Podcast appearances and mentions of Alonso Duralde

On this episode, we bring you a special presentation of act 3 of our made-for-podcast Christmas movie: “A Bomb For Christmas 2: Past, Present, and Future.” We will be releasing a new act every Tuesday until Christmas! Brief Synopsis: Last year, detective Tracy Chabert helped her partner, Holly, foil a plot to blow up a small town Christmas festival. This Christmas, someone is out to get revenge on Holly and it’s up to Tracy to save her…and she’ll be getting a little help from the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future. It’s the movie that answers the question no one asked, “What would happen if you combined Die Hard 2 an A Christmas Carol?” In Act 3, The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Tracy that her partner, Holly, isn’t the only one she has to save on this perilous Christmas Eve. Download here! 00:00 – 00:20 Intro 00:20 – 08:33 Act 2 08:33 – 10:21 Credits (The embedded player for the episode is bellow the credits) A Bomb for Christmas 2: Past Present and Future Act 2 was written directed and produced by Tim Babb Cast: Kiki Cronin as Tracy Chabert Emmily Scherb as Jemma Rickmanovich Jeffery Cronin as the Russian Voice Trish Healey as Betty Justin Dinger as Gern Blanston Dynelle Babb as Holly McTiernan Brendan Scherb as Bobby McTiernan With special podcaster guest stars… Alonso Duralde from LinoleumKnife, Maximum Film, Breakfast All Day, and Deck The Hallmark and author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas – Revised and Updated Edition as the Ghost of Christmas Present. Noah, from the TANcast Podcast (NSFW), as Joe McKringleberry and Edward Frizzelle from That's Hindsight as George The choral renditions of We Wish You A Merry Christmas and The Star Spangled Banner were performed by the 1995 Lincoln High School Chamber Ensemble All other music and sound effects were public domain found at Pixabay.com This made-for-podcast Christmas movie is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead or actual events is purely coincidental. Copyright 2025 by the Can’t Wait for Christmas Podcast. All rights reserved. Tune in December 15th for the next regular episode of the Can’t Wait For Christmas Podcast and December 16th for A Bomb for Christmas 2: Past, Present, and Future Act 4.

Hello and welcome to a special holiday bonus episode of Revolutions Per Movie!!!! I'm delighted to be joined by film critic/author Alonso Duralde (Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation in Film & Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas) to discuss one of the greatest holiday feasts of all time: PEE-WEE'S CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!!We also discuss whether or not it's easy to truly love holiday movies, the pain behind the awful Christmas film Santa And The Ice Cream Bunny, what Bowie or Zappa were thinking when they played the Florida amusement park Pirates World (where Iron Butterfly also filmed their film Musical Mutiny), Blast Of Silence, how Pee-Wee scored prime time appearances by Grace Jones and KD Lang while also convincing Cher & Little Richard not to sing, joining the Pee-Wee fan club, David Letterman, the new Pee-Wee doc, how people like Diana Shore were in on the joke by appearing on the special, the incredible pacing of a typical Pee-Wee episode, John Waters, how we love when Pee-Wee was just an asshole, which member of the playhouse would we want to hang out with, David Bowie & Bing Crosby's rendition of Little Drummer Boy, TV crap and variety shows feeding our 10 year old brains in the 70s, the verdict on Christmas carols, having "verse blindness" with music, top dollar Santas and more!So please come join me at my Revolutions Per Movie holiday party...the cups of instant coffee are on the floor...so help yourself!ALONSO DURALDE:instagram.com/alonso.duraldehttps://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/alonso-duralde/hollywood-pride/9780762485895/?lens=running-presshttps://www.bloomsbury.com/us/have-yourself-a-movie-little-christmas-9781493087440/REVOLUTIONS PER MOVIE:Host Chris Slusarenko (Eyelids, Guided By Voices, owner of Clinton Street Video rental store) is joined by actors, musicians, comedians, writers & directors who each week pick out their favorite music documentary, musical, music-themed fiction film or music videos to discuss. Fun, weird, and insightful, Revolutions Per Movie is your deep dive into our life-long obsessions where music and film collide.The show is also a completely independent affair, so the best way to support it is through our Patreon at patreon.com/revolutionspermovie. By joining, you can get weekly bonus episodes, physical goods such as Flexidiscs, and other exclusive goods.Revolutions Per Movie releases new episodes every Thursday on any podcast app, and additional, exclusive bonus episodes every Sunday on our Patreon. If you like the show, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing it on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!SOCIALS:@revolutionspermovieBlueSky: @revpermovieTHEME by Eyelids 'My Caved In Mind'www.musicofeyelids.bandcamp.com ARTWORK by Jeff T. Owenshttps://linktr.ee/mymetalhand Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Some might go so far as to call it the hap-happiest season of all. Why? Because we're rejoined by Alonso Duralde, one of the warmest most delightful film critics and podcasters in the world, for our annual bad holiday movie! That said, goddamn you Alonso for suggesting we watch The Christmas Martian. This... this... thing... oof. Just listen to the show.We're coming back to San Francisco Sketchfest on January 25! Get tickets now! And: BREAKING NEWS -- we'll be discussing THE MASTER OF DISGUISE!OR, if you prefer to watch us from the comfort of your own home: Flop TV Season 3 tix are ON SALE! Tonight (12/6)'s episode is on the oft-referenced ZARDOZ!Stay updated on Flop House events and side projects, plus a little extra, with our NEWSLETTER, “Flop Secrets!Wikipedia page for The Christmas MartianRecommended in this episode:Dan: PTU (2003)Stu: Sentimental Value (2025), Sirāt (2025)Elliott: The Baron of Arizona (1950)Alonso Duralde: Rebuilding (2025), Train Dreams (2025)

Our 2000s Holiday Noir miniseries kicks off with a film that helped relaunch Robert Downey Jr.'s career and reintroduced Shane Black to a new generation: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Phil and Emily are joined by film critic and historian Alonso Duralde to unpack why this meta-crime-comedy still feels like lightning in a bottle.The trio digs into the movie's razor-sharp script, its chaotic but affectionate relationship to noir, and the way Shane Black balances darkness with a wink. They explore Michelle Monaghan's standout performance, Val Kilmer's iconic turn as Gay Perry, and what made this moment in RDJ's career so precarious and so thrilling.They also dive into the film's tone-shifting structure, its overplotted charm, its self-aware narration, and why the movie's emotional core sneaks up on you. Along the way, they talk Shane Black's imitators, the difficulty of pulling off postmodern genre homage, and how this film manages to love the very tropes it skewers. Whether Kiss Kiss Bang Bang has been a long-time favorite or a movie you somehow missed, this episode revisits the 2005 cult classic with fresh eyes, big laughs, and a deep appreciation for what makes it so deceptively tricky and so rewatchable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are getting into the holiday spirit - whether you like it or not ya filthy animals! We had a wonderful chat with film critic and author ALONSO DURLADE  to discuss his new book HAVE YOURSELF A MOVIE LITTLE CHRISTMAS and one of the featured films from his list BETTER WATCH OUT (2017).More about our guest: Alonso Duralde is the Chief US Film Critic for The Film Verdict and co-host of the podcasts Linoleum Knife, Breakfast All Day, Maximum Film!, and Deck the Hallmark. His books include Hollywood Pride (TCM/Running Press), and Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, which will be reissued in Fall 2025 by Bloomsbury in a revised and updated edition. A former host for FilmStruck, he has discussed movies on TCM, CNN, and ABC, as well as in numerous documentaries. We hope you enjoy getting into the holiday season with us! Be sure to check out Alonso's book HAVE YOURSELF A MOVIE LITTLE CHRISTMAS! Support the show

Brea and Mallory pick their favorite book covers of 2025. Plus they interview Alonso Duralde about his new Christmas movie book, and give ideas for gifts for ereaders. Email us at readingglassespodcast at gmail dot com!Reading Glasses MerchRecommendations StoreThe Reading Glasses Book!Sponsors -Links -Reading Glasses Facebook GroupReading Glasses Goodreads GroupWish ListNewsletterLibro.fmTo join our Discord channel, email us proof of your Reading-Glasses-supporting Maximum Fun membership!www.maximumfun.org/joinWomen's Prison Book ProjectDaughter of Daring!SponsorsAura Frameswww.auraframes.comCODE: GLASSESGreenChefwww.greenchef.com/50GLASSESCODE: 50GLASSESAlonso DuraldeA Movie Little ChristmasBooks Mentioned -The Midnight Shift by Seon-Ran Cheon, translated by Gene PngWilling Prey by Allie OleanderBest Covers!Best Series:Brea: Adrift in Currents Clear and Clean by Seanan McGuireMallory: Mockingbird Court by Juneau BlackBest Horror:Brea: Best of All Worlds by Kenneth OppelMallory: Fiend by Alma KatsuBest Nonfiction:Brea: Sister Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson by Claire HoffmanMallory: Sucker Punch by Scaachi KoulCutest:Brea: Automatic Noodle by Annalee NewitzMallory: Cosmic Love at the Multiverse Hair Salon by Annie MareBest SFF:Brea: The Strange Case of Jane O by Karen Thompson WalkerMallory: Emily Wilde's Compendium of Lost Tales by Heather FawcettBest Literary:Brea: Blob by Maggie SuMallory: Stop Me If You've Heard This One by Kristin ArnettBest Smut/Romance:Brea: Sky Daddy by Kate FolkMallory: A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana HerreraOh, Christmas Tree! by Brian Herald, Brandon Gray, Daniel ThompsonChristmas: A Biography by Judith FlandersChristmas Days by Jeanette WintersonRoan Parrish

This week we invited Alonso Duralde back to the pod to talk about the Christmas TV movie classic, The Christmas Toy, which is basically Toy Story but with death!Tune in next week when our movie will be... Santa Jaws.-----Buy Alonso's new and updated book Have Yourself a Movie Little ChristmasListen to the podcast Linoleum KnifeAlso listen to Maximum Film wherever you get your podcasts!Finally, follow Alonso on instagram!Visit Emily's ETSY store FlemGems!Matt will be at The Ice House comedy club in Pasadena on December 13th!If you are in California, Jordan will be here on these dates!Wed Dec 3rd - Merced Public Library 5pm - 7pmSaturday Dec 6th - Thousand Oaks Public Library 2pm - 3pmGet a copy of Jordan Morris's comic book Predator: Black White and Blood #4!Also click this link to get a signed copy of something else Jordan made! https://bit.ly/coolfight

