How could they go on for an hour and twenty minutes about Christmas Vacation, and absolutely NO mention of Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis?! Just an absolute disservice.
Batman Returns, Lethal Weapon, Eyes Wide Shut, Trading Places, Gremlins, Money Train, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Friday After Next, In Bruges, Why Him, Iron Man 3, The Family Man. All Christmas Movies!!!!
Yep. Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Ref and Bad Santa always make my Christmas movie watch list --- Oh...plus The Ice Harvest. Critics hated it, but I rather like it (big Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt fan)
My son (3-1/2 at the time) made me replay the turkey scene over and over. Even he recognized the comedy in the modern day. Christmas Vacation is a forever classic. Every beat is solid.
**If Christmas (as a plot devise) is removed from the film, does the inciting incident/conflict/action, around which the story revolves, still occur?** That is how you determine if X movie is indeed a Christmas movie. If not for the Nakatomi Corp. Christmas party, John McCain is fighting crime in the streets of NY. If you were to remove all-things Christmas related, the film would no longer work. As such, Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie.
What with the "BTTFIII" disrespect? It's a warm, wonderful conclusion to the greatest trilogy. "LOTR" arguably stopped being a trilogy when Peter Jackson made it a six-part series.
I've been making a ritual on Christmas Eve and Day to play the top christmas movies, and I've never seen A Wonderful Life all the way through, so its now in the rotation. Streaming has a big advantage there.
Jason Sudeikis is a pretty good “everything’s going to shits, trying to save it all” actor, I think. Just for a more modern example of a Chevy chase comp.
THE most rewatchable movies of my childhood watching HBO in the 80s: Ferris, Goonies, Rocky IV, Delta Force, Back to the Future, Revenge of the Nerds, WIldcats, Karate Kid, Empire, Jedi, Doc Hollywood, My Girl, Better Off Dad, Breakfast Club, Mask, Strange Brew, Bad News Bears Back in Training, The Toy, Midnight Madness, and the action documentary The Legend of Billie Jean. Let's keep "The Feed" turning 'em out. Shout out to Dream On, First and Ten, Tales from the Crypt, and even Herman's Head. Halcyon times.
I was a little kid when Home Alone came out, so i have a soft spot for it. As i got older, i lean more toward Christmas Vacation and maybe even The Ref
There is another chapter in the Griswolds Vacation lore which I highly recommend. It is an original story and a musical to boot ~ The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation. The family goes to NYC to see the hottest show on Broadway but Clark falls victim to a fake ticket scam. Ellen gets a great story as well ~ the most popular Times Square character is obsessed with her and leads an entire army of Times Square characters to win her heart. The show had a World Premiere in Seattle in 2022 with the hope of moving to Broadway. Great songs, funny script and more heart than you would expect from the Vacation-verse. Still waiting for the show to make it to Broadway...
Griswolds was close to having a Simpsons live action. Any weekend update anchor could play Clark and recast the kids everytime and you could keep making Vacation movies.
1. Clark's boss is played by Brian-Doyle-Murry (Bill Murry's brother) calls him greaseball and various names before he get's it right at the end. 2. GOOF: The lights outside the attic window don't match the pattern with the rest of the house. 3. My favorite part is when Ellen pulls the chain on the trap door. 🤣🤣 4. Mae Questel played Aunt Bethany. She was the original Betty Boop and Olive Oyl, This was her last gig.😇 5. In the big rant scene the other actors had Chevy's lines written on placards so he wouldn't get his lines out of order. 6. Living next door to them must be kind of like living next door to the Bundys. 7. Fun fact; Chase actually hurt his hand karate chopping the reindeer. 8. Clark's boss is Brian-Doyle-Murphy (Bill Murry's brother) calls him greaseball when he drops off his gift.🤣 He doesn't get his name right until the end. 9. Ellen is played by Beverly DeAngelo. She also played in "Every Which way but Loose" with Clint Eastwood and in "Hair". EWWBL would be a great first-time share but "Hair" would give you copywrite issues. Finally, she has a couple of kids with Al Pacino. I like her better than the sales girl.😍😋🥰 10. This IS my Christmas movie every year 11. Fun fact: This is the only Vacation where Audrey is older than Rusty. 12. Clark is going to need that 20% bonus to repair the house.🥺 13. My picks in order: Christmas, Vacation, European and finally Last Wages
Putting the uprooted Christmas tree mystery to rest here... It was a deleted scene Clark goes to a gentleman sitting in a lawn chair next to a sign that says bring your own chainsaw or something like that of course clock didn't bring the chainsaw so he rents him a shovel and he has to dig it out himself... There's actually a still photograph of the scene
21:13 there's no argument Bill. One guy won every final and 2 3peats, never taken to a game 7 in a finals series. The other is a hack that's jumped around stacking teams and still have lost finals and even been swept!
