12 Days of Christmas 2015: A Christmas Carol

A Christmas Carol (1984)
Starring: George C. Scott, David Warner, Roger Rees
Directed by: Clive Donner


With my last review of the year 2015, I'm going to leave you with my thoughts another version of A Christmas Carol that I'm brand new to watching. This time, let's just strip away the gimmicks. No Mickey Mouse. No Kermit the Frog. No Bill Murray. Let's have a genuine version of A Christmas Carol made by British filmmakers and starring British actors. Return it to its Charles Dickens roots and let's see something truly memorable that could lead to the definitive film version of A Christmas Carol. Ok...so this is a television movie, but I own it on DVD, it's distributed by Fox, and I've already reviewed a version that was technically just a 25 minute short, so I'm going to go ahead and count the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol as my final review of 2015 and the final review in my 12 Days of Christmas series this year. Wait...in my Scrooged review, I went on a tangent about television, and in that movie they are making a television film for A Christmas Carol. There we go. That's the segue I'm going with. Anyways, here's my thoughts on the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol. Enjoy.

Ebenezer Scrooge is played by George C. Scott in this version. What more needs to be said? The guy commands the screen as Scrooge. He knows how to play him as such a miserable, greedy schmuck. As time goes on, you can see him display a wide array of motions during his journey, particularly when he travels to the past. You see bitterness, lament, and even joy. That's a lot of complex emotions for an actor to get right in a performance and Scott is more than up to the task in this film. I definitely think he's the best Scrooge I've seen thus far, as his transformation really comes off as something sincere. Just look at that picture. THAT'S what I imagine Ebenezer Scrooge looks like. Bravo Mr. Scott.

The supporting cast is pretty solid here. A few of the standouts include David Warner as Bob Cratchit and Roger Rees as Scrooge's nephew Fred. There's even a small role from Michael Gough (whom I know as Alfred from the '80s and '90s Batman movies) that I had fun seeing. But the Ghosts really win over the supporting cast. The costumes they gave these guys and the performances that shine through really help elevate the narrative. The Ghost of Jacob Marley is actually pretty creepy to look at, the Ghost of Christmas Past looks like something out of a David Bowie video, and the Ghost of Christmas Present is jolly, but knows when to be stern. You may have noticed that I haven't really referred to the Ghost of Christmas Future/Yet to Come in any of my reviews. That's because he's usually an empty performance in a black cloak or a special effect. Anyways, the cast is able to keep up with Scott in delivering good performances throughout the film and definitely make it one of the best acted versions of A Christmas Carol that I've seen.

I'm sure there are many who would look at this version of A Christmas Carol as the definitive version to see. And in many cases, it is. Based on the ones I've watched this holiday season, this one seems the closest to telling an authentic story representing Charles Dickens. I mean, just sit through this movie and gaze upon the atmosphere. The snow, the shadows, the lighting. This film is just bathing in rich scenery to set a proper tone. However, the one thing that may hold up the modern, casual moviegoer is the dialogue. It's really tough to get into if you don't have an appreciation for the British culture. If you don't understand the older English dialect that you would see on stuff most commonly found via the BBC, then this may be a tough movie to sit through. Even so, the atmosphere is so spectacular and the performances are so well done that it's still a great movie to watch during the holidays, whether you understand what they're saying or not.


Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

With good performances and authentic feel to it, the 1984 version of A Christmas Carol feels like a definitive version for all Christmas fans to see at least once. It might be a tad slow or "British" for the general viewer, but if you're a fan of the Dickens classic, give this one a shot. You might find a good number of things in it that will leave you delighted to have watched it.

A Christmas Carol and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox

12 Days of Christmas 2015: Scrooged

Scrooged (1988)
Starring: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, John Forsythe
Directed by: Richard Donner


I know what a lot of you are thinking here on Fowler's Film Blog: "Fowler, are you getting tired of sitting through so many versions of A Christmas Carol?" The answer is simply no. If the world hasn't gotten fed up with majority of these adaptations, then most of them should have something that causes them to stand out from the rest. If they were all the same, THEN I'd be sick of it. If you're able to tell the story with a good Scrooge, and a fun gimmick like Muppets or Disney characters, then the classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge is easy to entertain me. But what happens when your Christmas Carol film isn't actually A Christmas Carol? Scrooged is a 1988 comedy, serving as a modern interpretation inspired by A Christmas Carol. With a director like Richard Donner, notable for The Goonies, Lethal Weapon, and Superman: The Movie, and a main actor like Bill Murray attached, it has certainly gained a large following as far as popular Christmas Carol movies go for the last couple of decades. But this year marks my first year ever watching it, so what did I think of Scrooged?