This week of Deck the Hallmark is presented by Racine Danish Kringles. Exclusive 10% off entire order -  www.kringles.com  // Promo Code:  HALLMARK25---It's time to start our journey through the Thanksgiving week movies!Up first, we're joined by Alonso Duralde to dive into this year's big Saturday release: A Grand Ole Opry Christmas — where country music, Christmas magic, and time-travel nostalgia meet under one roof.ABOUT A GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMASGentry Wade, who gave up music after her father's death decades ago must confront her past when Nashville's Grand Ole Opry invites her to honor her late country star dad at their Christmas celebration.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR A GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMASNovember 29, 2025 | Hallmark ChannelCAST & CREW OF A GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMASNikki DeLoach as Gentry WadeKristoffer Polaha as MacBRAN'S A GRAND OLE OPRY CHRISTMAS SYNOPSISThe movie kicks off like you're watching a VHS of an old Opry performance: the Winters & Wade Farewell Show at the Grand Ole Opry Christmas Special.Cut to present day, where we meet Gentry Wade, daughter of Jett Wade. She gets a knock at the door from her pal Mac, who keeps pushing her to let him sign her and record some songs. She insists that's not happening.Mac owns a bar in Nashville, where Gentry works and is mostly happy—despite everyone constantly asking about her father. Why did he quit music? And where is his missing guitar?Family friend Rita stops by with a plea from the Opry: they want Gentry to attend the Opry's 100th anniversary to honor her dad. Gentry isn't sure.Over drinks, we learn that Mac and Gentry have been friends since high school, but Mac insists he has zero romantic interest in her. Mmmhmm. Sure, pal.Gentry, Mac, and Rita head to the Opry and tag along with a tour guide who looks suspiciously like Erin Cahill. Backstage, Gentry bumps into Von Winters, who asks why she's hesitant about attending the anniversary. She explains she always wanted to be a songwriter, but it didn't work out, and she never earned her place in the Opry Circle. Von tells her that her time may not be up—it's Christmas, after all.She goes out onto the Opry stage to think. A blinding light hits her and suddenly—she's transported back in time. There onstage are her dad and Von doing soundcheck. Before she can talk to him, she's zapped back to the present.She runs to tell Mac, who absolutely does NOT believe her.Determined, Gentry sneaks back onto the stage again. Another blinding flash—and boom—she's back in time, bumping into a younger Rita.Mac, worried about her, goes to the Opry. He sits in a pew, gets blinded by the light, and he time travels too. He finds Gentry and she explains they're in 1995, right before the final Winters & Wade performance. She tells him she needs to find out why her dad walked away from music. Young Rita spots them and assumes they're a married couple, insisting they stay at her apartment.The next day, Gentry goes to the Opry pretending to be a label rep so she can talk to her dad. Jett tells her he and Von are getting along great and have songs ready for their next album. This makes Gentry wonder if they're in some alternate timeline where the breakup never happens. Mac urges her to stop overthinking—maybe they were brought back for a reason.Later, Gentry overhears Von talking with their manager, who wants the duo to change their style. Jett is absolutely not on board.At a Christmas party, she overhears them discussing bringing in new writers. Jett is furious. When he sees her, he assumes she's part of the label agenda and storms off.Gentry goes outside to the fire pit with Mac and opens up about memories of her father, including a song they started but never finished. Mac asks her to sing it. She does—and Jett secretly listens from behind them.The next day, Jett approaches her to apologize and tells her the song is really good. He asks why she never finished it. She says he passed away before they had the chance. He invites her to come to the Opry the next day so they can work on it together.She agrees, and they spend the day bonding while Mac records a video of them singing. Their session is cut short when Von and the manager show up—they've moved the recording session up to December 26 to prep for a world tour. But that means Jett will miss Christmas with his family, and the long tour makes him uneasy.The next day, Jett is missing. Gentry knows exactly where to find him—his “thinking spot.” She and Mac go there, and she basically convinces him to walk away from the duo and choose family.Afterward, Mac and Gentry finally kiss.The next day, Von calls Gentry in and reveals he knows she's not a label executive—but he thinks she's a great songwriter and wants to work with her.Before the big performance, Jett tells Von he's out. This will be their final show.Right before the set, Mac realizes Jett doesn't have his pick. He runs it over, trips, falls onto a pew—BOOM—transported back to the present.After the show, Jett finds Gentry, gives her his guitar, and she hugs him. Suddenly—bright light—and she's transported back to the present with that very guitar in her hands.Von is about to give a speech and calls her up onstage. He tells her that her dad was proud of her and that they actually wrote a song together. Von knows. He invites Gentry into the Opry Circle. She speaks about her father, and Von reveals he invited Brad Paisley to perform the song she wrote with Jett. As the song plays, we see 1995 Jett return to the Christmas cabin and hug his family.In the present, Von says he's ready for that songwriting meeting. Gentry gives him her dad's guitar, then goes to talk to Mac—and they kiss again. Mac shows her the video he recorded of her singing with her father and tells her he can't remember a time he didn't love her. They kiss even more, right there in front of the Opry. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Critic, podcaster, and Christmas movie expert Alonso Duralde has issued a revised and updated edition of his essential guide “Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas,” so he joins us to discuss one of his unconventional picks: the 1969 Bond movie “On Her Majesty's Secret Service.”Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/one-heat-minute-productions/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The co-commish, Mr. Ryan Marker, has been asking for a Draft of the films of great American auteur Robert Altman since the very beginning of Screen Drafts. Today, he's finally getting his wish. In PART ONE of the four part, 35-title ROBERT ALTMAN SUPER DRAFT, Ryan and Clay are joined by guest GM Mitchell Beaupre (Letterboxd) and guest commish Alonso Duralde (Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas) to place picks 35-29 on what will be the longest list in the history of the show! The ROBERT ALTMAN SUPER DRAFT will continue with PART TWO in February 2026! Join the Booster Club to access ad-free Main Feed Drafts and four bonus episodes a month! Sign up at www.patreon.com/screendrafts 

I am delighted to welcome back a friend of the Sewers, film critic and holiday aficionado, Linoleum Knife's Alonso Duralde. His book, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, is now out in a revised and updated edition, gathering even more expert recommendations for holiday films to enjoy this season and year-round. We chatted about how Christmas movies have changed since he wrote the first edition of his book, fifteen years ago, and what the future of holiday films might be. And also why he's been baking Christmas cookies all year long.And before we get to that, a quick heads up that I have a new YouTube video coming at the end of this month about the powerful gay magic behind The Wizard of Oz and Wicked. Check out my videos at youtube.com/mattbaume.And as always, if you're enjoying The Sewers of Paris, head over to Patreon.com/mattbaume to become a member, support the show, and get access to bonus videos and much more.

Today Rachel is delighted to have film critic Alonso Duralde back on the pod to talk about the latest edition of his holiday film guide- Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas Pick up Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas on amazon https://amzn.to/4hRlVG3 (ad) To get 15% off your next gift, go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/podcast/hallmarkies for 15% off! Uncommon Goods. We're all out of the ordinary. Check out all of our writer interviews https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWxQymWSou0&list=PLXv4sBF3mPUBxJT6OHAOjOM3F8w48hYu5 Our Christmas podcasts are at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4f2KtBPzUE&list=PLXv4sBF3mPUDo41tHqhkjHCvedmZwLzHx For all of our interviews https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXv4sBF3mPUA_0JZ2r5fxhTRE_-RChCj Send us your feedback at feedback@hallmarkiespodcast.com or the twitter call +1 (801) 855-6407 Check out the merch store and get our #hashtag shirts! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hallmarkies?utm_campaign=Hallmarkies&utm_medium=8581&utm_source=affiliate Please support the podcast on patreon at https://www.patreon.com/hallmarkies Follow us on ITunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/hallmarkies-podcast/id1296728288?mt=2 https://twitter.com/HallmarkiesPod on twitter @HallmarkiesPodcast on Instagram Check out our website HallmarkiesPodcast.com Follow Rachel's blog at http://rachelsreviews.net Follow Rachel on twitter twitter.com/rachel_reviews Follow Rachel's Reviews on youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/rachelsreviews Follow Rachel on facebook www.facebook.com/smilingldsgirl Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, I'm talking to Alonso Duralde, film critic, podcaster, and author of Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas (2nd Edition).Music in this episode"Our Minds Following" — Blue Dot Sessions, via Free Music ArchiveOrder your copy today! Of Christmases Long, Long AgoConnect with Me Links to all the things https://christmaspastpodcast.com/links Email: christmaspastpodcast@gmail.com BooksOf Christmases Long, Long Ago: Surprising Traditions from Christmas Past (2025, Lyons Press and Recorded Books) It's Christmas as you've never seen it before, and it makes a great gift for all the Christmas lovers in your life. Christmas Past: The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Holiday's Traditions (2022, Lyons Press and Recorded Books)

Here are the new episodes that dropped the week of October 25th to the 31st.   Can't Wait for Christmas Podcast – October 25th – “'Modern' Christmas Movies with Alonso Duralde.” Christmas Morning Podcast – October 25th – “October Christmas Party – 2 Months Until Christmas 2025.” Closer to Christmas Podcast – October 25th – […]

On this episode, film critic, podcaster, and author Alonso Duralde joins Tim for the entire show. We'll be talking about his new book, Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas, Revised and Updated Edition. We'll also have a conversation about modern Christmas movies and countdown the most re-watch worthy Christmas movies to come out since 2010. Download here! 00:00 – 03:11 Intro 03:11 – 13:55 We Need A Little Christmas Now 13:55 – 21:31 Santa Babb's Mail Bag 21:31 – 32:00 A Discussion of Modern Christmas Movies 32:00 – 52:34 5 Golden Things – Re-watchable Christmas Movies (Post 2010) 52:34 –…