I always love the 'Die Hard' Christmas movie debate, for all those that dont class it as one yet hold up 'Its a Wonderful Life' as the greatest Christmas movie of all time. First of all I fucking love both movies but aside from the opening and very end 'Its a Wonderful Life' is not a Christmas movie aside from those bookends whereas Die Hard does take place on Christmas Eve, ends with a classic Christmas song...Any thoughts?
This is possibly the most quotable movie of all time. (or Gif-able/Meme-able nowadays). Just about every single line is something you could put on a t-shirt and people would instantly know the reference. Think about it. Needless to say one of my favorite movies of all time.
My favorite Christmas movie by far- the ending was too over the top with the police etc, . When will there be a re-listenable? Review past albums? I'm available if you need a host Bill ??
My top 10 Xmas movies: 10. Home Alone 2 9. Carol 8. The Holdovers 7. Rudolf (claymation version) 6. Home Alone 5. Die Hard 4. Bad Santa 3. Eyes Wide Shut (yeah, it's a Xmas movie. It's Kubrick's version of Its A Wonderful Life) 2. A Christmas Story 1. Christmas Vacation (the DEF of rewatchable) PS oh yeah, Elf is garbage
Toy story 3 , Rocky 3, Indian Jones and the Last Crusade , And you can kinda count the good, the bad , and the ugly are all better than Christmas vacation has trilogy movies.
It's great because it's not just jokes - it's really about something, a dad screwing up because he really wants to do something great for his family. And then, of course, all old/black and white movies are "shit" - the usual incisive Bill Simmons "nothing existed before 1975" analysis.
That's not true. Bill is a Celtics fan. If nothing before 1975 existed, then the Celtics would only have like 5 rings. Then they would be even further behind the lakers than they actually are...
If you’re looking for a review of Christmas Vacation you’ll be disappointed. If you’re looking for an example of how microaggressions work you’ll be satisfied.
Not sure if this is a hot take but 4 people on this pod is too many. It's kind've ironic because Simmons always rails about how sports studio shows and game telecasts have too many people. Then he makes the same mistake here.
How could they go on for an hour and twenty minutes about Christmas Vacation, and absolutely NO mention of Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis?! Just an absolute disservice.
This movie is one of the all time greats. I can't even guess how many times I've seen it.
1:10:29 Reminds me of Patrice O'Neal's bit on O&A where Jurassic Park on the SyFy network would be "Dinosaur Forrest"
Batman Returns, Lethal Weapon, Eyes Wide Shut, Trading Places, Gremlins, Money Train, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Friday After Next, In Bruges, Why Him, Iron Man 3, The Family Man. All Christmas Movies!!!!
Some people forget Lethal Weapon is a deep Christmas movie too. Nice list.
Yep. Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Ref and Bad Santa always make my Christmas movie watch list ---
Oh...plus The Ice Harvest. Critics hated it, but I rather like it (big Billy Bob Thornton and Oliver Platt fan)
Eyes Wide Shut the best xmas movie 😃
With an emphasis on the “X” 😂
reach lol
Beautifully shot movie
Fidelio
Solstice movie haha
I still gotta give the edge to OG Vacation due to the talent involved: Harold Ramis, John Candy Eugene Levy & Anthony Michael Hall.
