What is up bros, I'm Caleb and I'm Jonathan.
We are a couple of bros on a mission to give you guys the most detailed movie reviews out
there with as little bias as possible.
Welcome to the all bros.
Fantastic start.
Hey, you know what?
It's okay because that slogan isn't one that we've been saying over 200 times yet, so we're
good.
That is true.
So anyway, this week on the podcast in 4k spotlight, we have one new movie coming out
and Rose has a story to share with it.
And then for our Through the Wall, honestly, I think we're going to be talking about the
DC shit show that's happening right now.
Yeah, it's gonna be fun.
Yeah, so we'll be getting into that.
And then for this week's headliner, we will be breaking down a Christmas story Christmas.
We know this this episode gets released a day after Christmas but
close enough.
As of our recording, we're still in the holiday season.
So man, exactly.
Look, if you don't want to listen to it this year, I guess you could save it for next year
if you really wanted to.
Yeah.
So anyway, without further ado, let's say we get into this episode.
Yes.
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Alrighty, first up in 4K spotlight.
Rose, you want to take this one?
I would love to.
So this week, everyone honestly, probably one of the most divisive films in the Halloween
franchise comes out on Blu-ray and 4K Halloween ends.
And there's definitely a lot of exclusives, but I got a little story with this one.
So I was scrolling through Facebook, what was it?
Monday the 19th, and I follow a Halloween fan's page.
And so people were like posting that they had already gotten like their copy of Halloween
ends on Blu-ray.
I'm like, wait, what the fuck?
It doesn't come out for another week.
There's no freaking way.
And so then all of a sudden I see someone post a picture of like the display that Walmart
had for it.
I'm just like, okay, so I guess they already have the display up, but they already have
the film stocked.
I'm like, okay, there's no way that they're letting people buy it.
There's no freaking way that like, you know, companies like have a certain street date
that they can't sell the movies until then.
So even if you try to go buy it, it's not going to let you.
There's no way.
But everyone on the Halloween page was posting that, you know, they either got the Blu-ray
or they got the Walmart exclusive 4K cover that has like Michael and Lori facing.
So it has like the so the Walmart exclusive has the poster where it's like Michael in
the front and then Lori in the back.
I don't know if you've seen that poster.
Yes.
Okay.
So that's the front.
But then it also has like a flap and it's so freaking cool.
You open a flap and it has Lori on the left and then Michael on the right.
Kind of like a like a verse like a verse stance.
And it's really freaking cool.
It's freaking awesome.
But yeah, people were posting that they were able to get it.
Like, there's no freaking way.
No no freaking way.
So I say, you know what, F it.
I'm going to go see if it's possible.
So yesterday, just because I didn't have time throughout the week just because of work.
But so Wednesday, which was the the 21st, I went to I went to Walmart just to see if
I could.
And they had the they had the Walmart exclusive 4K.
I picked that up, took it to the register.
Yeah, I was able to buy it.
So I bought Halloween ends a freaking week early.
Well, at least that version.
I bought the steelbook too, because you know, I'm collecting problems.
But yeah, I have Halloween ends in my hand right now or up in my movie room.
So yeah, what?
Yeah, Walmart f'd up apparently.
Like has anything come out about the early release?
Nope.
Because I've checked Target.
I've checked Best Buy.
Nowhere else is selling it.
Just so it's just Walmart.
Shit, dude.
Yeah, so I mean, it will already have been released by the time this episode comes out.
But yeah, if anybody wanted Halloween ends early, go to your local Walmart.
You might be able to find it.
But, man, dude, I would I'm going to love to hear if shit comes out of that.
Yeah, seriously, universal.
Like they've got to just I don't understand how this is possible, because I swear that
like when they send out the movies, when they scan them into the system, I don't even think
they have to do anything.
It's automatically set to a street day that they cannot sell it or it won't ring through
the scanner until 1201 that day.
1201 AM is when you can actually purchase that item.
So, dude, that's nuts.
And like there wasn't anything like talking about like Walmart getting like an exclusive
deal or or anything like that.
Like it was no, I mean, they're all released a street date.
Yeah.
I mean, they got exclusive, like like I pointed out.
But yeah, no, nothing.
Dude, what kind of bullshit is that?
Like we we freaking would get harassed with pop figures that were out on the shelves.
Oh, yeah, seriously.
But what total shit?
Yeah.
I was amazed that when I went up, scanned it, all it all it says is, oh, item is rated
or please wait for an associate.
And so person decided to type in their code and I was able to buy it.
I guess I can't I can't believe that Walmart f'd up and released Halloween ends a week
early.
So yeah, someone's getting fired.
Yeah, and I don't know if it's going to be someone at Universal or someone at Walmart.
Oh, I guess I guess we'll find out.
Yeah, I thought it was going to be like maybe just like some Walmarts.
They fluked.
But I actually went to like every single Walmart in my area just to see like, you know, because
I am anal about slip covers.
So you know, I had to get the best one.
But every single one had it, so Cedar Hills, Cedar Hills Walmart did not have the 4K exclusive,
but they had the Blu Ray, they had the DVD and then they also had the trilogy on DVD.
Noice.
Yeah.
So yeah, they someone f'd up and Walmart was able to put Halloween ends a week early.
Nice.
Like I said, this movie is probably the next season of The Witch.
I feel this might be one of the most divisive, probably the most divisive film in the franchise.
I will admit it has grown on me the more I watch it.
But I can understand where the true hatred comes from.
Because I blame the freaking hatred on the marketing team.
Because this movie is so hyped up to be oh, all it's focusing on is the final confrontation
between Laurie Strode and Michael Myers.
And that's literally the last 20 minutes of the movie.
Yeah, if that.
Yeah.
You guys can hear all of our thoughts and opinions about that one on our Halloween ends
episode.
But shit, dude.
But you know, I love the franchise too much not to buy the both exclusive versions.
So so I already have the Walmart exclusive in hand.
And I'm just waiting now for my preorder of the Best Buy exclusive steelbook to come in.
Which getting to the actual like exclusives and you know, the versions of this.
So like I said, the Walmart exclusive, it's the cover with Michael with Michael in the
front, Laurie in the back with her back turned to him.
And then when you open it, when you open the flap, which I love that it has this flap,
I think it's such a cool exclusive.
You got Laurie on the left, Michael on the right, and it looks freaking great.
I love it so much.
Although the I was I guess I wasn't shocked, but I wish that the the actual like 4K.
The 4K case had the exact same cover as the exclusive.
It's just the it's the regular 4K cover where it's just Michael's face from like the teaser
poster.
But I'll take what I can get.
But the steelbook, which is a Best Buy exclusive steelbook shocker, is honestly like really
cool.
I actually what sucks is I like the steelbook so much more than the Halloween kills steelbook,
but I loved Halloween and so much more like what the.
Why does this steelbook have to be cool?
There ain't that the shit though.
Dude, it really isn't that how it always goes.
It's just like, oh, this is like my least favorite movie of whatever franchise, but
it ends up being like the coolest freaking cover.
Yeah, it's freaking bullshit.
So yeah, I gotta show you this.
So I hope you can see this that well.
Can you see that?
Oh yes.
Right.
Isn't it so cool?
Oh man.
That's pretty dope.
Right.
It's such a better steelbook than Halloween kills.
But yeah, so of course, you know, you guys can't see it, but so the front is like a close
up of Michael holding holding a knife in front with Halloween ends and the background is
orange look, which looks like freaking awesome.
It kind of looks like a pumpkin that's cracking.
I love it.
The back is Lori with her back turn holding a butcher knife and then the inside is what
their fight in the kitchen where Michael I don't know what Michael's Michael's doing.
Michael's doing he he's like crossing his arms, which I don't know why he's doing that.
I don't for some reason I'm not remembering why he does this.
But then you have Lori about to freaking swing.
Is that a fire extinguisher at him?
I think that's what it is.
I know it's not clear for you, but like does that look like a fire extinguisher?
A little bit.
