a christmas story movie review

A Christmas Story

Of course. That’s what I kept saying during “A Christmas Story,” every time the movie came up with another one of its memories about growing up in the 1940s. Of course, any nine-year-old kid in the ’40s would passionately want, for Christmas, a Daisy Brand Red Ryder repeating BB carbine with a compass mounted in the stock. Of course. And of course, his mother would say, “You’ll shoot your eye out.” That’s what mothers always said about BB guns. I grew up in downstate Illinois. The hero of this film, Ralphie, grew up in Gary, Ind. Looking back over a distance of more than thirty years, the two places seem almost identical — Middle American outposts where you weren’t trying to keep up with the neighbors, you were trying to keep up with Norman Rockwell.

The movie is based on a nostalgic comic novel named ‘In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash,’ by Jean Shepherd, the radio humorist, who also narrates it. He remembers the obvious things, like fights with the bullies at school, and getting into impenetrable discussions with younger kids who do not quite know what all the words mean. He remembers legendary schoolteachers and hiding in the cupboard under the sink and having fantasies of defending the family home with a BB gun.

But he also remembers, warmly and with love, the foibles of parents. The Old Man in “A Christmas Story” is played by Darren McGavin as an enthusiast. Not an enthusiast of anything, just simply an enthusiast. When he wins a prize in a contest, and it turns out to be a table lamp in the shape of a female leg in a garter, he puts it in the window, because it is the most amazing lamp he has ever seen. Of course. I can understand that feeling. I can also understand the feeling of the mother ( Melinda Dillon ), who is mortified beyond words.

The movie’s high point comes at Christmastime, when Ralphie ( Peter Billingsley ) goes to visit Santa Claus. Visits to Santa Claus are more or less standard in works of this genre, but this movie has the best visit to Santa I’ve ever seen. Santa is a workaholic, processing kids relentlessly. He has one helper to spin the kid and deposit him on Santa’s lap, and another one to grab the kid when the visit is over, and hurl him down a chute to his parents below. If the kid doesn’t want to go, he gets Santa’s boot in his face. Of course.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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A Christmas Story

Where to watch.

Rent A Christmas Story on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Both warmly nostalgic and darkly humorous, A Christmas Story deserves its status as a holiday perennial.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Peter Billingsley

Ralph 'Ralphie' Parker

W. Lyle Richardson

Melinda Dillon

Mrs. Parker

Ian Petrella

Randy Parker

Scotty Schwartz

More Like This

Related movie news.

A Christmas Story (1983)

Based on the childhood memoirs of radio humorist Jean Shepherd about growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s, A Christmas Story is as heartwarming and nostalgic as its title suggests. Like many Christmas-themed movies, it offers no insight into the true meaning of Christmas, but it brims with insight into the human condition — particularly the condition of boys at Christmastime.

Artistic/Entertainment Value

Moral/spiritual value, age appropriateness, mpaa rating, caveat spectator.

The tale shows us Christmas through the eyes of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley), whose consuming desire is for "an official Red Ryder carbine-action 200 shot range-model air rifle." To this end he brings to bear all the intellectual prowess of a nine-year old with one scheme after another to ensure that he will find one under the Christmas tree. Yet at every turn he meets the classic adult dismissal: "You’ll shoot your eye out."

With much affectionate humor, A Christmas Story recalls vividly what it was like to be a kid at Christmas in a more innocent era, when boys were liable to get their mouths washed out with soap for cussing (though their fathers often did so profusely). A minor holiday classic.

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A Christmas Story Christmas Review: The Holiday Classic's Magic Can't Be Replicated, But It's The Thought That Counts

It's been almost 40 years since the holiday classic "A Christmas Story" followed young Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) as he pined for the ultimate Christmas gift back in the glory days of the 1940s: an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time. The original 1983 holiday comedy has become a fierce favorite around the holidays, so much so that it's earned a now-traditional 24-hour marathon every single year, stretching from Christmas Eve into Christmas Day.

Now Peter Billingsley has returned for "A Christmas Story Christmas," which seeks to give fans a legacy-quel that follows an adult Ralphie as he attempts to give his own family a Christmas they'll never forget. Not only is Billingsley back as Ralphie in front of the camera, with his brilliant and occasionally mischievous blue eyes still shining bright behind rounded spectacles, but he also has a big role behind the scenes as both a producer and co-writer. Though the film expectedly follows in the snowboot footsteps of its predecessor, for better and for worse, there comes an added layer of heart as Ralphie, his wife Sandy (Erinn Hayes), son and daughter (River Drosche and Julianna Layne), and mother (Julie Hagerty stepping in for Melinda Dillon) come to terms with the sudden passing of The Old Man (the late Darren McGavin) just a few days before Christmas.

Lovely, glorious, beautiful Christmas

The reason " A Christmas Story " has endured after all these years is because of how it washes away the Norman Rockwell-esque glimmer of Christmas in America. Rather than giving us an endlessly chipper family unconditionally loving each other in the 1940s and basking in the joy of togetherness during the holiday season, director/co-writer Bob Clark and the stories of author Jean Shepard give us the Parkers and a handful of neighborhood kids incessantly barking at each other in the days leading up to Christmas.

Ralphie and his brother Randy are endlessly fighting with each other. The Old Man is always pissed off about something. Ralphie's mother never gets a warm meal to herself. Every kid in the movie, including Ralphie's friends, is a scheming or whiny brat of some kind. But most importantly, Ralphie is desperately vying for that Red Ryder BB gun, even after his first brush with corporate-sponsored disappointment thanks to a crummy commercial for Ovaltine. There's greed, crass capitalism, pettiness, bitterness, bullying, peer pressure, and a dysfunctional Midwestern family who is at each other's throats. It flies directly in the face of the roundtable of smiling family members surrounding a steaming turkey dinner and the shiny tinsel of the perfect Christmas that graced the covers of "The Saturday Evening Post." But that doesn't mean there isn't love and a helping of true holiday magic at the center of all that dysfunction, and that's what makes "A Christmas Story" so beloved to this day.

Thankfully, "A Christmas Story Christmas" keeps the spirit of casual cynicism and irresistible charm alive as it flashes forward to 1973 (and ignores "A Christmas Story 2" ). This time, Ralphie is after two things. First, he wants to sell his lengthy sci-fi novel "Neptune's Oblivion" to a big Chicago publisher after spending a year on the book and hoping to break free from the rat race of the big city. But that takes somewhat of a backseat to helping give his widowed mother and the rest of his family a memorable Christmas to help alleviate the grief they're all feeling after the passing of The Old Man. Both of these story threads fuel the ups and downs of a Christmas filled with friendly reunions, slapstick antics, some clever family comedy, and of course a big holiday heart. But the overall result is a mixed bag that is weighed down by clumsy nostalgia.

Heavy-handed nostalgia

"A Christmas Story Christmas" mostly stays close to the path of its predecessor (and thankfully stays far from any other sequels that followed ) once Ralphie and his family head back to Hohman, Indiana after Ralphie's mother calls with the bad news. Once Ralphie's mother says she doesn't want to wallow in sadness, she makes her son promise to deliver the perfect Christmas. From there, we get plenty of family flourishes from the original movie: finding a Christmas tree, decorating it, shopping at Higbee's department store, seeing Santa Claus, dealing with neighborhood bullies, and all that jazz.

