February 2, 2007 7:36 AM
Groundhog Day
Happy Groundhog Day!! For the past ten years, February 2 has been one of our family's favorite holidays. No, we've never been to Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney or seen old Punxsutawney Phil - the groundhog with the all-important shadow - in person.
Maybe next year.
Punxsutawnians have been celebrating Groundhog Day since 1886. We started celebrating in 1994 when we fell in love with the movie Groundhog Day
If you've never seen this hilarious film, you really need to. And if you've seen it before, you probably need to see it again. Its positive message, catchy soundtrack, and laugh-out-loud humor have made it one of our yearly family rituals. To see what reviewers thought, check it out at rottentomatoes.com, where Groundhog Day, rated PG, racked up a very impressive 94%. Groundhog Day is the story of a small-potatoes Pennsylvania weatherman named Phil - yeah, like the groundhog - played by Bill Murray. With his unfulfilled dreams of hitting the big time, Phil is a jaded, caustic narcissist, disgusted with his Groundhog Day assignment - traveling for the third year in a row to cover the events in Punxsutawney. With him are his radiant new producer Rita (Andie MacDowell) and nebbishy cameraman Larry (Chris Elliott). Phil's contempt for everything and everyone around him are almost palpable. He can't wait to wrap the show and get out of Hicksville. But a blizzard keeps them from getting out of town. The next day Phil wakes up to the same tune playing on the radio (Sonny and Cher's "I Got You, Babe"), the same morning anchor chitchat. He looks out the window and sees the same snowless scene he saw the day before. And so begins Phil's nightmare, trapped in an endless repetition of Groundhog Day, though he's the only one who knows. Phil journeys through disbelief, frustration, opportunism, suicidal despair (and even that's funny) before he realizes that he is the one responsible for his misery. His liberation comes when he finally decides to make the most of every moment, and in so doing begins to make himself a better man and the world a better place. But just because it has a decent story line, don't think it won't be one of the funniest movies you ever saw.
Posted in Holidays, Humor, Movies | Permalink
Barbara, I actually rented this for this evening! Is it appropriate for all ages? We have 8 children from 6-14 -- could all of them watch it? Thanks in advance for your input. ~ Beth Posted by: Beth | February 2, 2007 9:23 AM This is a good movie! Also, happy year anniversary of starting your weightloss! You've done an amazing job. -Alison T. Posted by: Alison Throckmorton | February 2, 2007 11:56 AM Thanks, Alison! Beth - I'm so hesitant to make a call on this as people's standards vary so much. I know that my own standards have gotten looser as my kids have gotten older and my youngest children are not as sheltered as the older kids were. I also tend to think the message of the movie often outweighs some slightly objetionable material. The only thing I can think of in Groundhog Day that's a little iffy is a part where he uses his situation to seduce a peripheral character. It's the kind of thing where as soon as you go to fast forward it, it's over. I think the message of making the most of your life by thinking of others before yourself is very powerful and the movie is a great springboard for family discussion. So I would say yes, it's okay. Posted by: barbara | February 2, 2007 1:07 PM My family has loved this movie for years! I've lost track of how many times we've seen it. Posted by: Becky Miller | February 2, 2007 4:18 PM This sounds like great fun! I'll be looking for it. THANKS Barbara! ~Jody Posted by: Jody | February 2, 2007 10:33 PM We have had an annual Groundhog party for the last 13 years, but this year we had to cancel. One of my guys has the flu. Still, our family watched the movie last night. We LOVE it!!! Posted by: chewymom | February 3, 2007 8:34 AM It's a great movie on a lot of levels. Funny and profound. Posted by: jf.sellsius | February 3, 2007 1:17 PM
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