Okay.
It's it's an odd maybe it's like it's definitely one of the more odd choices of
inside our screenshots to make or to get.
I agree.
I'm trying to personally would have gone for like when Michael's choking Lori.
Yes, or how about like when maybe like when he's trying to like force her hand into the
garbage disposal or that might have been too fast.
Yeah, that might have been a little quick.
Yeah.
Yeah, I think the choke.
I think yeah, I think was a little look the best.
Yeah, then it would have been like a really good clean shot of both of them.
I would have also I would have really loved if it was the shot where when you actually
get Michael returning and like he's like peeking behind the tree and you kind of see Lori in
the background like by her truck.
I feel that would have been kind of that would have been a cool shot.
That would have been a really good one.
But I will I'm going to say this right now.
No promotional shots on the back covers of the like the physical physical release show
Corey at all.
So you can tell that they are really trying to hide that shit because they know that dude
right and I didn't hate the Corey storyline.
No, I didn't hate it.
That's the shitty thing.
It's like this.
The Corey shit was good.
It was out of place.
I love the idea of the the evil Michael Myers infecting someone else.
That's a really cool concept.
But don't bring that shit in when you're trying to wrap up a bunch of other storylines in
the third movie.
Yeah and then turn it into a freaking love story.
I could have done that without that.
I feel that just ruined Allison's character.
It did.
It absolutely did.
Like we if there was ever a reason to resurrect a dream cast, it would be to talk about our
ideas for the Halloween trilogy like a rearranged Halloween trilogy.
Like I will say I do have my problems with the trilogy but I am grateful that it would
just have one single director unlike the sequel trilogy for Star Wars and even the Jurassic
World trilogy.
At least the David Gordon Grains trilogy.
I'm sorry no it's Blumhouse's trilogy was directed by one person.
I'm sorry am I boring you?
Dude I'm freaking beat today.
So that was.
Way to freaking call me out dude.
No one would have known.
I'm sorry.
Christina does that every single freaking time that I yawn when she's like telling me
about something.
She's like oh I'm sorry am I boring you?
I'm like kiss my ass Christina.
I'm sorry I had to see how you would react.
Freaking bastard.
So minus those two exclusives you get the bare bones 4K and blue herb release which
it's they're kind of they went with just what they did with the other with Halloween 2018
and Halloween Kills.
It's the teaser poster with just the close up of Michael's mask which I love.
I love that they kept it uniform for all three so that it's going to look freaking great
on your shelves.
I'm going to be buying god I'm going to be buying three freaking versions of this movie.
Fuck.
Because I have to have the regular 4K as well to match the other match Halloween 2018 and
Halloween Kills.
Now I'll probably wait for that one to go on sale because I really don't have to worry
about not getting that one because you know we can find it everywhere.
But yeah even though I did not love this movie I'll be buying this movie three freaking times.
Sucks to be you.
It does suck.
It sucks to be a diehard Halloween fan and also a physical media collector.
But yeah I went on a rant with that.
But so yeah that's 4K spotlight.
Halloween ends.
So pick it up if you liked it.
Dude that might be the longest we've ever talked about a single movie in 4K spotlight.
Dude straight up.
Straight up.
Alrighty then moving on to through the wall.
Like we said we're going to be talking about the DC shit show that's happening right now.
And I honestly don't think it's DC's fault.
No it's Warner Brothers fault.
It's the Rock's fault.
If it's anyone's fault it's the freaking Rock dude.
The best meme that I saw, well not meme it was a TikTok, was that summed this whole thing
up, was the classic scene from Spider-Man where it's Norman in the boardroom.
And so all the board members are like DC and James Gunn and Peter, is it Safran?
Yeah.
Is that who's, you know they're the ones in the back.
And of course doing Johnson is Norman Osborn.
It's just like well you can't do this to me.
Do you know how much I sacrificed?
I was like yeah I'm sure that's what the Rock is thinking.
I mean but it seems like there's no bad blood from between James Gunn and the Rock.
Like from what he tweeted, was it yesterday?
The 21st?
What James Gunn posted?
No what the Rock posted.
I didn't see what the Rock posted.
Really?
Yeah I only saw James Gunn's, like him more or less telling the fans to suck it up.
No they seriously do.
Like it's not his fault.
Warner Brothers had a specific, they saw what was happening with the DC universe.
It was going really nowhere.
Okay maybe it was going somewhere but the financial numbers, box office numbers were
definitely not there.
So I'm not surprised that they want to hire someone that actually really knows how to
make a profitable and really good superhero movie.
Yeah it's not surprising at all.
I freaking, like just kind of going back real quick to that meme that you saw about him
being, the Rock being Dwayne, I saw another one that added onto that.
Because I saw that one and then someone added onto that.
Remember the scene where he, where the Green Goblin comes flying in and he throws the pumpkin
bomb and he's just like, out am I?
I will never forget that scene because of what I actually thought that he said as a
child.
Did I never tell you that?
No?
What did you think he said?
Oh my god, story time, story time.
So for the longest time, and it wasn't I think until my buddy JC told me that, no Jonathan
that's wrong, go watch the scene.
And I did and I'm like, I'm a freaking idiot.
So when he throws the, yeah the pumpkin bomb and says out am I?
Since I was a kid when I first saw, I thought he was saying howdy there boys.
What the shit?
Yeah, I am dead freaking serious.
I thought Green Goblin was saying howdy there boys as he threw his pumpkin bomb.
And you know what?
I made it my mission.
If Willem Dafoe ever joins any of those like places where you can buy a cameo shit like
that where you can like pay for them to say something.
If he ever does any of those, I am paying that man to say howdy there boys in the Green
Goblin voice because I need that for my life to be complete.
Dude, that would be hilarious.
Right?
That would be freaking amazing.
So Willem Dafoe, if you're listening to this, you're probably not, but please join cameo
so I can pay you to do that for me because you would make a sad almost 20, no actually
when this will know to almost 27 year old man, very happy.
Okay.
How much money would you drop to make that happen?
A couple hundred.
No shit.
Okay, maybe not.
A hundred.
What?
200?
No, no, like, if like legitimately.
Like how much I think I would just because like if he was like, okay, 180.
Would you pay 180?
Totally.
I need that closure in my life, man.
Would you pay 230?
I think my cap would probably be 300.
Holy shit.
Except after pay, right?
You better hope they do.
Oh my gosh.
That's wild.
Yeah.
But anyway, so it was that scene, but when he throws the pumpkin bomb, it's an unfollow
button.
Oh shit.
And then it's just like, it's kind of funny.
It's Warner Brothers, the Black Adam page, and I think it's just DC in general.
Whatever the pages that he unfollowed are just standing there and it's like they paused
it, and then it's just like the flash and then it's just like the people are still standing
there and just like.
So just like, oh no.
That is amazing.
Okay.
But dude, how?
Warner Brothers.
I can understand like kind of everyone's perspective on this.
Like Warner Brothers kind of had a Hail Mary and was just like, okay, let's just see if
this works with the rock.
And obviously I feel like they may have known that Black Adam wasn't going to perform as
strongly as it.
I think they just knew it wasn't going to perform very well.
Yeah.
But like whatever you want to say happened, whether it was like the projections or whatever,
I think they just knew it wasn't going to work out.
And so then they kind of had this backup plan to hire James Gunn and they just.
And I think the rock was kind of pissed off where he's just like, oh, it wasn't really
involved in any of this stuff.
It's like, okay, you're not an executive.
You don't have to be.
Because I remember that TV that a tick tock that he did where he's just like the hierarchy
of the DC universe is changing.
I'm like, yeah, just not the way that you're thinking, buddy.
Yeah.
And apparently he had a team.
I don't know if it was him directly or if it was his team of people, but they were basically
lying about the.
The success of Black Adam.
Are you freaking serious?
Yeah.
Like they were showing that it was in the black.
Like it was profitable.
And yeah, a lot of Warner Brothers executives were like, no, not even close.
Yeah.