Peter Billingsley is also providing the film's narrative voiceover all the way through. It's a somewhat distracting change, as it never feels quite as natural or clever as Jean Shepard's narration in the original, mostly because there's not much of a perspective shift between the adult Ralphie we're watching and the one narrating the story. In the sequel, the narration acts more as a present-day inner monologue rather than a wiser voice from the future looking back on the past. The good news is that Billingsley still has some of that boyish charm from his childhood, allowing him to ham it up for comedy while still giving a touching performance when the story requires it. Ralphie even still has silly daydreams that provide some goofy levity.

The biggest problem with "A Christmas Story Christmas" is that it tries too hard to remind you about the warm feelings that the first movie gives fans. The allusions to the original film are painfully obvious, and they're occasionally made unnecessarily more obvious by having quick, intrusive flashes of clips or lines from "A Christmas Story" for those who somehow don't remember for whatever reason. Do we really need to hear The Old Man's line about Ralphie looking like a "pink nightmare" when we see the pink bunny suit that Ralphie was famously forced to wear on Christmas? Isn't just the sight of the bunny suit in a dusty box enough to get the point across? It would be as if, when we saw the Millennium Falcon in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," we heard Han Solo's voice echo, "She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts," just as Finn and Rey run towards the ship to make their escape. It's constantly reminding you how much you love "A Christmas Story," almost to the point that you might feel like you should be watching that for the umpteenth time instead.

Don't shoot your eye out just yet

Where "A Christmas Story Christmas" succeeds is in creating new vignettes that capture the more unsung elements of life in the 1970s, especially around the holidays. There are funny flourishes like the terror that the local barflies feel when the hometown pub's phone rings with a wife looking for their absent husband, and these scenes are the best showcase for returning cast members R.D. Robb and Scott Schwartz as Ralphie's childhood friends Schwartz and Flick. Comparatively, the return of Ian Petrella as Ralphie's brother Randy feels tacked on in the worst way possible.

The Parkers are still a family without a lot of money, so there are also practical discussions about the family budget and affording a good Christmas for the kids, something that rings true to the middle-class nature of the original. Ralphie's family shares some of the same snarky banter too, especially when it comes to having the kids decorate the tree while the adults watch and drink wine. Those kinds of conversations take a turn to familiar cynical comedy, especially when the kids are told that they might need to lower their expectations when it comes to the Christmas gifts they'll receive. Their reaction is predictably upset when they're told to focus on gratitude and to remember that trite phrase, "It's the thought that counts." All of these moments allow for some decently hearty laughs.

Even so, part of the problem with "A Christmas Story Christmas" is that, on more than one occasion, it feels more like a legacy-quel for " National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation " than the franchise it is meant to be paying tribute to, and you'll know those moments when you see them. That's especially true when you realize that, for no clear reason, there's absolutely no funeral planning or even a single mention of what's being done with The Old Man in the wake of his passing, other than an obituary that Ralphie is asked to write by his mother. That ends up providing the emotional backbone for the movie and Ralphie's character arc as an adult, but part of me wishes that emotional core resonated more significantly. And that's coming from someone who lost their father just after the Christmas of 2020, which should make me prime to let the tears flow.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard "A Christmas Story Christmas" tries to replicate what audiences loved about the original, it can't help but feel overshadowed by the legacy of nostalgia that the 1983 classic inspires. Like "The Force Awakens" and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" before it (and plenty of other legacy-quels), this follow-up to "A Christmas Story" relies too much on the reverence for its predecessor without carving out enough remarkable new memories for itself. That doesn't make it downright terrible, but it does make it mostly forgettable and only temporarily entertaining. But you know what? Maybe it really is the thought that counts.

/Film Rating: 6 out of 10

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‘a christmas story christmas’ review: ralphie returns in a forgettable but sweet sequel.

Peter Billingsley reprises his iconic role in this follow-up to the classic holiday perennial.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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Christmas Story, A (United States, 1983)

A Christmas Story has something no other holiday film - new or old, comedic or serious - can boast: perfect nostalgia. That quality fuels this modern-day classic and has made it one of the season's most beloved motion pictures. One of the Turner cable stations annually runs the movie non-stop for 24 hours and that's the mark of something with which people feel comfortable. A Christmas Story takes place in the early 1940s, but so much material in the film is universal that, irrespective of your birth date or religious affiliation, you're likely to find more than one familiar thing contained herein. Those born before 1940 will see this as a collage of memories brought to the screen. Those of a younger age will mix their own memories of Christmas with a wistfulness associated with how they imagine the holiday once was (and, if it truly wasn't, how it should have been). If I was going to rank recent Christmas movies (those that have arrived after the black-and-white era), A Christmas Story would be near or at the top.

This endearing film is based in part on In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash , a collection of short story memoirs by satirist Jean Shepherd. It's interesting to note that many of these received their first publication during the 1960s in Playboy magazine. There's something ironic about a beloved family movie whose source material received its first exposure in a men's magazine. Shepherd's writing is precise: he knows exactly how to use a phrase to evoke a memory. That's one reason why A Christmas Story is so special: because even its most outrageous moments feel grounded in reality. The viewer doesn't simply watch this movie; he experiences it along with the characters. It's as if Shepherd sifted through our memories as well as his. Who hasn't watched A Christmas Story and thought, "Hey! That happened to me!"? (Hopefully, that moment doesn't come when the dogs devour the turkey dinner.)

Although the film never provides a specific date for its activities, one an assume it’s the early 1940s (since it's pre-war, probably 1940). Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) has set his sights on this year's ultimate Christmas gift: the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. When he foolishly reveals his heart's desire to his mother (Melinda Dillon), she dismisses it with a crushing: "You'll shoot your eye out." Undaunted, Ralphie presses the campaign, attempting to enlist the aid of his father (Darren McGavin) (through "clever" hints), his school teacher (by writing a "theme" on what he wants for Christmas), and even the Mall Santa. Alas, all looks lost, since almost everyone (except Dad) agrees with Mom: he'll shoot his eye out. Meanwhile, we get to peer at the Parker family during the holidays and observe their comfortable routines: the purchase and decoration of the tree, the opening of the presents, the preparation of the big dinner, and the visit to a Chinese Restaurant when all doesn't go as planned. Whether or not Ralphie gets his gun is irrelevant in the long-term - next year there will be something as hot that he'll have to have - but watching him try to convince adults he won't shoot his eye out is worth 90 minutes of anyone's time.

The movie is short on sentiment and long on humor, but it's not over-the-top humor. Christmas Vacation is good for a few laughs but it quickly wears out its welcome. A Christmas Story can amuse time after time. The movie understands what's funny in being human: how our foibles and frailties can provide the fodder for laughter. Add to that the sardonic observations of the narrator (Ralphie as an adult, voiced by Jean Shepherd), and you have the mixture for a motion picture that never ceases to be enjoyable. The format worked so well that it was co-opted several years later by the ABC-TV show The Wonder Years . The appeal of the TV show is the same as that of A Christmas Story : nostalgia.

The film's casting is nearly perfect. Peter Billingsley is Ralphie, the hyperactive lovable kid who lives in the moment and thinks he can outsmart adults. Billingsley's cockeyed grin and wide-eyed expression make him instantly likable. Like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone , his entire career has been defined by this single childhood role. Unlike Culkin, however, who wants to move on, Billingsley is happy to be known as Ralphie. I don't know what kind of actor he is today (his appearances, few and far between, don't allow much latitude for a "performance"), but it's hard to imagine anyone else as Ralphie.

