Holiday Season Survival

The fall semester has finally come to a close and the majority of us (students) have returned to our respective parents' houses/cities for seasonal celebrations. Its nice to finally have a break from the daily grind of the past few months, however, heading down to my father's in south florida typically means one thing--movie marathons. My own holiday tradition is watching apocalypse now on christmas eve.

With that in mind I wanted to make a list of my favorite movies to watch while your feeling bored/lonely, stranded (unable to drive or get far enough away) and without the usual gang of delinquents by your side. Here are some classics and favorites i will be living vicariously through over the next couple of long days:

1. Blade Runner (1982)

This Sci-Fi thriller is perfect for escaping from the dysfunction dynamics of family dinner tables and questioning whether your relatives are truly human or actually robot replicants as you have always suspected.

2. Beyond The Valley of the Dolls (1970)

This crazy Russ Meyer movie has almost absolutely nothing to do with Valley of the Dolls, except that both classics reveal the downfalls of the decant hollywood lifestyle. More importantly, this favorite of mine, reminds us that some down time from the party life is necessary for avoiding manic, homicidal episodes. It won't ever kill you to miss a few parties to hang with the fam, but you definitely will have to fight for your life when running with this crowd.

3. Charade (1963)

Audrey Hepburn + Cary Grant + suspense + 1960s Paris... need i say more? Charade is just a straight up good time no matter what the circumstances.

4. Far From Heaven (2002)

Whenever confronted by elder family members about the crisis in the morality of today's youth and told stories that take place 'back in the good ole days', I remember this compelling Todd Haynes movie and remind myself that I would never want to live in the extremely repressed 1950s America, despite the problems that plague us today. At least now I don't have to abide by such rigid social conventions and could channel by energies/frustrations outside myself, leave my gay husband, or have an interracial relationship. Isn't our new generation progressive?

5. The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008)

While I have only been recently acquainted with this movie, The Baader Meinhof Complex should be on everyones' must see lists. The film portrays Germany's homegrown terrorist group, the Red Army Faction, whose radical, young members where a serious threat to German democracy during the 1970s. Its something different. Just watch it.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS. STAY WARM. SPEND $$$.