It's time for a festive mystery twist! Alonso joins us to review the first installment of Mistletoe Murders: Poison in a Pear Tree, which we originally covered back in January after its debut on Hallmark+. Now that it's finally aired on the Hallmark Channel, we're re-releasing our full review for everyone to enjoy! Season 2 kicks off soon! ABOUT MISTLETOE MURDERS: POISON IN A PEAR TREEChristmas shop owner Emily Lane investigates a murder at a tree farm.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR MISTLETOE MURDERS: POISON IN A PEAR TREEOctober 31 2024 on Hallmark+, October 17 2025 on Hallmark ChannelCAST & CREW OF MISTLETOE MURDERS: POISON IN A PEAR TREESarah Drew as Emily LanePeter Mooney as Sam WilnerBRAN'S  MISTLETOE MURDERS: POISON IN A PEAR TREE SYNOPSISThe episode kicks off with Emily Lane waking up from a nightmare. She runs a Christmas shop, Under the Mistletoe, in the small town of Fletcher's Grove. She brings her cat to see her friend, local vet June, and learns that her ex-husband, Marcus, proposed to June again. Part deux, if you will. June and Marcus go on a romantic carriage ride, but Marcus is acting strange and says he's just working on a surprise. Later, we see him meeting a man named Gordon and telling him he's done what he can for him and to just be patient. Gordon does not seem pleased.The next day, the police show up at Under the Mistletoe. A detective informs Emily that a man named Marcus is dead and that a cookie wrapper from her store was found at the crime scene. He insists on taking all the cookies from the shop. June shows up and fills Emily in—Marcus was found dead. She suspects his ex-girlfriend, Lizzie Cline, who he was seeing until shortly before getting back together with June, might have been on the wagon ride that night.Emily immediately gets to work, tracking down Lizzie at her job and asking hard-hitting questions—like, “Wagons?!” Speaking of wagons, Emily visits the owner of the wagon rides, Gordon. Something seems to be bothering him, and Emily suspects it's a hangover.Later, Emily heads into the woods and finds scuff marks on a tree, almost as if someone recently climbed it. Sneaky as ever, Emily snaps a picture of the list of everyone who was on the wagon that night. There's one person she can't track down—a man named Joey.While Emily and June are at the diner, June gets arrested. Emily confronts Detective Sam, who refuses to confirm or deny whether they found the poison that killed Marcus in June's house, but his terrible poker face says it all.Emily discovers that Marcus denied Gordon a bank loan, leaving Gordon's business in serious trouble. When Emily breaks into Marcus's home, she finds a USB drive and a bookmark tucked into a pregnancy photo album. The USB contains a document for the sale of Gordon's farm—but it's unsigned. When she confronts Gordon, she spots some suspicious men leaving his house. Gordon reveals that Marcus asked for more time.Before Emily can leave, Gordon collapses. While waiting for the police, Emily has a flashback to a high-stakes moment from her past, where a building explodes behind her. It's clear she moved to Fletcher's Grove to lay low.Detective Sam arrives, suspicious when he finds out Emily called in Gordon's collapse. She insists she's just trying to help her friend. Sam reluctantly asks her to keep him in the loop because, well, it's Hallmark—amateur sleuths and cops have to work together. It's practically a law.Emily teams up with a local informant named Ray, who knows all the town gossip. He reveals that Gordon recently had his gambling debt paid off, though it's unclear by whom. Emily also grows suspicious of Marcus's co-worker, Rowan. When she confronts him, he has an explanation for everything. Under pressure, she convinces him to share Marcus's bank statements, which reveal a $40,000 withdrawal just before his death.Emily forms a theory: Marcus paid off Gordon's debt as a down payment for the farm, but Gordon had second thoughts because his daughter believed the farm was hers. Emily pitches her theory to Gordon's daughter, Anna, but it doesn't go over well.One night, Emily confronts Lizzie, who admits she didn't mean for Marcus to get hurt. Lizzie reveals that she's pregnant with Marcus's baby. She wanted to tell her boyfriend, Trent, but couldn't. When she told Marcus, someone must have overheard. Lizzie then received a text demanding $40,000. Marcus got the money and met her in the woods, where they shared a cookie. Emily realizes the cookie couldn't have been poisoned and goes to the police to secure June's release.Emily deduces that Gordon wasn't the blackmailer—he doesn't even know how to text—but Anna does. Anna confesses to the blackmail but denies being involved in the murder.Emily discovers that Rowan was secretly sleeping in Gordon's barn. In his bag, she finds the poison that killed Marcus. Rowan knocks Emily out, and when she wakes up, both she and Anna are tied up. Rowan admits he wanted to kill Gordon to stop the sale of the farm. He poisoned Marcus's flask, which Marcus drank from before confronting the blackmailer. Rowan plans to poison Emily and Anna and frame Anna for everything.Emily reveals that she hid her phone and has been recording Rowan's confession. While he searches for the phone, Emily and Anna spook a horse to knock him out. They escape, call the police, and Rowan is arrested.Detective Sam tells Emily they'll discuss everything soon but is relieved she's safe.In the end, Gordon survives, Lizzie tells Trent about the baby, and Sam and his daughter sing Christmas karaoke. Everything seems fine—until the final scene, where Emily opens a black box from her old life and smirks, hinting at secrets yet to come. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's Festive Friday, and for this episode we were joined by Alonso to dig into a holiday movie that is absolutely insane.ABOUT CIVIL CHRISTMASDuring the Civil War, a wounded Union soldier falls in love with a Southern woman while taking refuge in her cabin on Christmas Eve.AIR DATE & PLATFORM FOR CIVIL CHRISTMASJuly 2, 2024 | VODCAST & CREW OF CIVIL CHRISTMASSophie Bolen as Aura-LeeKyle Patrick Douglas as DouglasAndrew Dawe-Collins as Grandpa CharlieBRAN'S CIVIL CHRISTMAS SYNOPSISWe're dropped into the Civil War as I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day plays.Cut to this woman in her cabin. She hears a sound outside and thinks it's her grandpa. She runs out and, for some reason, bursts into Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Then she goes back in and sings a song that—honestly—makes it sound like she's in love with her grandpa. I don't know.There's a knock at the door. She grabs her gun and finds a wounded Yankee outside. Even though helping him could get her in trouble, she brings him in and stitches him up. He falls asleep, wakes up, and hears her sing O Holy Night—after which he just casually mumbles that he loves her.They eat and sing Up on the Housetop together, which somehow inspires her to decorate for Christmas. There's something off about this guy, but I can't quite place it. Then he recites A Visit from St. Nicholas and asks her to sing again, so they do The First Noel.That's when he breaks the news: her grandpa isn't coming home. He says they spent hours together by a fire, had a heart-to-heart, grandpa wrote a poem to God…and then died. To cope, she sings Silent Night. Naturally.They have a quick “nuanced” conversation about slavery and then immediately slide into What Child Is This. She says goodnight, and that's when he drops the bomb: he actually killed her grandpa after grandpa shot him in the back. Oh, and by the way, they knew each other as kids and were first loves. He gives her another letter from grandpa, and they cap it all off by singing a slow version of Jingle Bells.He proposes, she says yes, and they celebrate on the porch. Then—plot twist—it turns out they're in one of Krampus' snow globes, and suddenly everything makes sense. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What's up, dudes? Author extraordinaire Alonso Duralde from the Linoleum Knife podcast and I dig deep I to the 2nd edition of his book Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas! There are updates galore, as movies like “Violent Night” are added to the lineup. It's a great reference book, easy to read, witty and informative. So grab your copy and listen to this episode!Linoleum Knife PodcastThe WrapBooks:Have Yourself a Movie Little ChristmasI'll Be Home for Christmas MoviesTwitter @ADuraldeGive us a buzz! Send a text, dudes!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

It's time for another Hallmark review! This episode was originally released in 2024, and we were joined by Alonso Duralde to break down the final Groomsmen movie.ABOUT THE GROOMSMEN: LAST DANCEJackson moves to Italy to be near his daughter, but a chance meeting with cafe owner Gabriella, and some meddling friends, may lead to a second chance at love.AIR DATE & NETWORK FOR THE GROOMSMEN: LAST DANCEOctober 31, 2024 | Hallmark+ / September 20, 2025 | Hallmark ChannelCAST & CREW OF THE GROOMSMEN: LAST DANCETyler Hynes as JacksonJonathan Bennett as DannyB.J. Britt as PeteElena Rusconi as GabriellaBRAN'S THE GROOMSMEN: LAST DANCE SYNOPSISThe movie kicks off at the initial wedding, where Jackson is dancing with his daughter, Betty, when she drops a bomb—she's moving to Italy with her mom. Jackson is devastated. He runs a firm representing social media influencers, including a guy who just eats soup. One day, he gets a call from his ex asking if Betty can stay with him for a while. Jackson comes up with a better idea: “I'll come to you!”He heads to Italy in a red convertible—because why not? He nearly hits a woman named Gabriella, and though he thinks he'll never see her again, fate has other plans. Gabriella runs a café that doesn't serve cappuccinos in the afternoon, so they keep bumping into each other. Friction turns into sexual tension, and Jackson even builds her a new website. But he insists, “Nothing is going to happen between us,” hesitant to love again after his divorce.When his sons visit, they encourage him to go to a masked dance. Hesitant at first, he ends up dancing with a masked stranger—and it's hot, hot, hot. He even dips her! But he leaves before discovering her identity.The next day at the café, Gabriella slips, and Jackson catches her—dip style—realizing it was the same woman from the dance. They talk it out, and she admits she didn't realize it was him. Later, while walking with Betty, she points out that Jackson is afraid of dating and that it's not fair to either of them.Gabriella brings over some lasagna, and Jackson offers to drive her home. When the car breaks down, they walk back together through the city. He opens up about his past, and she admits she knew it was him at the dance all along. Just as they're about to kiss, a sprinkler goes off—because, apparently, wet kisses are forbidden.Jackson joins Gabriella for dinner at her father's house and initially doubts their relationship can work. She reminds him, “We'll always have that dance.” Realizing he's been foolish, Jackson decides to stay—and they finally kiss.The story cuts back to Betty, the narrator. Milo shows up and confesses he's loved her since they were kids. They get married, everyone gives endless speeches, and then they all dance. Finally, the groomsmen perform their special dance again. Watch the show on Youtube - www.deckthehallmark.com/youtubeInterested in advertising on the show? Email bran@deckthehallmark.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us a textKen from the Sounds of Christmas talks to writer, film critic and podcaster Alonso Duralde about his new book Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas (Revised and Updated) and lots of movies (including It's A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story and Die Hard)!Find a copy of Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas (Revised and Updated)  Connect with Alonso on Instagram                                                                        Connect with Alonso on BlueSkyShow links:Listen to the Sounds of Christmas stationFind the Sounds of Christmas podcastConnect with the Sounds of Christmas on social mediaCheck out all the artists that made the 2024 season of the Sounds of Christmas station possibleSupport the show

The latest film releases include Him, A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, Where to Land, and Happyend. Weighing in are Alonso Duralde and Dave White, film critics and co-hosts of the movie podcast Linoleum Knife.