For starters, I have a huge adversity in my household when it comes to Bill Murray. My wife doesn't get his humor and popularity, and it's hard for me to explain it to her when she's sat through films like Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day without laughing. As a result, I find that it's best I watch his movies by myself. In Scrooged, he plays a greedy and cynical television executive named Frank Cross. One thing that I love about his portrayal of Frank is that through his Bill Murray brand of sarcasm, he makes Frank a pain in the butt, but still likable. Through his past, you see that a lot of his greed and hatred for Christmas was brought through his upbringing. In the other versions of A Christmas Carol that I've seen, Scrooge just seems evil for the most part. The greed comes out of nowhere in the Mickey and Muppet versions. This at least feels much more understandable and tragic to behold. You're really rooting for the guy to see the error of his ways and he gets really close a number of times in the film, but then regresses. It's a roller coaster of momentum for him, starting with skepticism but ultimately coming to regret and the desire to reform. That's a lot of material for Bill Murray to work with and he does a great job with it.

The supporting cast for this film is absolutely phenomenal. Karen Allen, John Forsythe, Alfre Woodard, John Glover, Bobcat Goldthwait (who I swear is the comedic inspiration for Charlie Day after watching him in Scrooged) all play memorable roles that are able to play off of Murray really well. I especially like how they aren't carbon copies of their Christmas Carol counterparts. In this version, it is explored that Frank lost the chance of love in the past, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't have a shot at redemption with Claire, played by Karen Allen. I also like how Goldthwait and Woodard combine to form the Bob Cratchit character. I won't give too much away, but both play equally integral parts in Frank's life in the same way Cratchit did for Scrooge. But the major highlights are the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Present, played by David Johansen and Carol Kane. Both have great humorous bits messing with Frank, especially Kane who resorts in beating the crap out of Frank whenever she can while still trying to be overly cheerful. Johansen's humor comes out of being an off the wall taxi driver (not the Robert De Niro kind) who literally drives Frank insane in his journey to the past. If Murray brought you to Scrooged, the supporting cast helps you see that this isn't a one-note gimmick film.

What Scrooged excels in, besides the cast, is its modern interpretation of the Charles Dickens classic. Instead of being greedy over collecting finances, its greed over power through television. The setting isn't an older, classical England, but rather a modern, corporate America. When they utilize moments from A Christmas Carol, it's done in a tongue in cheek way, calling back to the traditional story while also poking fun at it. The irony of it is when you look at all the television programming, or even half of what the corporation is looking for with the target audience, it was satirical at the time. But now, I think a lot of humanity has actually "evolved" into what this movie was actually making fun of. Does that mean the movie is in the wrong for trying to steer us away from that lifestyle? No, not at all. We're entirely to blame for that. But isn't it a fun kind of blame to have? Who doesn't like television? Especially the crap television that exists today. Good Lord, maybe I'm becoming a Scrooge after watching Scrooged. Well isn't that a bit of something...


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I'm really glad I decided to check Scrooged out this year. It had me laughing a ton and I really like the modern interpretation of A Christmas Carol. The big selling point on whether you'll like this movie is Bill Murray. Thankfully, I enjoy his work, so I'll be glad to watch this film at Christmastime for many more years.

Scrooged and movie images are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures

12 Days of Christmas 2015: The Muppet Christmas Carol

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Starring: Michael Caine, Frank Oz, Dave Goelz
Directed by: Brian Henson


And here we have ANOTHER Disney version of A Christmas Carol. No...I'm not doing that creepy looking Jim Carrey version. Anyways, onto The Muppet Christmas Carol. The Muppets are a great form of nostalgia and childhood for a lot of young children and families. Add a classic story and a warm environment like Christmastime, and you have a recipe for something that will be re-watched for years. If you're a Muppet fan, you're going to watch this movie. There's no question there. So what further selling point would you need? How about having a celebrated British actor like Michael Caine playing Ebenezer Scrooge? If you aren't intrigued by that point, then I don't know what else to tell you. Does the movie work? In many ways, yes it does. But it still has a couple of flaws that I'll bring up below. Again, if you like The Muppets, then it'll still probably be a part of your traditional Christmas movie playlist. But for now, let's look at the pros and cons that surround The Muppet Christmas Carol.

