December pagan holidays have a long and rich history that stretches back centuries. These holidays were originally celebrated by various pagan cultures and have since been adapted and incorporated into modern traditions. One of the most well-known pagan holidays in December is Yule, which is still celebrated by many modern pagans today. Yule marks the winter solstice, the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is a time for celebrating the return of the sun and the coming of longer days. Yule is often celebrated with feasting, bonfires, and the exchanging of gifts.
As payback, Chuck and his fellow goons set about terrorizing our heroine and her loved ones, including little brother Dave (Zane Holtz). Things come to a somewhat ludicrous climax as she goes full “Straw Dogs” on the invaders of a house party she’s been roped into throwing by Dave and Tracy. (Mrs. Swanson, played by Helen Slater, is conveniently off to Las Vegas with a beau during all this.) Yet even that’s not enough, as the overladen, logic-gap-riddled story piles on one last major twist that manages to be both pat and utterly gratuitous.
His taste in literature is questionable a much more credible and nuanced approximation of real life was offered by Lymelife, the 2008 debut he co-wrote with brother Steve who plays a police detective here. Things come to a somewhat ludicrous climax as she goes full Straw Dogs on the invaders of a house party she s been roped into throwing by Dave and Tracy.
Yule is often celebrated with feasting, bonfires, and the exchanging of gifts. Another December pagan holiday is Saturnalia, which was celebrated by the ancient Romans. Saturnalia was a week-long festival honoring the god Saturn and was a time of merriment and indulgence.
[Review] ‘The Curse of Downers Grove’: Fairly Entertaining Thrills from Bret Easton Ellis
While a title like The Curse of Downers Grove suggests the supernatural, director Derick Martini’s new film is a tale of small town violence, teen angst, and revenge. It’s based on the book Downers Grove by Michael Hornburg and the screenplay was written by Martini and Bret Easton Ellis, whose famous for his novels deconstructing masculinity and extreme violence. Considering Ellis’ previous work (The Canyons aside), I wasn’t expecting such an uninspired, middle of the road film.
That’s not to say it’s bad. It’s fairly entertaining throughout, with crackling dialogue and an enjoyable cast. Particularly Kevin Zegers (Wrong Turn) who puts in a wicked turn as Downers Grove’s resident cokehead jock, Chuck. At a party one night, Chuck attempts to rape Chrissie Swanson (Bella Heathcoate), a perpetually serious senior who doesn’t believe in the titular curse.
Oh yeah, I should tell you about the curse. For the past eight years in Downers Grove, one senior has died in a freak accident mere days before graduation. There’s a light backstory involving the high school being built on sacred Native American land, but this element is hardly explored to a degree to actually give it any weight. When the Native angle is visited again during the film’s third act, it just feels silly and completely out of left field.
During her attack, Chrissie manages to gouge out one of Chuck’s eyeballs. The film contains several bursts of graphic violence like this that work pretty well considering the savagery of Downers’ male population. Aside from Chrissie’s little brother Dave (Martin Spanjers), every dangling pair of genitals in town is an aggressive, violent guy. Even Tom Arnold, who plays Chuck’s football obsessed dad. When Chuck returns home missing an eyeball, he’s not worried about his son, he’s pissed because now he cannot live vicariously through Chuck’s prospective sports career.
With his roid-raging football teammates in tow, Chuck sets out a path of revenge against Chrissie. Here’s where the characters start making nonsensical choices. Chrissie knows Chuck and his goons are out to get her, so why does she decide to throw a party and invite the whole school? Following a brutal attack on Dave, the police refuse to do anything, even bring in Chuck for questioning. Chrissie acts frustratingly hot and cold towards her love interest, a bad boy grease monkey. Why doesn’t anybody do anything to stop Chuck?! Then it all ends in a montage down memory lane that feels like a very weird choice to close the curtain on.
There are some moments of palpable tension. The assault on Dave that I mentioned is a very intense scene – mostly because Zegers’ performance is so wonderfully vile. He’s mostly known for Gossip Girl, but hell, Kevin Zegers plays the villain with glee. His performance, along with Bella Heathcoate and the others, along with Ellis’ script, help elevate Downers Grove from a humdrum thriller to a fairly entertaining one. The curse was always in my mind too, which kept me hanging on. According to this curse, someone has to die. It’s worth sticking around to see who becomes worm food.
