Black Friday Movie Marathon
Article by Anthony Cleveland
For me, the trade off has never been worth it. Why in the world would I want to wake up before dawn on a day that I get off from work, only to stand in line to buy some marginally discounted crap that I could live without? The only real reason to do it is when you're buying gifts for your family, which, let's face it, most of us aren't there for the giving to others. Black Friday is easily one of the reasons why the holidays don't feel the same. People skip out on Thanksgiving to stake their claim outside of Walmart or Best Buy, abandoned the family altogether to worship the new holiday mascot: consumerism.
Surely, I'm not alone in my feelings for this butchered holiday season... If you have a hump full of Black Friday hate on your back, here’s a list of movies you can marathon for some cathartic release, and also get you primed for the Holiday season!
- Movie #1: Dawn of the Dead (1978)
It’s mindless consumerism at it’s best! “Why are they still here?” “Instinct maybe? This was an important place in their lives.” The film doesn’t just look at our instinctual need to needlessly consume, but it also examines how we dive into consumerism for an escape, even when the world is falling apart around us.
- Movie #2: They Live
PUT THE GLASSES ON! For the life of me, I have no clue how this film was panned by the critics so hard. I remember it being the butt of Roddy Piper insults at WWF match interviews. I loved it as a kid, it felt like an 80’s action version of a Twilight Zone episode. The black and white vision from the glasses truly backs up that feel. Makes me wonder what the glasses would reveal if they were used on one of those Black Friday deal booklets...
- Movie #3: Chopping Mall
h, boy! It's the mall security killer robot movie you never knew you wanted! I'm sure Black Friday shoppers would appreciate a thinning of the herd so they can get their grubby mitts on all them deals...
- Movie #4: Krampus
The film begins with slow motion carnage of a department store as they open their doors on Black Friday. It's satire that's equal parts hilarious and brutal. This film is a perfect transitional movie from fall to the holiday season.
- Movie #5: Jingle All the Way
ITS TURBO TIME! This film helps with the holiday itch while also serving up some social commentary on our consumerist nature. Arnold Schwarzenegger spends the entire movie on the hunt for the hottest toy of the Christmas season: the infamous Turbo Man. In his search for the sold-out toy, he gets into some pretty aggressive situations with other parents operating under similar duress. The result is a whole lot of savagery. And, as you watch this one, you can bask in the knowledge that several Black Friday shoppers also participated in senseless acts of violence over something equally stupid as a doll.
What do you think of our movie marathon list? Is there anything we left off that would be better suited for some Black Friday satire? We want to know. Share your thoughts and feelings in the comments section below, and as always remember to viddy well!