And then that's when like the whole hiring of James Gunn and everything happened.
So and I'm sure a lot of people said, well, yeah, but the suicide squad didn't do that
great at the box office.
Yeah.
Maybe you could say that, but that was also an HPL Max simultaneously at the exact same
time.
So yeah, that was going to have an effect on it.
And also look at the reviews for that compared to Black Adam.
The outcry of support for the suicide squad was amazing.
I didn't I don't think I saw one negative review for the suicide squad and people are
still talking about that movie.
Yeah, because it's a great suicide squad movie.
Yeah.
Like I feel like I've heard people discussing suicide squad over Black Adam.
I would too.
It's a better movie.
Yeah.
But no, like I'm just like saying in in general, like just talking about like I don't hear
very many people talking about Black Adam because it's like Adam's super average movie
as we we scored.
So go listen to that episode, dude, after we talked about it.
That was probably the last time I talked about it to anyone.
Yeah, like I think the only reason I want to go back and watch Black Adam is just because
I feel like there's stuff I missed.
That's that's fair.
Did you see it's on HBO Max now?
Yeah, so I'll probably be rewatching that soon ish.
Maybe we'll see.
Yeah, we'll see if I get around to it.
But yeah, it's just.
I think the Rock had big plans and he's like, we're going to listen to the fans.
We're going to listen to this.
We're going to listen to that.
The fans I feel don't always know what they want.
Thank you.
I'm sorry to say.
And like, I will say this, where Marvel kind of takes up makes it a point to not hire fans
because they're just like, we don't want anyone coming in with expectations of what these
characters should be, which I think is the wrong way to go in general.
You need someone who understands the character.
I agree.
Yeah, I don't like that approach.
They're just like, oh, yeah, we don't want someone that knows the source material like
the back of their hand.
Yeah, but like, isn't that going to make for like a really good movie or show?
Like someone that knows the character inside and out?
Yeah, it's just like that.
It would satisfy fans, someone who's like a good filmmaker.
Like I'm sure it would actually especially like the actor who's playing the character.
I'm held.
They'll probably they could probably even tell them something that they don't even know
about the character and they'd be like, holy shit, I never knew that.
That's awesome to know.
Yeah, like I think if you if you hire someone that's going in blind to any particular character,
it's what stories are you missing?
Kind of like the writers for Multiverse of Madness didn't even watch Wandavision.
Yeah, what kind of bullshit is that?
Yeah, that was horseshit.
Like, come on.
Like you are actually kidding me.
Yeah, it's just like.
Think about all of the amazing stories that we've missed out on because you guys hired
someone that doesn't know the character that well.
Yeah, that just went to a comic book shop, said, hey, get me some Spider-Man comics and
then came and was just like, OK, here, here's a few.
And you're not understanding that there's a bunch of different storylines.
Yeah, like it.
I will say this, The Rock released a decent movie.
I don't hate Black Adam.
Yeah, but compared to like compared to the rest of the DC universe, it's one of the better
movies.
Yeah, but it's by no means anywhere close to being like jaw droppingly good.
Like the closest one was James Gunn's Suicide Squad.
Like that one was just off the frickin hook.
So good.
Yeah, so, so good.
It's just.
I understand like.
I understand why The Rock is all but hurt because he felt like Warner Brothers was just
kind of putting all their eggs in his basket and then ended up like not really doing that
when they were like, yeah, we're going to go hire James Gunn.
But I think The Rock and probably Warner Brothers, too, overpromised on a lot of shit.
Absolutely.
Because they canceled.
They canceled all of the cameos from.
Henry Cavill in the future.
Like I think he was supposed to appear in Flash or.
Yeah.
Both him and Gal Gadot were Gal Gadot, sorry, were were supposed to appear in the Flash.
The other cameos were cut.
Yeah.
So those were cut.
Ben Affleck's cameo was cut from Aquaman.
Yeah, I think I think it was for Aquaman, too.
Yeah.
And then what's Patty Jenkins was basically like her Wonder Woman three story was completely
scrapped.
Yep.
So James Gunn came in like.
Fists of flying.
I mean, but he kind of had to.
Yeah, like.
It just like I understand from like his perspective, it's like, how do you take these characters
that have been established within someone else's universe?
Like you have like all these characters that are part of the Zack Snyder universe.
And it's just these characters are known for being super dark.
And so if you try to go a lighter tone with them, it's just going to feel awkward because
they're like, oh, like this.
So that's like all anyone would talk about is just like, oh, like how bright and fun
these like they start they feel now.
And then they start bitching about that.
And it's just like if you start from ground zero, like he's doing.
Like you can build whatever the hell you want.
And I think that's ideal for him.
Yeah, I absolutely agree.
Like, it is a bummer that Henry Cavill won't be coming back to play Superman.
But I'm going to miss the guy.
Yeah, it's for the best.
I absolutely agree.
Like if it's a pizza, big bummer.
It is.
But if people still want to see DC movies on the big screen, something had to change.
Yeah, absolutely.
So I hope that this is the start of a much better DC universe.
I hope so, too.
Really quickly, I just want to get your opinion on the what the Rock said.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So he said, my passionate friends, I wanted to give you a long awaited Black Adam update
regarding the characters future in the new DC universe.
James Gunn and I connected and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling.
However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways
Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.
James and I have known each other for years and have always rooted for each other to succeed.
It's no different now and I will always root for DC and Marvel to win and win big.
You guys know me and I have very, very thick skin and you can always count on me to be
direct with my words.
These decisions made by James and DC leadership represent their vision of DC, DCU through
their creative lens.
After 15 years of relentless hard work to finally make Black Adam, I'm very proud of
the film we delivered for the fans worldwide.
We will always look back on the fan reaction to Black Adam with tremendous gratitude, humility
and love.
We did great.
To my very passionate and vocal Black Adam superhero genre fans, I love you.
Thank you and I will always listen to you and do my best to deliver and entertain you.
What a hell of a month now we all need some Terra-mana.
Have a productive week and happy holidays to you and your families.
And he posted that December 20th.
Okay.
So at least from what it says, it doesn't seem like he's too butthurt about it.
Which isn't, yeah, which is nice.
Unlike someone, Ray Fisher.
Yeah.
It was kind of under, like I understand Ray Fisher's issues though.
He was kind of screwed over.
He was, but I hate that he's like attacking James Gunn for it.
When Gunn did nothing.
Gunn didn't do shit.
Yeah.
It's like, dude, I wasn't even part of the team there.
Yes.
Don't shoot the messenger, dude.
Like, come on.
If you're going to go after anyone, go after, because I know he won't, well, it wasn't
Zack Snyder at all.
But yeah, go after-
That was Josh Sweden.
Yeah.
Go after Josh Sweden or go after the hierarchy at DC.
Don't go after Gunn.
James Gunn literally had nothing to do when you were Cyborg.
Yeah.
So the only thing is just Cyborg was scrapped, right?
That's the only thing James Gunn has done.
Yeah.
But, I mean, they're still releasing the Flash.
They're still releasing Aquaman, which kind of gives them a decent amount of time to get
their shit together.
Yeah.
So I'm not upset about it.
At least from what he's discussed so far, I'm kind of excited for what this has to,
or what it's going to happen moving forward.
Oh, dude, especially considering that he said a huge inspiration for his universe will be
the Justice League animated show from when we were kids.
Oh, yeah, right?
I'm so excited for that.
Dude, I'm excited for that possibility.
What just kind of makes me even happier, because it's like, yes, I've always kind of been a
bigger Marvel fanboy than DC, but I want them both to be good.
I want both of them to be off the hook.
And if everyone's like, oh, Marvel versus DC, I'm always going to pick Marvel.
But I want DC to have their time in the sun, too.
Right now, it just feels like DC's been at a short end of the stick, not knowing their
true direction.
And then now that they have James Gunn, someone who's worked inside the bubble of Marvel and
understands how that place is ran, can start to build an amazing universe for us to see,
give us the stories that we want to see as well, and show us sides to these superheroes
that we don't think about or get to see.
