Critic Reviews
Christmas Story, A (1983) Rank 4 Reviews
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eFilmCritic.com (Ryan Arthur)
I think I first saw this story in Fourth grade. I identified with it. I've seen it every year since then; I still identify.
Ralphie is in a quandry. More than anything else in the world he wants a Red Rider BB Gun for Christmas. No one understands him. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at eFilmCritic.com (Ryan Arthur)
eFilmCritic
It's not just a holiday movie, although that's the best time to watch it. No, I could plop down in 90-degree weather in the middle of July and still watch this movie. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at eFilmCritic
filmcritic.com
They sell the infamous "leg lamp" on the Internet now. (They cost $250!) Clark wanted Jack Nicholson to play the role of The Old Man. These insights and others await the patient viewer who sits through the new Christmas Story commentary track on its ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at filmcritic.com
Chad Polenz
Ralph wants to a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Of course Ralph's parents and other adults are worried. "You'll shoot your eye out" is what the entire world seems to be telling him, but he doesn't give up. When asked to write a "theme" for class, ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Chad Polenz
Bob Bloom
A CHRISTMAS STORY (Warner Home Entertainment) Here's a wonderful early holiday gift, the 1983 comedy based on the writings of Jean Shepherd that has become a Yuletime viewing favorite.
This 20th anniversary two-disc set features the film in ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Bob Bloom
Raging Bull Movie Reviews (Mike Lorefice)
Magic and nostalgia are the first two words that pop into my head when I think of Bob Clark's 1983 classic, A Christmas Story. With the probable exception of Star Wars, it was the movie I watched the most during my childhood. Unlike many of the movies I ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Raging Bull Movie Reviews (Mike Lorefice)
CleverDonkey.com (MynaGirl)
It's Christmas Day, and we're watching TNT's Christmas Story marathon (http://us.imdb.com/Title?0085334), and I am again (as I am every year) amazed at the wonderfully crafted, perfectly told, exquisitely cast, and fabulously created story that is ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at CleverDonkey.com (MynaGirl)
The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)
Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) is a nine year old boy in 1930s Gary, Indiana, whose entire life is consumed with his one wish -- for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas. But all of the adults in his life have the same reaction: "You will shoot your eye out!" ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at The Movie Mom (Nell Minow)
filmsgraded.com (Brian Koller)
It is a story of about one month of Ralphie's
life. Ralphie is a boy, about nine years old,
growing up in a middle class neighborhood during
the (late?) 1930s. He dreams of getting a BB gun
for Christmas, waits anxiously for his Little
Orphan Annie ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at filmsgraded.com (Brian Koller)
filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
Pop quiz: A Christmas Story was directed by Bob Clark. What was the film he made immediately prior to it? Answer: Porky's. Who knew? Also: They sell the infamous "leg lamp" on the Internet now. (They cost $250!) Clark wanted Jack ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at filmcritic.com (Christopher Null)
At-A-Glance Film Reviews
In an age where the division between films for adults and films for kids are increasingly divergent, A Christmas Story is like manna from heaven. The quirky dialogue and direction is a joy to behold. The screenwriters obviously have a strong memory of ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at At-A-Glance Film Reviews
Shot Away Reviews (Jager McConnell)
This has got to be one of my favorite Christmas movies of all time - even giving good ol It's a Wonderful Life a run for it's money. If you've never seen this film, run out and watch it today. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Shot Away Reviews (Jager McConnell)
TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)
The laughs are nonstop if rarely subtle, and the whole thing deserves to become a Christmastime classic. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at TV Guide's Movie Guide (--)
ToxicUniverse.com (John Nesbit)
Although the plot plays second fiddle to the individual vignettes, there's a thread that develops Ralphie's obsessive passion for the Red Ryder air rifle and his naive scheming to obtain his goal, despite the adults who line up against him with ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at ToxicUniverse.com (John Nesbit)
Decent Films - faith on film (Steven D. Greydanus)
Based on the childhood memoirs of radio humorist Jean Shepherd about growing up in the Midwest in the 1940s, A Christmas Story is as heartwarming and nostalgic as its title suggests. Like many Christmas-themed movies, it offers no insight into the true ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Decent Films - faith on film (Steven D. Greydanus)
Needcoffee.com - DVD Review
It's the 1940s and it's time for a slice of good old fashioned twisted Americana. Ralphie (Billingsley) knows, I mean knows what he wants--nay, needs--for Christmas. It's a Red Ryder Carbine Action, Two-Hundred Shot, Range Model Air Rifle. Trouble is, ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Needcoffee.com - DVD Review
The Onion A.V. Club (Noel Murray)
A Christmas Story's initial theatrical run came in 1983, when bookings were rarely open-ended, which meant the film disappeared from theaters just as word of mouth was building. When it hit VHS, home video was still a rental business, so fans spread the ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at The Onion A.V. Club (Noel Murray)
Movie-Vault.com (Joseph Kastner)