Darren McGavin had a diverse enough resume that typecasting was never a fear for the late actor, who stopped working in the late 1990s. Nevertheless, more people know him as "The Old Man" than even as cult-figure Kolchak. His approach to Mr. Parker is flawless - a gruff middle class businessman who loves his kids but doesn't make a practice of showing it. He's also a Mr. Fixit, turning flat tires and malfunctioning furnaces into opportunities to display his prowess when it comes to home repairs.

Melinda Dillon is the "Everymom" - more stable than her character in Close Encounters of the Third Kind but not fundamentally different. She's a little on the overprotective side - not only does she reject Ralphie's gift request but she dresses her youngest, Randy (Ian Petrella), so warmly that he can hardly move in his snowsuit. She provides enough nurturing to balance Mr. Parker's hands-off approach to his kids.

A sequel was produced, although not until 1994 after A Christmas Story became a hit in its post-theatrical life. Called My Summer Story and also based on Shepherd's memoirs, the movie continues the adventures of the Parker family. However, although most of the creative team was the same (with Bob Clark returning to direct), My Summer Story lacks A Christmas Story 's magic. Part of the problem is the casting - with the exception of Shepherd (as the narrator) and Tedde Moore (as a teacher), none of the original actors returned. Although the cast is fine (Charles Grodin as Mr. Parker, Mary Steenburgen as Mrs. Parker, Kieran Culkin as Ralphie), it's tough to escape the sense of watching imposters. Other spin-offs and incarnations included an American Playhouse series of movies and a stage play.

A Christmas Story contains scenes and set pieces that stay in the memory. The are Ralphie's trips to and from school with the bully Scut Farkus (Zack Ward) in hot pursuit. There's the triple-dog dare that leads Flick to having his tongue attached to a frozen flagpole. There's the arrival of the Old Man's fishnet stockinged leg lamp, which he doesn't recognize as the epitome of cheesiness. There's the annual trip to the tree lot and the equally annual blown fuse when the decorated monstrosity is lit. There's Ralphie's discovery that not all soaps taste the same. (I never had my mouth washed out with soap, but it was threatened on more than one occasion.) There's the trip to the mall to see Santa and his disgruntled elves (one wonders whether this scene was the inspiration for Bad Santa ). There's the Christmas morning race to open the presents and the moment when Ralphie wonders if his mother was right all along. (Anyone with glasses will sympathize with his terror when he hears the crunch beneath his feet. It's something the non-bespectacled can't relate to.) Finally, there's the Chinese Christmas dinner, complete with Peking Duck and singing waiters.

It's those moments and others and the way they are tied together by Shepherd's tongue-in-cheek narration that cements A Christmas Story as one of those rare must-see holiday movies, even for those who don't celebrate Christmas. Director Bob Clark, whose resume is nothing if not diverse ( Black Christmas, Porky's, Rhinestone, Baby Geniuses ) is the right choice for the material. He understands Shepherd's script and achieves the tone necessary to make this an enduring movie rather than a holiday throw-away. When it was released, MGM saw this as a minor blip on their release schedule - a Thanksgiving morsel designated for a two-week run. They were surprised by the movie's theatrical staying power in 1983 and even more surprised by its long-term appeal. If you're a fan of Christmas movies or films that use nostalgia as a driver, A Christmas Story cannot be missed. Then again, if you're in either category, you have probably already seen it.

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A christmas story christmas.

Common Sense Says
Parents Say 8 Reviews
Kids Say 5 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Sequel to holiday fave has language, injuries, drinking.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 8+?

People grieve the loss of loved ones. Kids bully each other. People fall down an

Men spend a lot of time drinking in a bar, and one wakes up very late the next d

"Hell," "damn," "dammit," "ass," "dumbass," "son of a bitch," "suckers," "suck,"

Lots of brands glimpsed, notably Smith Corona, White Sox, Blatz, Old Milwaukee,

A married couple kisses. A boy looks at an underwear catalog.

Any Positive Content?

Family is priority. Nobody is ever prepared to lose loved ones, but life goes on

Ralphie and Sandy are attentive parents. Mrs. Parker is too, though she picks on

Most characters are White Midwesterners.

Violence & Scariness

People grieve the loss of loved ones. Kids bully each other. People fall down and have sledding accidents that include falling from heights and ramming head-on into cars and lampposts. Kids break limbs and have to be taken to the hospital with injuries. Two kids are set up by other kids to have a snowmobile accident.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Men spend a lot of time drinking in a bar, and one wakes up very late the next day. A young boy is allowed to help behind the bar. Adults drink wine and cocktails.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Hell," "damn," "dammit," "ass," "dumbass," "son of a bitch," "suckers," "suck," "nuts," "turds," "piss," "snot," "jeez."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Lots of brands glimpsed, notably Smith Corona, White Sox, Blatz, Old Milwaukee, Scrabble, and Easy-Bake.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Positive Messages

Family is priority. Nobody is ever prepared to lose loved ones, but life goes on. Parents want to make the holidays special for their kids. Friends can last a lifetime. Sometimes success comes in unexpected ways.

Positive Role Models

Ralphie and Sandy are attentive parents. Mrs. Parker is too, though she picks on her daughter-in-law. Kids bully each other, and so do some adults. Friends are there for each other, even after years apart. A person who was a bully as a child admits he learned a positive lesson when he was put in his place. People love each other despite imperfections.

Diverse Representations

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Parents need to know that A Christmas Story Christmas is a sequel to the beloved 1983 film and features many of the same characters and actors (including star Peter Billingsley ). It has lots of positive messages about family and friendship, as well as many scenes involving adults drinking, kids clamoring for toys for Christmas, and both kids and adults bullying each other. Characters fall down and have sledding accidents that include falling from heights, ramming head-on into cars and lampposts, breaking limbs, and being taken to the hospital with injuries. People grieve the loss of loved ones. A boy looks at an underwear catalog, and a child is allowed to help behind a bar. Language includes "hell," "damn," "ass," "dumbass," "son of a bitch," "suckers," "suck," "nuts," "turds," "piss," "snot," and "jeez." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

Parents say (8)
Kids say (5)

Based on 8 parent reviews

Way too much alcohol

What's the story.

Ralphie Parker ( Peter Billingsley ) is all grown up and married with two kids in A Christmas Story Christmas . With the support of his wife, Sandy ( Erinn Hayes ), he's taking a year off work to complete a novel, and his self-imposed deadline is Christmas. The holidays are fast approaching, and the Parker kids, Mark (River Droshe) and Julie (Julianna Layne), are excited to spend the holidays with their grandparents. On the eve of their anticipated visit, Ralphie gets a call from his mom ( Julie Hagerty ) that his dad has passed away. Now the Parkers will have to return to Ralphie's hometown in Indiana to mourn his dad and spend the holidays among old friends and old haunts. The pressure is on for Ralphie to live up to his dad's superior holiday-celebrating chops and also to meet his publishing deadline.

Is It Any Good?

