Five Christmas Classics, One Cozy Debate

What actually makes a movie feel like Christmas? We crack open that question with five favorites—Klaus, The Muppet Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Elf, and The Grinch—then follow the thread through hope, warmth, and the kind of transformation that keeps us coming back every December. Our roundtable discussion blends personal tradition with story analysis: how Klaus turns human choices into Santa lore, why Michael Caine’s dead-serious Scrooge lets the Muppets’ heart hit harder, and how White Christmas survives on music, dance, and the ritual of rewatching with family.

We also celebrate Elf’s secret sauce: Buddy’s sincerity. From the mailroom groove to the “best cup of coffee,” the jokes stay bright because the story anchors on a father and son finding each other. Then we sprint up Mt. Crumpit to compare Grinch eras—Jim Carrey’s quotable chaos versus the newer animated tenderness—and dig into how improvisation, production design, and tone shape a holiday classic.

This is a cozy, opinionated, and joyful tour through the movies that make December feel like December, packed with practical recs for family viewing, fun trivia, and a few hot takes to fuel the yuletide fire. If you love holiday film lists, best Christmas soundtracks, and spirited debates over what counts as Christmassy, you’ll feel right at home. Enjoy the episode, share it with a friend who needs a new December watch, and don’t forget to subscribe and leave a quick review to help others find the show!

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Transcript

Festive Open And Stranger Things Reactions

SPEAKER_03 0:00

All right, gentlemen and lady, we are back for our special Christmas episode.

SPEAKER_01 0:07

I'm feeling really jolly already.

SPEAKER_03 0:09

I am as well. For our YouTube watchers, you can see that we're all looking very festive this morning.

SPEAKER_01 0:15

So Yeah, and we're we're actually recording in the morning and as opposed to at night. So we're not gonna get it.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

Somehow it feels more Christmassy. It does. Yeah, it does. Yeah, it does. Well, Christmas morning, recording the morning. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:25

Well, hi, I'm Nick. And if Bing Crosby doesn't make it snow for you, you're doing Christmas wrong. I'm Michael, and yes, Klaus is a perfect movie.

SPEAKER_02 0:35

I don't make the rules. I'm Ben, and my intro is dumb, obvious, and pointless. But I hope you love it.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Trying out something different here. Yeah, yeah. I wanted to make a quick callback because I know that now finally you guys have watched the beginning of Stranger Things Five. How are we feeling about it?

SPEAKER_03 0:54

You know, I I have some mixed feelings. Um I really enjoyed it and I was entertained by it. I do think there are some redundancies uh in the storytelling and some of the character arcs. Um Ben and I were having a conversation right before this uh about it, and I'm sure I get in more detail. But overall know how deep we want to get into it. Yeah, positive. Overall positive.

SPEAKER_02 1:18

Overall positive. Overall positive.

SPEAKER_01 1:19

So like a B, I guess. Yeah, absolutely. Same for grade scale. Overall B.

SPEAKER_02 1:22

Uh is a little. I told Michael I found it a little predictable. Like I think I know where they were going and where they are going with it. But um, but it's still enjoyable.

Defining A Christmas Movie

SPEAKER_01 1:32

Yeah, how much of it like the fans seem to have gotten right in their predictions. So I don't know if it was just like things leaked, but it felt like a lot of what I had heard was predic predicted about this season ended up being the truth about it. So that's that's interesting to see. But, anyways, let's go ahead and jump over to our guest today. My lovely wife is here to talk Christmas movies. Tori, thank you for being here. You're welcome. Would you like to to introduce yourself a little bit or say what uh what you love about Christmas movies?

SPEAKER_00 2:03

Um oh gosh, well, um Nick already said my name. Um and gosh, I love I love Christmas movies. I'm not a big movie person. Um, I usually fall asleep during every single movie, and Nick and I have very different tastes in movies. I mean gosh, we've been we've been together what 13 years, over 13 years.

SPEAKER_03 2:27

Wow.