Literally not one mention of Aunt Bethany and Uncle Lewis?! I've never been more disappointed in you guys.
This is my go to for laughs at Christmas time. Chevy is at his all-time best in his exasperation in this and Randy Quaid is perfectly used here.
The old guy frying the Christmas tree kills me everytime after the cat exploding under the sofa just sends me.
My favorite Christmas movie of all time. Loved this as a kid.
The best lines:
"Shitter's full!"
"Honey, have you checked our shitters?"
@Scotter4536 Word. Also: "You can't see the line, can you Russ?"
My son (3-1/2 at the time) made me replay the turkey scene over and over. Even he recognized the comedy in the modern day. Christmas Vacation is a forever classic. Every beat is solid.
This is my favorite Christmas movie so I've been waiting for this episode for a while now haha.
I love how they all four dog on Roger for giving it 2/4 stars, but no one mentions Sean just gave it 3/5 on Letterboxd
Wayne Jenkins 1:14:19
Christmas vacation, Home Alone, Die Hard and Fast times at Ridgemont High (it's a Christmas movie to me)
Elite “I’m gambling again” reference by Sean
Great movie. Nice to hear the original Black Christmas getting a nod. Shout out to the 1978 Christmas heist thriller The Silent Partner.
7:27 - Sorry guys. Best Defence was not Chevy Chase but rather Dudley Moore.
**If Christmas (as a plot devise) is removed from the film, does the inciting incident/conflict/action, around which the story revolves, still occur?**
That is how you determine if X movie is indeed a Christmas movie.
If not for the Nakatomi Corp. Christmas party, John McCain is fighting crime in the streets of NY.
If you were to remove all-things Christmas related, the film would no longer work.
As such, Die Hard is absolutely a Christmas movie.
Middle class people who somehow live in giant houses.
What with the "BTTFIII" disrespect? It's a warm, wonderful conclusion to the greatest trilogy. "LOTR" arguably stopped being a trilogy when Peter Jackson made it a six-part series.
I've been making a ritual on Christmas Eve and Day to play the top christmas movies, and I've never seen A Wonderful Life all the way through, so its now in the rotation. Streaming has a big advantage there.
As far as some form of prat fall comedy, Ryan Gosling did it well in The Nice Guys.
CR Speak No Evil theory is genius
Here's your Wayne Jenkins button
1:14:06
Lord's work etc..
GOD DAMN
Give Chris Ryan a blank check and let him put whatever amount he wants on it
Jason Sudeikis is a pretty good “everything’s going to shits, trying to save it all” actor, I think. Just for a more modern example of a Chevy chase comp.
agreed --- and he's also an everyman
THE most rewatchable movies of my childhood watching HBO in the 80s: Ferris, Goonies, Rocky IV, Delta Force, Back to the Future, Revenge of the Nerds, WIldcats, Karate Kid, Empire, Jedi, Doc Hollywood, My Girl, Better Off Dad, Breakfast Club, Mask, Strange Brew, Bad News Bears Back in Training, The Toy, Midnight Madness, and the action documentary The Legend of Billie Jean. Let's keep "The Feed" turning 'em out. Shout out to Dream On, First and Ten, Tales from the Crypt, and even Herman's Head. Halcyon times.
Steve Carell runs into doors pretty good. His Get Smart reboot was an excellent and underrated homage to the OG.
Seems Like Old Times is good.
If you do that one, you must also do Foul Play.
I was a little kid when Home Alone came out, so i have a soft spot for it. As i got older, i lean more toward Christmas Vacation and maybe even The Ref
Goddamn, The Ref. That’s a good one.
2nd Christmas is a banger of an idea - well done, CR.
Love this…but, fellas, 53+ minutes b4 1983’s “A Christmas Story” gets a legit XMAS comedy mention?!
This movie, Scrooged, and The Ref are my faves.