In this episode, Author, Film Critic, and Podcaster Alonso Duralde returns to the show once again to discuss his upcoming book "Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas: Revised and Updated Edition". Kristin and Alonso also play a fun game of Christmas Would You Rather.Buy the “Have Yourself A Movie Little Christmas: Updated and Revised” book here!Buy some merch: https://holidaysafterdark-shop.fourthwall.com/ and https://www.etsy.com/shop/HolidaysAfterDarkEmail your holiday stories to kristin@holidaysafterdark.com. Follow on Twitter and Instagram: @holidayspodcast Like on Facebook: Holidays After Dark Buy a Simulockrum Lock Picking Game here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TemporalTravels?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1520054429&from_page=listingThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/holidaysafterdark.   Special thanks to Night Owl Productions for producing and editing the podcast!Thank you to Pete Byrnes for composing the theme song!

It's the most wonderful time of the year, friends! Home For the Horrordays, our annual celebration of all things festive and spooky, makes its triumphant return! Also returning this week is our guest, film critic Alonso Duralde! The second edition of his book "Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas" arrives on shelves this week. (Pre-order your copy today!) Alonso joins us to discuss the explosion in the holiday cinema landscape since the book's original release. Afterward, Alonso brings us the 2022 Adult Swim Yule Log for discussion. Produced in secret and released with zero fanfare, the Adult Swim Yule Log starts simply enough: just a video of a festive fireplace. It soon veers off into some wildly grotesque directions, including a hillbilly killing spree, alternate dimensions and timelines, aliens, sentient yule logs... You know what? We've already said too much. Jump on in and join the insanity! Questions/Comments? Email us at XmasCreeps@gmail.comTweet us @ChristmasCreepsVisit us on the web at ChristmasCreeps.com! Join us on our Discord channel! Intro/Outro: Happy Christmas, You Guys! (Simon Panrucker) / CC BY-NC-SA 3.0

Watch on Philo! The movie kicks off with a boy named Julian telling us that he's going to tell us a story about someone named Hedwig. It's Christmas time but Julian isn't in the Christmas spirit. This is the first Christmas since his big sister, Juni, passed away. Julian goes for a swim in the pool and when he comes out for air, he sees a girl waving at him through the window. When he goes to leave, she's waiting for him. He introduces herself and tells him how impressed she is with his swimming. They walk through a Christmas market and she talks about how she absolutely loves Christmas. Julian says he doesn't care for Christmas and she just can't believe it. She gives him a hard time about that and he doesn't take it well. They argue and go their own ways but she runs after him before he gets too far and apologizes. She says she wants to be his friends and invites him to her house for cocoa and maybe seeing her house will give him the Christmas spirit. He walks away anyway.He gets home and it's just sadness. His little sister asks about where the advent candles are which makes their mom sad. Everyone is just sad.The next day, he's at the pool, hoping to see Hedwig again but she doesn't show. He remembered her address from when she told him the night before and tracks it down. It is as magical as she says it'd be and she's not done decorating yet - there's still decorations to add to the bathroom and the storage closet, obviously. She goes to grab and nail and Julian realizes these white ice skates begin to turn black as he gets closer. When she comes back, they go back to white. He's sure it's nothing.They drink some hot chocolate. We find out that Julian's birthday is Christmas eve.He tells her that there's just no Christmas in their house this year, it's too hard for his parents. She encourages him to be the example. So Julian goes homes, dusts off the advent candle set and lights 3 candles. His parents show up and smile at what he did. His sister says maybe if we light the 4th candle, Juni might be so happy that she'll come home for the holidays. The parents struggle with how to respond to that.The next day, Julian and Hedwig play in the snow, building a snow man, a snow sister, and enjoying the snow together.The next day, Julian brings Hedwig a gift - her very own swimsuit so that she can learn to swim. As they go to leave, this scary man walks up with keys to the house. Julian is confused and asks if she's scared that this scary man is walking around her house. She says she's not scared, not of that man.He teaches her to swim and she gets the hang of it until she gets to the deep end and begins to sink. Julian saves her. She says she's not sure she's ever going to be able to do it.Julian follows the old scary dude to this christmas card factory. He picks out a card and then asks him about why he was at the house. He yells at him and tells him to go.Julian and Hedwig go ice skating....well, Julian goes ice skating. Hedwig won't go on the ice. Afterwards, they drink hot chocolate and he tells her all about Juni.The next day, he tries to get her to open up. She won't do it. He tells her that he doesn't want to be her friend if she's not going to open up and she just vanishes.He goes to her house and it's dark. The old scary guy shows up. He tells her that he used to live there with his sister before she died. Her name...Hedwig. She died when they were kids when she fell through the ice. Julian tells him about his sister who died and they use her pictures to make a ton of Christmas cards.Julian hangs this Juni Christmas cards in his house and tells his parents he doesn't want to forget about her or act like nothings happened. He wants to remember her.He then runs to the cemetery to finds Hedwig's grave. He apologizes and she shows back up. He tells her that her brother thinks that she's sticking around because she's mad at him. She says thats not true. They decides it's time for her to go for good.He goes to grab her skates from the closet and they head off to the ice. She skates until the snow ghost comes down from the northern lights to take her away.The movie ends with Julian coming downstairs on his birthday to find his parents have decorated for Christmas. They go to a Christmas service where Julian sings and he goes outside to have a fun snowball fight with his friend. 

The latest film releases include Honey Don’t!, Splitsville, Lurker, and Suspended Time. Weighing in are Alonso Duralde and Dave White, film critics and co-hosts of the movie podcast Linoleum Knife.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHWe're in Lagos. There's no snow on the ground despite the fact that it's Christmastime. We meet Fiyin who is excited about the holidays. Why? Because this is the year that she tells her best friend, Elo, that she loves him! It's time! Spoiler alert, it's not time...for them. Elo tells Fiyin that he is proposing to his girlfriend he's been dating for 8 months that I guess Fiyin didn't know about. Fiyin wastes no time hatching a plan to ruin his relationship with her. We also be Fiyin mom, Gbemi. She literally bumps into her ex, Zach. He's a hot shot deal maker who begins to shoot his shot relentlessly despite the fact that she has a man friend- Toye. They all go to this birthday party and Filo's cousin, Ivie, meets this guitarist named Ajani. The sparks are flying and they agree to go out sometime. At this party, Zach and Gbeni end up kissssinggggggg. UH OH!!!We meet Elo's girlfriend and she's phenomenal. She basically brought the covid vaccine to Nigeria. She's a hero. IS that gonna stop Fiyin? Nah. Zach keeps shooting his shot, bringing a bunch of gifts to Gbeni. She finally comes clean and is like Zach is my ex-fiance. He is like I love you and want to be with you but you should take some space.Ivie and Ajani go out on a date and it's clear that they're from very different lifestyles but it works for them. There is this side storyline for Elo where his mom doesn't want to celebrate Christmas because it doesn't feel the same without Elo's sister who was killed a few years ago. Ultimately, she comes around to it and surprises Elo by decorating the house. Gbeni tells Toye that she wants to spend the rest of her life with him and they decide to get married on Christmas.After the wedding, Fiyin decides to shoot her shot, tell Elo how she feels, and kiss him. Obviously his girlfriend sees them. He tells Fiyin that she's so selfish. She realizes she goofed so she goes to make it right and they end up making it right. And Ivie tells Ajani to visit her in London sometime. 

Clive is a fancy man who writes a fancy Christmas newsletter every year to tell everyone about all the fun things he did this year. And every year, Joe gets this letter and it just makes him mad. He goes to talk to his wife and complain about how they never do anything. They're alive but they aren't living. We find out that he met Clive in elementary school because Clive was his pen-pal. It was immediately clear that they were from different worlds. To make matters worse, he ends up getting fired. He dreams of having to live on the streets and he wakes up the next day which I guess is Christmas day and tells his wife that he cashed out his 401k so that they can really have a year to remember. They're gonna ski. They're gonna go to the Bahamas. They're gonna see Tigger Woods. Up first, a very bizarre sleigh ride. His wife is not thrilled. And he caps it off by telling her that they're going to Clive's big birthday bash next summer.The hits keep coming - they go to a fancy place for New Year's Eve but I guess his suit isn't good enough. This leads to him accidentally pressing the button to drop the ball too early.The movie continues to be Joe & his family going on outings and it not being what they thought it was. His wife is like I'm not having fun, but he gaslights her into continuing along with the plan. After many many issues, he decides to delete the document he had been working on. But after getting the new letter from Clive, he finishes his letter. His wife tells him if he sends the letter, there might not be a we anymore. He ends up at a bar where Kristoffer Polaha is. And he gives him the same advice his wife gave him all year - his life is pretty good. No need to lie. It's Christmas Day and we see his wife getting a lot of calls about how amazing their Christmas card was. She's very confused.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with a couple dancing at a party, having a great time. It's Ben and Cassie and they end up dating. They are heading to rural Oregon to spend Christmas with his family. We meet Ben's sister who is really into vlogging, and their parents, Kirby & Mia. We immediately see that this family is a bit chaotic. They sit down for dinner and other brother Gordon shows up out of nowhere. The energy at this dinner is real weird. And then it comes out that she doesn't eat meat...and he doesn't eat meat either. Gordon begins to grill Cassie about why she's vegetarian and pushes back why it's about the environment. And Ben just kinda sits there and lets it happen. So Cassie is hurt that 1. Ben didn't tell them about being vegetarian and 2. that he'd just let Gordon attack her like that. He's like oh my bad, but look at my funny ho ho ho underwear. Wanna have smex? She does not. She tells him that this isn't working and has known that for a while. So they break up and we're not even 30 minutes in. The next morning, they go to buy her a flight but there's a big storm and there are no flights until after Christmas. The family is finally looped in. It's a whole thing.Ben decides the best way to fix this situation is by calling her best friend and asking for advice. Obviously that information gets back to Cassie which only makes things worse. His dad takes him out to the train tracks to tell him to stop being a dummy and just let her go. Cassie calls her mom and she could not be less helpful. But Ben's mom comes up and comforts her, cuz mom's gonna mom. The next day, she can't stand being in the room by herself anymore so she decides to go out with his family and she ends up having a fun time with everyone except for Ben who she is still giving the cold shoulder to.This gives Ben time to bond with Gordon over lost love.And Cassie ends up getting close to Ben's sister. Ben continues to not learn his lesson and tries to get back together with Cassie. It's Christmas Day and Cassie is thoughtful AF and gives everyone the perfect Christmas gift including some architecture socks for Ben, And then Ben surprises her by giving her a plane ticket home or a rental car to get her to Portland. She stays for lunch and then goes her way. The movie ends sometime later with the sister now going through a breakup and Gordon & Ben are helping her through while Ben wears his socks from Cassie. 

