Beauty vs Beast: A Black Christmas Story

Jason from MNPP here wishing you a Happy Season with this week's ho ho holiday edition of our "Beauty vs Beast" series. If you ask me there is but one undisputed Movie King of Christmas - no it's not Frank Capra with his wingless angels and suicide bridges, nor is it Tim Burton with his antihero cat-people and scissor-handed freaks. No the Lord of Cinematic Hollies Jollies is Mr. Bob Clark, who gave us the ever-festive duo of 1983's A Christmas Story in 1974's Black Christmas. Nostalgia & Homicide - spells Xmas to me.

So this week to celebrate we'll be facing down two representational totems, one from each film - from A Christmas Story we have the infamous Sexy Leg Lamp that Ralphie's Dad buys (and that Ralphie's Mom destroys). And from Black Christmas comes the Crystal Unicorn that is used to murder the film's greatest character, drunken and acid-tongued Barb (a never funnier Margot Kidder).

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PREVIOUSLY One of 2017's greatest movies was last week's subject and it was  a blow-out for Get Out's leading man - Daniel Kaluuya took just under 3/4s of the vote. But Allison Williams shouldn't feel bad since she got some lovely notices in the comments... said IanO:

"I expected Team Chris to win so I threw my vote to Rose. Get Out is fantastic, am so happy it’s getting awards attention, but I think Williams is somewhat lost in the critical hosannas for the film. She has to walk a real tight rope and she does so with ease. A second viewing really drove home how nuanced the performance is - it’s why the key scene works so damn well."

Nathaniel Gives Thanks

by Nathaniel R

Living through a difficult year gives you more reasons than ever to take every excuse to count your blessings. No matter how bad life is the magic of moving pictures, or storytelling and the craft of acting, are always reliable mood-boosters. They're not just a blessed escape but a companion, through which we can learn about ourselves. But let's not get too fancy about it because we mostly just want to squeal "WHEEEEEE!" when we think of the joy of movies.

I'd like to give thanks for the following in particular this year:

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Jose Gives Thanks ♥︎

by Jose Solis

 

Jose here. Perhaps more than any other year, I'm grateful for the fact that we made it. We survived! Despite of the government, natural disasters, the news, and especially the white patriarchy, we are still around. So this year I won't take the turkey and trimmings for granted. Every bite of pumpkin pie will feel like a blessing.

So this year I'd like to give thanks for the following:

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Sneak Peek Review: Pixar's “Coco”

Jorge Molina reporting from Mexico where Coco has already opened...

The main thing that unifies all Pixar movies (and a big part of what makes them so successful) is how deeply they are rooted in specificity. A movie set in the world of toys, in the world of bugs, in the world of monsters, of superheroes, of cars.

But in all their movies until now, this very specificity has been universal. We’ve all had to let go of toys, and feared monsters, and wanted to become superheroes. With Coco, Pixar dives into their first film that is truly specific, based around a world, a culture and a folklore that only exists for one particular group of people.

A group of people that I happen to be part of...

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Enjoy Your Labor Day Weekend

Any big plans?