This film knows its audience, which will likely be comprised of the beloved 1983 original 's nostalgic fans. A Christmas Story Christmas caters to them with flashbacks, updated storylines and characters, and an ending that comes full circle back to the original. The film's highlights are some very smart commentary on family, love, and loss, particularly around the death of a beloved character. "Nothing can prepare us for one of life's most painful and inescapable events," Ralph tells us in voice-over. Another gem: "Attics are museums of indifference." The reflections make you believe Ralph could be a great writer, as he dreams. He also still has a comically wild imagination, like when he envisions an Old West-style snowball showdown or a Norman Rockwell-esque family magazine spread. A scene where family members go to great lengths to avoid opening the door to carolers is very funny.

You don't have to have seen the earlier films to appreciate or enjoy this one. Set in 1974 (the original took place in the 1940s), this is a time when kids play with axes, they're told to solve their problems on their own, mothers-in-law mercilessly tease their son's wives, and men avoid their families at downtown bars. Some of this humor can be funny even while feeling anachronistic, but other scenes evoke more cringes than cackles, like when we're meant to laugh at people getting seriously injured or when kids who are bullied turn into bullies themselves. Through it all, Ralphie remains a sympathetic character, an everyman hero who triumphs at the important things: family, friendship, and fathering.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how A Christmas Story Christmas updates and calls back to the characters and story of the original film and prior sequel .

How are the 1970s portrayed in this film? What did you notice that is different today?

What lesson did Farkus learn? Do you think we're supposed to assume that his kids will learn the same?

Movie Details

On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2022
Cast : Peter Billingsley , Erinn Hayes , Julie Hagerty
Director : Clay Kaytis
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Warner Bros.
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Friendship , Holidays
Run time : 101 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : language and some rude material/behavior
Last updated : May 18, 2023

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‘A Christmas Story Christmas’ Review: Nostalgia Is Fragile

The cast of the perennial holiday classic “A Christmas Story” returns for this half-baked legacy sequel.

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Four family members in a car in the winter, with ice on top of the car. The two children in the back seat have smiles on their faces.

By Calum Marsh

“A Christmas Story,” Bob Clark’s bittersweet coming-of-age comedy based on the semi-autobiographical writings of the humorist Jean Shepherd, is that rarest of things: a holiday movie that’s actually good. “A Christmas Story Christmas,” the new legacy sequel, is something much more common: a holiday movie that’s very bad.

It’s an important distinction. “A Christmas Story” has gained in repute enormously since its modest release in 1983, to the extent that it has been firmly entrenched in the seasonal canon, cherished for its credible warmth and sly, mischievous humor. “A Christmas Story Christmas” seems destined for swift obsolescence — lost to the featureless sweep of the streaming ecosystem, where nostalgic cash-ins like this seem to vanish as soon as they materialize. When was the last time you thought about, say, “Coming 2 America”?

There have been other “Christmas Story” sequels over the years, including “My Summer Story” (1994) and “A Christmas Story 2” (2012), one of the most reviled sequels ever. This one boasts a stronger connection to the original: Much of the first film’s cast returns, including Peter Billingsley, who starred as the 9-year-old Ralphie, now almost 40 years older. But while there is a strained effort to pay tribute to a recognized classic — the story follows the aging Ralphie’s attempts to recreate his idyllic childhood Christmas for his own family, which entails a lot of nostalgic reminiscence and winking homages — the director, Clay Kaytis, fails to evoke its enduring magic. (Many of the gags are simply flat by comparison. Kid has his tongue stuck to a pole? Funny. Family snowball fight? Dull.) Mostly it made me want to watch the original, which, as always, remains well worth revisiting.

A Christmas Story Christmas Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes. Watch on HBO Max.

What Rotten Tomatoes Reviews Are Saying About A Christmas Story Christmas

If you have ever warned another person about playing around with a BB gun, tempted one to put their tongue on a frozen metal pole, or pronounced "fragile" like it is an Italian word, then you are probably familiar with "A Christmas Story." Released in 1983, "A Christmas Story" follows the young Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) as he tells a series of stories involving his family, Christmas, and a coveted item that he wants for the holiday — a Red Ryder BB gun. The movie has ingrained itself deeply in pop culture, and every year, several channels play the movie on repeat for the entire duration of Christmas.

Flash forward to contemporary times, and it looks like fans of the film are getting another helping of the classic in the form of "A Christmas Story Christmas." Bringing back several of the original actors from the 1983 film, this new movie shows off a now-adult Ralphie and his family, and Ralphie is given the task of making this Christmas a special holiday in memory of his late father. The trailer for "A Christmas Story Christmas" promises a fresh look at well-loved characters, and it will be interesting to see if this new film is able to recapture the magic of the first. Now that a popular review site is publishing the opinion of critics, here's a look at what they are saying about "A Christmas Story Christmas."

A Christmas Story Christmas is around 70% on Rotten Tomatoes

Adult Ralphie goes to the bar in A Christmas Story Christmas

So, what is the critical response to "A Christmas Story Christmas" looking like so far? At the time of this writing, the critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is hovering between 60 and 70%, which means that it has delighted some, and aggravated others. The Wrap's Alonso Duralde said of the film, "[It] won't ever stand up on its own in the holiday pantheon, but unlike 'A Summer Story' or the direct-to-video 'A Christmas Story 2,' it makes for a suitable decoration to hang off the original."

Owen Gleiberman of Variety feels like "A Christmas Story Christmas" is a gentle response to the first film, and explained that this new movie has a soft center that doesn't feel like eggnog spiked with a Long Island Ice Tea. Others also felt pretty good about "A Christmas Story Christmas," with Pop Culture Planet 's Kristen Maldonado saying, "While [it] starts a little slow, it snowballs (pun intended) successfully into the nostalgia and edginess of the original classic. You'll feel the warm fuzzies as they head back to Higbee's and honor 'the Old Man' — plus the original kid cast all return." Fred Topel of United Press International elaborated their thoughts by saying that Ralphie retreads many of the story beats from the original film, but there is a reasonable basis for that because families often have Christmas traditions that are never quite the same each year.

Not all critics were kind to A Christmas Story Christmas

Unfortunately, not all critics were kind to "A Christmas Story Christmas." Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth said of the film, "It's worth watching for fans, and some might even be able to convince themselves it's great, but to do so would be no better than watching (in the first film) the Old Man talk himself into believing the leg-lamp giveaway prize is exciting and valuable." Kate Erbland of IndieWire gave "A Christmas Story Christmas" a C+ in her review, and said that the movie isn't a sequel, but rather a replica, and even though it may bring some comfort and joy this holiday season, they ponder if one would rather just watch the original "A Christmas Story."

TV Guide 's Matthew Jacobs was also apprehensive about this new chapter of the "A Christmas Story" series, and stated, "Sure, it's just a harmless sequel, but 'A Christmas Story Christmas' might leave you feeling like the adult Ralphie did in 1983, peering into the snow globe of your memories to recall a more idealized time."

Between all of these reviews, both positive and negative, one can glean that "A Christmas Story Christmas" has plenty of nostalgia for long-time fans, but one shouldn't expect this sequel to reinvent the proverbial Christmas wheel. Still, for die-hard "A Christmas Story" aficionados, this movie may prove a suitable addition to their repertoire of holiday-based movies.

