There are particular times of the year when I get a craving for 1980s Jewish neurosis-riddled cinema. Thanksgiving is one such time. I believe it is in large part due to the realization that a rowdy group of Jewish New Yorkers are about to descend on my household– and they, much like a Woody Allen film character– lack filters.
For example:
GRANDMA: “Any husband yet?”
ME: “I’d prefer to remain barren.”
GRANDMA: “Wonderful, another lesbian in the family. Well that puts an end to our family blood line, doesn’t it?”
While I appreciate the honesty and the departure from the Wellesley norm of political correctness, it– as you might be able to surmise from the above conversation–breeds a certain kind of personal anxiety, which Woody Allen so magically captures in his 1986 film, “Hannah and her Sisters.” The film details the story of a New York family– beginning and ending on Thanksgiving celebrations two years apart. Intellectual discourse, food-filled adventures, and a bit of hypochondria talk color the 100-minute cinematic masterpiece. I invite you to explore its candid dialogue and aesthetically-pleasing images of New York at the holidays.
Living on a Latte and a Prayer 