Some holiday movies are must see annual classics; others to be avoided like lumps of coal. Some haven't yet made a place on the "naughty" or "nice" list. Many are mawkish and sentimental - but some of us prefer at least a dose of wackiness.
The Chevy Chase classic is the benchmark against which all wacky holiday movies are measured. In his quest to be among "the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse" and create the "Hap-hap-happiest Christmas ever", Clark Griswold is thwarted at every turn by squirrels in the Christmas tree, exploding sewers and more.
Think "Cheech and Chong" meet Santa Claus and you've got the premise for this outrageous new classic. Definitely will generate viewer outrage among the "politically correct" set. Older and wiser Harold meets up with the not so much so Kumar as the pair re-team to replace a perfect Christmas tree before relatives return from midnight Mass. Bonus: liberal use of mostly gross 3D effects.
It makes virtually every list of worst movies ever made. Still, there's a cheesy, campy charm to what was essentially designed to be an extended commercial for a certain major toy manufacturer. Look for the then 10 year old Pia Zadora as one of the children who battle the anti-Christmas Martians.
Plays it the straightest of the bunch, including a neat back story of how Santa Claus got his start. The wacky comes in with John Lithgow's over-the-top performance as a ruthless toy company executive bent on beating Santa at his game with the assistance of a disgruntled elf, played by Dudley Moore.
To say the feature film version doesn't measure up to the original 1/2 hour TV special is an understatement. Just too much unnecessary back story to extend this overstuffed turkey to feature film length. Even Jim Carrey's comedic talents wore thin. But great costumes and sets and with a few watchable moments.
I agree; although The Grinch is my favorite Christmas movie of all. H5
National Lampoon's Christmas is my absolute favorite of those you listed. I think Randy Quaid deserved a Golden Globe for his performance as the hillbilly relative from hell. And the electrocuted cat? Hilarious.
select one here...