From Iceland — Stuff We Like

Stuff We Like

Published December 22, 2009

Stuff We Like

Oh how we love thee, Planes, Trains and Automobiles starring Steve Martin and John Candy. Is there a seasonal comedy quite like you? Surely there is not. You are truly one of a kind.
These last days before Christmas can get pretty stressful if you don’t pay heed. There are all sorts of things to be taken care of before good, old-fashioned Holiday chillin’ may commence. One must buy presents and then wrap them up in wrapping paper; there are homes to be cleaned,  food to be prepared, showers to be taken and last minute binge-drinking to be honoured. And if you don’t want to be eaten by a gigantic cat, then you better score a new article of clothing.
Indeed, there is too much to do these last days before Xmas, and too little time to do it in. A man and/or woman  might well  go insane with stress and  anticipation. But you must resist the temptation to simply let go of the kite string that tethers your sanity down and let it soar up into the ozone layer, ultimately disintegrating somewhere over Greenland.
And surely,  there is no better way to avoid sudden Xmas insanity than relaxing with some hot chocolate  over  John Hughes’ legendary Holiday epic, Planes, Trains & Automobiles. We did this the other night and have been riding a chill wave of cloudy, relaxed happiness ever since. And we suggest you take time out to do the same.
As you will know, the film details two very different men’s quest to travel from New York to Chicago in time for the American holiday of Thanksgiving. They suffer various types of hardship during their  trip, learning valuable lessons about the value of friendship, tolerance and family on the way. Simply put, it is a classical masterpiece, a shining beacon of the finest cultural offerings the United States have bestowed upon the world. And that scene were they’re driving the wrong way is really, really funny.
You should go rent it right now (or download it?) and watch it tonight. You shan’t regret it.  It has John Candy in it, the music is awesome and it is one of the late, great John Hughes’ finest moments.
Check out the trailer and a legendary scene below. Happy Holidays.

Support The Reykjavík Grapevine!
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!

Show Me More!