With those six simple words not only were dreams of an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle altered forever, so were the normal holiday movie traditions of Americans across the country. As popular as this feature is ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Movie-Vault.com (Joseph Kastner)
The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
Okay, let's see: I'm a girl, not a boy. I was a kid in the 70s, not the 40s. And I can't ever remember wanting anything for Christmas with the kind of feverish desperation that Ralphie yearns for a BB gun. So why do I feel as if A Christmas Story is ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at The Flick Filosopher (MaryAnn Johanson)
Reel.com DVD review (James Plath)
The year it premiered, A Christmas Story didn't play in theaters over Christmas. It opened around Thanksgiving and was pulled shortly before the big holiday because it lost money. Since then, the film has paid big dividends as one of the season's most ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Reel.com DVD review (James Plath)
Austin Chronicle (Alison Macor)
If you can't beat the usual pre-holiday hype, at least laugh at it. Watching A Christmas Story can help. For those who haven't seen this classic holiday tale, the film tells the story of Ralphie (Billingsley), a young boy who wants nothing more for ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Austin Chronicle (Alison Macor)
Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)
In the twenty years since the film has been released, it has gone from a very funny movie, to an annual yuletide favorite, and finally, a recognized holiday classic. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Cinema Laser (Derek M. Germano)
NightsAndWeekends.com (Kristin Dreyer Kramer)
We all have our Christmas favorites. Some watch It's a Wonderful Life religiously every December. Some can't live without watching at least one version of A Christmas Carol. But for me, it's A Christmas Story. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at NightsAndWeekends.com (Kristin Dreyer Kramer)
Reel.com
The movie is based on Jean Shepherd's autobiographical novel, In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash, and it's Shepherd's narrative voice we hear as the adult Ralphie, who recalls Christmas Past with Scrooged-like tongue planted in cheek. All young ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Reel.com
Movieprop.com: Review and Plot Summary
Growing up almost everyone had at least one Christmas that was especially memorable; complete with the big gift that would be cherished forever. In A Christmas Story a young boy named Ralphie wanted a Red Rider BB gun more than anything. Naturally he ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Movieprop.com: Review and Plot Summary
Raging Bull
Magic and nostalgia are the first two words that pop into my head when I think of Bob Clark's 1983 classic, A Christmas Story. With the probable exception of Star Wars, it was the movie I watched the most during my childhood. Unlike many of the movies I ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Raging Bull
Movie Criticism for the Retarded
The original tagline to the film that winds up atop our Retarded Christmas Top Ten is "A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas." And nothing could be further from the truth. A ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Movie Criticism for the Retarded
DVD Verdict (Bill Gibron)
Man, have we ruined Christmas. We is, of course, used in the strict pejorative sense since there is not a single member of the human race on the planet Earth that hasn't vamped their Visa in the over promotion of Jesus' day of birth. It used to be that ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at DVD Verdict (Bill Gibron)
The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)
Adapted from humorist Jean Shepherd's hilarious memoir In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, A Christmas Story has climbed the ranks of the annual holiday classic films list to claim its spot among the hallowed elite of the genre. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at The DVD Report (Britt Gillette)
Listen To Me
Ah, Christmas. The time of year where everyone gets together, united under the common idea of commercialism, to be merry and sing songs about some Jesus guy they've likely never heard of and of Santa who died for our sins when he fell down a chimney. ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Listen To Me
ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
Click to read the article ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at ReelViews (James Berardinelli)
TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide
Somehow usually tasteless director Bob Clark, whose specialty was fairly vile exploitation movies (PORKY'S and the even worse PORKY'S II: THE NEXT DAY), managed to make a totally charming and lovable Christmas film. Based on the short stories of ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at TV Guide Entertainment Network, Movie Guide
Mutant Reviewers From Hell
I can't believe it. I have been toiling here at the MRFH for YEARS under the impression that I'd already reviewed A Christmas Story. I kind of had, actually. I had written up a post for the now-and-forever-defunct PoolMan's Picks exclaiming my great ...read the complete Christmas Story movie review at Mutant Reviewers From Hell
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User Reviews
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by bfessler on May 06, 2009 Ogden, Utah
We watch this movie as a family, every year come Christmas time. Interestingly, it is set in the 1940s/50s, but the events, which happened during that setting seem to still happen now 60 years laters! We laugh about it, but most importantly connect to it. ...
by kenny on February 12, 2009 Layton, Utah
In my family this movie has taken the place of its a wonderful life, and is watched at least once in the season. Its funny and teaches life lessons such as never stick your tong to a frozen metal pole even if you are double dog dared. I highly recommend ...
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