This week, I'm joined by critic, author, and podcaster Alonso Duralde, who chose to discuss the 1982 Australian New Wave music film Starstruck. We also talk about Alonso's incredible new book Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film, working in video stores, 80s mind-bending musicals like The Apple and Can't Stop The Music, how filmmaker Gillian Armstrong's second film was nowhere near the vibe of her first (My Brilliant Career), the underground rabid fanbase for the film, the music in the film being written and performed by members of Split Enz and The Swingers, which bands were originally going to be involved in the film, what we hung on our teenage walls, bad 80s haircut experiences, how to sneak into a club, the confusing family dynamics in the film, the incredible Busby Berkeley tribute in the swimming pool sequence, where we imagine the characters in this film ended up, what stopped rock musicals being made for a spell and so much more.So let's all jump on top of the bar in unison, kick the drinks off, and magically know all the dance moves already on this week's Revolutions Per Movie!ALONSO DURALDE: @alonso.duralde@linoleumcasthttp://www.patreon.com/bfastalldayhttps://maximumfun.org/podcasts/maximum-film/https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/alonso-duralde/hollywood-pride/9780762485895/https://preorder-movie-little-christmas.carrd.co/REVOLUTIONS PER MOVIE:Host Chris Slusarenko (Eyelids, Guided By Voices, owner of Clinton Street Video rental store) is joined by actors, musicians, comedians, writers & directors who each week pick out their favorite music documentary, musical, music-themed fiction film or music videos to discuss. Fun, weird, and insightful, Revolutions Per Movie is your deep dive into our life-long obsessions where music and film collide.The show is also a completely independent affair, so the best way to support it is through our Patreon at patreon.com/revolutionspermovie. By joining, you can get weekly bonus episodes, physical goods such as Flexidiscs, and other exclusive goods.Revolutions Per Movies releases new episodes every Thursday on any podcast app, and additional, exclusive bonus episodes every Sunday on our Patreon. If you like the show, please consider subscribing, rating, and reviewing it on your favorite podcast app. Thanks!SOCIALS:@revolutionspermovieBlueSky: @revpermovieTHEME by Eyelids 'My Caved In Mind'www.musicofeyelids.bandcamp.com ARTWORK by Jeff T. Owenshttps://linktr.ee/mymetalhand Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHWe are dropped right into an episode of Renovating Romance. Chelsea hosts this show that renovates a house & helps a couple at the same time. She hosts the show with her boyfriend Jake. The season just ended and they go to this wrap party and then they're off on a little vacation. But uh oh - there's an opportunity in New Hampshire for a special - hosted by her. Chelsea really wants the time off but Jake is like this would be big for us! She is gonna say no but the executive Dan is like I'll make a big donation to your charity and she's in. Off to New Hampshire they go to meet the unhappy couple Cooper and Janice. They can not agree on what to do with their house. He's a country mouse. She's a big city girl. And they just have different ideas. So they're talking about that country mouse all the way to the house. Turns out that country mouse was their driver! Whoopsies.They get to the first day of shooting and Janice is immediately uncomfortable with talking about her and Cooper's relationship on national tv. He's like that's the whole point of the show. She decides to go to New York for a couple days to clear her head. Jake says he could go with her and film some stuff there and say it's for the show and Chelsea will stay there and film with Cooper. And the chemistry between Cooper and Chelsea is off the charts. Everyone is talking about it. They just keep flirting and having fun time. To make matters worse, the tabloids are about to run a story about Chelsea and Jake having relationship problems. Janice makes it back and her and cooper talk and decide to really give their relationship a shot. They tell that to Chelsea and Jake and Chelsea is kinda sad. It's almost time for the live Christmas Eve special and Chelsea decides now is the right time to dump Jake. Jake takes it ok but then we see that he was going to propose. On the show, Cooper and Janice are talking about how they saved their relationship but then they asked Janice if she's ready to leave the big city for good and she cries and says no and breaks up with cooper. Tough break bud. Jake still proposes to Chelsea on TV but tells her it's just for the show. Chelsea looks at Cooper and then says no. She gives a long speech about how America doesn't need to see everything tied up in a perfect bow. 

The latest film releases include The Fantastic Four: First Steps, AJ Goes To The Dog Park, Cloud, and Diciannove. Weighing in are Alonso Duralde and Dave White, film critics and co-hosts of the movie podcast Linoleum Knife.

The latest film releases include The Fantastic Four: First Steps, AJ Goes To The Dog Park, Cloud, and Diciannove. Weighing in are Alonso Duralde and Dave White, film critics and co-hosts of the movie podcast Linoleum Knife.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off on Thanksgiving Day on the slopes. Some skiers are skiing and they're real good. It takes 3 minutes but they finally call it a day. It's Austin & Noelle. They're a couple and he proposes and she says yes! He promises a big holiday wedding, surrounded by family, at Riverbottom Ranch. She's like how are you gonna do that? They book out 2 years in advanced. He's like well good thing I got the Christmas day slot that was available. Cut to Austin's brother, Seth. He's really going through it. His girlfriend broke up with him and now he's just sitting on the couch in his boxers and guitar, imagining her putting up his stocking. Just then, their other brother Tom and his girlfriend Liz come in and they have big news. They're getting married too!!! What a Thanksgiving indeed! What could go wrong?Well, when Mom asks the wedding days, they both say CHRISTMAS DAY AT RIVERBOTTOM RANCH at the same time. WHOA! They figure out what happened - they both called to confirm the Wright wedding on Christmas day. But they'll make it work. two weddings, one day, what could go wrong? Well - up first, Austin & Tom argue about who gets grandma's ring. But the brides aren't letting all this nonsense get them down. They're going dress hunting, it's a whole thing. And for some reason, Seth is alway there, just looking sad and drinking champaign. Noelle is sick of the brothers fighting, so she tells them that the brothers are going on a bachelors trip so that they can stop fighting. They're also all gonna go register for wedding gifts together. The fishing trip bachelor party is a disaster because the lake that Seth picks out is no longer a lake. The electric car is out of battery. And Seth didn't even pack snakcs. They get to a bar and Seth decides to sing some karaoke to try to get over his breakup. His brothers join him to try to help him feel better but the crowd hates it. A giant fight breaks out. But that bonds them back together. They plug the car into a barn and sleep inside of it. They wake up the next day, get their tuxes on, and they rush to the ranch! When they get there, they're greeted by grandma. She gives them a gift - it's wedding bands for both of them that came from her wedding ring, melted down. It was Seth's idea. And just like that, it's wedding time. Seth walks Noelle down the aisle. And the joint wedding begins. Seth's ex is there and he sits next to her. She says she thinks there's been a misunderstanding and she grabs his hand much to Seth's joy. After the wedding, they talk and she's like I was at my internship in a remote location...you should've known that. I'd never bail on you. He's like I wrote you a song. Gotta be honest... it's an absolute bop. Everyone dances and I just can't get over how good this song was. and that's the movie! 

A few weeks back, Dennis was invited to moderate a Queer Authors Panel at the first-ever Pride Live Hollywood festival. The panel was so fun, interesting and, in a few instances, downright dishy, that Dennis thought it would make a great podcast. The authors featured are Nancy Beverly (Shelby's Vacation), Curtis Chin, (Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant), Jim Colucci (Golden Girls Forever), Frank DeCaro (Disco: Music, Movies, and Mania Under the Mirror Ball), Alonso Duralde, (Hollywood Pride), Rasheed Newson, (My Government Means to Kill Me), Mark B. Perry (And Introducing Dexter Gaines) and Bruce Vilanch (It Seemed Like a Bad Idea at the Time). In addition to talking about their individual books and what inspired them to write them, the authors share stories about the books that rocked their worlds as readers and talk about what it means to them to finally have their precious babies out in the world.  