There is another chapter in the Griswolds Vacation lore which I highly recommend. It is an original story and a musical to boot ~ The Griswolds' Broadway Vacation. The family goes to NYC to see the hottest show on Broadway but Clark falls victim to a fake ticket scam. Ellen gets a great story as well ~ the most popular Times Square character is obsessed with her and leads an entire army of Times Square characters to win her heart. The show had a World Premiere in Seattle in 2022 with the hope of moving to Broadway. Great songs, funny script and more heart than you would expect from the Vacation-verse. Still waiting for the show to make it to Broadway...
What's hurt 'It's a Wonderful Life' is NBC Universal buying the rights and airing it only like twice on regular tv.
Still arguing over what's an "Apex Mountain" after all these years (34:14). IFYKYK.
John Cleese was a great "things not going right" comic actor.
Shop Around the Corner is one of the greatest Christmas movies.
Xmas is 100% not about the crucifixion sean lol
Griswolds was close to having a Simpsons live action. Any weekend update anchor could play Clark and recast the kids everytime and you could keep making Vacation movies.
One up for Die Hard as a Xmas movie.
1. Clark's boss is played by Brian-Doyle-Murry (Bill Murry's brother) calls him greaseball and various names before he get's it right at the end.
2. GOOF: The lights outside the attic window don't match the pattern with the rest of the house.
3. My favorite part is when Ellen pulls the chain on the trap door. 🤣🤣
4. Mae Questel played Aunt Bethany. She was the original Betty Boop and Olive Oyl, This was her last gig.😇
5. In the big rant scene the other actors had Chevy's lines written on placards so he
wouldn't get his lines out of order.
6. Living next door to them must be kind of like living next door to the Bundys.
7. Fun fact; Chase actually hurt his hand karate chopping the reindeer.
8. Clark's boss is Brian-Doyle-Murphy (Bill Murry's brother) calls him greaseball when he drops off his gift.🤣 He doesn't get his name right until the end.
9. Ellen is played by Beverly DeAngelo. She also played in "Every Which way but Loose" with Clint Eastwood and in "Hair". EWWBL would be a great first-time share but "Hair" would give you copywrite issues. Finally, she has a couple of kids with Al Pacino. I like her better than the sales girl.😍😋🥰
10. This IS my Christmas movie every year
11. Fun fact: This is the only Vacation where Audrey is older than Rusty.
12. Clark is going to need that 20% bonus to repair the house.🥺
13. My picks in order: Christmas, Vacation, European and finally Last Wages
Dion Waiters award = aunt bethany.... is rusty still in the navy?
1:10:07 Tyler Perry I’m dying 😂😂😂
Putting the uprooted Christmas tree mystery to rest here... It was a deleted scene Clark goes to a gentleman sitting in a lawn chair next to a sign that says bring your own chainsaw or something like that of course clock didn't bring the chainsaw so he rents him a shovel and he has to dig it out himself... There's actually a still photograph of the scene
I'm 30 minutes into this and I feel like they've talked about the movie for about 10 seconds.
21:13 there's no argument Bill. One guy won every final and 2 3peats, never taken to a game 7 in a finals series. The other is a hack that's jumped around stacking teams and still have lost finals and even been swept!
Not only is Die Hard a Christmas movie. So too is Die Hard 2!
I always love the 'Die Hard' Christmas movie debate, for all those that dont class it as one yet hold up 'Its a Wonderful Life' as the greatest Christmas movie of all time. First of all I fucking love both movies but aside from the opening and very end 'Its a Wonderful Life' is not a Christmas movie aside from those bookends whereas Die Hard does take place on Christmas Eve, ends with a classic Christmas song...Any thoughts?
This is possibly the most quotable movie of all time. (or Gif-able/Meme-able nowadays). Just about every single line is something you could put on a t-shirt and people would instantly know the reference. Think about it. Needless to say one of my favorite movies of all time.
Did Bill say he hasn’t seen “Barbershop?”
Jason Sudeikis. I feel like he’s very Chevy Chase.
My favorite Christmas movie by far- the ending was too over the top with the police etc, .
When will there be a re-listenable? Review past albums? I'm available if you need a host Bill ??
Marisol Nichols played Audrey in Vegas Vacation.
