1

Titanic & The Music Man

Image: Copyright © 1962 Warner Bros. Pictures Distributing Corporation - Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

It is common knowledge that Titanic (1997), starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, fictionalizes the true story of the sinking of the British ocean liner that collided with an iceberg in the North Atlantic.

The Music Man (1962), on the other hand, is a musical that tells the story of a salesman who tries to convince the residents of a small town in Iowa to start a musical band. Although the two films are set miles apart and their characters are very different, they both take place in the same year: 1912. Fascinating, don't you think?

2

Mary Poppins & The Wild Bunch

Image: From the studio of John Schwartz., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Early twentieth-century London, a vibrant, sprawling city, has almost nothing in common with the wild U.S.-Mexico frontier of the same era. Yet the tender Mary Poppins (1964) and the epic revisionist Western The Wild Bunch (1969) take place during virtually the same years. Despite being vastly different stories, the two films share a similar theme: the concept of outsiders navigating a world of change and challenges.

3

There Will Be Blood & Meet Me in St. Louis

Image: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (Loew's Inc.), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What do a Christmas musical from 1944 and a 2007 drama film have in common? They both portray the early years of the 20th century!

While There Will Be Blood is a dark film that focuses on the California oil rush, Meet Me in St. Louis , starring the iconic Judy Garland, portrays the well-to-do life of an upper-middle-class Missouri family. Watching these two films truly paints a picture of what America was like at this time in its history.

4

Grease & Malcolm X

Image: Library of Congress

Two other films that offer their version of American life during a specific era are Grease (1978) and Malcolm X (1992). Both take place around 1958, but couldn't be more different.

Grease , a romantic musical with gelled hairdos and poodle skirts, portrays a group of teenagers more concerned with leather jackets, rock and roll, and fashionable cars than anything else. Malcom X , on the contrary, is based on the biography of the famous African-American activist, and dives deep into the history of the civil rights movement.

5

Barry Lyndon & Pirates of the Caribbean

Image: William Hogarth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The story of a young Irishman trying to climb the ladder of British high society can't be too different from that of a pirate sailing through dangerous waters. However, although Barry Lyndon (1975) and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) take place in the 1750s, they are very dissimilar films.

While Pirates of the Caribbean is a fantasy adventure franchise chronicling the adventures of the endearing Jack Sparrow, the historic drama directed by Stanley Kubrick won four Academy Awards and is considered one of the greatest films ever made.

6

The Godfather: Part II & 1917

Image: Ernest Brooks, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The year is 1917, and a young Vito Corleone takes his first steps in the criminal world in his native Sicily. Meanwhile, in northern France, a young British soldier is sent on a mission to save his brother.

1917 (2019) is inspired by the true story of World War I battles, and The Godfather: Part II (1974) is based on the fictional story written by Mario Puzo about a gangster family. Both films, however, portray the same period of European history, an era that had a huge impact on American society.

7

Jobs & 2001: A Space Odyssey

Image: Niketh Vellanki

Surely, when Stanley Kubrick directed 2001: A Space Odyssey, he was envisioning a more advanced future. But the truth is that the real 2001 was marked, among other things, by the launch of Apple's iPod.

The film Jobs (2013) begins precisely with Steve Jobs' presentation of the device that would forever change the way we listen to music. Intergalactic travel as a common currency will have to wait a few more years. Yet, to be fair, HAL 9000 is pretty much like the artificial intelligences we have today —let's just hope they don't betray us!

8

The sound of music & Harlem Nights

Image: Sanja Lazic

While a young governess falls in love with Captain von Trapp with the Austrian Alps as a backdrop, on the other side of the Atlantic, a nightclub owner in Harlem must face powerful gangsters to stay in business.

Although they may seem like two incompatible plots, The Sound of Music (1965) and Harlem Nights (1989) both take place in 1938, when the United States was recovering from the Great Depression and Europe was at the dawn of the Second World War. Two opposite views of the world.

9

13 Going on 30 & The Wolf of Wall Street

Image: engin akyurt

One is an innocent romantic comedy full of '80s pop culture references, and the other is a dark, full of foul language and racy scenes, portrait of the years when yuppies and stockbrokers dominated the New York scene. Yet, both 13 Going on 30 (2004) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) take place in 1987. Have you ever thought about it?

10

Hairspray & The Shape of Water

Image: Larissa Megale

The interesting thing about these two films is that they not only take place in the same year—1962—, but also in the same ‘place’: Baltimore, Maryland.

Hairspray (1988), a cult comedy directed by John Waters, tells the story of young Tracy Turnbland's quest to be taken seriously in an audition for a popular show for young dancers. The Shape of Water , on the other hand, is a fantasy film that portrays the love story between a mute woman and a humanoid amphibian. Two very different plots that offer a glimpse of what life was like in America during the Cold War.

1

Bussy day

Image: Imani

Many of us spend the day after Thanksgiving relaxing or shopping. But this is not the case for plumbers. In fact, Black Friday is the busiest day of the year for these professionals. The reasons are all too common: clogged kitchen drains, overworked garbage disposals, and toilet troubles.

2

Leftovers vs. dinner

Image: Jed Owen

Stuffing, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and pumpkin pie are just a few of the classic food staples we enjoy on Thanksgiving. And as delicious as that feast is, studies show most Americans actually prefer the leftovers the next day! It seems there's something special about waking up and finding that delicious meal waiting for you in the fridge.

3

A caloric day

Image: Jessica Christian

There's no denying that on Thanksgiving, we often surrender to an extra slice of pie or one more piece of turkey than usual. According to the Calorie Control Council, Americans consume between 3,000 and 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving (not counting the leftovers waiting to be eaten the next day!). For comparison, medical guidelines often recommend between 1,600 and 3,000 calories for most healthy adults.