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with a slowmo shot of a big ol horse pulling a sleigh. We go into a house and these 2 best friend are talking about where people are going to be sitting at her wedding. That's right - Kathy and police officer Matt are finally getting married! But Kathy's friend, Danielle, is feeling a bit sad. Last Christmas, she was broken up with on Christmas Eve at Church service in between Silent Night and Joy to the World. But she's here and she's gonna make the best of it helping Kathy plan the wedding. In the middle of the their conversation, we see a guy walking his Dalmatian. Danielle decides to go to the coffee shop and orders her fav: a tall caramel machinate sugar free with oat milk, no whip, and has a totally normal, real human conversation with the owner. She goes to enjoy her drink in the park in the freezing cold. She sets her drink down to take a call from her mom and she notices that a dog is drinking her drink. The man apologizes but she doesn't want any part of it.But when she's goes to the coffee shop the next day and orders her sugar free caramel macchiato with oat milk, no whip, he comes right up.  Turns out, he's the guy she's supposed to be meeting with. His name is Trevor but goes by TJ and he is Matt's best friend. They start working together to plan stuff, like cake taste testing, floral arrangements, stuff that the wedding party is in charge of. She invites him over to meet her old school Dad and Dad falls in love with him. And he takes her to the fire department to show her all of the fire stuff. But then he gets a call so has to leave.Turns out, the call is for her mom. She "fell down" while doing the dishes. I guess she was dehydrated. She talks to her mom about how she's not sure about really giving Trevor a chance but mom is like your dad likes him, we can't let this opportunity pass. Everything is good again until she gets a call - the baker who was making cupcakes for the wedding is in labor. So she and Trevor go to the bakery to make 200 cupcakes. And they have a blast until a girl shows up and says she's Trevor's girlfriend. Trevor doesn't correct her. She's real sad. Luckily, there's a random old guy on a bench who gives her some advice. Trevor shows up and explains - he actually never did break up with this girl but he thought they broke up cuz she moved. Which is good enough for her. They go to walk in the freezing cold and kiss. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHClaire and her parents, Jacob and Abbie, are in Italy to visit her grandfather Lawrence who owns a hotel. They normally come at Christmas but for some reason they're coming in August. But that's not gonna stop Claire from singing Christmas songs on the way. When they get there, Claire runs off to find her boyfriend Walter while Jacob and Abbie tell Lawrence that they're getting a divorce, and they're going to tell Claire here so that she's at her happy place and they ask Lawrence if he would break the news so that she can feel free to respond as she needs. But Claire's trip is already off to a bad start when she discovers that she's Walter's winter girlfriend. He's currently hanging out with his summer girlfriend. They drop the news, Claire is sad but not surprised. She decides to go hang out in the basement so she can be around the Christmas stuff. And she comes up with an idea - she wants one more Christmas as a family. Her parents are unsure but Lawrence is like WE'RE DOING IT! And we're flying Gams and Pop Pop out too! One problem arises and its that one of the hotel guests hates Christmas and he brings big money to the hotel so they have to make him happy. When Gams and Pop Pop show up, Pop Pop sees a women and immediately starts being weird. He opens up to Lawrence - he slept with this women 10 years ago and she's gonna be here all week. So Lawrence offers to cover for him as much as he can. And Lawrence keeps finding himself in people's mess when he discovers that on Jacob's camera, there's pictures from a camping trip and he seemed to be getting cozy with another women that's not Claire. Pop Pop decides to just stay in his room which leaves Gam to spend time by herself which leads to her actually hanging out with Claudia, the women her husband secretly had a one night stand with 10 years ago, which she opens up about how she's never quite gotten over this one night stand, not knowing she's talking about Gam's husband. We find out that Abbie had a little something with her boss. Basically everyone in this movie is a cheater. It finally basically all comes out right as it comes out that Claire's new puppy is missing. It's a whole thingClaire is sad and goes to be alone. She sneaks out and finds the puppy and comes back to find out that her parents are staying together. yay? 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with a dude named Jack Cooper being very proud of whatever he just wrote on his computer. He gets home and sees his daughter, Grace looking at a dating app with her aunt Carrie. When she leaves the room, we find out that this is the first Christmas since Jack's wife died and he's concerned about Carrie. To cheer her up, he takes her to get a picture with Santa despite her not wanting to. When she gets on Santa's lap, she asks Santa to get dad a girlfriend despite the fact that he's currently dating a women named Veronica that she does not like. We then meet Jessica who runs a cafe that needs to come up with $25,000 in 5 days or they're gonna lose it. Jack and Grace are gonna go spend Christmas with Grace's grandparents and she's mad to find out that while Jack is there, he's gonna be doing a little bit of work. There's a cafe that he's supposed to be looking into potentially buying out for his job. When he shows up, we find out that it's Jessica's cafe. And he's sad because it's an institution and he also just met Jessica and they really hit it off. Grace picks up on this and decides that Jessica would be a better fit for her dad than Veronica would be. So she goes to meet with Jessica and gives her the pitch. When Jack finds out what she did, he goes to talk to her and they have one of the more awkward conversations of all time. They end up going to the local bar together and there's karaoke. They bond over their past with music and they take turns singing. He even sings an original that he's working on and she touches his hand. Things are heating up. But keep in mind, he secretly is supposed to be making an offer on her cafe. Instead, he comes up with a plan for her to have a fundraiser concert to help save the cafe. She agrees to give it a shot and Grace is going to drum for her. After their first practice, Jessica and Jack are talking and they almost kiss but he stops her and is like I have a girlfriend and there's also another reason. Before he can expand on that though, they find out that grandpa has collapsed. He's ok though.The event goes as planned and it goes really well until Veronica shows up and yells at Jack about how he's a liar. Jessica overhears all of this and gets mad and leaves.To make matters worse, Grace also finds out that her dad is a liar. But then Grace admits she didn't tell the whole truth either - I didn't promise mom I'd help you be happy, I promised to help you fall in love again.They decide they are going to invest in the cafe. He goes to talk to Jessica. She accepts. And they kiss!Cut to a year later, they are crushing things, there's a second annual concert, and those two love birds are kissing. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHIt's the night before and an elf band is out in the snow and they beginning playing an absolute banger of a song and that's when Dan found out this movie was a musical. Santa begins to sing a song all about preparing for Christmas. It's showtime baby! There is one letter that got left behind, so these elves run to try to get it to Santa before he takes off. One of the reindeer, Robin, gets sick and has to stay home. The elves come running out just in time and Santa opens up the letter. It is from a little girl, The Princesss of Hearts, in Wonderland who is hoping Santa will finally visit them this year. He decides that they're going to visit Wonderland first. The reindeer aren't having it. They've read the book. Wonderland is mad! Santa reminds them that he's Santa and everyone deserves a gift! Robin realizes that Santa left the reindeer SOS button behind, so they fly off.We head to Wonderland and we find out that some of the folks in Wonderland secretly celebrate Christmas but hide it from the Queen because she's outlawed Christmas.  She heads off to sleep just as Santa lands on the roof. Her cat hears some commotion on the roof and won't stand for it. So they go invisible mode, sneaks downstairs and knocks over a lamp to wake the Queen up. She comes downstairs and finds Santa and she says OFF WITH HIS HEAD! He runs off and she fall out the window. Santa tries to find the princess but ends up opening a door which causes him to fall through the door and into a maze. It's mad out there! He discovers a girl named Alice who is also there and she's a giant - she's been eating the apple shrooms. Luckily, she's given a potion which shrinks her back to regular size. They go to enjoy some tea and treats with the Mad Hatter. But the Queen isn't too far behind. We find out that the Queen tried to send a letter to Santa when she was a kid, but the White Rabbit goofed on getting it to the mailbox in one piece. Since Santa never came to Wonderland, she began to hate Christmas. she catches up with Santa and he is put on trial. It's in the trial that the Queen finds out that St. Nick has only just now discovered her letter. Via song, we find out all she really wanted was a bandersnatch. She gives it some thought and decides to give St. Nick one last chance to give her the bandersnatch she's always wanted. But Santa and the gang took some of the shrinking juice to escape from jail. When Queen gets to the jail, she finds it empty and gets real sad. She tracks Santa down and he gives her the gift and it's coal. He explains that's what happens to a gift if you haven't been nice. The only way to get the gift is to be kind. So she decides to let Alice go but keep Santa in jail until the gift turns back. Alice helps the Queen learn how to be kind again. She finds Santa and tells him to give the gift to someone who deserves it and they all enjoy tea together. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHTrish Moore is a jewelry designer who is at a bar, watching this couple hug. It inspired her to beginning sketching at ring idea. Suddenly, her blind date shows up and spills her drinks. His name is Booker and it does not go well. She's very by the book. He's very loosey goosey. She ends up leaving and breaks another glass. And then bumps into a guy holding Christmas presents. She is not well.The next day at work, she is finishing up some rings for a wedding. The box that it's in ends up getting in this box of boxes that are being picked up for delivery after she falls on them while flirting with the pick up guy. So that box ended up getting mixed up in those boxes and taken by the pick up guy. Booker then shows up much to Trish's surprise. He's actually the best men for the wedding the rings are for and that's when she discovers that the rings have been picked up. So they decide to go to the delivery company and try to figure out where it ended up since it didn't have an address on it. He has no idea but gives them the addresses that were along the route. Maybe it somehow got dropped on on the route. IT did not. But Trish and Booker are kind of enjoying each others company until they aren't. They end up getting into a huge argument and she goes off to meet another guy but the sparks just aren't quite there.She comes up with another set of rings for the wedding and Booker comes by to pick it up. He ends up sticking around to play his Christmas board game. After hanging out for a while, she comes back to her office and lays on the ground and finds the rings.She brings them to the wedding and at the reception, Booker asks her to dance. They dance and talk and kiss. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with what I believe is an original song for this BET+ Christmas film. We open with a dream sequence of Nancy being crowned the Queen of Christmas. Both Doris and Julia wake up suddenly—apparently from having the same dream?Doris, Julia, and Nancy are neighbors who compete in the local Christmas decorating competition, but Doris and Julia cannot stand Nancy. It's not just that she always wins—it's also that she only tips $1 on a $300 hair job Doris does for her, and then walks into Julia's bakery to announce she won't be eating any of the baked goods.Then comes bad news: the church's annual Christmas play is canceled. Bishop Tony is just too tired to organize it this year.But their acting skills won't go to waste—because director Patrick Saint Thomas is coming to town to cast his upcoming movie, and he's hoping to find some untapped talent within the church community. If you get a golden ticket in your mailbox, that means you've been invited to audition.Doris, Julia, and Nancy all receive invites. Patrick's assistant lets them know that Mr. Saint Thomas won't just be judging based on acting ability—he's also looking for genuine Christmas spirit.And so, the battle begins. The women all start competing fiercely, which apparently is exactly what Patrick Saint Thomas wants to see.Eventually, Doris and Julia realize they're tearing their families apart. Their husbands are furious.Patrick Saint Thomas calls all three women in—Nancy included—and it turns out he's just some white guy who gets a weird thrill from watching Black women argue? It's... not great. Doris and Julia walk away from the project. Nancy has the final decision, and she turns it down too.In the end, the three women reconcile and become friends. They celebrate Christmas together—and we love that.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHA group of kids come running into an arena, excited because they've won a contest to meet the Toronto Maple Leafs. We meet star player Eric McNally, who's kind of a jerk. While he's out practicing, he takes a bad hit and collapses on the ice.Fast forward five years—Eric is now a sports anchor. We're introduced to his partner, Sam, who brings surprising news: he's become the legal guardian of his brother's stepson, Scot. Scot's mother has died, and Sam's brother is missing. Eric is strongly against taking Scot in, but Sam insists it's the right thing to do.Scot arrives, and Eric is baffled by him. Scot doesn't like hockey, only musicals. He sings Christmas songs in October. He's… different.At his new school, Scot struggles to adjust. The kids make fun of him for crying during a sad book, and at one point, he throws himself into a pile of leaves—until Eric comes to literally pick him up.Meanwhile, Eric is hiding the fact that he's gay from his colleagues and is worried that Scot, who tends to overshare, will out him.Concerned that Scot is going to be bullied, Eric tries to help him fit in—starting, of course, by signing him up for hockey. Scot starts hanging out with a neighborhood kid who's pretty mean, and in an effort to fit in, things go sideways. During the first game, Scot attacks his own goalie for tattling on his friend for stealing skates. Eric pulls him from the game, and Scot finally tells him he never wanted to play hockey in the first place.Then, Scot's dad, Billy, suddenly shows up from Brazil, wanting to take Scot back with him. Eric and Sam decide to throw Scot a Christmas-themed going-away party, and Eric lets Scot wear whatever he wants. But they're furious when Billy shows up with a fiancée they didn't know existed.During the party, tensions rise, and they get into a big fight. When Scot sees that Billy brought a woman, he's confused—and hurt. He's upset that Billy didn't even notice how much he's grown. Eric steps in, delivering a heartfelt speech about how he would have noticed. He shows just how much he truly cares for Scot.Scot tells Billy he wants to stay. At first, Billy refuses—but eventually, he agrees.Cut to: Scot, Eric, and Sam enjoying a joyful, heartfelt Christmas together.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHBen & Jamie are best friends. Like, besttttttt friends. They've been besties since 8th grade. Palmer is their third-best friend. Jamie has a boyfriend—also named Jamie. Claire is Ben's girlfriend.Both Jamie and Ben went off to college together, leaving their significant others behind in long-distance relationships. Ben's girlfriend is still in high school—but don't worry, she just had to repeat 1st grade. She's... a lot.Jamie is annoyed that her roommate really wants to be friends, but she reluctantly agrees to go to a party—and Ben tags along. Let's just say... the party does not go well. They start to wonder if their long-distance relationships are ruining their lives. They mutually decide it's time to break up with their significant others—on Wednesday, when they get home for Thanksgiving.After an exam, they go to leave—but Ben's car is missing. Turns out, Ben's boyfriend took it to Colorado. So, they hop on a bus instead. The plan gets pushed back a bit, but it's going to be fine.“Unwritten” plays, and that's the rest of the day.They rope Palmer into helping. He brings the boyfriend and girlfriend over to his house, but gives them alcohol, and they sneak out drunk because they're hungry. Palmer goes after them and ends up running into Coach Reese—the head football coach. When Reese asks what's going on, Palmer explains... and lets slip that tonight's get-together was supposed to be a sort of coming out party.To Palmer's shock, Reese reveals that he's also gay—and has chosen to live in small-town Ohio. Reese takes him to a bowling alley to meet his boyfriend and the queer bowling league.Meanwhile, Jamie and Ben are stuck trying to find their missing boyfriend and girlfriend. They try sneaking into a bar where they think they might be—but that fails, and leads to an argument. Hurtful things are said, especially when Claire finds out that Ben is going to Copenhagen next semester.Eventually, they learn their partners are at a house party. They head there, find them, and attempt to break up—but it doesn't go smoothly. The fact that they're both breaking up at the exact same time makes Ben's girlfriend suspicious. She tells them they should just get together already.So Ben and Jamie have the talk: should they? They end up sharing a kiss—one that could be described as “big ones.” It's interrupted by the arrival of the fire department.Finally—it's Thanksgiving. Ben is watching When Harry Met Sally and realizes he has to talk to Jamie. He needs to get something off his chest: he doesn't have romantic feelings for her, and the kiss didn't do it for him.Jamie is relieved—she felt the exact same way.Ben heads to Europe. Six months later, he returns a day early to surprise Jamie—so they can dance together in a totally normal way... that two people who are just friends do.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with—yep, you guessed it—a yule log. A woman named Dianne shows up and begins vacuuming the floor. There's a knock at the door, and it's another woman claiming her car broke down. Suddenly, her son invites himself in, and we see Dianne get pushed down in front of the camera. Then a masked man appears and comes after her. Just then, the video is paused, and we realize the police are watching the footage. Apparently, Dianne doesn't make it—and she's not the only one.From what I gather, Dianne was cleaning the house for a group of renters who were about to arrive. And they do. All of them end up dead—except one: Zoe. But Zoe is not doing well. And Zoe knows the truth: it wasn't a person that did this. Rather, it was a killer log that floats around and murders people.Speaking of which, a police officer is watching more of the tape when he hears a noise from the evidence room. He goes to check it out—and it's the yule log. He tries to fight back, but the yule log saws off his leg with a chainsaw and blows up the building with dynamite, destroying the tape.Zoe tries to return to normal life, but she keeps seeing the log everywhere and ends up getting fired from her job. The police tell her the case is closed—they're convinced the masked man is the killer. Zoe insists, “No, it's the log!” But no one believes her.Her friend Jakester suggests they get away from it all and spend Christmas on an island. They get in the car—but Santa makes them crash into a tree. A tow truck driver shows up, and he's a total hunk.Zoe starts wandering around this small town, axe in hand, and notices things get oddly brighter when she enters Main Street. She keeps bumping into hunks, but she doesn't have time for that. The first hunk is an influencer named Bo Regards, and he announces, “WE'RE GOING TO GET DINNER!” After the fourth hunk knocks her over, she yells for help. A hunky Christmas ornament shop owner comes to her rescue and brings her inside. She meets his kid and his Nana and learns that the guy—Bert—is a widower. She accidentally knocks over all the ornaments and tries to fix them, but then she gets a text from Bo about dinner plans. Turns out Bo has opened his own competing ornament shop. Unfortunate.Meanwhile, the yule log is on its own adventure. It sneaks into the trunk of a family going camping and proceeds to brutally kill them all.Bo agrees to let Zoe use his helicopter, but it leaves without her. As she walks back to town, Bert and his family pick her up and offer to let her stay with them. She opens up to Bert about what happened, and he's like, “Don't worry—I know just what you need.” He's built a machine that helps people process trauma. And it works. Her life changes. She's full of holiday cheer and no longer afraid of the yule log.Zoe and Bert have a wonderful day together—blowing bubbles by the creek, sliding down a fire pole, etc. Everything seems great—until we see the yule log peeking around a corner.But don't worry—Santa shows up and captures it in a bag. He runs it through a wood chipper, then buries the pieces in a shallow grave and pours cement over it. Looks like the nightmare is finally over.Except… one tiny wood strip escapes. It flies through the air and gives Nana a splinter.They all go inside for dinner, and—don't ask me why—Zoe opens the freezer and sees a mini version of Nana, who invites her inside. Zoe climbs in and shrinks down too. Her ex, Alex, is also in the freezer, working on his boxing skills. (I have no idea, man.)The next day, Nana complains about her stomach—but I'm sure it's nothing.At Christmas dinner, chaos erupts. Nana starts vomiting all over the food and then starts choking. One of the Cards tries to give her the Heimlich when suddenly they're stabbed by a giant tree branch. More branches burst from Nana until her head pops off—and the yule log crawls out from the head hole.Nana Yule Log heads to the town square, where the Yule Log Festival is happening. She lights all the other yule logs on fire, and they begin attacking the townspeople.She tracks Zoe and Bert back to his house, where they discover that the ashes of their loved ones are the only thing that can extinguish the fire.They win! Zoe decides it's best to leave town.But in the end, she returns for the store's grand re-opening—and kisses Bert.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHYou need to know something right off the bat: the Herdmans are the worst kids in the world. There's Imogen, the eldest, then Ralph, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys. They smoke. They curse. They bully. They're just plain bad.Enter Beth Bradley, our narrator. Early on, her locket gets stolen, and she prays to God to send the Herdmans far, far away.Meanwhile, the church's 75th annual Christmas pageant is coming up—it's a big deal. Mrs. Armstrong, who's directed it every year, breaks both her legs, so Beth's mom, Grace, steps in. Despite all the skeptics, she boldly claims it's going to be the best Christmas pageant ever.Beth's little brother Charlie has been getting bullied into giving Leroy Herdman his lunch cookies. Out of frustration, Charlie tells them he doesn't even care—he gets all the snacks he wants at church.Big mistake.Leroy spreads the word to his siblings, and the next thing you know, the Herdmans show up at church. The pastor says they've got to attend Sunday school first—so they do.But even more shocking than them staying is when Imogen declares she's going to play Mary, and Ralph is going to be Joseph. The rest of the major roles? Also claimed by Herdmans. The other kids decide it's probably best not to argue.When the church community hears about this, they protest: You can't let the Herdmans be in the pageant!At the first rehearsal, Grace realizes something big—the Herdmans have never heard the story of Jesus. They're stunned by it. They demand King Herod be included in the play… and that he be taken out.Imogen ropes Beth into helping them research the story of Christmas at the library.The final dress rehearsal is a mess. Imogen's brothers hide the baby Jesus doll, the choir falls apart, and a fire alarm goes off. Everyone assumes Imogen pulled it—or that she was smoking in the bathroom. Turns out, something just burned in the oven.Imogen overhears the townspeople badmouthing her family and decides they're done. The Herdmans vanish.The next day, Grace can't get ahold of them. Beth goes to Imogen's house and reminds her that Grace stuck up for them. Imogen gives no sign of what they'll do. So that night, as Grace prepares to open the show, she tells the audience honestly—she has no idea what's going to happen.And then, just in time, the Herdmans show up.They bring their own flair to the pageant: Imogen gently burps the baby doll, the Wise Men bring a ham, and Imogen even sheds a tear. The crowd is unexpectedly moved—they love it.The film closes with a grown-up Beth now directing the Christmas pageant herself, carrying on the wild, wonderful legacy of the Herdmans.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHWe meet The Balsano family. They are all getting together at the old family home. It's a huge family gathering, complete with dads talking about robots, baking, grandma, and kids playing video games. We see in the basement, there is a "for sale" sign that's kind of been put in a corner. They all rush outside to cheer as firetrucks speed down the streets, all decked out in Christmas lights. And, of course, Santa Claus. Afterwards, we find out that not only are the parents secretly selling the house, but it's already done. They come back inside, eat dinner , and do Secret Santa. As the rest of the family sits down to watch old home videos, two of the teenage girls, Emily & Michelle, sneak out to hang out with their friends. As they speed down the back roads, we see some police officers going full speed gun mode on Christmas Eve. But they don't care. They don't do anything.They meet up with some other teenagers. They all meet up at a diner and then go get some beers. One of the dumb boys ends up throwing one of the beers which lands on a windshield in the parking lot that shatters. The cops are called but they're too busy talking about their hypothetical feelings for one another to do anything about it. The teenagers scatter and go to make-out point where they all just kind of pair off into the back of cars. Emily grabs her bag of bagels and heads home as one of the family members falls asleep on the piano. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie begins with these kids sneaking into a carnival after hours and turning everything back on. The ride goes nuts and they're able to get away before the security guard catches them. Cut to this rich dude speeding down a rural road. His name is Michael and he's driving to meet with a social worker at his sisters house. His sister & brother-in-law passed away and he thinks he's just going to sign some paper work. Turns out, he needs to watch his nephews until she finds a foster family for them. The kids are a lot. They live on this massive farm and just do whatever they want and Michael doesn't have time for this. He's got a big work presentation he is working on but the kids won't let him work. These kids keep messing with Michael and he has no idea what to do, so it's a lot of that. Michael keeps having to go into town to take calls because he's worried his boss is going to give his big project to his rival, Dog Face Devin. And keeps bumping into the social worker. Slowly, he begins to find his footing around the kids and they begin to understand each other a little more. When the opportunity presents itself for the kids to go live elsewhere but they'd be split up, Michael opts to stick around. There is this family in town that may be interested in adopting all the kids. Best part? They're rich. They get invited to come to their Christmas party and it's going great until the kids put a brick on the gas of a golf cart and it plows through a massive nativity set into the swimming pool. There's another prospective foster mom but after meeting with her, it becomes clear she's just in it for the money.Then Mike is hit with a big blow - his project is being taken from him and given to Dog Face Devin. The kids mom taught ballet and the kids are pretty good themselves. One of the kids, Junior, even wrote a "Much Better Nutcracker". Mike, who suddenly has a lot of free time, tells the kids that they're going to put the show on! They work hard to prepare for the event and they're all ready to go. Before the show, he's talking to Gretchen, the social worker. When she finds out that all of this is just to get attention on the kids to find them a foster family, she tells him that the kids are growing attached to him. He tells them that he loves them but there's no way he could take care of 4 pain in the butt kids. Unfortunately, one of the kids overhears this. Before he can fix things, he gets a call - his boss wants him back. He goes to tell the kids it's time to start the show but he discovers that they're gone. Michael goes on stage and tells the people that the show is cancelled. When everyone leaves, they see that the kids are doing the show outside at their parents memorial. The show is a big success. During the performance, the oldest boy, Justice, stabs Mike with his prop sword as he feigns an injury. He finally comes to the realization that he loves his nephews. After the show, he promises he's not going to leave them. 