‘A Christmas Story Christmas’ Review: Peter Billingsley Is Now the Dad in a Mild and Toasty Sequel to ‘A Christmas Story’

With Ralphie grown up, it's like a gentler answer to the first film, and in some ways the better for it.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

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Ralph, an aspiring novelist, has taken a year off from the rat race to make it as a published author. He’s penned a sci-fi doorstop entitled “Neptune’s Oblivion” that’s been turned down by just about every publisher in his hometown of Chicago. But then he gets the word that the Old Man has died. To comfort his mother (Julie Hagerty), Ralph drives his family to Hohman, Indiana, to spend Christmas in the same mustard-yellow Cleveland Street home where “A Christmas Story” took place. And in this movie, of course, you can go home again. The holiday week will involve a handful of minor mishaps, a few broken bones, a touch of criminality, as well as several run-ins with key characters from “A Christmas Story,” all played by the actors who played them before.

The new movie, in its mild way, is less snarky and more sincere. The nostalgia here is more casual and homespun — it’s for dial phones and manual typewriters, for the early-’70s prices ($4 for a Christmas tree!), for the relative low-maintenance bar set for Christmas presents (Ralph, buying things like an Easy-Bake Oven and a Flexible Flyer, gets all his shopping done in under an hour at Higbee’s), and for the grandma who acts out her ruthless streak by using the (non)word “bajillion” in Scrabble. The premise of so many ’80s comedies, including “A Christmas Story,” was that men are children — a premise that began, after a while, to seem more like an ideology, a self-fulfilling desire. But in “A Christmas Story Christmas,” Billingsley’s Ralph, in his doleful way, is no buffoon. He’s trying to stage Christmas with joy and dignity, and he isn’t forced to navigate a “Jingle All the Way” world of cartoon capitalist corruption. The bullies are still there (descendants of the Bumpuses next door), but Ralph’s problems are more like how to fit the too-tall Christmas tree into his living room, or what to do after the presents get stolen out of the faulty trunk of his ’66 Plymouth.

There’s a funny bit about Christmas carolers (Hagerty: “They’re like ticks! Once they get to your door you can’t get rid of them”). And I liked the scene in which Ralph and Sandy have to explain to their kids to lower their expectations for Christmas, which carries a ping of reality in these insecure and inflationary times. Flick (Scott Schwartz), who now owns his father’s bar, which the film uses like Cheers, and Schwartz (R.D. Robb), a loser who can’t pay his bar tab, are back, taking swipes at each other, and so is Scut Farkus (Zack Ward), the wildcat bully who, tellingly, never appeared in Shepherd’s writing. This time, though, the film is actually about how Shepherd became a writer. It’s mostly made up, but we feel the spirit of it — that just like George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” he’s a man of grand “ideas” who discovers himself in the everyday. “A Christmas Story Christmas” is like “A Christmas Story” with a softer center, but at least it doesn’t leave you feeling like you’ve had a glass of eggnog spiked with Long Island Iced Tea.

Reviewed online, Nov. 14, 2022. MPA Rating: PG. Running time: 101 MIN.

Production: A Warner Bros., HBO Max release of a Legendary Pictures, Wild West Picture Show, Toberoff production. Producers: Irwin Zwilling, Marc Toberoff, Cale Boyter, Jay Ashenfelter, Peter Billingsley, Vince Vaughn. Executive producers: Mike Drake, Nick Schenk, Peter Dodd.
Crew: Director: Clay Kaytis. Screenplay: Nick Schenk, Clay Kaytis. Camera: Matthew Clark. Editor: David Walsh Heniz. Music: Jeff Morrow.
With: Peter Billingsley, Erinn Hayes, Julie Hagerty, River Drosche, Julianna Layne, Scott Schwartz, RD Robb, Davis Murphy, Zack Ward.

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Movie review: 'A Christmas Story Christmas' satisfies nostalgia, emotion

Ralphie (Peter Billingsley, R) is all grown up with his own son (River Drosche) and daughter (Julianna Layne). Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Entertainment

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- In 1983's A Christmas Story, a loving family was already old-fashioned in the era of dysfunction. A Christmas Story Christmas, premiering Thursday on HBO Max, retains that sense of familial love in the modern era, with a satisfying dose of nostalgia.

In the new film, it's 1973 and Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley) is now a father -- 30 years past the 1940s setting of the original film. The Parkers are planning to have Ralphie's parents over for Christmas, but Ralphie gets a tragic phone call. Advertisement

The cause of The Old Man's death, presumably from natural causes, was sudden enough that they had been expecting him in two days. Essentially, A Christmas Story Christmas handles actor Darren McGavin's death the same way Black Panther: Wakanda Forever handles Chadwick Boseman 's.

The Parkers return to Hohman, Ind., to spend Christmas with Ralphie's mother ( Julie Hagerty ). They're apparently celebrating Christmas before the funeral, but Ralphie has to write the obituary, which is a pressure recurring throughout the film. Advertisement

A Christmas Story Christmas still credits Jean Shepherd 's In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, the same story collection upon which A Christmas Story and other spin offs were based. The book did have Flick (Scott Schwartz) owning a bar in Hohman, so this sequel still retains some Shepherd elements.

Mostly, Ralphie plays the hits from A Christmas Story, but there is a reasonable basis for that. Families do have traditions they follow every year, and it's never quite the same each time.

So, in 1973, they revisit A Christmas Story traditions a little differently. At least the Higbee's department store Santa is nicer to Ralphie's kids.

The Parkers' neighbors, the Bumpuses, still have hounds, though 30 years later it must be a new litter. Ralphie finds some Easter eggs from his childhood in the attic.

This time, the triple dog dare is Flick's revenge on Schwartz (R.D. Robb) for the flagpole incident in A Christmas Story.

Ralphie still has fantasies that play out like old-time film sketches, just like when he imagined saving the day with his BB gun or going blind from soap poisoning. Western villain Black Bart (Nicolas Colicos) is still the subject of one of those. Advertisement

As an adult, Ralphie's schemes aren't quite as elaborate as when he was a child. He still makes up stories to get his brother Randy (Ian Petrella) home for Christmas.

A Christmas Story fans will also recognize the musical score. The emotional theme, the slapstick comedy cue and even the Big Bad Wolf theme recur in this one.

Not every single scene from A Christmas Story recurs. There's no Ovaltine anymore, and fortunately, there are no Chinese caricatures this Christmas.

And amid all the nostalgia, A Christmas Story Christmas delivers plenty of new stuff, too. The Parker family enjoys a snowball fight, and Flick's bar has an appropriately quaint running gag in which every time the phone rings, the patrons dread it and hope it's not for them.

A new disaster with the gifts threatens Christmas, and a trip to the ER is every parent's nightmare at any time of year. Drunks sledding is another new, and perhaps edgier, set piece.

There are some irreverently modern touches, like cutting off some Christmas songs that appear in every Christmas movie.

There is a bit of an unavoidable "Xerox of a Xerox" feeling when filmmakers try to recreate a style they did once before. Billingsley is a producer now and the writers did adapt Shepherd, but there are still many changes between films. Advertisement

For one, Hollywood doesn't shoot on film anymore, so the digital sequel just won't look the same, and they sometimes cut to clips of A Christmas Story in which you can see the difference. Director Bob Clark is gone, and it would be impossible to recreate a production from 39 years ago.

Whether reinterpreting classic set pieces or inventing new ones, the overall theme is that the Parkers love each other and want to give the kids a fun Christmas. The obligatory Christmas miracle is still undeniably emotional in the context of both films.

A Christmas Story Christmas is unlikely to be the classic perennial as its predecessor. But, when you just can't watch the 1983 film anymore after its 24-hour TBS marathon, this is a fine follow-up.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001 and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012. Read more of his work in Entertainment . Advertisement

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A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS

"a christmas nod to fathers everywhere".

