11 · 27 · 14

Cinema to escape the end of year parties

Ma. Cristina Alemán, editora en jefe (@mcristina)

I don’t want to be misunderstood. I think Christmas and the accompanying holiday parties are great. Families and friends get together to eat and drink, homes are filled with lights, and good wishes abound. But sometimes such abundance is tiring. Taking into account that Christmas carols are heard in shopping malls beginning late October and there comes a time when even those who are most enthusiastic need a break from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Three Kings, I propose five strategies to escape the end of year festivities through cinema.

Better alone than in bad company: Between December 12 (Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe) and January 6 (Three Kings Day), it is almost impossible to have time for yourself. Suddenly, our schedules are filled with social commitments, worthy of the most popular kid at school. As a way of balancing all the socializing, I recommend films to assert individual power.  Muriel’s Wedding (1994, Australia) by P. J. Hogan; Gloria (2013, Chile) by Sebastián Lelio; and Happy-Go-Lucky (2008, United Kingdom) by Mike Leigh are good examples of films to lower the social pressure and, in the words of Billy Idol, dance alone.

Going out to get some fresh air: The best remedy for claustrophobia caused by the excessive decoration of the family living room is to go on a trip, and there is no faster way than with a road movie. In films like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994, Australia) by Stephan Elliott; Y tu mamá también (2001, Mexico) by Alfonso Cuarón; and Little Miss Sunshine (2006, United States) by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, you can accompany several characters on their way and forget about your geographical boundaries.

A trip to the moon: Speaking of imaginary trips, another possibility is to travel to an alternative reality. But since Christmas is already full of fantasy (or at least so say the ads), I suggest a healthy dose of science fiction. A classic like Solaris (1972, Soviet Union) by Andrei Tarkovsky will keep your properly distracted during the exchange of gifts, and if you still feel like losing yourself in space, you can see Twelve Monkeys (1995, United States) by Terry Gilliam, or Moon (2009, United Kingdom) by Duncan Jones.

Not everything is what it seems: To leave behind all conventions, not only Christmas, forget the linear narrative and look for films that unsettle you, that don’t give you everything digested. You can start with a feature film like Lost Highway (1997, United States) by David Lynch, or a documentary essay like Sans soleil (1983, France) by Chris Marker. If you’re even more adventurous, I recommend browsing the huge gallery of experimental videos from different eras and countries in the portal UbuWeb (www.ubuweb.com).

A taste of the macabre: Finally, in order not to be blinded by the candles at the end of the year, I suggest exploring the dark through horror films. Movies like Hasta el viento tiene miedo (1968, Mexico) by Carlos Enrique Taboada; Rosemary’s Baby (1968, United States) by Roman Polanski and [Rec] (2007, Spain) by Paco Plaza and Jaume Balagueró, could get you to return to the Christmas table relieved that all is well, ready for another month of celebrations.