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Most Overrated Christmas Films


Mr_Danger

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On 12/7/2022 at 10:17 AM, Chris B said:

I've got a fondness for a few Christmas movies but, outside of horror, there aren't many good ones that are specifically Christmas movies - most are just versions of A Christmas Carol. 

One brand new one that's deeply okay is Violent Night, in cinemas now. Great concept (Bad Santa meets Die Hard) and David Harbour knows exactly what he's doing in the lead (and a few people seem to have enjoyed him saying 'Naughty' before killing someone with a sledgehammer), but everything else in the film is crap. The main family in it could have worked if they were funny, but it's paint-by-numbers. It's also unsure if it wants to be more Die Hard or a horror version of Home Alone. Some of the gore is a bit over-the-top for the film that it is - it's just missing the tone it's aiming for.

That said... I enjoyed it. Harbour is having a blast and that's pretty infectious. But it's going to be treated as a cult classic that it doesn't deserve to be. I reckon there'll be a much better sequel along in a year or two, with a bigger budget.

I thought it was self deprecating; it knew it was a pastiche of Die Hard and Home Alone, but it didn’t care and it worked really well in places. There were several laugh out loud funny bits and, due to being an emotional sponge pudding, I had tears in my eyes in a few places. My main gripe with the plot was that

Spoiler

apparently nobody has mobile phones? Was the film set in 1993? 

And yeah David Harbour was expectedly great. Not film of the year or anything but I enjoyed it more than Amsterdam. 

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As others have said, I also enjoyed Violent Night. Just an easy 90 minute watch, nothing spectacular but some funny moments and overall entertaining.

I felt although the plot and character roles were different it had some similarities to Santa's Slay with Bret Hart's favourite actor Mr William Goldberg. 

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I love Christmas but was speaking to the missus about Christmas movies that I actually like. There's not much, I watch Muppets Christmas Carol every year, it's probably my favourite. Don't like Home Alone because I feel sorry for the bad guys. Don't particularly like Elf because I don't like Will Ferrell. Not seen National Lampoon. I put A Christmas Story on the other day and fell asleep.

I like A Christmas Carol from the 50s (maybe 60s). Not a movie but I watch the Quantum Leap Christmas special every year, it's great too.

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Elf is fucking terrible, for obvious reasons. 

As far as Christmas movies that are not at all overrated from my eyes, It's A Wonderful Life, Gremlins and Home Alone. Then the "Great movies all times of year, made better by watching at Christmas" you have Die Hard and Lethal Weapon. 

The rest, I can pretty much ignore that they ever existed.

 

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2 hours ago, LEGIT said:

I like A Christmas Carol from the 50s (maybe 60s).

There's the 1951 black & white version with Alastair simm if you mean that one and the 1970 singing and dancing version with Albert finney, both get put on TV every year. 

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3 hours ago, LEGIT said:

 I put A Christmas Story on the other day and fell asleep.

I first watched it about twenty years ago with my then girlfriend and we both thought it was gash, then I watched it with my by now wife and we loved it, not sure if having kids makes up more enjoyable but we watch it every year now "You'll shoot your eye out!" Is said frequently round the Wiseau household

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1 hour ago, Tommy! said:

There's the 1951 black & white version with Alastair simm if you mean that one and the 1970 singing and dancing version with Albert finney, both get put on TV every year. 

I got confused but I've seen/like them both. I prefer the singing and dancing one though.

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8 hours ago, LEGIT said:

 Don't like Home Alone because I feel sorry for the bad guys.

I love Home Alone (and number 2) but watching it last night I was sat there thinking, "This massive house that's full of mega-rich upper-class bellends and spoiled brats, and they all despise each other and are constantly ridiculing a nine year old, and they still got duped by a cheap police costume that didn't even spell fucking 'police' properly on the fucking hat, and I'm meant to be rooting for THEM and hoping that all their shit ISN'T stolen?!".

I was quickly won over again though because it's fucking Home Alone and the soundtrack alone is enough for it to get by.

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Home Alone 1 and 2 are quintessential Christmas viewing for our family, but I'm still irrationally annoyed by Kevin's dad complaining about the room service bill at the end of 2. You're clearly loaded, have a hotel suite full of free presents and have now lost your son, twice. Pay the damn bill Peter.

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2 minutes ago, GlennCullen said:

Home Alone 1 and 2 are quintessential Christmas viewing for our family, but I'm still irrationally annoyed by Kevin's dad complaining about the room service bill at the end of 2. You're clearly loaded, have a hotel suite full of free presents and have now lost your son, twice. Pay the damn bill Peter.

Just cos you’re clearly loaded doesn’t have to mean you’re happy being charged $40 for a pizza and $15 for a 500ml bottle of Coke. 
 

The question with both of those films is why doesn’t he just call the police?

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Home Alone is one of those I've really grown with. From the joy of Kevin and his escapades to now tearing up at his reunion with his mum and the old man stuff too. Gets me every year.

A Christmas Story is one I've never really felt anything for despite someone at work always telling me it was the best one ever. Don't quite know why but it just misses for me.

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18 minutes ago, Hannibal Scorch said:

Just cos you’re clearly loaded doesn’t have to mean you’re happy being charged $40 for a pizza and $15 for a 500ml bottle of Coke. 
 

The question with both of those films is why doesn’t he just call the police?

With the first film it’s because he’s chuffed to be left alone and it’s not until he’s trapped in his house by burglars would he consider it, but the phones in his house are out.

In the second I imagine it’s because he’s on the run for credit card fraud, and also he does alert the police at the end when he lures them to the park.

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9 minutes ago, FelatioLips said:

With the first film it’s because he’s chuffed to be left alone and it’s not until he’s trapped in his house by burglars would he consider it, but the phones in his house are out.

He also thinks he's wanted by the police after stealing a toothbrush

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1 hour ago, GlennCullen said:

Home Alone 1 and 2 are quintessential Christmas viewing for our family, but I'm still irrationally annoyed by Kevin's dad complaining about the room service bill at the end of 2. You're clearly loaded, have a hotel suite full of free presents and have now lost your son, twice. Pay the damn bill Peter.

Nevermind that shit, Marv takes a brick to the face from 3 stories multiple times. Even after one, he’s on that street a twitching husk of what used to be a human being at best

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39 minutes ago, WyattSheepMask said:

Nevermind that shit, Marv takes a brick to the face from 3 stories multiple times. Even after one, he’s on that street a twitching husk of what used to be a human being at best

That’s after being briefly turned into a living skeleton in the first one 

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