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Language
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What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Lying, older bullies steal a younger boy’s scarf, Christmas presents are stolen when car trunk accidentally comes open, man and his mother avoid Christmas carolers because the carolers like to sing two or three songs not just one when you open the door, man breaks into his friend’s bar to take a Christmas decoration.

More Detail:

A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is a sequel to the 1983 Christmas classic A CHRISTMAS STORY and shows a now grown-up Ralphie who has to plan a wonderful Christmas for his family just like his old man used to do for him and his brother. Streaming on HBO Max, A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is a funny, heartfelt, well-acted sequel that honors fathers and grandfathers, as well as their better halves, but there are scenes set in a bar and some foul language, so caution is advised.

The movie opens at Christmastime in 1973 with Ralph Parker departing his home in Chicago and going to visit the one of only two publishers who haven’t turned down the new science fiction book he’s written. He and his wife, Sandy, have two children, Mark, and a younger daughter, Julie. Sandy has given Ralph one year to sell his first book, but the year is almost finished.

After returning from another disappointing publisher’s meeting, Ralph gets a call from his mother, who tells him that his father has suddenly passed away. The family piles into the rundown family car and drives straight to Hohman, Indiana, to the little house on Cleveland Street to be with Ralph’s mother.

As the family visits the grandmother, Ralph decides he wants to create the perfect Christmas for his family, to honor his father’s memory. The question is, Does he have what it takes to give his family a Christmas to remember?

Like its predecessor, A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS has a lot of funny comic setpieces in it. Though it’s not quite as hilarious or iconic, it adds a lot of heart to its story, more than what the earlier movie had. At the end, for example, it delivers a really strong yuletide nod to fathers and grandfathers everywhere. Peter Billingsley returns as the adult Ralphie. As the father, he again does a wonderful job. Erinn Hayes plays Ralph’s wife. The great Julie Hagerty plays Ralph’s mother. Ralph’s children are played by River Drosche and Julianna Layne. Finally, Scott Schwartz and R.D. Robb return as Ralphie’s childhood friends, Ian Petrella returns as his brother, and Zack Ward returns as Ralphie’s nemesis.

The movie’s nod to the father is very strong, and the two mothers are also honored. So, A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS has a very strong moral worldview that may remind viewers of one of the Ten Commandments, “Honor your father and your mother so that your days will increase in the land that the Lord your God gives to you,” in Exodus 20:12. The movie also has some positive but usually brief Christian references to the Christmas star, the Nativity, angels, and a few Christmas carols such as “Silent Night.”

However, some scenes take place in a friend’s bar where people are drinking beer and whiskey. A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS also has some foul language. So, MOVIEGUIDE® advises caution.

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"an almost christmas story," new animated holiday short directed by david lowery and produced by academy award-winning filmmaker alfonso cuarón, coming to disney+ this fall, voice cast includes jim gaffigan, john c. reilly and natasha lyonne .

The talented voice cast includes Cary Christopher as “Moon,” newcomer Estella Madrigal as “Luna,” Jim Gaffigan as “Papa Owl,” Mamoudou Athie as “Pelly,” Alex Ross Perry as “Dave The Dog,” Gianna Joseph as “Peaky,” Phil Rosenthal as “Punt,” with Natasha Lyonne as “Pat,” and John C. Reilly as “The Folk Singer” who performs four songs in the short, two of which are original songs.

“An Almost Christmas Story” is the third and final installment in Cuarón’s holiday shorts collection. His first short, “Le Pupille,” earned an Oscars nomination in 2022, and last year’s “The Shepherd” was shortlisted, both of which were live action.

Produced by Disney Branded Television and Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj, in association with Titmouse and Maere Studios, and with animation services by 88 Pictures, the celebrated creative team includes Lowery (director, screenplay and producer), Cuarón (producer and story), Gabriela Rodríguez (producer), Jack Thorne (story and screenplay), Nicholas Ashe Bateman (creative designer) and Daniel Hart (composer).

Also announced today: Disney+ launched its Blockbuster Offer where now through September 27, new and returning customers can stream the biggest movies and series of the fall with Disney+ Basic for only $1.99/month for three months. To learn more or sign-up visit www.disneyplus.com .

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Hashtag : #DisneyPlus, #AlmostChristmasStory

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ABOUT DISNEY BRANDED TELEVISION

Disney Branded Television encompasses the creative storytellers and production and content marketing teams responsible for Disney-branded television series, movies and other programming spanning live-action, animated and unscripted formats. The group fuels the Disney+ streaming platform and Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior linear networks with content geared toward kids, tweens, teens and families, with stories that are imaginative, aspirational and reflective of their world and experiences.

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Screen Rant

What could polar express 2 be about 10 theories for the animated christmas movie’s sequel.

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15 Hidden Details You Missed In The Polar Express

Beetlejuice beetlejuice ending: lydia's nightmare explained by writers, john boyega’s rebel ridge exit addressed by director: “i was willing to risk the movie”.

The Polar Express 2 could be a direct sequel to Hero Boy's story, set right after the first film.
The sequel could revisit Hero Boy as an adult, 20 years after the events of The Polar Express.
The possibility of the sequel focusing on completely different characters is also interesting.

If The Polar Express 2 does happen, there are multiple stories the sequel to the 2004 Christmas movie could tackle. Based on The Polar Express book by Chris Van Allsburg, the 2004 animated film directed by Robert Zemeckis brought the story of Hero Boy to the big screen with the help of a then-groundbreaking motion capture technique. Now, almost 20 years later, The Polar Express 2 is in development , with producer Gary Goetzman saying the project “is trying to be worked out.”

Whether Tom Hanks would return for The Polar Express 2 remains to be seen, but it is difficult to imagine a sequel without him. That said, The Polar Express 2 ’s story does not have to limit itself to the events of the first film, especially because there is not a sequel to the book for it to follow. From a grown-up Hero Boy to brand new characters, the possibilities are endless.

10 Polar Express 2 Can Be A Direct Sequel To Hero Boy’s Story

This would be set right after the first film.

Hero Boy looking up next to the train in The Polar Express

A simple prediction for The Polar Express 2 is that it would take place not too long after the events of the first movie, perhaps following a teenage version of Hero Boy. Granted, this would create a small inconsistency considering that the older version of Hero Boy, who narrates the first film, never mentions any second adventure he experienced after that night. Still, if The Polar Express 2 wants to recapture the tone and the visuals of the first installment, setting the sequel just a couple of years later could work .

9 Polar Express 2 Can Be About Hero Boy As An Adult

It has been 20 years since the polar express.

A direct sequel to The Polar Express might work, but a much better idea would be to revisit Hero Boy as an adult . Considering that the first film is told from the perspective of an already grown-up Hero Boy remembering the most magical night of his life, meeting this version of the character in a sequel would be incredible. Additionally, Tom Hank’s range as an actor and experience in voice roles mean he could easily play Hero Boy in his 20s or 30s. Finally getting to meet the “Hero Adult” would make The Polar Express 2 very exciting.

8 Polar Express 2 Can Follow A Completely Different Set Of Characters

The sequel could have nothing to do with hero boy and his friends.

