After many Thanksgivings spent sneaking away to record supersized episodes of Be Reel, we finally do the sensible thing and just cover films about Turkey Day itself. The trio of “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” (1987), “Home For The Holidays” (1995) and “The Ice Storm” (1997) explores the great lengths families go to gather, despite cornucopias of evidence that perhaps they shouldn’t. To all those surviving delayed flights and cooking for too many people this year, this one’s for you.
First, we attempt to traverse the minor John Hughes classic “Planes, Trains & Automobiles,” examining how the slapstick road movie represents a pivot between his teen and family comedies, with two almost needlessly great performances from Steve Martin and John Candy. Then, things take a darker turn when characters actually reach their Thanksgiving destination in the Jodie Foster-directed “Home For The Holidays,” which sees Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr. and more actors you love speaking to each other in ways you probably won’t. Finally, we visit the beautiful but sometimes befuddling Ang Lee drama “The Ice Storm.” If none of these are your favorite Thanksgiving films, we shout out some other titles on the dessert end of the show.
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Burning questions include:
- Are candied yams an acceptable choice for “favorite Thanksgiving dish”?
- Is “Planes, Trains & Automobiles” the most you’ve ever empathized with a John Hughes dad?
- Why did both your hosts think “Home For The Holidays” was a children’s film, when (actually) it features Robert Downey Jr. improvising while on drugs?
- What seeds of Ang Lee’s visual boundary-pushing can you see in his literary ‘90s dramas?
As always, Be Reel is part of The Playlist Podcast Network—which includes The Playlist Podcast, Deep Focus, The Fourth Wall, and more—and can be heard on iTunes, AnchorFM, Soundcloud, Stitcher, and now on Spotify. You can stream the podcast via the AnchorFM embed below or up top to listen on this page. Follow us on iTunes, and you’ll get this podcast as well as our other shows regularly. Be sure to subscribe and drop us a comment or a rating, as we appreciate it. Thank you for listening.