This is the shit that I want.
I have complete and utter faith in James Gunn to knock this out of the park.
Same here.
It's sad that everyone's throwing a big old fit like, oh, Henry Cavill got fired.
Yeah.
It kind of had to happen, guys.
Yeah.
Unfortunately.
I'm sorry to say.
I hope Marvel kind of picks up this fumble and gives us something with Henry Cavill
in it.
Some people are saying that, oh, they need to give him the Hyperion or Sentry role in
Marvel Universe, which is basically the Marvel equivalent of Superman.
And I'm like, no, that'd be lame.
Give him someone cool.
I want a completely different character than what he played as Superman.
Yeah.
Like, he's like, the freaking Captain Britain.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Oh, he would kill it.
Right?
Like, that would be so cool.
We've already kind of established that Steve Rogers has lived his life with Peggy, right?
So my whole thing is like, pick it up, do some freaking time jumping thing, and make
Henry Cavill the love child of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter that grew up in Britain and
became Captain Britain because he has super soldier serum in his blood.
There we go.
That would be the shit, dude.
That would absolutely.
Like, I would love it.
I mean, I don't know how everyone else would feel, but I'd freaking love something like
that.
I just want Henry Cavill.
He's a great actor.
He is.
He doesn't get enough love, and I hate it.
Absolutely not.
So I hope Marvel, like I said, picks up this fumble and gives him something good to work
with.
Same here.
Like, no matter what it be, I hope they just don't, as long as they don't waste him as
a character, I.
Yeah, I'd be freaking pissed if that happened.
Yeah.
So hopefully they find something cool.
Like, obviously Captain Britain isn't the only role that he would fit in.
I think that there's a few others that I think he'd be well suited for.
Yeah, like you could go a number of routes.
Yeah.
I mean, hell, if you wanted to, like, have him be Colossus, like, that'd be pretty sick.
Yeah.
That'd be super cool.
That might be a little funky.
Make him beast.
Yes, there we go.
That'd be cool.
That would be super cool.
I would actually love to see him as beast.
Just like put him in something that we wouldn't expect.
Like, there are some people that are making the claim that, oh, he can be the MCU's Wolverine
and like, oh, that's stretch.
Yeah, that's a, I want like a comic accurate Wolverine.
I want just a short, stocky, hairy dude to be Wolverine.
Yes.
I absolutely agree.
Anyway, I think that covers everything that we can talk about with the DC crap going on.
I got nothing else to add.
All right.
Well, let's say we move on to this week's headliner.
Let's do it.
All righty.
Like we said, we will be breaking down a Christmas story Christmas, which is currently available
on HBO Max.
If you are new to our breakdown system, we have split movies into eight different categories
that we individually score to come to a final Albrows letter grade.
The eight categories that we score are story, writing, acting, character development, effects,
music, costumes, and then we give our own personal score at the very end.
All of those numbers get magically added up, thrown through our algorithm and spit out
a letter grade for us to compare this movie to other movies of a similar grade, as well
as a percentage so we have a ranking of these movies.
So if you have not seen a Christmas story Christmas, please do yourself a favor and
go check this one out.
It is really freaking good and highly, highly, highly recommend.
But if you listen past this point and have not seen it, Rose is about to spoil the entire
movie for you.
So if you listen past this point, it's your own damn fault that it's spoiled.
So yeah, without further ado, Rose, would you like to do our favorite reading with Rose
segment?
Yeah, it's probably your favorite and my favorite.
I mean, we could split this like back and forth if you want.
No, dude, I'm totally fucking with you.
You want a freaking bitch about it.
In December 1973, 33 years after the events of A Christmas Story, Ralphie Parker has moved
away from but is it Hoi Man?
Is it Hoi Man?
I think it's Hoi Man.
Oh, okay.
Away from Hoi Man, Indiana and lives in Chicago with his loving wife Sandy and two children,
Mark and Julie.
Ralphie has been taking the year off from an unspecified rat race job to write his first
novel but its excessive length leads multiple publishers to reject it.
As the family prepares for Ralphie's parents to come visit for Christmas, Mrs. Parker calls
to tell Ralphie that his father, aka the old man, has sadly died.
The grief-stricken family makes its way to Hoi Man and Ralphie's beat up 1966 Plymouth
to be with Mrs. Parker, who has received a large number of casseroles as condolence
offerings.
She gives Ralphie two tasks, write his father's obituary and take up his mantle of making
Christmas special for the family.
Ralphie's children befriend one of the Bumpus' kids next door and are bullied by two children
on a snowmobile.
Ralphie reunites with Flick, who now owns a tavern, and Schwartz, who still lives with
his mother and has run up a large tab at Flick's.
Why is it that my favorite character from the original gets done dirty in this movie?
Because you like to pick the people that are always like the toss-away characters, more
or less.
Yeah, but Schwartz isn't the one that frickin' stuck his tongue to the pole.
That was Flick.
Is Flick the bar owner?
Yeah, Flick's the bar owner.
Okay, so he stuck his tongue.
Yes.
Are you sure?
I thought it was the other way around.
No, no, it was Flick that stuck his tongue to the pole.
Okay.
Yeah.
Beats me.
All I'm saying is some bullshit.
He also takes his family out tree shopping and, failing to replicate his father's negotiation
skills, ends up with a tree too tall for the house's living room.
While decorating, Julie becomes nervous that there isn't an angel to top it with.
Improvising, Ralphie tells her that Santa Claus looks for stars in Hoi-man, not angels.
All the while, he finds his first typewriter in the attic and begins work on the old man's
obituary, struggling to find the right words and instead using his makeshift workspace
to write the sequel to his still unpublished novel.
While leaving the house to go ice skating, Sandy slips and sprains her ankle, causing
her to need crutches.
As Christmas Eve approaches, the family goes to Higby's where, miraculously, Ralphie manages
to buy everything Mark and Julie ask for while their children wait in line to see Santa.
A tipsy Sandy and Mrs. Parker, as well as the store's entire restaurant, are thrilled.
On the way back, the Plymouth breaks down again and the family passes the time needed
for it to cool down by having a snowball fight.
Ralphie accidentally hits Julie in the eye with a snowball, which requires a tr-
Like, dad, god.
I don't know the way he- That throw felt personal.
Dude.
I lost my ever-loving mind with that scene.
It was so freaking funny and so perfectly timed.
It was just- It came out of nowhere in the best possible way.
It was fantastic.
It was so freaking good, dude.
Yeah.
It really was.
I don't know where I'm putting- Where I'm giving the bonus points, but I'm giving bonus
points for that scene.
So after he hits her in the eye with a snowball, it requires a trip to the emergency room and
a temporary eye patch.
All of the gifts are stolen from the car's pop trunk when the family is inside the hospital
and Sandy has little money left to replace them.
Back at Flick's, Flick gives Mark an on-the-spot first job bartending.
His patients with shorts worn thin, Flick offers to forgive Schwartz's tab if he completes
a physical stunt.
The ramp.
Schwartz succeeds after being triple-dog-dared to do it, and his tab is forgiven.
Soon, all of the bar patrons begin sledding, leading to Mark breaking his arm.
Ralphie is then rejected by his final prospective publisher, whom he has been pestering the
whole week to accept.
Disheartened, he throws the second manuscript away and gives up on writing.
After some comfort from Sandy and remembering the Christmases of yesteryear, Ralphie suddenly
gains a burst of inspiration and writes a piece that far exceeds the length of a normal
obituary, tearing up at the memories of the old man.
However, he leaves it on the desk rather than sending it to the newspaper to prepare for
Christmas Day.
Mark and Julie manage to get back at their bullies by building a snowman over a tree
stump so their snowmobile crashes.
That night, though, Julie becomes upset after the tree's star falls and breaks.
Ralphie, frustrated, goes out against his wife and mother's urging to find a new one.