Even though revisiting Hero Boy, especially as an adult, would be great, The Polar Express 2 could also go for a completely new set of characters. Part of what makes the movie so great is how Hero Boy becomes friends with several other characters he meets on the train, each of whom has their own story and reason to be there. Going back to Hero Girl or Billy the Lonely Boy would help the sequel in terms of adding a nostalgia element to it, but focusing on new characters could make it fresh and unique.

7 Polar Express 2 Can Be About Hero Boy’s Sister

Hero boy’s sister eventually stopped hearing the bell.

Hero Boy's parents watching him sleep in The Polar Express

Hero Boy had a younger sister in The Polar Express , who, like him, could hear the bell. However, The Polar Express ’ ending reveals that even his younger sister eventually stopped believing in Santa and could no longer hear the bell. This would be an interesting story to tell – the journey of someone who believed in magic until they had to grow up. The sequel could be about Hero Boy, who never stopped hearing the bell, helping his sister regain some of that childlike spirit that might have been lost amidst adult life’s challenges.

6 Polar Express 2 Can Center On Hero Girl

Not much is revealed about her in the first film.

Hero Girl smiling and a another child reading a book in The Polar Express

If The Polar Express 2 wants to focus on established characters from the first movie without making Hero Boy the protagonist again, it could center on Hero Girl instead. She was the co-lead in the first film, but not much is known about her life and what happened to her after that Christmas Eve. The animated movie sequel could either follow Hero Girl a couple of years after the original movie or revisit her as an adult. Hero Boy and the others could still be part of the story , but it would now be told from Hero Girl’s perspective.

5 Polar Express 2 Can Be A Prequel About The Train’s Origins

What is the polar express after all.

The Polar Express is the type of story where there should not be an answer to every question. Therefore, revealing the origins of the Polar Express, as well as what exactly the magic train was, may sound unnecessary at first. However, a prequel about the Polar Express that does not explain how it train works but simply tells a story about its first journey could make for an incredible film . It could be set in any year or location, and characters like the Hobo and the Conductor would easily fit into the story.

4 Polar Express 2 Can Take Place Entirely On The North Pole

Was the polar express' santa real.

Whether The Polar Express ’ Santa Claus is real or just a physical manifestation of a child’s sense of wonder is open for debate. Regardless, The Polar Express 2 could tell a story set entirely on the North Pole, either focused on Santa and his team or original characters. Rather than a journey to get to the North Pole, the sequel could be about children or even adults who are already there during Christmas. Santa does not even need to be a main character and could work as just a presence, similar to the first movie.

3 Polar Express 2 Can Be About The Hobo

What happened to the hobo.

The Hobo is arguably The Polar Express ’ most intriguing character. Although a deleted scene Polar Express scene suggested that the Hobo is the spirit of someone who died on the train after hitting the Flap Top Tunnel , this might not be entirely true. The engineers may have been just trying to scare Hero Boy, after all. Either way, a story of how the Hobo first boarded the train and what happened to him afterward sounds quite promising. Still, keeping the character’s origins a mystery may be better, although the Hobo could easily be part of a sequel.

Custom image of Hero Boy, The Conductor and the train in The Polar Express

The Polar Express is one of those Christmas movies we can't help but love. Let's take a trip with Tom hanks and check out the details you missed.

2 Polar Express 2 Could Be The Conductor’s Origin Story

There are many theories about the conductor’s identity.

Tom Hanks next to the animated Conductor character in The Polar Express.

Tom Hanks played multiple characters in The Polar Express , but he is perhaps most commonly associated with the Conductor. There are dozens of theories about who – or what – the Conductor is, from a future version of Hero Boy to Santa Claus himself. Even though it may be better to keep the Conductor’s origins a mystery , it cannot be denied that he is a very fascinating character who could sustain his own movie. Even if the Conductor is more of a spirit or symbol than a character, it could still work.

1 Polar Express 2 Could Be About Hero Boys’ Children

Would they believe in it too.

The Hero Boy looking up at the ending of The Polar Express

A great way for The Polar Express 2 to revisit Hero Boy would be to focus on his children. If Hero Boy ever became a parent, the sequel could be about how his kids would perceive the Holidays and the magic of Santa Claus. It would be even more interesting if Hero Boy eventually stopped hearing the bell too, with the sequel being about his children helping him believe in the magic of Christmas again.

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Porchfest, Chelsea Handler, ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ and more to do this weekend

Plus, two options for takeout chicken wings to pair with Sunday's Patriots game.

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Chelsea Handler at the 29th Annual Critics Choice Awards in Santa Monica, California on Jan. 14, 2024. Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock.com

Can you even handle how much is going on this weekend?

For one, there’s the Chelsea Handler show at Merrill Auditorium on Friday. There’s also the HenryFest music festival in North Yarmouth on Sunday, the Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival in Wells on Saturday and Sunday and the Portland Maine Comedy Festival all weekend long.

What? That’s not enough? Then head to see Pigeons Playing Ping Pong at Thompson’s Point on Sunday. We’ve got the skinny on all of these things , so hop to it.

Chelsea Handler, HenryFest, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and more comedy

Musician Jon King who performs and records under the name King Kyote.

There’s a ton of other live music options to choose from this weekend .

The final show at Sun Tiki Studios in Portland is on Friday, featuring Vapors of Morphine with local opener Sparxsea.

Then there’s a pair of pretty epic festivals to choose from. Advertisement

On Saturday, WMPG presents McGoldROCKS Music Festival with Plague Dad, Vices Inc., Euphemia, Bondeko and Spose. The music happens on the University of Southern Maine campus in Portland.

Also on Saturday is the Big Falls Music & Cider Fest in New Gloucester, featuring Hayley Jane, King Kyote and Love By Numb3rs, among other acts.

Sun Tiki Studios holds its last show, plus 2 festivals happening Saturday

Drumstick with fire sauce from Leonardo’s in Portland. Photo by Leslie Bridgers

Fans of the New England Patriots, rejoice! The first game of the season is Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Cincinnati Bengals. One of the best parts of watching a Pats game at home is the ability to eat whatever you want, including the qunitessential football snack: chicken wings. Two tasty choices of wings are available at Smoked and Leonardo’s, both on Forest Avenue in Portland, and both open well before kick-off to make your takeout dreams come true.

For football season, 2 choices for takeout chicken wings on Forest Avenue

Bob Carroll hosts a band or two in his driveway on Bedell Street during Deering Center’s annual Porchfest. Photo courtesy of Bob Carroll

Porchfest is an annual event in Portland’s Deering Center neighborhood that features several residences hosting local music performances on porches and in driveways and yards. The music starts at 12:15 p.m. Sunday. Check out our interview with Bob Carroll, one of the Porchfest hosts.

What to expect at Porchfest, from a longtime host of the Deering Center event

Latrice Royale plays the man-eating plant in “Little Shop of Horrors” at Ogunquit Playhouse, through Sept. 21. Photo by Jeremy Daniel

It might technically still be summer, but fall theater season is upon us, and we’ve got the lowdown on several upcoming productions, including Portland Players’ “Legally Blonde: The Musical.” For instant theater gratification, see “Little Shop of Horrors” now through Sept. 21 at Ogunquit Playhouse.