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThe movie kicks off with this kid, Jack. He doesn't believe in Santa and doesn't think anyone else should either. He tells all of his cousins that Santa doesn't exist and even shows them where their parents are hiding the gifts—very naughty.Fast forward 30 years, and Jack is now an adult—still very naughty. He's stealing important information and selling it to people on the dark web.Cut to Santa, who is doing some mall duty. He does this occasionally to remind himself why he does what he does. By his side is Callum Drift, the head of Santa's security.When they return to the North Pole, Cal tells Santa that he's retiring. There's just too much naughty out there. But there's no time to mourn because Santa gets kidnapped! They suspect it has something to do with the information Jack stole. So they track him down for questioning, and Jack is completely shocked to find out that Santa is real—along with some other mythical creatures.They hire Jack to help find Santa because Jack is really good at tracking things down. Cal is annoyed that he has to team up with Jack. They track down Ted, the broker who bought the stolen information. Ted reveals that the kidnapper is the winter witch, Grýla. Suddenly, Grýla takes over Ted's body, warns them, and then sends snowmen to kill them. They manage to fight them off, but not before Ted gets frozen.They suspect that Grýla may be working with Santa's estranged brother, Krampus, who originally created the Naughty List. Cal and Jack break into Krampus' lair but are captured and forced to slap-fight Krampus. They discover that Grýla came to Krampus to retrieve a magical snow globe that can imprison people.Grýla's plan is to duplicate the magical snow globe and imprison anyone who has ever been on the Naughty List. She decides to test the snow globes on Jack and his son, Dylan, with whom he has a strained relationship.Cal realizes that the only place capable of duplicating such magic is the North Pole. That means they never actually left the North Pole, and Santa is trapped in a vault that is draining his power.Inside their snow globes, Jack and Dylan have a heartfelt conversation, which makes them “nice” and causes the globes to shatter.Grýla is about to take off with an unconscious Santa, planning to use his sleigh to deliver the cursed snow globes—but not if Cal and Jack have anything to say about it! They fight, causing the sleigh to crash-land. This enrages Grýla, who drops her human disguise and goes full giant-witch mode on them.Luckily, Krampus shows up to save his brother. But Grýla is too powerful. Santa finally wakes up, and with the help of his reindeer, they manage to capture her and imprison her in a snow globe.Now, the rush is on to deliver all the presents in time. Santa invites Jack and Dylan to join him. As Cal watches them, amazed, he realizes maybe it's all worth it after all. He tells Santa he's not going to retire.

