Very Special Christmas Vol. 1
Although the thermometer disagrees, the holiday season is in full swing. And as if to make up for the lack of flakes, the music industry is producing pissy Christmas albums at an alarming rate. Now That’s What I Call Crap — er, Christmas, A TRL Christmas, the lackluster list goes on. But nothing compares to the original–A Very Special Christmas Vol 1.
Initially designed to raise funds for Special Olympics, this album spawned the dynasty of music to raise the holiday spirits. Starting things off with a jingle-ball bang and the Pointer Sisters “Santa Claus is Coming To Town,” VSC also includes U2’s passionate “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home,” John then-Cougar Mellancamp’s “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause” and the quintessential Holiday-Hop “joint” Run-DMC’s “Xmas in Hollis.” By epitomizing holiday kitsch and late ’80s music, VSC encourages you to wrap yourself in silver tinsel, spike the eggnog and dance your bah-humbug blues away. From here to the North Pole, there is no better Christmas collection on Earth.
–AR
Moped Army
There is a difference between mopeds and those plastic red numbers parked in front of the Towers. Mopeds are in essence mini-motorcycles with all the same components of your daddy’s hog (high handle bars, metal bodies, 50 plus CCs). At www.mopedarmy.com (an organization that prides itself on the retrieval and refurbishing of vintage bikes), a keen archive of photos, FAQs, links and blogs has been established by the five “tribes.” Founded by The Decipticons of Kalamazoo, Michigan, membership now exceeds 300 in such exotic locales as Odessa, TX, Sioux Falls, SD and Bethlehem, PA. Even Canada has a five-member branch called the Variators based in Ottawa. This site is great because it clearly goes beyond the mere kitsch appreciation inherent in the founders of www.mulletsgalore.com. For example, these dudes revel in greasy fingers, indie rock and “swarming to destroy.”
— MR
“The Big Night”
The recent surge in popularity of food-preparation-related programming (“Emeril,” “the Iron Chef,” “Frugal Gourmet” reruns) calls to mind a masterful film made a bit before pickled roe became a staple in the nation’s palate, err, boob tube. Stanley Tucci co-wrote this film with his cousin Joseph Tropiano, seemingly as an ode to the tasteful Italian-Americans living amongst the cartoonish gaude of 1950s New Jersey. Brothers Primo (Tony Shalhoub, “Spy Kids”) and Secondo (Tucci, “Sidewalks of New York”) Pilaggi open Paradise, a hidden diamond amongst the costume jewelry excuses for restaurants lining the shore. One such restaurant, located across the street from Paradise, is run by the sleazy Pascal (Ian Holm, “From Hell”), a crude man whose brassy eatery is always packed and consequently baits the brothers with a bribe. He guarantees that the legendary Louis Prima will show up for a private party, thus allowing the brothers to flaunt their stellar fare for the music icon–the big night the pair have been waiting for. Featuring a triple threat on the female side (Isabella Rossellini, Minnie Driver and Allison Janney), the film dabbles with the romance conceit, but ultimately good food and song is the draw for this under-appreciated period work. And yes, you will want to run out for some Italian tastings after screening this movie, but please don't hit up the Olive Garden–Pascal will have won in that case.
–MR