― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 02:27 (twenty years ago) link
― Applepie Baseball, Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:10 (twenty years ago) link
Home Alone II, however...
― Annouschka (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:17 (twenty years ago) link
yes, but he also directed Black Christmas. surely that was Margot Kidder's finest hour! to say nothing of Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, and John Saxon. and last but not least, the wonderful performance of Second City Television's greatest genius, Andrea Martin!!
and annouschka, you are wrong about the first vacation movie. it's not as good as you remember. even if you are watching it right now.
― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 04:20 (twenty years ago) link
― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 04:36 (twenty years ago) link
― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 8 November 2003 05:57 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 27 November 2004 16:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― n/a (Nick A.), Saturday, 27 November 2004 17:13 (nineteen years ago) link
My family, as well, holds both movies very dear around the holidays. The TBS Christmas Story marathon is always on the whole day (thankfully, it replaced the Yule Log several years ago). We all have our favorite parts. Mine, for some reason, is when the dad says "What a great lamp!" - makes me crack up every time. I don't believe there has been a movie since that portrays kids as they really are, rather than portraying them as the 'miniature wisecracking adults' we've unfortunately become accustomed to. When Flick cries 'uncle' and whines like a little bitch after gettintg his tongue stuck on the pole (watch his hands, helplessly flailing around - very real), it's exactly how a little kid would act.
Christmas Vacation is more of a 'cult' film in the Fidelity house, in that a few members of the family merely endure it, rolling their eyes at the menfolk pissing themselves over the Griswald Supersled, the nostalgic-time-alone-with-film-projector-ending-in-slapstick-mayhem, or Aunt Bethany in general ("I like riding in cars!"). But it's an indisputable classic as well.
I tried reading the Jean Shepard book A Christmas Story was based on a few years ago, and, in a spoiled rotten, post-Sedaris way, found it incredibly dull and not very funny.
― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Saturday, 27 November 2004 19:19 (nineteen years ago) link
I'd say The Muppet's Christmas Carol ranks higher than Christmas Vacation as far as favourite Xmas movies go. But Christmas Story is the best.
― Jonathan (Jonathan), Saturday, 27 November 2004 20:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 27 November 2004 22:34 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dave B (daveb), Saturday, 27 November 2004 22:52 (nineteen years ago) link
Christmas Story by a nose. Aunt Bethany kills, but the Santa slide scene is genuinely terrifying. Great use of the fish-eye lens.
― Daniel Cohen (dayan), Saturday, 25 December 2004 15:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link
Saw this bit last night. In fact, I don't ever think I've seen the actual film all the way through in one sitting. Still, `tis a classic.
I remember enjoying Christmas Vacation (i.e. the last respectable piece of work by Chevy Chase?), but only saw it once.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:22 (eighteen years ago) link
― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:44 (eighteen years ago) link
A Christmas Story is infinitely better. "I LIke the Wizard of Oz""Leave me alone, kid. I'm thinking."
...that film is nearly perfect.
― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:59 (eighteen years ago) link
more
ovaltine
― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― slow jamz and white guy indie acoustic shit (Chris V), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― righteousmaelstrom (righteousmaelstrom), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:29 (eighteen years ago) link
― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 2 December 2005 05:04 (eighteen years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:01 (eighteen years ago) link
"It's, uh, STARING at me!"
― kingfish hobo juckie (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer: The Corridor (Yes, The Corridor) (latebloomer), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Saturday, 17 December 2005 23:31 (eighteen years ago) link
even though gremlins has phoebe cates it is still a distant third in a three man race.
― keyth (keyth), Sunday, 18 December 2005 02:28 (eighteen years ago) link
― geoff (gcannon), Sunday, 18 December 2005 02:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned (donut), Sunday, 18 December 2005 07:26 (eighteen years ago) link
"shitter was full"
― haitch is the realest topic alive (haitch), Sunday, 18 December 2005 11:33 (eighteen years ago) link
― n/a (Nick A.), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:11 (eighteen years ago) link
― n/a (Nick A.), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:18 (eighteen years ago) link
― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 27 December 2005 04:25 (eighteen years ago) link
someone should change the wikipedia entry that keeps saying the bully's name is Scott. It's bugging me.
