8-Bit Christmas

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To be brutally frank, it is not so much how good this is, as it is how bad 99 out of 100 X-Mas movies are. Most are produced as part of a strange seasonal production line, pre-sold, profitable before anyone even sees them, and destined to be forgotten by New Years. In contrast this is sharp, witty, sassy, has great timing and the young actors are all self-aware and loving it. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))

that's the movie

source: 8-Bit Christmas

Truth be told, I had very little expectations for this new holiday film. I had previously read the book and found it "just okay", while the trailers made it out to be little more than goofy kids stuff. But in a surprising turn of events, "8-Bit Christmas" ends up a movie that might just stand the test of time for viewers of a certain age. For a very basic overview, "8-Bit Christmas" tells the story of young Jake Doyle (Winslow Fegley.), the prototypical "80s kid" who wants just one thing for Christmas '88: a Nintendo Entertainment System. Much like Ralphie chasing his beloved Red Ryder, Jake concocts scheme after scheme (often featuring his grade school pals) to make sure a NES is underneath the tree on Christmas morning. On one hand, "8-Bit" is very much nostalgia-bait for 80s (or even early 90s) kids. It is absolutely chock full of period-specific references, decor, clothing, language, etc. Fortunately, it never comes off as too hokey or pandering. Director Michael Dowse does a remarkable job of capturing the essence of that time period. It often made me feel as if I was re-living my own childhood! Yet, I also strongly believe that one can enjoy this movie even without having been birthed from 1980-1990 or so. The entire plot is basically a frame narrative told by Old Jake (Neil Patrick Harris, riffing on his How I Met Your Mother notoriety), and it features some great performances by Young Jake's parents (Steve Zahn & June Diane Raphael). Despite some of the sillier or goofier material that is indeed present throughout, this movie has a poignant family-based message about the holiday season. Until the final 10-15 or so minutes, I had this one pegged as perhaps 8/9 stars. But the final scenes? As touching and meaningful as anything I've ever seen in a holiday flick. All of the subtle character-building delivers a payoff that might just have you wiping your eyes (but smiling at the same time). Just by the way pop culture worked back in the era depicted, there is about a ten-year age window (my own, of course) of viewers that will connect to the material here the most. For them, this is one to show the kiddos "what it was like back then". For everyone else? Even if you don't fully appreciate the disappointment of the Power Glove or have never sold items door-to-door to win a school prize, the overall message of "8-Bit Christmas" can still shine through.

It's wonderful to be able to watch a lighthearted family friendly movie without having politics rammed down your throat. This is a decent film, suitable for families with younger children (probably around 10 or so) who want to watch something to do with Christmas that will keep the kids entertained. This is worth watching at least once.

To be brutally frank, it is not so much how good this is, as it is how bad 99 out of 100 X-Mas movies are. Most are produced as part of a strange seasonal production line, pre-sold, profitable before anyone even sees them, and destined to be forgotten by New Years. In contrast this is sharp, witty, sassy, has great timing and the young actors are all self-aware and loving it.

Thank God it wasn't what I thought it would be: a Jingle All the Way reboot. Actually, for about the first two-thirds of this, I saw basically a remake of A Christmas Story. Almost beat-by-beat. But, I didn't mind it like I normally would. They made it their own and more importantly, I was laughing out loud quite frequently. Normally, this is where I'd give you the synopsis, but I just did. This is a retelling of 1983's A Christmas Story and you'll have to replace the sought out Red Ryder BB gun with the sacred OG Nintendo. Also, it's about 40 years after when A Christmas Story was set and narrated about 40 years later, present day. Again, I didn't mind this version of the story and luckily, they made the last third completely original and 100% touching. I can really see this becoming a classic on its own. It's sweet, funny, nostalgic - WITHOUT it being forced down our throats and, in the end, lessons will be learned. Highly recommended. This was my first Christmas movie of the 2021 Christmas season and I'm happy it was. *** Final Thoughts: Oh, boy. I can RELATE. I wanted a Nintendo, or heck ANY game system when I was their age. In fact, *I* WAS their age when this movie takes place. I didn't get one, but I did make a lot of friends who had all the systems. So, compromise.