So Michael Caine plays Ebenezer Scrooge, and you'd expect that that would be a perfect fit. In many ways he is, but it's not a perfect portrayal. His singing, while spotty, feels genuine. And he's very good in the beginning when he's being the mean Scrooge. The part that's really unconvincing is when he's evolving into being a kinder Scrooge. Something about it seems a bit phoned and his character progression reflects by hitting plot points, but I don't feel like that particular Scrooge is being properly portrayed as we're hitting those points. I know Michael Caine is a great actor and has good moments as Scrooge, but it begs the question "Would you phone in the performance if you knew your co-stars were made of felt?"

Of course, you can't have a Muppets movie without The Muppets. Some of it feels pretty obvious with the casting. Kermit the Frog plays Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy is his wife, Fozzie Bear plays a version of Fezziwig named Fozziwig (never before has a Fozzie pun been used so well), you get the idea. My favorite Muppet portion is the stuff with Gonzo and Rizzo. Rizzo plays himself, but Gonzo claims to be a blue, furry Charles Dickens and the two serve as our narrators for the film. They work off each other well and provide a lot of jokes, from puns, to slapstick, and always with fantastic comedic timing. The Muppets were what you came for, and they do their job very well.

I will say that the one thing that doesn't stick out to me in The Muppet Christmas Carol is the songs. The Muppets are known for a lot of popular songs and musical numbers, but there wasn't anything that stood out to me here. I know there are some of you that are probably wondering "Hey, what about that scene when Scrooge sings a duet with his former love?" I remember that scene, but not the song. And even worse, the Blu-ray version that I have has that song cut out of the film to reflect how the film was originally shown in theaters. The sets are intricate and they go all out to forego too many jokes in order to properly do an actual movie about A Christmas Carol, but the songs, something The Muppets know how to do well, don't do much for me here.


Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Perfect? No. Enjoyable. Heck yes. The Muppet Christmas Carol delivers the characters you know and love from The Muppets, a beloved British actor in Michael Caine, and deliver a well-made take on the Charles Dickens classic. Just don't expect the songs to be stuck in your head.

The Muppet Christmas Special and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures

12 Days of Christmas 2015: Mickey's Christmas Carol

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
Starring: Alan Young, Wayne Allwine, Hal Smith
Directed by: Burny Mattinson


Technically speaking, this may not be considered an actual movie, but it's celebrated in many homes nearly every Christmas and it was nominated for an Oscar, so I'm going to count it. In my final 4 days of the year, I'm going to close out 2015 by looking at the 4 versions of A Christmas Carol that I own. One of the most beloved Christmas stories ever told, there have been dozens of adaptations of the Charles Dickens novel, but the one that I was introduced to was Mickey's Christmas Carol. It should come as no surprise how much I love Disney, in fact you can probably imagine that I'm due for another Disney month sooner rather than later. But back to Mickey's Christmas Carol. There are tons of movies that have done A Christmas Carol well, so how does a half hour animated short fair with the rest of them? Would you be surprised that an animated short that has a third of the time that most movies do is capable of being one of the best adaptations of the novel?

No version of A Christmas Carol is successful without a good Ebenezer Scrooge, and this one is told via Scrooge McDuck. What else needs to be said? They both have the name Scrooge. Clearly, they are going to a good pairing. You get that he's greedy, but he has a joy to being greedy that's just enjoyable to watch. Making appearances in a few Disney comics, this short really put Scrooge McDuck on the map of Disney canon. Of course, this would lead to him being part of a great Disney cartoon in DuckTales (WOO-HOO!) and showing up in other Disney shorts for the last 30 years. Not a bad legacy for a character inspired by another character he'd eventually end up playing.