What is it?
A letter confirming your reservation at the nuthouse?
Did I miss this - no mention of Uncle Lewis ???
Please put raising Arizona on the rewatchables or a Coen brothers
bill said that weird tyler perry micro aggression and got embarrassed
Chevy is Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrel. Vince’s political leanings and personal habits and Will’s physical comedy
The Ref is top of the list.
Uncle Louis was Frank’s dad in Sea of Love
Uncle Louis. Uncle Leo was in Seinfeld. 😊
Finally a good movie thats on cable a lot. Now do paid in full
Starved rock Illinois has plenty of mountains
Why do they keep saying Chevy Chase was in Best Defense?
My top 10 Xmas movies:
10. Home Alone 2
9. Carol
8. The Holdovers
7. Rudolf (claymation version)
6. Home Alone
5. Die Hard
4. Bad Santa
3. Eyes Wide Shut (yeah, it's a Xmas movie. It's Kubrick's version of Its A Wonderful Life)
2. A Christmas Story
1. Christmas Vacation (the DEF of rewatchable)
PS oh yeah, Elf is garbage
The holdover
@@morganwu767 The Holdovers, w/Paul Giamatti. Great movie. Watch it
I like the way you think.
Home Alone trumps them all.
Glen Howerton would kill it as recasted Clark Griswold
Why does Van always talk more when with these guy…Chris and Sean seem like second tier…best Rewatchables are Bill, Sean, and Chris.
Toy story 3 , Rocky 3, Indian Jones and the Last Crusade , And you can kinda count the good, the bad , and the ugly are all better than Christmas vacation has trilogy movies.
Terminator 2. Def best first 35 minutes in history
How you gonna have another man string up your fuckin Christmas lights, Bill?
Bill is wrong full metal jacket made $120 million on a budget of $16.5-30 million.
Bill is an idiot
Not to be that guy but....Chevy Chase IS NOT IN "Best Defense". He IS in "Deal Of The Century". Here endeth the lesson.
Kevin Hart is the Comp for Chevy. Y’all must have all drawn a blank on that one. Love the show. ✌️
How about A Christmas Story?
Die Hard is the greatest Christmas movie.
It's great because it's not just jokes - it's really about something, a dad screwing up because he really wants to do something great for his family.
And then, of course, all old/black and white movies are "shit" - the usual incisive Bill Simmons "nothing existed before 1975" analysis.
That's not true. Bill is a Celtics fan. If nothing before 1975 existed, then the Celtics would only have like 5 rings. Then they would be even further behind the lakers than they actually are...
Zing! (And of course BS would go ballistic if anyone were as dismissive of old basketball players as he is of old movies.)@@brennansnyder476
Home Alone 2 easily
If you’re looking for a review of Christmas Vacation you’ll be disappointed.
If you’re looking for an example of how microaggressions work you’ll be satisfied.
Honestly Fred Clause ain't bad:)
I’d argue will Arnett or Joel McHale for a recast for Clark.
God damn snarky garbagio
best lampoon is the christmas one it’s yo fuckn funny….
Let's analyze a movie that doesn't need analysis. No thanks.
Not sure if this is a hot take but 4 people on this pod is too many. It's kind've ironic because Simmons always rails about how sports studio shows and game telecasts have too many people. Then he makes the same mistake here.
Bad Santa
So down with Hate Watch Rewatchables. The Rehateables
Nooooooo, why Van on this one?! This is an iconic movie and you bring in the worst guest.
Vacation
Christmas Story
Home Alone
Gremlins
Easily
Spielberg's 1941
nah vegas vacation is the best in the series
Terrible ending
Am I the only one who hates It’s a Wonderful Life?
No, I never liked it
Die Hard is a text book Christmas. If you can understand why, you’re likely retar ded
Sean Fennessey: "Christmas represents Death." Uh...what?
Michael Shannon as Clark would work
How about a Rewatchables where we don't even talk about the movie?
Die hard is a Christmas movie outta Gen-Cringe (43-58)
Die Hard is the best Christmas movie hands down.