It's the holiday season, which means a couple of things. First, emotions are running high and we're all feeling some heavy nostalgia. Second, movies and television programs that come out this time of year are designed to make you all sentimental. Third, every company in the history of ever is trying to sell you something right about now.
All of that being said, it's no wonder that the commercials circulating right now are hitting me right in the feels. It's too much! I can't watch any "Seinfeld" re-runs on Hulu without muting the ads for my own sanity.
The one really messing with my tear ducts lately? This iPad commercial. It features a family of four visiting a grandfather who lives alone during the holidays. The children, two little girls, are fussy and antsy during their travels, so their parents hook them up with movies and games on an iPad.
That would have sold Apple's point right there, full stop, but no -- they had to take it further. The girls stumble onto some old home movies of their grandparents getting married, and go on to create a slideshow for the family featuring clips of their late grandmother. Upon showing this to their grandfather, he (AND I) burst into tears.
I'd only seen the 30-second clip prior to finding that full version above, but let me tell you, 30 seconds was plenty. I dare you to sit through this commercial and not immediately call all of your family members to express your love and appreciation for them.
The other holiday commercial that's been putting my emotions all out of whack is the E.T. commercial. It's an Xfinity ad that acts as a pseudo sequel to the 1982 Steven Spielberg film.
Now, I know what you're thinking: This is nostalgia at it's finest, I get why it sets you off! Alas, Xfinity's commercial sets me off because...E.T. gives me the creeps. The movie is fantastic, a true classic and a timeless work of art, but the alien himself? Heebie. Jeebies.
Maybe it's because I was gifted a stuffed E.T. as a child that stared at me daily from the dark in the back of my closet, but whatever the case, E.T. and I aren't BFFs.
That being said, the commercial does hit the nostalgia just right. It features a grown-up Elliot, bringing back Henry Thomas, who now has his own family (complete with an Xfinity Wi-Fi and cable package, of course). His children meet E.T. while building a snowman, and we learn the friendly alien has a family of his own back in space. It's cute, yes, but I'm arguing that this 2019 version of E.T. is even creepier than the former. Sorry!
Can't wait to see what other commercials the 2019 holiday season chooses to emotionally bash me over the head with!