The other characters work out very well. You've got Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit, Goofy as the ghost of Jacob Marley, and Donald Duck as Scrooge's nephew Fred. You've got the main Disney powerhouse backing up this cast, and then you see them pull some more obscure characters for cameos. Jiminy Cricket, Pete, Mr. Toad, Willie the Giant and others are seen during Scrooge's haunting scenes with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. I think it works better this way than if you were to use a bundle of Disney's most famous characters. It'd be kinda distracting if Pinocchio, Baloo, or Dumbo was playing one of the ghosts.

Mickey's Christmas Carol is successfully able to tell a large and universally known story and tell it within the span of a half hour. It's a short targeted towards families and I think it's a great medium to do so. If you've never read this story or seen another version of it in TV or movies, then Disney is making sure that you'll get the bare bones of this beloved tale. Like a very in depth SparkNotes version of the story. You know, the type that won't give you every detail, but will still get you an A. That's what this short is like. Great job Disney.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Mickey's Christmas Carol is one of the best executed Christmas specials ever, let alone of the best Christmas Carol adaptations out there. If you can track this one down, it's worth the watch every year from here on out.

Mickey's Christmas Carol and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures

12 Days of Christmas 2015: Ernest Saves Christmas

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
Starring: Jim Varney, Douglas Seale, Oliver Clarke
Directed by: John R. Cherry III


Thanks to a last minute Christmas trip, I was in a place where I didn't get to finish the rest of my Christmas reviews on time. But with 5 days left in the year and 5 days left to go, I plan on fulfilling my holiday duties and will still bring you the reviews I intended. So let's get to...Ernest Saves Christmas. Oh for goodness sake, a movie like this made me really wish I hadn't reviewed a lot of the classics in my first year. This was awful. This was painful. This was insufferably stupid. This was an hour and a half of my time that took a grand total of 2 days to try and get through. Yeah...THAT bad. And I know there's a lot of '80s and '90s people that might find the character of Ernest P. Worrell nostalgic and enjoyable as a guilty pleasure. WAKE THE HECK UP PEOPLE. He's one of the biggest skid marks left on comedy and this Christmas installment of his many "grand" adventures left me wondering why we would bother celebrating this bozo for a grand total of more than 8 films, when we don't even give that many films to some modern action franchises.

Ernest Saves Christmas features the late Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell, one of the most annoying movie protagonists you'll ever have the displeasure of seeing. In fact, DON'T see it. Save yourself. Ernest is the worst part of his own movie. And I don't think that's a one-time thing. I'm sure it exists in all his other movies. Now, I'm not tarnishing the legacy Jim Varney left behind. He's been in other things I like (really, just the first two Toy Story movies but...) and admittedly the goal of Ernest is to be obnoxious, so he does what he's supposed to do. He makes funny faces, can do imitations, and that works as comedy to some people. Personally, it's not my kind of comedy so I'm the wrong audience for it. But at least I can acknowledge that even if I dislike it, I can appreciate that the guy was dedicated to his comedic bits for a LOT of movies.

There's one thing that actually works really well for the film and it's Douglas Seale as Santa Claus. His story is surprisingly compelling, he's overwhelmingly sweet and charming, and you are actually left enjoying him whenever he's on the screen. Does he have a belly that jiggles like a bowl of jelly? No, but he is certainly a jolly, likable character, so at least there's something redeemable to come out of this pile of garbage.

Point blank, ignore Earnest Saves Christmas. Stay as far away from it as humanly possible. It may, in fact, ruin your Christmas. If you have a deep love for the classics, ignore this one. It gets a mild point for the Santa Claus portrayal, but started out as a 0 out of 5 stars because of how annoying the title character is. He belongs nowhere near the list of memorable Christmas characters and this belongs nowhere near the list of all-time Christmas classics. It's stupid, annoying, and lacks any charm that would make a Christmas movie like this worthwhile. If I didn't get the message across, I'll leave you with this little nugget of a metaphor: watching an Ernest film is about as funny as a punch in the privates. Merry Christmas indeed.


Rating: 1 out of 5 stars

Ernest Saves Christmas is one of the dumbest mainstream Christmas movies imaginable. Avoid watching this if you're curious about exploring the Ernest character, it's not worth your time. Only check this out if you are looking for a film with a REALLY good portrayal of Santa Claus. That is the only thing I can even possibly try recommending it for.

