Christmas Vacation (1989) Rank 5 Reviews

Movie Eye (David Litton)

They've traveled across the country to a closed Wally World. They've flown to Europe, and almost didn't make it back as a whole family. Now, they're tackling the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, not to mention a hoard of bickering in-laws, ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Eye (David Litton)

DVD Up Close (Bill Treadway)

Little did anyone realize in 1989 that National Lampoonâ��s Christmas Vacation would become a perennial holiday favorite, mentioned in the same breath as A Christmas Story. Using his short story â��Vacation â��59â�³ as a starting point, John Hughes, as ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Up Close (Bill Treadway)

eFilmCritic

And if you don't know who William Hickey is, I'm gonna come to your house and beat you with small woodland creatures until you DO know, dammit. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at eFilmCritic

The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)

Hands down, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is the best Christmas-themed comedy ever filmed. Personally, I make it habit to watch this movie about ten million times between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Even after seeing the film so many times ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)

Variety (Variety Staff)

Solid family fare with plenty of yocks, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is Chevy Chase and brood doing what they do best. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Variety (Variety Staff)

DVD Authority.com (Matt Brighton)

When the name â��Griswoldâ��sâ�� comes up, everyone automatically thinks of Clark and Ellen (Chevy Chase and Beverly Dâ��Angelo respectively)â�¦then they think of their own family and how the two must be one and the same. Thatâ��s one of the enduring ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Authority.com (Matt Brighton)

Blogcritics - DVD review (Matt Paprocki)

They've been to Wally World. They've been to Europe. This season, things are a bit different. It's time once again to visit the Griswold family, this time for a little holiday cheer like only they can provide. "Christmas Vacation" is a somewhat ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Blogcritics - DVD review (Matt Paprocki)

filmcritic.com

This time out the Griswolds aren't on a road trip -- they're spending a big family Christmas at home, filled with senile grandparents, and of course Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his white-trash brood. The usual holiday mishaps occur, from lights that ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at filmcritic.com

Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)

What would the holiday season be without NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION? Probably nowhere near as funny. For me, watching NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION ($20) has become something of a holiday tradition, one that can generate more ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)

X-Entertainment

Its no secret that Chevy Chase is one of our national treasures. Any guy who can still get roles after being in the longest string of bad movies imaginable deserves our respect. But if you think Chevy himself is a bad, worthless actor...you're wrong. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at X-Entertainment

DVD Net (Vince Carrozza)

Clark W. Griswold, God bless him, just wants the best of everything for his family. The best family vacation (Europe, Vegas, Wally World), the best family car (the Family Truckster) and the best family seasonal festivities - ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Net (Vince Carrozza)

filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Entry #3 in the National Lampoon's Vacation series is the last funny installment of the four movies (plus one made-for-TV movie which starred none of the original cast members). This time out the Griswolds aren't on a road trip -- they're spending ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)

Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)

Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is the father everyone wants their best friend to have. He's a man of tradition who takes great pride in taking his family on the occasional vacation. First off, it was a cross-country road trip to Wally World in National ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Views (Ryan Cracknell)

eFilmCritic.com (Oz)

If you're not aware of the "National Lampoon's Vacation" series, with Chevy Chase, Bev D'Angelo et al, well it might be time to crawl out from under the safety of yonder rock and hit your Blockbuster (or appropriate alternative video place that allows ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Oz)

Movie Addict (John Ulmer)

"A Christmas Carol," "Scrooge"...all classics we watch every year at Christmas...add "Christmas Vacation" to that list... ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Addict (John Ulmer)

dvdfuture.com

I have always liked the Vacation films and have always been a fan of Chevy Chase. This is the third film in the series and my personal favorite. The light plot involves Chase desperately waiting for that big X-Mas bonus and when he does not get it right ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at dvdfuture.com

DVD Times

Chevy Chase returns in the Griswold familyâ��s third (mis)adventure, National Lampoonâ��s Christmas Vacation. Deciding to stay home at Christmas, Clark (Chase) and his family (Beverly Dâ��Angelo returns as wife Ellen, while the kids are this time ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Times

Doug Pratt's DVD Review

The holiday comedy is presented in full screen format only, though it is doubtful that much, or anything, is lost without letterboxing. Fleshtones are a little pinkish, but generally the color transfer looks fine, with deep hues and sharp detail. The ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Doug Pratt's DVD Review

Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics

Ah NoÃ«l! C'est le temps des cadeaux, des achats et des douloureuses factures. Mais avant tout, c'est supposÃ© Ãªtre le temps de se rÃ©unir en famille et de cÃ©lÃ©brer. Parmi les nombreuses traditions reliÃ©es Ã cette fÃªte, on y retrouve de plus en ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Rotten Tomatoes - Reviews from the Nation's Top Critics

The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)

What does National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation have in common with It's a Wonderful Life? Well, some would argue that both are holiday classics, in their own ways. But here's the real trivia nut's connection: Frank Capra III -- grandson of the ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)

DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)

Clark Griswold, Oberhaupt der Schrillen Vier, hat sich geschworen, dass er und seine Lieben dieses Jahr zu Hause bleiben werden, um in Ruhe Weihnachten zu feiern. Ruhe?? Das Dach der Griswolds ist mit 25.000 Lichtern bestÃ¼ckt und Ã¤hnelt einer ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DigitalVD.de (Carsten Scheibe)