Two different takes on ‘Dracula’ and a dozen other plays you can see this fall

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IMAGES

REVIEW
Movie review: 'A Christmas Story Christmas' satisfies nostalgia
A Christmas Story Movie Review and Ratings by Kids
A Christmas Story
Movie Review: A Christmas Story Christmas
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A Christmas Story movie review (1983)
"A Christmas Story" was released in the Christmas season of 1983, and did modest business at first (people don't often go to movies with specific holiday themes). It got warm reviews and two Genie Awards (the Canadian Oscars) for Bob Clark's direction and for the screenplay.
A Christmas Story Movie Review
A CHRISTMAS STORY is about Ralphie ( Peter Billingsley ), a 9-year-old boy in 1940s Indiana whose entire life is consumed with his one wish: to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. He also has to deal with a seemingly endless wait for his Little Orphan Annie decoder ring, a boy who's bullying him, and an overworked department-store Santa.
A Christmas Story movie review (1983)
Comedy. 94 minutes ‧ PG ‧ 1983. Roger Ebert. December 15, 1983. 2 min read. Of course. That's what I kept saying during "A Christmas Story," every time the movie came up with another one of its memories about growing up in the 1940s. Of course, any nine-year-old kid in the '40s would passionately want, for Christmas, a Daisy Brand ...
A Christmas Story
Rated: 2.5/4 • May 12, 2023. TOP CRITIC. It's a nostalgic comedy featuring a family of eccentrics who lovingly celebrate the holidays and life itself in Midwestern America in the 1940s. Nov 30 ...
'A Christmas Story' (1983) Review
Others just weren't particularly holiday-focused. We dug up 10 of those reviews from our archives, which we've rounded up here, along with info on where to stream them. Below is how the critic ...
A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story: Directed by Bob Clark. With Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Scott Schwartz, Jean Shepherd. In the 1940s, a young boy named Ralphie Parker attempts to convince his parents, teacher, and Santa Claus that a Red Ryder Range 200 Shot BB gun really is the perfect Christmas gift.
A Christmas Story (1983)
10/10. a contemporary classic. postmanwhoalwaysringstwice 21 December 2006. Bob Clark, the director behind the collegiate slasher flick "Black Christmas" and the naughty sex comedy "Porky's" surprisingly went on to hold the reins of the charming, innocent, nostalgic holiday romp "A Christmas Story" in 1983.
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story is a 1983 Christmas comedy film directed by Bob Clark and based on Jean Shepherd's semi-fictional anecdotes ... based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [52] In his movie guide, Leonard Maltin awarded the film a four-star rating, calling the film "delightful" and "truly funny for kids and grown-ups alike ...
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story - Metacritic. 1983. PG. American Broadcasting Company (ABC) 1 h 34 m. Summary This delightfully funny holiday gem tells the story of Ralphie Parker a 1940's nine-year-old who pulls out all the stops to obtain the ultimate Christmas present. (Warner Bros.) Comedy. Family.
A Christmas Story (1983)
A Christmas Story (1983) A- SDG Original source: National Catholic Register Based on the childhood memoirs of radio humorist Jean Shepherd about growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s, A Christmas Story is as heartwarming and nostalgic as its title suggests. Like many Christmas-themed movies, it offers no insight into the true meaning of Christmas, but it brims with insight into the human ...
A Christmas Story Christmas Review: The Holiday Classic's Magic ...
Thankfully, "A Christmas Story Christmas" keeps the spirit of casual cynicism and irresistible charm alive as it flashes forward to 1973 (and ignores "A Christmas Story 2"). This time, Ralphie is ...
'A Christmas Story Christmas' Review
Screenwriter s: Nick Schenk, Clay Kaytis. Rated PG, 1 hour 38 minutes. But he receives sad news from his mom (Julie Hagerty, charmingly replacing the original film's Melinda Dillon, now retired ...
Christmas Story, A
A movie review by James Berardinelli. A Christmas Story has something no other holiday film - new or old, comedic or serious - can boast: perfect nostalgia. That quality fuels this modern-day classic and has made it one of the season's most beloved motion pictures. One of the Turner cable stations annually runs the movie non-stop for 24 hours ...
A Christmas Story (1983) Movie Reviews
A Christmas Story (1983) Fan Reviews and Ratings Powered by Rotten Tomatoes Rate Movie. Close Popcornmeter The percentage of users who made a verified movie ticket purchase and rated this 3.5 stars or higher. Learn more. Review Submitted. GOT IT. Offers SEE ALL OFFERS. APPLE PAY WEDNESDAY image link ...
A Christmas Story Christmas Movie Review
Our review: Parents say (8 ): Kids say (5 ): This film knows its audience, which will likely be comprised of the beloved 1983 original 's nostalgic fans. A Christmas Story Christmas caters to them with flashbacks, updated storylines and characters, and an ending that comes full circle back to the original.
'A Christmas Story Christmas' Review: Nostalgia Is Fragile
Directed by Clay Kaytis. Comedy, Family. PG. 1h 38m. Find Tickets. When you purchase a ticket for an independently reviewed film through our site, we earn an affiliate commission. "A Christmas ...
What Rotten Tomatoes Reviews Are Saying About A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story Christmas is around 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Warner Bros. Pictures/YouTube. So, what is the critical response to "A Christmas Story Christmas" looking like so far? At the time of ...
'A Christmas Story Christmas' Review: Peter Billingsley Is ...
The image of Billingsley from "A Christmas Story" — goggle-ish glasses, beaming gopher grin — became, in its way, as iconic a movie signifier of raucous kiddie-culture spirits as Macaulay ...
A Christmas Story
A Christmas Story 1983, PG, 98 min. Directed by Bob Clark. Starring Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, Tedde Moore ...
A Christmas Story Christmas
Peter Billingsley returns to the role of Ralphie Parker nearly 40 years after the original A Christmas Story as he and his family return home after the passi...
Movie review: 'A Christmas Story Christmas' satisfies nostalgia ...
A Christmas Story Christmas, premiering Thursday on HBO Max, retains that sense of familial love in the modern era, with a satisfying dose of nostalgia. In the new film, it's 1973 and Ralphie ...
A Christmas Story Christmas
A Christmas Story Christmas - Metacritic. Summary The sequel to the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story follows Ralphie, now an adult, who returns to the house on Cleveland street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his father. Comedy. Family.
A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS
A CHRISTMAS STORY CHRISTMAS is a funny, heartfelt sequel that honors fathers and grandfathers in wonderful ways. Peter Billingsley returns as the adult Ralphie and does another great job. The movie has some positive, but usually brief, Christian references, including references to the Christmas star and the "Silent Night" of the Nativity.
Transformers One (2024)
Transformers One: Directed by Josh Cooley. With Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key. The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
"An Almost Christmas Story," New Animated Holiday Short Directed By
Disney Branded Television announced a new animated short-film for Disney+, "An Almost Christmas Story," directed by David Lowery and produced by five-time Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón, that will premiere this fall. "An Almost Christmas Story" follows Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined for Rockefeller Plaza.
What Could Polar Express 2 Be About? 10 Theories For The Animated
If The Polar Express 2 does happen, there are multiple stories the sequel to the 2004 Christmas movie could tackle. Based on The Polar Express book by Chris Van Allsburg, the 2004 animated film directed by Robert Zemeckis brought the story of Hero Boy to the big screen with the help of a then-groundbreaking motion capture technique.Now, almost 20 years later, The Polar Express 2 is in ...
Porchfest, Chelsea Handler, 'Little Shop of Horrors' and more to do
Fans of the New England Patriots, rejoice! The first game of the season is Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Cincinnati Bengals. One of the best parts of watching a Pats game at home is the ability to ...

A Christmas Story

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