Ernest Saves Christmas and movie images are copyrighted by Touchstone Pictures

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Review

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac
Directed by: J.J. Abrams


After waiting 10 years for another Star Wars film to hit the big screen, sitting through the amazing advertising campaign with the spoiler-free trailers, pre-ordering the tickets a month in advanced, and waiting in line at the movie theater, the time has finally arrived. The wait is over as Star Wars: The Force Awakens has finally hit theaters. Directed by J.J. Abrams, featuring a new cast, and taking place 30 years after the events of Return of the Jedi, the film has had probably the biggest amount of hype circulating a movie since...well, The Phantom Menace. Heading in, I was both excited and terrified. This film has been built up for years, the trailers have been amazing, and I didn't want to have to sit through another disappointing trip to a galaxy far, far away. After all the waiting and all the hype, how is The Force Awakens? I can happily say that balance has been brought back to the Star Wars franchise in the form of The Force Awakens.

Now, this is a film that surrounds a whole bunch of controversy for anyone who tries to spoil it, so I'll do my best to review the film without actually giving away all the major plot points and reveals. With that in mind, let's talk about a lot of the new characters that are brought into the mix. Without diving too far into their stories, we start off with the film's main character Rey, played by Daisy Ridley. Rey is an amazing character to watch, as she fills in sort of the Luke Skywalker role from A New Hope. She's a small part of a HUGE world and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. The difference is that she's not really looking for adventure. She's content with the idea that her life is the way it is and isn't looking for that big change that's coming. The obvious setup being that she has to embrace it, but it's an enjoyable development nonetheless. If Rey was unlikable, this movie wouldn't work. Period. It can be a great looking movie and have a couple memorable scenes, but if you can't connect with your main character, then your movie won't work. Hello prequel trilogy.

We've also got some great supporting characters to like besides Rey, like Finn, a former Stormtrooper played by John Boyega. Finn's backstory is extremely compelling, calling back to an idea of embracing fate or destiny, and thus changing out of that if you're unsatisfied with the results. Finn was a fun character that provided realistic comic relief. He wasn't over the top or stereotypical, but rather commented the way a Star Wars fan would if they were flying around the galaxy with the rest of the characters. Speaking of flying around, another great character was Poe Dameron, a Resistance pilot played by Oscar Isaac. He's such a cool character, oozing confidence in his pilot abilities and is just an overall likable dude. We don't get to see a lot of him, but since he's so likable in his introduction, we are sucked into watching those X-Wing battles. I mean, it's always great to see X-Wings facing TIE Fighters, but when you have someone you care about in the pilot's seat, you are emotionally invested in the space battles. See that? Effort. Characters I'm invested in. Action scenes that aren't pointless. It is so good to have a good Star Wars film back on the big screen.

Our heroes have a big threat against them in the form of the First Order, including the evil and mysterious Kylo Ren, played by Adam Driver. A lot of people heading in were afraid this guy was going to be a discount Darth Vader, but he's actually given a lot to make him stand out as a villain. Yes, he has a gravelly voice and wears a hood, but he's got such a menacing tone that surrounds him. He just commands the scene he's in, proving just how powerful he can be. And when he wields a lightsaber, it is darn near frightening. He's not doing weird flips or overly choreographed moves. He is coming at you with a ferocity that you wouldn't want to be messing with. Is he Darth Vader or the Emperor? No. But he's miles ahead of the disposable Sith apprentices in the prequels, and he's definitely a villain that leaves a lasting impression, which is a very key component of getting the First Order over as a legitimate threat.

Now comes the part that gets tricky: addressing the characters from the original trilogy. It should be no surprise if you've seen the trailer that we get to see Han Solo and Chewbacca again, with Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew reprising their iconic roles. They come along with Rey and Finn on their journey and are a welcome addition to adventure. It's great to see them play these characters older. You can see that Han and Chewie have had their fair share of adventures between movies and they still have that best friend chemistry that makes them work so well together. Carrie Fisher returns as Leia Organa, now the General of the Resistance. Her screen time is limited, but it's very welcoming. Of course, the fans were over the moon for any interaction she has with Han Solo, proving that even 30 years removed from the franchise and their romance still fits like a glove. Anthony Daniels and Kenny Baker are back as C-3PO and R2-D2, but they're delegated to mostly cameos, but it still works since they're able to work off each other and do their usual shtick together. And then there's Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker. Luke's in the film...and that's ALL I can say without giving like 90% of the film's plot away.

