You Better Watch Out!

From the snow-covered McCallister mansion to the claustrophobic HVAC vents of Nakatomi Plaza, there are certain things that set classic Christmas movies apart. Now, this is 2018 and we’d be right on trend yelling baseless opinions at you. But our aim in this episode is to kick off You Better Watch Out with a conversation about what, exactly, makes a classic a classic. Then, we’ll either stick to the criteria we lay out or (more likely) totally fly off the rails Polar Express-style as we debate the best and worst Christmas movies in the episodes ahead!

We've made our lists, we've checked them twice, and now you're going to find out what Christmas movies we think are naughty and nice. This episode is about the naughty ones - the putrid stinkbombs that can really turn the Christmas spirit toxic. Oh, and the movie we both picked as the very worst is one that many people say is the best. You might get mad at us, but this is our podcast and we have to defend it!

Remember that one Christmas present you wanted more than anything in the world? You spent weeks telling your friends all about it and then, on Christmas morning, you spot a beautifully wrapped present under the tree with your name on it. It's exactly the right size and the right weight. You give it a little shake as your heart starts racing. You tear open the paper and do a double take because...it's a young geologist's starter kit and your heart is now at the bottom of your stomach. This episode is about the movie version of that feeling - the guaranteed future Christmas classics that ended up letting us down as low as we could go. Thanks a lot, Santa!

You know that strange elf Hermey from Rudolph? He was a misfit who didn't want to make toys, but wanted to be a dentist for some reason. Eventually, he found happiness and a sense of purpose. The fourth episode of our podcast is about the movie versions of Hermey - Christmas films that have been overshadowed, misunderstood, or simply forgotten. We think they deserve another look!

If you haven’t been able to tell yet, we’ve set the bar for calling a Christmas movie a “classic” at about the cruising altitude of Santa’s sleigh. Lots of movies aim for classic status every year – and most fall spectacularly short. That being said, this episode focuses on a select few from the past fifteen years or so that we think make the cut as modern classics. And no, “Jingle All the Way 2” with Larry the Cable Guy isn’t one of them. Bet you didn’t even know that existed.

It’s the episode you’ve been waiting to disagree with us about! Anticipation is a central part of the Christmas season, so we spend the better part of an hour counting down our ten favorite Christmas movies. It’s like we always say, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is by debating about movies for all to hear!” And just to keep things even, the top spot on one of our lists is as controversial as the top spot on our “worst movies” list. Ho ho ho!