It’s nothing I would ever revisit again, but it’s worth watching once.
Although those forking over ticket money in the hopes of a straightforward horror film might disagree, this is not necessarily a bad idea for a story but neither co-writer Bret Easton Ellis (the bad boy author of "Less Than Zero," "The Rules of Attraction" and "American Psycho") nor director Derick Martini seem to have any idea of what they are trying to say or how to say it. The screenplay contains plenty of the casual nihilism and physical/emotional cruelty of Ellis's work but since it doesn't connect with viewers, either as serious drama or as dark satire, it all just feels hollow and ugly. For his part, Martini is clearly trying to go for a stylized, hyper-real effect in which everything looks normal but is a bit off but his results are off in all the wrong ways—the film feels as if it was made by someone who has been charged with making something in the tradition of "Blue Velvet" and "Donnie Darko" but who never actually got around to seeing them and is basing his work on what he thinks was in them.
During Saturnalia, the social order was temporarily overturned, with slaves being allowed to enjoy the same privileges as their masters. It was a time of feasting, gift-giving, and revelry. The festival of Mōdraniht, or Mother's Night, was celebrated by the Germanic peoples on the eve of the winter solstice. It was a time to honor the female ancestors and deities, particularly Matres and Matronae, who were associated with fertility and motherhood. Mōdraniht was a time for ritualistic feasts, divination, and prayers for the well-being of the community. In Celtic paganism, the festival of Alban Arthan, or the Light of Arthur, was celebrated around the winter solstice. It marked the rebirth of the Sun and the turning of the seasons. Alban Arthan was a time for bonfires, feasting, and storytelling, as well as rituals to bring light and warmth into the dark winter months. While these pagan holidays may have originated in different cultures, they all share a common theme of celebrating the return of light and the renewal of life. Today, many people still incorporate elements of these ancient pagan traditions into their modern holiday celebrations, even if they are not consciously aware of their pagan origins..
Reviews for "Connecting with Ancestral Spirits in December Pagan Holidays"
1. Mary - 1/5 stars - I really can't stand December pagan holidays. They have absolutely no meaning for me and I find it ridiculous that people are so invested in them. The commercialization of Christmas is overwhelming and it takes away from the true spirit of the season. I would much rather spend quality time with my loved ones without feeling the pressure to buy expensive gifts or decorate my house with meaningless symbols. December pagan holidays just feel like a drain on my energy and wallet.
2. John - 2/5 stars - I have never understood the hype around December pagan holidays. The excessive spending, the constant pressure to be merry, and the overall chaos that surrounds this time of year is just too much for me. I don't see the point in indulging in traditions that have no significance to my own beliefs or values. It feels like a forced celebration and I would much rather spend my time and money on things that truly matter to me. December pagan holidays are just not my cup of tea.
3. Alice - 2/5 stars - I find December pagan holidays to be quite superficial. The whole idea of exchanging gifts, decorating trees, and singing carols feels like a meaningless tradition. It doesn't hold any real value or purpose for me. I would rather spend my time engaging in meaningful activities or helping others in need. December pagan holidays just feel like an unnecessary social obligation that I could do without.
4. David - 1/5 stars - I absolutely despise December pagan holidays. The excessive consumerism, the overcrowded malls, and the constant pressure to conform to societal norms make this time of year unbearable for me. The whole concept of celebrating just because it's December feels forced and insincere. I would rather spend my time doing things that bring me true joy and fulfillment, rather than participating in the shallow festivities of December pagan holidays.
5. Sarah - 2/5 stars - December pagan holidays feel like a charade to me. It's all about putting on a show and pretending to be jolly and merry, while deep down many people are stressed and overwhelmed. The pressure to give expensive gifts, attend countless parties, and engage in traditions that hold no real meaning is exhausting. I would much rather have authentic and meaningful connections with my loved ones throughout the year, rather than trying to keep up with the pretenses of December pagan holidays.