At the end of the day, Star Wars: The Force Awakens lives up to the hype. Is it a perfect film? No, but it's the most fun I've had at the movie theater in years. For 2 hours and 15 minutes, this film, the characters, the fan interaction, made me forget everything about life existing outside the movie theater. As a movie buff, you cling onto movie experiences like that and I'm forever grateful that The Force Awakens was able to do that. That a film I thought couldn't possibly live up to the 10 year hype that existed in my head could live up to it. But it did. If I had any minor criticisms is that we don't get to have every question we have answered, making this feel like a transitional film in an obvious franchise. Again, that's a very minor, almost nitpicking criticism. I'm still beyond happy with the film we got. I can happily await the rest of this series to play out as J.J. Abrams and company have proved that Star Wars is in very good hands.


Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Only time will tell if this can stand out as one of the great Star Wars films. I'll wait for the hype to die down a little bit and have to reevaluate it with a few more viewings. For now, all I can do for a recommendation is to say you need to get out there and see Star Wars: The Force Awakens for yourself. If not, you're going to be missing out on the cinematic experience of our lifetime. It's a time for celebration moviegoers. Star Wars is back! May the Force be with you.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Studios

12 Days of Christmas 2015: The Ref

The Ref (1994)
Starring: Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis
Directed by: Ted Demme


One of the holiday specials I was really looking forward to watching was The Ref. I love Denis Leary. I love Kevin Spacey. I had heard a lot of friends talk a great deal about watching it every Christmas. It seemed like a pretty easy connection to make. Then my wife and I sat down with some pizza to watch the film and were expecting to laugh throughout. That's not what we had, at first. We open with a first act that was grounded in reality, with a bit of levity thrown in. We really didn't get to the major laughs until the final act, but when it picked up, it REALLY picked up. Watching the film with the wife really helped, as we got a chuckle out of seeing the concept of a burglar abducting a bickering married couple, making HIM feel like a prisoner in their home. The fact that he grows fond of them enough to try and help them was also pretty funny. Then you throw in possibly one of the most awkward dinner scenes ever put to film, and the movie really won me over. Would I watch it every Christmas? I don't think I could call it a tradition yet, but I would definitely have no issues watching it if it's on during the holidays. With that in mind, let's see why The Ref has been considered a modern holiday comedy classic.

Denis Leary stars as Gus, a cranky burglar who chose the absolute worst family in the world to kidnap. This of course makes him very annoyed with his victims, and watching him try to contain his anger absolutely works. That's Denis Leary's attitude in a nutshell. If you make him upset, he's going to go ballistic and there will be cuss words and insults spewing everywhere. His reactions work as a great representation of the audience, as he's helped unlock a gateway to this crazy, dysfunctional family. And he says exactly what we've been thinking the entire film: SHUT UP!

The married couple we want to desperately shut up is Lloyd and Caroline Chasseur, played by Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis. If you've ever had problems during the holidays with a significant other, you'll be thankful that you aren't Lloyd and Caroline. BOTH have a laundry list of problems that they hash out at the other. BOTH are in the wrong. BOTH have some merit to their arguments. It's just a bad situation from the beginning. If you were Denis Leary, YOU'D feel the need to play ref as well.

The last thing I'll bring up about The Ref that really stands out among the Christmas movies is its ties to the Christmas story of Santa Lucia. Santa Lucia is a story and tradition that played a big part in the holidays during my time attending a Christian university. When this story was brought up in the film, I got a really big kick out of it. When I saw how it tied in to possibly the worst and most awkward family dinner scene in a Christmas movie, I got an even bigger laugh. The scene adds fuel to a temper filled and hilarious final act that needs to be seen to be believed. The amount of times my jaw dropped at how many harsh truths were dropped by this dysfunctional family during the holidays is something that can really make you appreciate that (hopefully) your family isn't this bad during Christmastime.


Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

If your holidays are full of dysfunctional family moments and awkward conversations (you know, like how holidays ACTUALLY are), chances are you'll really enjoy The Ref. The performances from the main three actors work so well and the family dynamic is so bizarre that it's one of the most enjoyable bickering families of the holiday season.

The Ref and movie images are copyrighted by Touchstone Pictures