Mutant Reviewers From Hell

Once upon a time, when this reviewer was just a wee laddie, we had what at first appeared to be the worst Christmas ever. My father was laid off from the mill a mere four days before Dec. 25th, my mother was pregnant with twin sisters, I had the chicken ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Mutant Reviewers From Hell

BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

It seems that we weren't full of Christmas cheer when we reviewed this third movie in the Vacation series as "distinctly desperate". High art this may not be, but who could turn away this tale of family relatives causing yuletide misery for Chevy ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at BBC Films (Almar Haflidason)

Three Movie Buffs (Eric Nash)

As a trivia note this movie has some relevant supporting players. Before making it big on Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus played the Griswold's yuppy neighbor. Before she was Ray's mother on Everybody Loves Raymond Doris Roberts was Ellen Griswold's mom. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Three Movie Buffs (Eric Nash)

Teen Movie Critic (Mandy Heiser)

he third of the four "Vacation" films, Christmas Vacation takes on a slightly different form... The Griswolds are at it again, but this time in the "safety" of their own home. It's Christmas...what can go wrong? Well...a lot. Relatvies arguing, ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Teen Movie Critic (Mandy Heiser)

DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)

All Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) ever wanted was an old-fashioned Christmas at home. All Clark received was chaos the size of the Chernobyl incident! When his family and friends come visiting for Christmas Vacation, Clark finds himself up to his eyeballs ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)

DVD MovieGuide

First we saw the Griswold family go on a cross-country US trip with disastrous results. Next they took on Europe and encountered similarly nutty problems. With the seriesâ�� third installment, we watch the Griswolds celebrate the holiday season in ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD MovieGuide

Washington Post (Rita Kempley)

As the unsinkable Clark Griswold of "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," Chevy Chase survives a holiday season that would try Job's patience. His dreams of "the most fun-filled old-fashioned family Christmas ever" soon give way to the realities ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Washington Post (Rita Kempley)

DVD Town (John J. Puccio)

The four National Lampoon "Vacation" comedies with Chevy Chase saw their ups and downs, as a series of motion pictures and within each film. "Christmas Vacation," from 1989, the third in the sequence, is no exception. As a movie it marks an up turn; ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Town (John J. Puccio)

DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)

All Clark Griswold (Chase) wants is an old-fashioned Christmas with his family and relatives beside him. Apparently what Clark doesn't realize is that he'sâ�¦Clark Griswold! Of course there's no way on God's green and gold earth that the Griswold's ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at DVD Verdict (Patrick Naugle)

Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)

National Lampoonâ��s Christmas Vacation is the perhaps best of the Vacation sequels, and somehow, the one that feels the most different from the others, probably because it doesnâ��t actually involve the Griswold family actually traveling anywhere. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)

Deseret News, Salt Lake City

"National Lampoon's Vacation" a few years back was a pretty funny movie, almost in spite of itself. Though lighthearted and goofy, the film contained more than it's share of black humor with many of its very dark satirical barbs aimed at every sacred ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Deseret News, Salt Lake City

New York Times (Janet Maslin)

When Chevy Chase finds a good way to hurt himself in ''National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,'' he generally tries it more than once. The board that whacks him in the chin is liable to strike again. Floors will collapse, ladders fall, Christmas trees ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at New York Times (Janet Maslin)

MovieFreak.com (Dennis Landmann)

John Hughes returns to the Vacation films as writer and producer of Christmas Vacation, the third in the series. The idea of staying home this time around, after a cross country "holiday roooaad" and a European vacation, is not very compelling and ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at MovieFreak.com (Dennis Landmann)

Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)

National Lampoonâ��s Christmas Vacation is the perhaps best of the Vacation sequels, and somehow, the one that feels the most different from the others, probably because it doesnâ��t actually involve the Griswold family actually traveling anywhere. Itâ�� ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Qwipster's Movie Reviews (Vince Leo)

Movie Criticism for the Retarded

They say that in the world of "Star Trek", there's a rule of thumb when it comes to the movies: The even-numbered ones are way better than the odd-numbered ones. It looks like there's a similar vibe going on with the "Vacation" franchise of films, ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Movie Criticism for the Retarded

The Digital Bits

Remember the gold old days when Chevy Chase was actually funny? He had some classic moments on Saturday Night Live, and he took a few memorable turns in Caddyshack and Neil Simon's Seems Like Old Times. Even the first National Lampoon's Vacation movie ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at The Digital Bits

Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

In the course of the three National Lampoon vacation movies, Clark Griswold has become an emblem for all that is sweetest and most ineffectual in the Hollywood husband. What he wishes for his family, most desperately, is that they have a good time. All ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)

Foster on Film - Christmas

National Lampoon's Vacation was a surprise hit in 1983. It put the everyday Griswold family on the road as they traveled for the perfect vacation at Wally World. Naturally, everything went wrong and Clark found several innovative ways to go berserk. ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at Foster on Film - Christmas

BBC Films (Ali Barclay)

Christmas time and the Griswold family are preparing for all manner of festive celebration. Inevitably Clark, Ellen, and their two children encounter any number of seasonal problems, including temperamental Christmas lights, a larger than life tree, and ...read the complete Christmas Vacation movie review at BBC Films (Ali Barclay)

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Christmas Vacation (1989) Rank 5 Reviews

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