Christmas Entertainment Guide

Craigin Maloney ’21 Staff Writer

As the Christmas time rolls again here are the essentials for movie watching.

The Comedy

Released in 1989, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is a classic. Featuring Chevy Chase as Clark Griswald, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” tells the story of a father desperate for a classic American family Christmas. His unflinching dedication to being the ideal “family man” leads to many laughs. Head Adviser of the Class of 2021 Marie Doval described herself as “crying from laughing so much throughout the movie.” Zane Franz ’21 says that National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation strikes “the right balance of slapstick and actual jokes.” The movie is rounded out when Clark Griswald’s cousins move their camper onto his front lawn, and Griswald’s holiday bonus doesn’t end up coming through. When asked who she would recommend this movie to, Head Librarian Faye Prendergast enthusiastically replied: “Everybody! It’s hilarious!”

The Rom Com/ Tear Jerker

Picture this: Assistant Head of School John Roberts is sitting home on the first day of December break, trying to decide what to watch. As he scrolls through Netflix, he lands on “Love Actually.” Two hours and twenty-five minutes later, the end credits are rolling and tears are running down his face. In his words, at the end of “Love Actually” Roberts is “definitely crying. The movie came out to a world still traumatized by 9/11 and its aftermath. The message of universal love was really powerful at the moment, and is no less so today.” For some, the movie has a slightly less powerful effect, but is still quite enjoyable. Caroline Asnes ’21 would “recommend ‘Love Actually’ to people who like cheesy rom coms with substance.” “Love Actually” tells the story of nine seemingly unconnected Brits, who all have one thing in common: love.

The Heartwarming Comedy

When asked what her favorite holiday movie was, Biology teacher Kellie Cox replied with: “‘ELF.’ ELFELFELF. Because HAVE YOU SEEN IT? It’s hilarious. ” Math teacher Adam Sperling puts on “Elf” when his wife “tries to hide the remote so we can only watch Hallmark movies.” “Elf” tells the story of Buddy (Will Ferrell), who spends his whole life believing he is an elf. He is shocked to learn that he is, in fact, a human, which explains why he is massive and not proficient in classic elf skills, such as making toys. Buddy decides to travel to New York City to not only find and bond with his father, but also to rekindle a dying Christmas spirit. Although many find this film lovable and funny, Jack Kealy ’21 believes “Elf” to anyone who likes “wholesome family movies that might be lacking in depth.”

The Classic

Although students may not be familiar with “A Miracle on 34th Street,” Math teacher John Isaacs believes it features “the greatest Santa Claus ever.” “Miracle on 34th Street” tells the story of a man by the name of Kris Kringle who is hired to play Santa Claus in Macy’s department store. Questions about his mental

health arise when he claims to actually be Santa, which leads to a court case. Kringle needs help from the friends he made along the way to prove that he is, in fact, Santa. Isaacs thinks to like this movie, you “have to like the old time classics.” Arushi Srivastava ’20 disagrees. Although it has been a long time since Srivastava has seen it, she remembers it as “kind of boring.”

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Christmas Entertainment Guide