Love for Loners: Oh no, Ono!

March 25, 2011

Love for Loners is our weekly feature promoting awesome work that is currently streaming for free online. It is written by resident misanthrope Jon Smith.

According to the calendar, which I often misread, it’s March 25th. So what does that mean? Well, first of all, it’s Friday. It’s also Jenny Slate’s birthday. Every one wish Marcel the Shell a happy birthday! Also occuring on this day (in 1969), John Lennon and Yoko Ono held their first Bed-In for Peace. Hooray peace! Hooray beds! Speaking of beds, here’s your weekly dose of good work streaming on the internet for those of you who will be having their own Bed-In for Laziness.

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The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
You just asked yourself, “Wait, doesn’t this star Denzel and Travolta?” Of course not, you’re thinking of The Taking of Pelham 123. This is the shittier, more drama-infused remake. In elementary English, we learn to always spell out single digit numbers. Apart from the film Se7en, you should always avoid movies that are grammatically faulty. This Pelham is from 1974, and it’s hilarious. This film plays like a thriller, but pretty much everyone involved is more frustrated with the situation than frightened. It truly encapsulates the undying assholery of New Yorkers. Even in the face of terrorism, the hostages can’t help but mouth off to their captors.

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How to Lose Your Lover
This is one of those movies that resonated strongly with the state of my life at the time of viewing. I had been in school for two years and couldn’t give one less of a shit. Everything felt mundane and boring, and I just wanted to get out. This is a movie about a guy who feels the same way, and decides to drop all social codes and treat people the way he’s always wanted before he jumps town. Somehow, this new change starts to work out for him, despite his attempts to ruin it all.

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10 Items or Less
Like most good shows, 10 Items or Less didn’t get the credit they deserved when on the air. The show ran for three seasons on TBS, but no one I’d met knew it existed besides me. When my concubine reintroduced me to it over the summer, I was overjoyed. I subsequently watched through the entire series three times over the course of a few days. Remember, like all TV, it takes them a few episodes to find their rhythm. I suggest watching the first season, since it’s only five episodes. If you like it, just turn on that auto-play and pour yourself some absinthe, because you’re not going anywhere.