Since all of the stores are closed, his only option is to borrow the star, with a beer
company logo on it, from the tree in Flick's Tavern, breaking and entering the premises
to do so.
On his way out, he is caught and apprehended by Scut Farkas, now a police officer.
Ralphie is terrified of what Scut will do to him, but after some initial teasing, he
actually brings him home, saying he owes Ralphie because their fight set him on a better path
in life.
He also unknowingly reveals his own children to have been the bullies of Mark and Julie.
As Mrs. Parker and Ralphie reminisce about the old man, the Christmas tree once again
blows a fuse, but the former orders the latter to bed, saying that she needs to learn these
things for self now.
On Christmas morning, Ralphie is confused by compliments he receives about his piece
in the newspaper.
Sandy, it turns out, had found the obituary manuscript and took it to the local paper,
and its high quality led to it taking the front page as a full column and quickly being
syndicated.
Ralphie is offered a new job as a syndicated columnist, fulfilling his dream of leaving
the rat race and becoming a full-time writer.
Opening presents, it is discovered that the old man had bought and personally wrapped
very thoughtful gifts for the family shortly before his death.
Much of the town soon comes to the Parker house for Christmas dinner along with Ralphie's
younger brother, Randy, fresh from a business trip in India.
After dinner concludes, the Khor family asks Ralphie to read his story about the old man.
Seeing his father's vacant red chair but realizing that he is still very much there that day
in spirit, Ralphie takes a seat and begins to read, fully embracing his new role as the
old man's successor.
It is revealed that the story is in fact that of Christmas 1940 as Ralphie's narration
of it fades and transitions into Gene Shepard's from the original film.
Gosh, dude.
There is no other way that they could have ended this movie that would have topped this
ending.
I absolutely agree.
This is just perfect.
It's like they built a perfect loop between a Christmas story and a Christmas story Christmas.
It was just flawlessly executed.
It was so good.
I didn't even expect until he was sitting down about to read.
It was actually like when he started reading, I was just like, wait a minute, this sounds
familiar.
Then it just slowly led into the opening of a Christmas story.
Like, dude, this is perfect.
You can't get better than that.
No, you cannot.
Gosh.
Anyway, so starting off with story, they freaking killed it.
This is easily one of the probably one of the most relatable Christmas stories out there.
It really is.
I feel that Ralphie says one of the best lines I feel that I've ever heard in a movie, not
only a Christmas movie, but in a movie in general.
It's when he's on the phone with his mom and she tells him the news and he's just like,
no matter what you go through life, nothing can prepare you for when someone tells you
of the passing of a parent.
He's not wrong.
I mean, I know some of us all have our scuffles with our parents.
Some of us have better relationships with them than others, but I feel that there at
least has to be out of the two, if we're just saying, you know, they're just mom and a dad,
I feel there has to be at least one or at least I hope there's one out of those two
that it just hits you so hard and you're taken back by it that you don't know how to react.
I can't even imagine, but it's especially unlike Ralphie situation, it seems like he
had a good relationship with both of his parents.
Absolutely.
And the fact that he had that good relationship and then it's hit with that certain news.
I mean, you kind of view as kids, you view your parents as gods in some way.
They're the ones that brought you into this world.
They're the ones that are taking care of you and have taught and guided you in most aspects.
Like I said, as long as you have a good relationship with them.
And then just like hearing, you almost view them as indestructible, like borderline immortal
beings.
Like you can't imagine the world without them because you've never been in a world without
them.
And just hearing like so suddenly to where because you were planning on like, oh, they're
on their way here.
Like there is no indication whatsoever that anything was wrong.
It's just a very sudden turn and that could take anyone off guard.
And I absolutely agree with you.
The way that he explains it is heartbreaking and just one of the many heartbreaking moments
in this film.
Like they did so good sharing this story and I know that we've already talked about it
and with me saying that I feel this movie is slightly better paced than the first one.
Like it's just anything that like kind of resembles a movie that was made way back when
because when Christmas stories were in what the 80s.
I think it might have been so maybe it wasn't the 80s.
Let me see.
Oh no, it wasn't the 80s.
1983.
But it took place.
When does it take place?
So this one takes place 30 years later in the 70s, right?
Yeah.
So it's just like a 30 year jump.
Yeah, 1940 is when Christmas story takes place.
Okay.
So yeah, it's like with I think it's just something that just comes.
There's a lot of fluff or things that are left in with 80s movies that can easily be
cropped out.
And I think not even a Christmas story is safe from that.
I feel like there are maybe some things you can crop out.
Like specifically, what's coming to mind is when like the kids are walking home from school
and then they like get chased and then it's just like the sped up footage of them like
running around and doing all that.
And then it's just like, well, okay, what was the point to that other than just like
a little comedic bit?
That's the point.
It's just the comedic bit, which makes it so great.
Man, you're a freaking sucker for shit like that.
I am.
Shut up.
But yeah, that's what I mean with like pacing issues.
Okay.
So it's just like it feels like they crop some of that out.
The story was like really solid.
They were like they were able to keep just the overall feel of the first one really well.
There is a lot of sequels out there that need to take a book from this movie.
This is how you do nostalgia, right?
Because there are so many callbacks to the first one, but none of them feel, or to the
original, but none of them feel out of place.
The one that I was saying like, okay, if they're going to do this, it's going to feel out of
place, but it doesn't because it takes place when Ralphie's having like those, not visions,
but like what would you call them?
Those are tough to explain.
Yeah, I just don't know.
I would almost say that they're like daydreaming.
Almost.
So it's like daydreams, but also a little bit of like what Family Guy does.
Okay.
Like they're the Family Guy style jokes where they have a setup and then boom, they show
a little clip of that whole setup.
But it is like what you said, more of like a dream scenario.
So I'd say it's almost a dream sequence.
Okay.
Because this literally just signified, oh my God, I freaking love this sequel.
When he's in the back of the police car and he's just thinking of everything that Scott
Farkas might do to him and it has the freaking, oh my God, what's...
So of course it has the guy that plays Scott Farkas in the original dressed how he looked
in the original along with the guy that played his buddy.
Oh my God, what was his...
I forget, okay, I got to know his name.
You know who I'm talking about, like the little short kid that was with him in the first one?
Yeah, I don't remember his name though.
Okay, that's going to bug the shit out of me.
Sorry, I got to find out his name.
Also was that the actual guy that played Farkas?
Yep.
That is the original guy that played Scott Farkas.
Is he really?
Because I know him from a different show, like a show that he was in a lot further...
Like there's no way, hold on.
No, yeah, that's him.
Dude, son of a bitch.
That's freaking nuts.
Because I know Zach Ward from a show that my favorite comedian did.
So okay, so that show took place in the early 2000s, 2000 to 2002.
And then you said this movie took place in...
1970?
Or it came out in 1983.
So he would have been...
Oh yeah, I'm sorry.
2013.
And then he would have been 30 years old in 2000.
Okay, that tracks.
But anyway, like, gosh, that's freaking nuts, dude.
So I love the flashback that yeah, so Zach Ward, Scott Farkas is dressed how he looked
in the original as a kid.
And then his bully buddy, Grover Dill, played by Yano Anaya, came back to play him as well.
And they're laughing at Ralphie.
And then they do exactly what they did in the first one, where Grover punches Scott
and then...
Wait, no, I'm sorry.
I think it's Scott punches Grover and then Grover punches Scott and then Scott kind of
gets mad.
And so he punches him even harder and he's just like, ah, man.
They did the exact same scene where they're all freaking grown up.
I was like smiling so hard.
I'm like, yeah, this is such a great freaking sequel for replicating that scene.
Dude, they went all out with that.
Even going as far as putting fake braces on him.
Yeah, they did.
So freaking great.
So good.
That's what I really liked about that.
If it still had...
It showed that Ralphie still has kind of that childhood imagination about him.
Yes, and I love that.
Yeah, it's fantastic.
I freaking love when they do stuff like that.
They're able to express that and share it and just giving him the job of being a writer
or giving him that's his dream to be a writer where he has to have that kind of imagination
works so well.
