"No amount of telling a person “you are loved, you are valuable to me” will save them from their own stubborn disbelief. And in that disbelief, some people become mired in despair."
Of course, each reason is individual... but I think it's often more a feeling of "I don't //deserve// to be loved" rather than a disbelief that one is loved. Definitely that doomy feeling of the narrative of one's life being over is often key, I suspect, though.
Never saw it! Thanks for getting it on our radar. I would normally assume the most cult underground Nick Cage movie is Raising Arizona, but that's not too Christmas. Personally I associate him first and foremost with an even more obscure early movie, Birdy (based on one of my favorite childhood books). And the National Lampoon films are a true masterclass in mean-spiritedness, some of the most cheerfully nihilistic commercial family cinema ever committed to screen, IMO. (Even the Lindsey Buckingham "Holiday Road" theme is basically a 3-minute tribute to coke). Speaking of dark, my own favorite Christmas-themed special off the top of my head might be Black Mirror's Christmas special from Season 2. But A Christmas Carol will always have my vote for most profound.
Now that I'm done spitballing, I'll actually go read your post.
Beautifully written! I have only watched The Family Man once, but it fostered an appreciation (very unusual for me) of Cage (only other film I actively like him in is Matchstick Men) and a fondness for Teo Leoni that carried me through Jurassic Park 3 (ALAN!). I agree with your points about the imperfections of Christmas and our lives, and (proselytization alert) found Kira Davis's piece on the subject addressing it briefly but powerfully. :) https://redstate.com/kiradavis/2022/12/25/when-christmas-doesnt-feel-like-christmas-n678879
I loved this essay, Erin! I wish so much that our culture could let go of the demand that we all live up to our potential--which is defined as achieving in our careers and being as publicly ambitious and impressive as possible. As someone who stepped off that path and am much happier with my good-enough life, even though I am a disappointment to the culture at large, I appreciate the affirmation!
And to me the best Nicholas Cage Christmas movie is Moonstruck, but you’ve persuaded me to give Family Guy a try.
This was so good, Erin. I agree with you - expectations really do contribute to our own well-being, and we all need to believe in our own worth and value. Here's a question: Ellen says to Clark that he gets his expectations too high and that nothing can live up to them. If his expectations were lowered, would the movie have happened? I mean, Eddie would probably still come to visit and possibly kidnap his boss, but when Lewis burned down the tree, if he didn't feel the need for a new tree, the squirrel wouldn't have ruined the house.
I love the 1990s Little Women, but I think the 2019 one is truer to the book and visually, would be more illustrative of the time (like, where the Hummels live). Thoughts?
This was so much fun to read! I may be one of few who never saw Family Man. I will watch it this week! Happy new Year!
"No amount of telling a person “you are loved, you are valuable to me” will save them from their own stubborn disbelief. And in that disbelief, some people become mired in despair."
Of course, each reason is individual... but I think it's often more a feeling of "I don't //deserve// to be loved" rather than a disbelief that one is loved. Definitely that doomy feeling of the narrative of one's life being over is often key, I suspect, though.
Never saw it! Thanks for getting it on our radar. I would normally assume the most cult underground Nick Cage movie is Raising Arizona, but that's not too Christmas. Personally I associate him first and foremost with an even more obscure early movie, Birdy (based on one of my favorite childhood books). And the National Lampoon films are a true masterclass in mean-spiritedness, some of the most cheerfully nihilistic commercial family cinema ever committed to screen, IMO. (Even the Lindsey Buckingham "Holiday Road" theme is basically a 3-minute tribute to coke). Speaking of dark, my own favorite Christmas-themed special off the top of my head might be Black Mirror's Christmas special from Season 2. But A Christmas Carol will always have my vote for most profound.
Now that I'm done spitballing, I'll actually go read your post.
Oh so we're ripping off my gimmick of pitching movies in every post? That means if any get greenlit I get 15%
https://youtu.be/F1XCUo_Uu8M
Beautifully written! I have only watched The Family Man once, but it fostered an appreciation (very unusual for me) of Cage (only other film I actively like him in is Matchstick Men) and a fondness for Teo Leoni that carried me through Jurassic Park 3 (ALAN!). I agree with your points about the imperfections of Christmas and our lives, and (proselytization alert) found Kira Davis's piece on the subject addressing it briefly but powerfully. :) https://redstate.com/kiradavis/2022/12/25/when-christmas-doesnt-feel-like-christmas-n678879
I loved this essay, Erin! I wish so much that our culture could let go of the demand that we all live up to our potential--which is defined as achieving in our careers and being as publicly ambitious and impressive as possible. As someone who stepped off that path and am much happier with my good-enough life, even though I am a disappointment to the culture at large, I appreciate the affirmation!
And to me the best Nicholas Cage Christmas movie is Moonstruck, but you’ve persuaded me to give Family Guy a try.
I would choose Téa Leoni though the Gates of Hell open to me instanter.
This was so good, Erin. I agree with you - expectations really do contribute to our own well-being, and we all need to believe in our own worth and value. Here's a question: Ellen says to Clark that he gets his expectations too high and that nothing can live up to them. If his expectations were lowered, would the movie have happened? I mean, Eddie would probably still come to visit and possibly kidnap his boss, but when Lewis burned down the tree, if he didn't feel the need for a new tree, the squirrel wouldn't have ruined the house.
I love the 1990s Little Women, but I think the 2019 one is truer to the book and visually, would be more illustrative of the time (like, where the Hummels live). Thoughts?