10/21/2008 7:10:04 PM[quote user="mercurial"]The Monster Squad - Amped up with the amazingly prototypical 80's song "Rock Til You Drop," the montage in this film has a group of little kids building their arsenal to fight Dracula, Wolfman, the Mummy and a slew of others to save the world.[/quote] This made me think of the Home Alone movies. When he's preparing the houses with all of his traps. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/funny/MemberTagFilms.aspxfunny
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]]>Mon, 14 Sep 2009 21:13:15 GMT1462743Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/house/MemberTagFilms.aspxhouse
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]]>Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:30:19 GMT6802650Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/selfdiscovery/MemberTagFilms.aspxselfdiscovery
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]]>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:56:35 GMT5142238Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/vacation/MemberTagFilms.aspxvacation
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]]>Tue, 04 Aug 2009 11:34:39 GMT10681652Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/childhoodadventures/MemberTagFilms.aspxchildhoodadventures
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]]>Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:07:44 GMT217918Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/falseaccusation/MemberTagFilms.aspxfalseaccusation
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]]>Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:02:37 GMT2361810Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/kevin/MemberTagFilms.aspxkevin
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]]>Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:15:53 GMT778Tag http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/family-friendly/MemberTagFilms.aspxfamily-friendly
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