― expletive for lady parts (Granny Dainger), Friday, 26 December 2008 15:28 (fifteen years ago) link
it's SMILING at me!
― Fox Force Five Punchline (sexyDancer), Friday, 26 December 2008 16:54 (fifteen years ago) link
The Ref is better than both of these films put together.
― Mr. Snrub, Saturday, 27 December 2008 03:15 (fifteen years ago) link
A Christmas Story is great, granted, but it makes me feel awkward and a bit sad.― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, November 7, 2003 11:15 AM (5 years ago)
This pretty well encapsulates why Christmas Story endures (and is the better movie). Funny and all, but overwhelming in its melancholic nostalgia. The last scene with the mom and dad bathed in Christmas tree light and watching snow plays completely different at the tail end of Christmas Day than it does Christmas Eve.
― Eric H., Saturday, 27 December 2008 03:38 (fifteen years ago) link
My father wove a tapestry of obscenities that as far as we know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan.
― kate78, Saturday, 27 December 2008 04:49 (fifteen years ago) link
Die:
http://gawker.com/5940985/the-official-sequel-to-a-christmas-story-will-make-you-want-to-shoot-your-eye-out
― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:31 (eleven years ago) link
Eh. It's only the fourth or so sequel to A Christmas Story (at least two of which contained actual Jean Shepherd narration and everything). None of which have done much business or entered the public consciousness in any meaningful way.
― This Whole Fridge Is Full Of (Old Lunch), Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:46 (eleven years ago) link
My boss says "It's the gift that keeps on givin', Clarke" any chance he gets
― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:49 (eleven years ago) link
watching daniel stern do the furnace bit really hurt
― da croupier, Thursday, 6 September 2012 17:04 (eleven years ago) link
Pointless poll suggestion: best Old Man (Darren McGavin, Charles Grodin, James Broderick, James B. Sikking, George Coe, Daniel Stern).
Follow-up pointless poll suggestion: best Ralphie (Peter Billingsley, Kieran Culkin, Matt Dillon, Jerry O'Connell, David Elliot(?), Peter Kowanko (?), Braeden Lemasters).
― This Whole Fridge Is Full Of (Old Lunch), Thursday, 6 September 2012 17:27 (eleven years ago) link
I just love riding in cars!
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 December 2013 13:05 (ten years ago) link
Gotta love D'Angelo's Power Girl-inspired Christmas outfit.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Wednesday, 25 December 2013 16:45 (ten years ago) link
Hello everybody!
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 December 2013 19:44 (ten years ago) link
http://www.x-entertainment.com/pics3/c22.jpg
― the objections to Drake from non-REAL HIPHOP people (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 25 December 2013 19:45 (ten years ago) link
No one's mentioned Melinda Dillon's kooky, original perf as the mom in ACS: an odd mix of authority and a child trapped in an adult's body. I like the bit where she and the kids are shouting "Jingle Bells" in the car and caps it with a loud fart noise and a delighted laugh.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 27 December 2014 13:27 (nine years ago) link
i love her!
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 27 December 2014 16:45 (nine years ago) link
never seen any of the Vacations, was made to watch ACS last year for the first time bcz America
― Gland Of Horses (sic), Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:29 (nine years ago) link
and bcz filmed in clevo, i'll bet
― mookieproof, Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:35 (nine years ago) link
Guy whose house is at the end of my neighborhood's off-ramp always features one of those leg lamps front-and-centeri in his picture window during Christmas. How I hate him so.
― pplains, Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:44 (nine years ago) link
For the theme song, Prince was a Warner artist and he produced it. He's the one who brought in Darlene Love.
Is Darlene Love so synonymous with Christmas that even the director of the film can't remember that it was Mavis Staples who did the theme?
― MaudAddam (cryptosicko), Sunday, 28 December 2014 04:50 (nine years ago) link
― mookieproof, Saturday, December 27, 2014 8:05 PM (Yesterday)
I'm saving Major League for next xmas.
