200 Cigarettes

It seems like every holiday has at least one great movie associated with it. New Years Eve has three, and I'm not talking about Garry Marshall's craptastic New Years Eve. Two of these movies, Get Crazy and Four Rooms, I recently covered. My third pick is 1999's highly overlooked 200 Cigarettes.

Like the aforementioned New Years Eve, 200 Cigarettes features an all star cast with overlapping storylines. Unlike New Years Eve, however, 200 Cigarettes actually will hold your interest.

It's New Years Eve in New York, 1981. Monica, Martha Plimpton, is having what she hopes is the ultimate New Years Eve party. Monica begins to freak out when nobody shows up right away. Little does she know that her calvacade of guests are en route to her shindig. The guests include Kevin, Paul Rudd, and Lucy, Courtney Love, best friends with a lot of sexual tension between them. Kevin is also getting over a break up with Ellie, Janeane Garofalo. There's Val, Christina Ricci, and Steph, Gaby Hoffman, two teens who have snuck out to attend. Unfortunately they have bad directions and end up on a bad side of town. That's where they meet Tom, Casey Affleck, and Dave, Guillermo Diaz, two punks who promise to take the girls to their destination. Cindy, Kate Hudson, a klutz, is on a first date with Jack, Jay Mohr, a slick womanizer. There's Caitlyn, Angela Featherstone, and Bridget, Ari Nicole Parker, best friends competing to see who can find Mr. Right first. A bartender, Ben Affleck, hoping to find his Mrs. Right. The cab driver, Dave Chapelle, who spouts disco inspired wisdom while getting these folks to their destination. And, the man himself, Mr. Elvis Costello might make an appearance.

This movie is a total blast. Being a child of the 80's, I loved the fact that it was set in 81. And it gets the music and fashion just right.Everyone in the cast is great. The relationship between Rudd and Love is probably the best storyline. And I just have to say that Kate Hudson has never been better.

The soundtrack is also a really good collection of 80's classic's, featuring Costello, Blondie, The Cars, The Go-Go's, Roxy Music, The Ramones, and Dire Straits.

Even though it was a flop and hated on by critics, I can't think of a better way to ring in the New Year. Well a better legal way. Happy New Year everyone.

It's available on dvd.