Fresh
[A] richly remembered tale of Christmas past.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
A Christmas Story
A tribute to the original, traditional, one-hundred-percent, red-blooded, two-fisted, all-American Christmas.
1983 · 1h 33m · PG
Comedy, Family
Directed by
Bob Clark
Overview
The comic mishaps and adventures of a young boy named Ralph, trying to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder B.B. gun really is the perfect Christmas gift for the 1940s.
Director and cast
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
89%
Tomatometer
Fresh
Shepherd provides the voice-over of the grown hero narrating, and his prominence on the sound track forces Clark to focus on visual humor, resulting in some wild Our Gang-style slapstick.
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
Fresh
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.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Fresh
Delightfully entertaining, with a wryly amusing narration to keep the adults in the audience smirking.
Don Peretta, Time Out
Rotten
There are a number of small, unexpectedly funny moments in A Christmas Story, but you have to possess the stamina of a pearl diver to find them.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
More films
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Drama · Family · Fantasy · PG
A holiday favourite for generations... George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.
- Runtime
- 2h 10m
- Director
- Frank Capra
- Cast
- James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore
IMDb
8.6
Rotten Tomatoes
94%
Metacritic
89
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
Comedy · PG-13
It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
- Runtime
- 1h 37m
- Director
- Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Cast
- Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis
IMDb
7.5
Rotten Tomatoes
72%
Metacritic
49
Scrooged (1988)
Comedy · Drama · Fantasy · PG-13
Frank Cross is a wildly successful television executive whose cold ambition and curmudgeonly nature has driven away the love of his life. But after firing a staff member on Christmas Eve, Frank is visited by a series of ghosts who give him a chance to re-evaluate his actions and right the wrongs of his past.
- Runtime
- 1h 41m
- Director
- Richard Donner
- Cast
- Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe
IMDb
6.9
Rotten Tomatoes
71%
Metacritic
38
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Comedy · Drama · Family · Approved
Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy's following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.
- Runtime
- 1h 36m
- Director
- George Seaton
- Cast
- Edmund Gwenn, John Payne, Maureen O'Hara
IMDb
7.9
Rotten Tomatoes
96%
Metacritic
88
Scrooge (1951)
Drama · Fantasy · Approved
Ebenezer Scrooge malcontentedly shuffles through life as a cruel, miserly businessman, until he is visited by three spirits on Christmas Eve who show him how his unhappy childhood and adult behavior has left him a selfish, lonely old man.
- Runtime
- 1h 26m
- Director
- Brian Desmond Hurst
- Cast
- Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Glyn Dearman
IMDb
8.1
Rotten Tomatoes
86%
Comments
Talk about the film with other members