And it honestly makes a lot of sense when you're thinking back to the first one that
that's the direction he went with a career for how excited he gets when his teacher asks
them to write a Christmas theme about what they want for Christmas and of course he uses
it for letting his teacher know, hey, maybe you can persuade my parents to actually buy
me a Red Ryder BB gun.
But I don't know, I'm just remembering how much his eyes light up when he's asked to
write a story about what he wants for Christmas.
So you can tell that from the very beginning when he was a little kid that writing was
in his blood.
But they just did a really solid job at giving us the, just guiding us along this journey
of grief as well as the holiday spirit.
Because I mean, throughout like an underlying tone of this is dealing with the loss of his
father, the old man.
But it's also trying to fill those shoes, fill that role.
And that's what he's doing.
He's attempting to fill that role the best way that he can.
And that's going and buying the gifts, all the gifts that his kids want for Christmas.
But he also hasn't forgotten the stuff that he went through as a kid.
So he's able to like, remind his children about different stuff.
Like I love, I love just like the small little hints of stuff that he's never forgotten.
Like when they were at the, at that store and his kids were getting in line to see Santa.
And like right before he leaves, he's like, just don't let him kick you in the face.
So great, so great.
Friggin loved it.
Where are you sitting at with story?
I'm honestly, I'm pretty high just because it just, it just did everything right when
it comes to a sequel that takes place so long after the original.
So I wouldn't say I'm in the nineties, but I am pretty close I feel.
So I'm going to go in 87.
Honestly I can meet you about there too.
So I think, I don't think it quite cracked into the 90 range, but it was very, very solid.
Because I think where the story fell through, the writing is what really enhanced this for
me.
So I think the writing definitely cracked nineties for me.
I would agree.
I would definitely agree.
Yeah.
It was just really smartly written.
It gave like, kind of gave it like a modern tone to it in a way.
Like I really liked when he went back home and he was going to the bar and what is it?
What were the two kids that were flicking shorts?
Yeah.
I love their, like how their dynamic really hadn't changed all that much.
It really didn't.
And yeah, just everything that they did with these characters 30 years later, as much as
I wasn't the biggest fan of what they did with Schwartz, I can see why it makes sense.
None of the characters, the direction that they went felt so out of left field that you're
just like, it's not even the same character anymore.
Yeah.
Like these, these guys genuinely felt like the same characters.
Like they hadn't, like they hadn't aged a day.
Like the only thing that's different is like how they look, but it's like their personalities
are the same.
It's just like who they are at their core is the same.
Oh dude.
I got so excited when Ralphie walked into the bar and flicking shorts were there.
I'm just like, yeah, three amigos are back together again.
It was so great.
Oh dude.
I loved the scene where he had got Triple Dog Dared to go down that ramp.
That's so great.
Like every, like it's like everyone around was just like, but like the kids were just
like, what, what the hell is going on?
The best part is when finally Flick is just like, he's going to be okay.
Right?
Ralph and Ralph was just like, you know, we should probably just move out of the way.
Yeah.
Let's just move out of the way.
Dude, cause you know like damn well that, I mean, obviously for us it's not being Triple
Dog Dared or anything, but if someone like dares you to do something like, oh, bet you
won't and you're just like, I think there's no way I'm doing that.
And that you just bitch like that, like that will get me to do a lot of stuff.
Even when you're closer to your thirties than you are your twenties.
Yep.
You'll still do it.
Yeah.
Like my brother's thing, like my younger brother, his whole thing is just no balls.
Oh, I got balls.
And then he does something stupid or I'll do something stupid.
Like one of us is doing something stupid and it all starts with no balls.
I love it.
That's awesome.
Like I just gave the internet the key to getting me to do stupid shit.
Yes you did.
Just like, good job.
It's like, Hey, do this.
No, that's stupid.
Pussy.
No balls.
Oh, I got balls.
Shit.
Anyway, like I said, I'm, I'm, I'm cracking nineties with writing.
I might be in, I might be like right out in 90.
I was thinking the same.
All right.
Moving on over to acting.
I had this up.
Okay.
All right.
So for acting we have Peter Billingsley.
It just seemed like there was way too many like ing's in that, but I think I might be
a little, I think I might be mildly dyslexic.
No dude, you're good.
Dude, you know what?
I didn't know about him.
He was, he was an elf.
Yeah.
Holy shit.
I had no idea.
Yeah.
No fricking clue.
Like there's so much shit that he that's come out that he's been in.
Like I didn't realize he was the fricking, uh, uh, what's it, the scientists from iron
man.
No shit.
Yeah.
Damn good for you Billingsley.
I know he was the one that was working with Mysterio.
Oh my god.
And then he's, he's the one.
Yeah.
Then he was the one I got yelled at.
He was the one that got yelled at by Jeff bridges in the first one.
Isn't that fricking nuts?
Yeah.
I can see.
Yeah.
Oh my God.
That is so cool.
Yeah.
So, um, so we got Peter Billingsley who plays Ralphie Parker.
We have Aaron Hayes who plays his wife, Sandy Parker, uh, river Drosh who plays their son
Mark Juliana Lane who plays their daughter Julie.
We have Julie Haggerty who plays Ralphie's mom, Mrs. Parker, Scott Schwartz who plays
flick RD Rob who plays Schwartz.
I didn't realize the guy that plays flicks last name of Schwartz.
That's funny.
Yeah.
Right.
That's hilarious.
And then I think that's about it in terms of like characters people played.
Yeah.
Anyway.
Um, this might be a tough one for me, but who, who's your top three?
Um, honestly, this is actually like really easy for me just because I just loved seeing
these three back together in these roles.
So number number three, I would give to Scott Schwartz who played flick.
Number two, I would give to RD Rob who played Schwartz.
Just it was just so great seeing these two back together again.
And like, like you point out, this was literally like nothing had changed between these two.
So great.
And then number one, I would absolutely give to Peter Billingsley.
He transitioned right back into Ralphie.
I mean, yeah, adult Ralphie.
So of course, you know, like he's going to be be different, but it still feels exactly
the same, still feels the exact same character.
And he did a fantastic job.
Yeah, hard to argue with you on that one.
He's definitely my number one.
My number two, I might actually give to Julie Haggerty who plays his mom.
I know so that the role was originally offered to the actress who played their mom, but she
has retired from acting.
And so she she considered it like she highly considered it, but she ultimately turned it
down.
So they gave it to Julie Haggerty.
And I think she she made a really good like fit for the mom.
Like she kind of had it.
She had a new feel to her in a way.
Didn't like quite match the tone of the original, but I think she fit it well enough.
I feel for the excuse you could maybe give with that is just like she's definitely a
lot older in this one.
So, you know, times have changed.
She might be a little bit senile.
So I don't know.
Yeah, maybe.
Like you can definitely make an argument about it.
But I mean, the tone wasn't like off or anything.
It's just if you're making that comparison, it's different.
Yeah, no, absolutely agree.
But I think.
Yeah, my number three, I think I'm going to give to Aaron Hayes who plays Ralphie's wife.
I loved the dynamic between her and Ralphie.
It was really good.
They were so cute together.
Did they?
They had some funny shit when they were like together, like the whole carolers come into
the door and they're like Ralphie and his mom just frickin hit the floor.
And his wife is just like, I like to Carol.
She's like, like, you brought one of them into my house.
And he's like, I didn't know.
Like frickin love that whole thing.
And then when they're all decorating the tree and I think it's like Mark that starts talking
about like this kind of feels like child labor.
And then she's like, oh, honey, it's only child labor if we pay you.
That's such a great line.
I laughed at that for a good couple of minutes.
Like they had some frickin like heavy hit jokes.
They really did.
God, I loved it.
Yeah, so frickin good.
So yeah, I'm definitely giving it to her.
My number three spot.
I love it.
Where are you sitting with your acting grade?
I'd say also like pretty high, like none of I can't think of any extras that really brought
it down because a lot of the extras were returning cast members and they just transitioned right
back into the roles.
