What with New Year’s resolutions bobbing up and fizzing off like so many Champagne bubbles, we thought we’d pitch this year’s New Year’s Eve Movie Party as a “Transformation” number. From the last sunrise of 2016 to the first of 2017, we’ll be watching movies that feature some kind of major character “transformation” or “makeover.”
Above: We never see Bogey’s “original” mug in Dark Passage
Deleted makeover scene from Now, Voyager!
And, as subtly as we can, between our sips of sparkling cider or champagne cocktails, our bites of take-out Chinese lobster, and our Homemade Ice Cream Bombe, we’re going to drop a few bombs of our own. That is, we’re going to ask each other a few questions that we hope will keep us thinking throughout 2017. Are physical or psychological transformations different for men and women in these movies? Does a change of face in Dark Passage or Die Another Day mean the same for the male leads as the wardrobe changes for women in Vertigo or Clueless? Or is this a battle of the sexes issue at all? Doesn’t Cher’s Makeover in Moonstruck really come “after the fact”? Anyway, anyway, can we all agree, in one way or another, that the Count of Monte Cristo has a “revenge body”? Whatever the film, the overarching question remains: in 2017, will we really need to change so much after all?
Here’s a list of movies we’re going to have the kids pick from for a 24-hour New Year’s “Transformation” Film Fest like none other:
Anastasia : Batman Begins : Beauty and the Beast [Cocteau] : Buckaroo Bonzai : Clueless : The Count of Monte Cristo : Dark Passage : Die Another Day : Ever After, A Cinderella Story : The Count of Monte Cristo : Face/Off : Finding Forrester : The Fugitive : Funny Face : Gigi : Good Will Hunting : Heaven Can Wait : The Hustler : The Illusionist : Invasion of the Body Snatchers : Laura : The Last Starfighter : Little Women : Logan’s Run : The Man in the Iron Mask : Moonrise Kingdom : Moonstruck : Mr. Smith Goes to Washington : My Fair Lady : My Man Godfrey : Never Been Kissed : North By Northwest : Now, Voyager : Pirates of Penzance : Pretty Woman : The Producers : Rebecca : Rushmore : Sabrina : Seconds : The Sting : The Usual Suspects : Vertigo : Working Girl : Zorro
P.S. My top picks are: Now, Voyager, Moonstruck, and Dark Passage. And, I already know Bea’s stuck on Vertigo, Sabrina, and Count of Monte Cristo. Toby’s top picks are Batman Begins, The Last Starfighter, and The Usual Suspects. And, their father’s top picks are Beauty and the Beast [Cocteau], Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and Seconds.
Our dinner menu? Take-out Chinese! With an emphasis on lobster.
Our mocktails? Warm apple cider with cinnamon sticks!
Our cocktails? Prosecco French 77s!
Our dessert? A homemade Ice Cream Bombe like the one we made for Toby’s birthday over the summer
Happy 2017 Everyone!
2017 also marks a “Transformation” for The Lunchbox Season and its sister site, Summer of Funner. I’ll be taking break at the outset of 2017 (and contributing to some other awesome sites), perhaps to rebrand or reconceptualize. It’s time to take a holiday from the non-stop labour of 6+ years and head out in a new direction. Stay tuned!
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