― kate78, Sunday, 28 December 2014 14:18 (nine years ago) link
have never watched either bcz I prefer Preston fucking Sturges
(I have of course seen ACS scenes all out of order across the years bcz my sister always has it on)
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 04:19 (six years ago) link
https://media.giphy.com/media/l0ErVFsJs8cIH59fO/giphy.gif
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 05:35 (six years ago) link
Vacation
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 05:37 (six years ago) link
Is Rusty still in the Navy?
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 12:18 (six years ago) link
butchered on uk tv right now, so my Facebook feed tells me
― piscesx, Tuesday, 26 December 2017 16:04 (six years ago) link
overwhelming in its melancholic nostalgia. The last scene with the mom and dad bathed in Christmas tree light and watching snow plays completely different at the tail end of Christmas Day than it does Christmas Eve.
Still believe this, tbh. The end of Christmas and the start of three to four months of winter is always a killer.
― Fred Klinkenberg (Eric H.), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 16:44 (six years ago) link
the 50 days til the start of baseball spring training, really
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 17:00 (six years ago) link
I've never seen Preston Sturges because I prefer Charles fuckin Dickens
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 18:56 (six years ago) link
hello everybody!
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 20 December 2019 13:45 (four years ago) link
Happy POLLidays! (Happy POLLidays!) It's the ILX Holiday Movies Poll Results Thread
― temporarily embarrassed thousandaire (Eric H.), Friday, 20 December 2019 15:27 (four years ago) link
christmas story sequel is dreadfully cornball with little of the OG's charm
― Fash Gordon (Neanderthal), Saturday, 26 November 2022 16:30 (one year ago) link
there's even a scene that's actually a watered down version of a Christmas Vacation scene
― Fash Gordon (Neanderthal), Saturday, 26 November 2022 16:36 (one year ago) link
Watched the preview and I will be passing
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Saturday, 26 November 2022 17:04 (one year ago) link
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 01:31 (one year ago) link
GRACE
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 01:32 (one year ago) link
Don't drop me down, Clark!
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:21 (one year ago) link
Something sort of perverse that any single frame of film would center on Chevy Chase, given the galley of assassins making up the entire rest of the cast
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:23 (one year ago) link
The bless-ing!
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 19 December 2022 03:28 (one year ago) link
No one in the movie pulls focus harder than Doris Roberts. She has maybe 4 lines of actual dialogue and somehow gets maybe three dozen laughs.
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:29 (one year ago) link
I’ve seen it too many times, but some small moments still get me. When Clark sticks his head out of the attic window and you see the lunatic application of Christmas lights. And “If I had a rubber hose I would beat you…”Randy Quaid’s “You serious, Clark?” after he tells the kids about Santa is still probably my all time though.
― circa1916, Monday, 19 December 2022 03:58 (one year ago) link
otm!
It's a goddamn stupid line, but last night I lost it when Randy Quaid said, "Better take a rain check on that, Art, he's got a lip fungus that ain't been identified."
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 10:24 (one year ago) link
― Paul Ponzi
Whenever someone in the family says they can't hear, we whip out this line.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 10:25 (one year ago) link
i don’t KNOW, margo
― na (NA), Tuesday, 20 December 2022 03:45 (one year ago) link
that’s my most quoted line
My carpet! *sobs*
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 December 2022 10:26 (one year ago) link
EDDIE
It's a crying shame the older kids couldn't make it. Yeah, I got the daughter in the clinic, getting cured off the Wild Turkey. And the older boy, bless his soul, is preparing for his career.
CLARk
College?
Carnival.
CLARK
You gotta be proud.
Yeah, last season he was a pixie-dust spreader on the Tilt-O-Whirl. He thinks maybe next year he'll be guessing people's weight or barking for the Yak Woman. You ever see her?
No.
She's got these big horns growing right out above her ears. Yeah, she's ugly as sin, but a sweet gal. And a hell of a good cook.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 23 December 2022 19:09 (one year ago) link