I know what I’m doing to pass the time in between my parents asking about who I’m dating and eating myself into a tryptophan-induced bliss this Thanksgiving: I’m going to read my first feminist novel, My Brilliant Friend, which guys are saying is the greatest thing since the sliced bread I’m using for stuffing (that’s good, right?); I’m going to put on my headphones and listen to music bounce all around me in eight dimensions; I’m going to see a badass-looking new movie that Tim Grierson thinks is kinda perfect; and I’m going to try not to think about how much money it cost me to fly home in the first place.
Hey, beats talking about my love life.
Must Read
“Why so Many Guys Are Obsessed with ‘My Brilliant Friend’”
You might think that the Neapolitan Novels, the four-part feminist bildungsroman from acclaimed and mysterious Italian novelist Elena Ferrante — whose first book, My Brilliant Friend, is the basis of a new HBO miniseries — would find its readership among women. And you’d be right. But that hasn’t stopped men from getting lost in this beautifully-written tale of two women and the friendship they share. That’s because guys are finding it a thrilling experience to see the world through the eyes of a woman as vividly as Ferrante has written it. READ MORE
A Film Critic On… ‘Widows’
On what it is: “Veronica (Viola Davis) is grieving for her dead husband (Liam Neeson), an ace bank robber whose most recent heist got him and his partners killed. When she teams up with her husband’s deceased fellow crooks’ wives (Michelle Rodriguez and Elizabeth Debicki), they’re not just trying to complete a robbery — they’re jointly mourning the loss of these men.”
On going out with a bang: “The movie concludes on just the right note. I love when that happens — and it’s rare.”
On the problem with never-ending storylines: “Hell is being recommended some peak-TV series and then being warned, ‘Oh, and by the way, the first season is a little slow, but it gets so much better in Season Two.’”
On what makes Widows different from ever superhero movie, ever: “Characters die in Widows — their deaths may be shocking, ironic or even deeply satisfying, but make no mistake, they’re definitely still dead.”
On high praise for this bank-heist flick that knows when its time is up: “Widows is one of my favorite films of the year.”
Read the rest of Tim Grierson’s take on Widows, here — including why Chicago makes for a such a great movie backdrop; just how prevalent bank-robbing is these days; and the one Hans Zimmer song on the Widows soundtrack you must hear.
The Eighth Dimension
Stop what you’re doing for a second, and listen to this shit:
That’s 8D audio, and despite the corny name, it’s taking YouTube — and particularly the ASMR crowd — by storm, thanks to the uncanny way it makes music seem to move all around us.
Get Stuffed
Everybody knows that, when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, the sides are the best part. But are they healthy? No, not really. We asked a dietitian to rank the 10 most popular side dishes according to how bad (or good) they are for you, and as expected, it’s Brussels sprouts by a country mile:
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cranberry Sauce
- Sweet Potatoes (with Marshmallows)
- Green Bean Casserole
- Mashed Potatoes
- Stuffing
- Gravy
- Creamed Corn
- Mac and Cheese
- Croissants (or Biscuits)
How did we come up with this ranking, and how on earth did mashed potatoes, with it’s butter and cream and carbs for days, break the Top 5? Click here to find out.
Not Home for the Holiday
There are plenty of reasons why you might want to skip Thanksgiving at home this year, or any other year for that matter. Maybe your parents voted for Trump, and start chanting “lock her up” the moment you walk in the door. Maybe your family is just chock-full of self-centered assholes. Whatever your particular reason, you have every right to decide your shitty family isn’t worth the hassle anymore. And if you’re feeling guilty about it, keep in mind that research suggests estrangement might be the healthiest thing you ever do.
The High Price of Flying
God bless people who live within a hundred miles of their extended families. They’re all sitting pretty because instead of shelling out hundreds of dollars each winter to fly all over the goddamn place, they just hop in their cars and drive to mom and dad’s. The fact is, flying is expensive! At least, it feels that way. That’s because while yes, a cross-country flight will put a hole in your wallet, it’s actually less expensive per mile than any other mode of travel, and it’s cheaper — relatively speaking — than it’s ever been.
Wings Smackdown!!!
It’s an age-old question: In the battle between chicken parts for the honor of getting covered in sauce, only to sit heavily in your stomach while you house beer at a bar and watch your favorite football team try not to lose, which type of wing reigns supreme? Is it the drum? Is it the flat? Or is it boneless?
We asked professional eaters, certified wing-competition judges and a food critic to debate this most-important culinary question, and the choice is clear. I won’t give the winner away, but boneless didn’t have a snowball’s chance in a deep-fat fryer of taking the crown.
Give Yourself a (Left) Hand
Men will go to any length to make jerking off feel fresh. Sometimes it’s changing up our porn habits. Other times it’s using the industrial-sized bottle of moisturizer when we’re usually dry guys. But if you really want to get out of a masturbatory rut, you gotta use your non-dominant hand.
Jeff Gross
Jeff Gross is MEL’s senior editor for social media and content marketing. His daily ICYMI column, which chronicles all things meta on the site, is the quickest way to catch up on MEL, and the funniest thing you’ll read all day. Follow him on Twitter.