And I loved every minute of it.
One of the biggest ones.
I mean, I know I've already talked about, you know, flicking shorts, but especially
Scott Farkas, like the guy I've what's his name?
Zach Ward.
God feels like he never left the role.
Like he even frickin still has the laugh down.
It's still scary as hell.
I loved it.
Dude, I laughed so hard when they did that like flashback thing where it's he's dressed
as like he was when he was a kid.
That was the funniest shit.
Right.
Oh, so great.
Yeah, you know, actually, I think I'm going to give it the same score as writing a 90.
I might be a little bit lower.
I'm definitely a little bit higher than the story.
I do feel like overall, the acting was really good.
It did kind of feel like everyone was like lessening their acting ability to kind of
match how their tone was as a as kids.
All right, Touche.
So I'm definitely going to give some props for them about that.
I think some of the extras again, like I thought, and with the original, it's just maybe a little
much like I think the the kid bullies were a tad over the top.
The ones with the snowmobile like beating up snowman.
Yeah.
Like what the hell is that?
So I think I'm still like I said, I'm still fairly high.
I think I'm sitting at like an eighty eight with that one, though.
All right, fair enough.
All right.
Next up, we got character development.
I'm assuming we're doing Ralphie.
Yeah, absolutely.
OK.
What do you think?
I thought it was really good.
I love that, you know, you see him first starting off as, you know, like a struggling writer
and publisher because no one wants his story.
And then poor guy, you know, here here's about his father's passing.
And so, you know, he travels back to his hometown.
His mother asks him to write his eulogy, his obituary and, you know, try to put together
a classic Parker Christmas and just seeing him the way that he tries to make this Christmas
for not only his kids, but his wife and his mom and his mom as close to his old man's
Christmas is just like shows how much of a caring person Ralphie is, the lengths that
he goes to.
And then finally at the ending, you actually see him.
He actually gets a happy ending.
He actually he's published.
He gets what he wants.
He doesn't it doesn't end in like a bad way that, oh, you know, he never got published.
He has to go back to a dead end job.
And even there's that scene like after they finish opening gifts on Christmas, even his
wife is just like, you know what, maybe a year isn't long enough for you to really start
your writing career.
And he stops.
He's just like, no, no, no, honey, we agreed on a year.
And so I'm going back to my dead end job, but then, of course, after that, you know,
he gets the call.
But no, honestly, for a grownup Ralphie that takes place 30 years from when the original
Christmas story took place, I feel it's a great character arc.
It's great character development.
It still feels like the exact same Ralphie just all grown up.
So yeah, it it really does.
Like they did such an amazing job and.
Like sharing that.
And I feel like they even added like a like a bit of a new life to like the original Christmas
story.
I can definitely agree with that.
Just like with the way that they ended it with like kind of his his story coming full
circle, but now you can kind of go into a Christmas story viewing it as like this is
his his love letter to his dad.
Yeah.
And like, like I fucking love when they do when they do stuff like that, like.
Absolutely love it.
But yeah, he had some fairly decent.
Growth.
I mean, it's this probably the weaker category.
It's probably going to for me, it's going to be this in costumes.
That's fair.
But yeah, I mean, development wise, it's like.
He was just it's like he didn't really quite go anywhere other than I think most of his
development was just accepting his role in the family as like kind of taking over for
the old man.
Yeah.
And I mean.
He does.
And it's just he learns a lesson like, OK, it doesn't need to be perfect.
It just needs to be the best I can do.
At least that's kind of what I thought he was taken out of it.
I mean, I guess you got a point there.
You're not wrong.
But what did you think?
What did you?
I don't know.
I mean, now that I'm thinking about it, you are right.
Like I can't even argue that.
Yeah, it's just I think.
I think this is where the movie suffers because it's not a super important detail within this
story.
That's fair.
So it's it's kind of hard to to judge this one.
Well, yeah, like despite like what we felt of the movie.
So for me on this one, I'll say it was above average.
So I might be in like eighty one range.
See, it's actually exactly what I was thinking, because I thought you were going to do an
eighty.
So I was going to go up a little more to an eighty one.
So I'll actually match it with an eighty one.
Nice.
All right.
Next up, we got effects, which I think there was a decent amount.
Like they had some stunt work with the ramp.
Yeah, really good.
Yeah.
I'm trying to think of some other shit, oh, when freaking Julie gets plowed in the face
with that snowball.
God damn.
Oh, dude.
I I almost like spit up my water.
I like I choked on my drink watching that.
It was so freaking funny.
It really was.
And then the like and then she has to wear a patch over her eye just somehow made it
even funnier.
Oh, yeah, that was the cherry on top.
Oh, my gosh.
It's just it takes you by such surprise, like I said, out of freaking nowhere, out of freaking
left field.
But it's just the funny.
It's like watching someone slip and fall on like grocery store camera footage.
It's like something you're not really expecting, but it's just a treat when it happens.
It's true.
It's very true.
Oh, so I love that.
Loved how good that looked.
And then I'd say overall, I think I'm taking cinematography into account, too, since those
were I would say closer to special effects.
But yes, cinematography was great.
They definitely did a really good job recapturing how this time period looked.
And I can I feel that they definitely bumped up the the day the Ralphie daydreams a little
bit from the original and I loved it just the way that they laid them out.
The frickin dead man walking thing when he winds up in prison.
That was fantastic.
The frickin snowball showdown.
Yeah, that was awesome.
It's kind of funny that they have that scene of him in jail because I don't know if you
ever saw this came out in I think like 2013 or 2014.
But remember when they were doing like a lot of direct to DVD sequels Warner Brothers was
doing?
Yes.
And they did a Christmas story, too.
Did you ever see it?
I did not.
It's not as bad as everyone says.
It's not horrible.
I actually kind of like it a little bit.
This is this is definitely the true sequel to A Christmas Story.
There's no doubt about that.
This is this is A Christmas Story, too.
But that one is not as bad as everyone says.
But there is a part even when that in that one, he's daydreaming and he has frickin
Schwartz and Flick leading him to I think he's actually going to get the electric chair.
I forget what it is for.
But I think it's Flick that shouts dead man walking.
So I don't know.
I just found that funny that both of those kind of scenes were in both sequels, I guess.
That's pretty funny.
That might have been a like a cameo to that one.
It could be good.
Or maybe just like a nod to it at least.
Effects were pretty good.
I might be a little bit higher than character development.
I might be sitting around eighty five.
I might be just a little lower than you.
Long they were good, but just nothing like really stood stood out to me.
I mean, a lot did, but just you know what I mean.
So I'm going to.
Wow.
Not a you.
I'm going to go an eighty I'm going to go an eighty three.
I think something that I incorporated in that was my thoughts on their recreation of that
one store where they get everything from Higbee's.
Yeah, I think it was a recreation of that plus the like the Santa situation.
Like it's just they recreated that perfectly.
They weren't the elves wearing like the exact same costume.
Yeah, basically.
Yeah, and then they had the big slide.
Yeah, yeah, it was really great.
Oh, yeah, I want to watch the discussion that the cast has about that because the the younger
brother.
All right.
You know, you talk me into it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The the younger brother was talking about that slide and he's like, that was a death slide.
And he's like, when they pushed me down it, like you can see that I had genuine fear in
my eyes, like going down that.
And then when I realized, oh, it wasn't that bad, I went to the director and said, hey,
I think I can do it again.
I'm not scared of it.
And he's like, no, we got it.
Like, we got the shot.
Oh, shit.
So good.
Do you remember?
I forget what phone company it was for, but they did a whole like Christmas story commercial
based on it where the kid is, you know, he's dressed as Ralphie and he's like about to
head down the slide and he says he's instead of saying, you know, I want to read writer
B, we got him.
But he's saying like, like a certain phone plan and shit and like everything comes with
it and then fricking Sanis is like, you'll run the bill up, kid.
And then fricking I'm going to have to find this commercial.