4

Thankful crowd

Image: Carson Masterson

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is definitely a spectacular event you don't want to miss. We all know it's massive, but can you guess how many people actually attend in person? About 3.5 million! Not the best place if you're not a fan of crowds. When the parade started in 1924, the number of spectators was far smaller; around 10,000 people gathered to watch.

5

Green Bean Casserole

Image: Meghan Schiereck

Although it's now a Thanksgiving staple we can't imagine the holiday without, green bean casserole was actually invented in 1955! That's right; it was the brainchild of Dorcas Reilly, who worked for the Campbell Soup Company. Its success probably comes from the delicious flavor, quick prep, and simple ingredients: green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and crispy fried onions.

6

Turkey or not?

Image: Megan Watson

While turkey is the main dish on most tables, surprisingly, 12% of Americans choose to skip it during the holiday. The reasons? Endless. Some prefer other dishes, others follow vegetarian diets, some want to save room for dessert, and others avoid turkey for reasons we'll reveal in the next section!

7

Drowsy dinner

Image: Sander Sammy

Feeling like taking a nap after Thanksgiving dinner? Don't worry, you're not alone. While it's true that turkey contains tryptophan, a natural sleep aid, the present amount isn't any higher than in other birds, and a few bites shouldn't make you drowsy. What actually happens is that we eat a lot of calories in a short period, which slows down our metabolism and makes us sleepy.

8

Americans' favorite

Image: Philippe Murray-Pietsch

If you thought turkey was everyone's favorite, you might want to think again! It turns out that a majority of Americans actually prefer stuffing. Specifically, 56% of Americans say they like side dishes more than turkey. For many, sides have become the real star of the meal.

9

Thanks to a miscalculation

Image: Ana Maltez

The story goes that in the 1950s, the Swanson Company overestimated how much turkey Americans would eat during the holiday and ended up with about 260 tons of frozen leftovers. But a clever salesman came to the rescue: inspired by airline meals, he suggested packaging the turkey in trays with classic sides like stuffing and peas. The result: in late 1953, Swanson launched the first TV-Dinner, and the rest is history!

10

100,000 turkey-related questions

Image: Miryam León

Even though the tradition has been around for many years, people still have many questions about their Thanksgiving turkey. In fact, the Butterball Turkey Talk Line —a legendary Thanksgiving hotline— answers more than 100,000 turkey-related questions every year! Some of the most common include: "How much turkey should I buy?" and "When and how do I thaw a turkey?"

1

Booger Hollow Road

Head out from Dadeville, Alabama, and you might end up on Booger Hollow Road, a name that never fails to get a reaction. As odd as it sounds, this one is not unique. Versions of Booger Hollow Road pop up in Kentucky and Georgia, as well . The word "booger" once meant a goblin or local fright, which makes the name more rooted in old folklore than playground humor. Still, it’s hard not to grin when you pass the sign.

2

Bucket of Blood Street

Holbrook, Arizona, sits near some of the Southwest’s most stunning scenery, but one street tells a far rougher story. Bucket of Blood Street got its name from a saloon brawl reportedly sparked by a card game. According to local accounts, the aftermath looked so violent that passersby compared it to a bucket of blood being thrown about. The name stuck long after the saloon days faded into history.

3

Uptha Road

Uptha Road in Maine sounds like a punchline waiting to happen, especially when spoken with a local accent. Located between Casco and Poland, the name has caused plenty of confusion for visitors asking for directions. The nearby Poland Spring connection adds another familiar note. There’s even a road with the same name in Florida, proving that this particular bit of wordplay has traveled farther than expected.

4

Memory Lane

Memory Lane may sound like something out of a greeting card, but it’s an actual road near Nicholson, Mississippi, close to the Louisiana border. While it doesn’t come with guaranteed nostalgia, the name alone invites reflection .

5

Divorce Court

Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, is home to a street called Divorce Court, and yes, it raises questions . No one seems entirely sure how it got the name. It could be a love of wordplay or perhaps a nod to the long-running TV show. Adding to the humor, Easy Lane sits just one street over. Draw your own conclusions.

6

Freshly Brewed Ct

In Henderson, Nevada, Freshly Brewed Ct sits among other whimsically named streets, such as Quilt Place and Hourglass Drive. No one seems entirely sure why this particular name was chosen. A former resident once joked that a neighbor really did make excellent coffee . Whatever the background story, mornings here sound far more interesting!

7

Seldom Seen Road

Despite its name, Seldom Seen Road in Powell, Ohio, is anything but hidden . It’s a well-used street that leads to Seldom Seen Park, a large area filled with sports fields, wetlands, and nature trails. The road even ends at the Scioto River. It may not be overlooked, but the name still gives it a poetic feel.

8

None Such Road

None Such Road in Oklahoma City sounds like it shouldn’t exist at all, which makes giving directions an adventure. Yet this name shows up all over the country , including in Alabama, Montana, and several spots in Texas. Somehow, a phrase that suggests absence keeps getting chosen.

9

Ocean View Drive

Just outside Morgantown, West Virginia, you’ll find Ocean View Drive surrounded by roads named after trees. The only problem is that the nearest ocean is hundreds of miles away . No waves, no sand, just hills and greenery. Whether it was optimism or humor, someone clearly had seaside dreams and a taste for irony!

10

The corner of Whiskey Road and Easy Street

In Aiken, South Carolina, Whiskey Road crosses Easy Street , creating an intersection that feels more like advice than geography. It’s hard not to picture someone smiling when those signs went up. We can't help but wonder whether Bourbon Street in New Orleans was named by the same person!