Watch on Philo! - Philo.tv/DTHThese parents are downstairs arguing about where the angel is that's supposed to go on top of the tree. Their young son, Liam, overhears them. He decides to write a letter to Santa. He comes downstairs and tells his parents about the letter and we get a lot of info - he's in the 6th grade so his dad is concerned he's still writing to Santa. They moved to this town 3 months ago but his parents are still surprised to find out he made a friend. For some reason, Liam lies and says Gibby has cancer. Needless to say, Liam is a bit awkard and we also find out that he has dyslexia. The next day at school, he is captivated by his crush Emma who even stands up for him when kids make fun of his dyslexia. After school, he goes to drop off his letter to santa but accidentally misspells "Santa" as "Satan". Next thing you know, Satan shows up in the middle of the night. Liam still believes he is Santa despite the fact that he doesn't look like Santa and he has devil horns. Satan figures out what happened and decides to play along and offers to grant Liam three wishes. Not sure what to wish for, Liam wishes that Emma would give him a chance.At school, he notices that Emma is really staring at him. Satan appears in a mini version and tells him to go shoot his shot. He invites her to the Post Malone concert and she is very excited. Liam tells Gibby about his encounter with "Santa". Gribby is like it has to be a mistake. So Liam confronts Santa and figures out he's Satan and tries to get out of the deal. Satan says that when he makes his final two wishes, which he guarentees Liam will make, then Liam's soul belongs to him. Liam gets home and is greeted by his parents and a child psychologist. His session is interrupted by Gibby and Satan, who take Liam to the concert. With a little help from Satan, Liam is called onto the stage by Post Malone who calls Liam his inspiration. He dances and brings Emma on stage. Afterwards, she kisses him on the cheek! Everything is going great except Gibby is starting to feel a little left out. Later at home,  Liam uses his second wish to fix Gibby's teeth and invites Gibby to join his date with Emma at the local Christmas carnival. His parents become incredibly concerned when they overhear the conversation about Satan. So they go and pick him up at the carnival and bring him to the good doctors clinic. Satan tries to make Liam use up his third wish by showing him images of Gibby and Emma apparently enjoying the carnival without him but he's not falling for it. His parents then see a video of Liam at the Post Malone concert and they realize that he wasn't lying to them afterall. Liam locks himself in his room and facetimes Gibby and yells at him for hanging out with Emma and tells him that he's the one who fixed his teeth. Liam then overhears his parents aguing about the death of his brother Spencer. Liam, fearing that his parents are going to call it quits, goes to the hotel that Satan is staying at and wishes that his parents would stay together and be happy. It immediately works and his parents have a real heart to heart. But now knowing that he's going to hell, Liam decides to give into bad. He's ruthlessly mean to everyone. Emma tells him he's being a jerk and he begins to feel bad.Meanwhile, in Hell, we find out that Satan is in fact not Satan, but just a low level demon, who has failed his trial to become a full demon: by granting two unselfish wishes, he has rendered the deal for Liam's soul invalid and is banished from hell forever. Satan visits Liam and tells him about the deal's cancellation, and Liam figures out that he is not the real Satan. Before leaving, Satan confesses how much he has come to like him and explains that the third wish was negated because Bill and Molly made up on their own, so he used the contents of Liam's original letter to fulfill a third and final wish. Now wanting to use his powers to help others, Satan takes the form of an angelic dove and flies away.

It's not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!!Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay. MaxFunDrive ends on March 28, 2025! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join.

It's not MaxFunDrive without a wild kickoff spectacular! Former real-life VJ and host of MTV's Spring Break 1999, Dave Holmes, takes your favorite MaxFun hosts through some wacky ‘90s- and Spring Break-themed mini games!! Featuring: Dave Holmes, Jeremy Bent, Oscar Montoya, Dimitry Pompée, Tom Lum, Ellen Weatherford, Alex Schmidt, Brenda Snell, Drea Clark, Alonso Duralde, Dan McCoy, Jordan Morris, Manolo Moreno, Ella Hubber, Caroline Roper, Ella McLeod, John-Luke Roberts, Justin McElroy, Clint McElroy, Mike Cabellon, Sierra Katow, Hal Lublin, Danielle Radford, John Moe, Christian Dueñas, Christian Duguay.  MaxFunDrive ends on March 28, 2025! Support our show now and get access to bonus content by becoming a member at maximumfun.org/join.