It all said it to you.
Dude, please do.
That sounds hilarious.
I vaguely remember seeing something like that.
But yeah, yeah.
Oh, definitely.
Definitely need to see that.
OK, yeah, I'll find it out to be finished.
All right.
Next up in music.
It was decent.
Yeah.
I mean, didn't I swear to the opening song was the exact same as the original.
I think the score was just like a modernized version of the original.
Yeah.
And I see nothing wrong with that.
Like, yeah, I think that's perfect to do.
Yeah.
But like, still, it wasn't anything that like caught my attention or just like, oh, my gosh,
like such a great song.
It's just like, hey, it worked for what you guys had going.
Because of that, like, I would give it a seven.
That's exactly where I'm thinking, too.
Sweet.
We're pretty in a great like the only thing we've disagreed on at all, like even if you
can call it disagreement, it's is acting.
Yeah, that's true.
And that was only two points.
Yeah, that's that's funny.
All right.
Let's see.
Next up in costumes.
Classic 70s winter.
Yeah, that I don't know why, but the the jeans that Ralphie was wearing, I don't know if
he wears them throughout the whole movie or maybe it's just the ending, but they look
straight up just like disco pants or some shit like the way that like the cuffs at the
end of the pants, like how long they were.
Just I don't know why those like caught my attention so much.
That was kind of style in the 70s, though.
Yeah, that's yeah, that's true.
But I don't know that they caught my attention so much.
I'm like, really?
That's those are the jeans that they wore.
I love it.
Yeah, they're they're odd there.
But I mean, I would never wear them.
But you know, kudos to people that were able to pull them off.
Yeah, I don't think there was anything like completely like outstanding about the costumes
in this, though.
Like as much as I hate to say it.
You know what would have made my freaking my whole life was if they did a an homage
to the original like scene where it's Flick sticking his tongue to the pole when they
do the whole like ramp.
If Ralphie Flick and Schwartz were all wearing like the clothing that resembled what they
wore in the original, like even Schwartz had his like classic like yellow and brown long
hat.
That would have been pretty good.
That that probably would have bumped me up from where I'm at.
Like what are you?
I'm at like a six.
Yeah, even I can agree with you there.
I mean, it's like I mean, there was is above average because our average is five.
Yeah, like that's like it's just starting off at five and then you go up from there.
Like everything worked for the times like it was good.
But I think it kind of did have like a timeless feel like, oh, like the only thing that really
felt old was like the cars.
Everything else felt pretty timeless.
I mean, it was nice seeing that, you know, like for that dream or that daydreaming sequence
that Zach Ward and Yano Anoia, I don't know how to pronounce his last name, that they
had them wear the exact same costumes that they wore as Scutton.
Oh, my, was it Dillard?
I'm going to butcher this name.
Grover.
But like that's like the only thing I can think of like, oh, you know, like these characters
wore the classic costume, so it doesn't really bump it up for me.
Yeah, me either.
So I'm definitely sitting at a six.
I think if that may have would have been like a bigger role in what was happening, I think
it would have bumped me up to maybe a seven.
But yeah, six for me.
All right.
Last up, we got our own personal score.
So you want to take this one?
I would love to.
So yeah, when this was first announced, I honestly thought it was just going to be like,
you know, like the cast, like recalling their memories on it, you know, just reminiscing
about the good old days with this movie or with the original movie.
I did not expect it to be like an actual sequel, but I freaking love that they did it.
They did this one right.
They didn't disgrace the source material at all.
They took it seriously.
Every everyone that came back from the original transitioned right back into their characters
in a respectful way.
Yeah, Peter Billingsley, especially amazing as Ralphie just love seeing him back.
Love seeing everyone back.
And just this was a really good sequel.
So I. I. Hmm.
Yeah, I'm going to go I'm going to go on eighty eight.
Nice.
I'm a little bit lower than you.
I'm not by much.
I'm sitting at eighty four.
All right.
I had a really good time with this movie and I can definitely see myself watching this
again.
Like I said, it's in my like if you listen to our top 10 episode, I'm it's in my top
10.
Yeah.
Awesome.
I love it.
Yeah.
But even though it's in my top 10, it's like my personal enjoy.
I think even Elf isn't necessarily all that high on my like personal rating.
Like, don't get me wrong, it's up there, but it's not like crack.
I don't even think Elf's cracks like my top 30 movies.
That's fair.
I get where you're coming from.
Yeah, it's just it's a good holiday film.
And in ways of rewatch ability, it's definitely something I'm going to rewatch every year,
just like I'm probably going to rewatch A Christmas Story, just like I'm going to rewatch
everything else that we brought up in our top 10 list.
It's good.
It's good enough for me to want to rewatch in a particular circumstance.
Yeah.
Fair.
Overall, I think they.
I think my enjoyment level of this was way above what I felt for A Christmas Story.
I know, which is like blasphemy to Rose.
But yeah, I think I'm sitting at an 84 there.
I respect it.
All right.
Well, with that, that bring or that is the end of this breakdown.
So going through our scores really quick, starting off with story, we are sitting in
a very solid 87 writing got bumped up significantly or a decent amount to a 90 acting dropped
down just a single point sitting at an 89 character development was probably one of
the lower was the lower score.
Sitting at an 81.
The effects are sitting at an 85 because it's just average as average can be with a couple
really funny special effects here and there.
Music slightly above average sitting at seven costumes.
A little less so just setting out a solid six out of 10.
And then our personal score averaged out to an 86.
So that brings our final all bros letter grade for A Christmas Story Christmas to a B.
All right.
I like it.
Yeah, I like that a lot.
So it is sitting at an 84.12.
Not bad.
Yeah not bad at all.
It's definitely one of our higher B movies.
That's awesome.
Hell yeah.
Let me see where it is.
Okay there we go.
All right so A Christmas Story Christmas like I said is sitting at an 84.12.
That puts it let's go above first.
So it puts it above Free Guy which is at an 84.06.
Puts it above Thor Ragnarok which is at an 83.90.
Wow.
That puts it above Murder on the Orient Express which is at an 83.81.
It's above Sonic the Hedgehog which is at an 83.81.
And then finally it puts it above Home Alone which is at an 83.64.
We're gonna have some angry people at us.
Probably.
Yeah people are gonna be happy with that one.
Yeah.
Um go in the opposite direction.
I'm pretty sure we're not gonna have people very happy with us this way either.
Oh shit.
So Christmas Story Christmas is sitting below Solo a Star Wars story at an 84.21.
It's also below Avengers Age of Ultron which is sitting at an 84.37.
It is below Prey which is at an 84.43.
It is also below Christopher Robin which is at an 84.56.
And then finally it is below The Matrix Resurrections which is at an 84.70.
I mean what number is The Resurrections?
Is that four?
Resurrections is the fourth one, yes.
Oh no.
Christmas Story Christmas is better than that.
Well guess we don't think so.
Look all I'm saying is-
Okay listen listen listen listen.
If you want to blame anyone you can blame DJ for basically giving this like a hundred.
That's true.
Because all I'm saying is one I fell asleep halfway through and the first one and the
other one I was awake the whole damn time.
I'll let you guess which one.
I'm going to consistently give DJ shit about that one because his thoughts on that movie
have changed drastically since that breakdown.
Really?
Oh shit that's funny.
So I'm pretty sure it would have been a lot lower if we would have done it like now.
The Matrix Resurrections Revisited.
Oh shit that would be funny.
Or how about The Matrix Resurrections Resurrected.
But yeah.
Anyway so that's where that movie is sitting.
And that concludes this week's breakdown.
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So next week you guys can look forward to us breaking down Puss in Boots The Last Wish.
So that's going to be very excited for this one.
This looks like it's going to be really good.
And be on the lookout on our social media.
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So be on the lookout.
Anyway, but until then, this has been the All Bros podcast.
I'm Caleb.
And I'm Jonathan.
And we'll catch you guys next week.
Deuces!
Shalom!
And Merry Christmas!