SPEAKER_00 2:27

And married for 10. And uh I mean, he tries to make me watch all types of weird stuff, and I usually fall asleep. Or now I now I'm just I'm like, no.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

Like uh this is for you. Well, we gotta we gotta thank you for that a little bit because we would not have this podcast probably if you watched all of this stuff and talked about all this stuff or Michael and Ben. Exactly. That's what I said.

SPEAKER_00 2:53

I'm he needs you guys to get all the things out. But I do watch Christmas movies and I feel like I have good opinions on them. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

Okay. I asked her to come.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

I know that she she I enjoy Christmas movies, so like I will make it a point to watch some like with family with hot chocolate and yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

We've we've done a little bit with it so far this year. It's been fun, especially now that the kids are getting older. A little bit older and they can appreciate a Christmas movie. That's pretty cool. It's it's getting more fun.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

And they can sit longer than five minutes. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 3:26

We're going past bluey episodes. Which is there a bluey Christmas episode?

SPEAKER_01 3:30

There are two, I think. Yeah. Nice. There's two. There's one at the healer house, and there's one that takes place at uh Uncle Stripes. Yeah, Uncle Stripes with the pool, the Christmas swim episode. Oh nice. Pulling out my my knowledge. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

unknown 3:44

Nice.

SPEAKER_02 3:44

Well, Nick, why don't you tell us a little bit about what we're gonna do this episode?

SPEAKER_01 3:47

Sure, yeah. So kind of it's a little bit different format. We're not just talking about one Christmas movie, but instead, we're gonna be looking at five different Christmas movies that I'm gonna call them. I mean, is it fair? Can we give it the goat status on these these Christmas movies?

SPEAKER_04 4:00

Uh at least in my opinion.

SPEAKER_01 4:02

At least objectively in this group, yes. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 4:05

Within this group for one, which we'll get to.

SPEAKER_01 4:10

But yeah, it's gonna be a lot of fun. We've got a listener poll that we uh got a uh favorite movie from just some different people that we asked, and we'll talk about that one as well. It's gonna be a lot of fun. I guess I can introduce the movies, I suppose. So we've already said it before.

SPEAKER_02 4:24

Like thank you all for voting on our and commenting on our our poll. So we really appreciate it. And if you uh don't follow us on social media, please do that, and you can stay up to date on what we are talking about, see clips, and uh rate the show too.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

That's always uh that's a big one. Not very many people do that, but that's a big way that people can find the show that have not discovered it yet. So um, yeah, no. Let's talk. Uh well, I'll I'll introduce the five movies. So I'm gonna be we're gonna start out with uh Klaus, which I know we all love, but that is Michael's movie that he picked. Then we're gonna go into Muppet Christmas Carol, which Ben picked. Uh then I picked White Christmas, and Tori picked Elf, and then our viewer pick, uh listener pick was the Grinch. And I'm really excited to talk about the Grinch.

SPEAKER_03 5:07

I just yeah, you know, I want to let the the audience know we we went through every single comment and tallied up the truth, the votes. Or not the votes, the votes quote the comments. And so we put it, you know, it's not just that we picked one randomly that we want to talk about it. You guys actually said the Grinch.

SPEAKER_01 5:24

It was close between that and It's a Wonderful Life. That's the honorable mention. Yeah, it's a wonderful life. Yeah. Um, well, let's talk a little bit about just well, I guess we never did our normal intro. We can do that. He's getting the music cued up. Absolutely. The the we'll talk about some themes and stuff to do with these Christmas movies too. But hey, uh, welcome to Phantom of Fandoms, the show where every single episode we are jumping into worlds that fans love, and this week we are talking, as I said earlier, Christmas movies, and it's gonna be such a blast. So let's enjoy this uh just this conversation and all these movies that we're gonna get to talk about today. Well, our first question I wanted to think what makes a Christmas movie? Like what let's let's put some definition behind this. What are like the key ingredients of a Christmas movie?

Is Die Hard A Christmas Movie

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Mm-hmm. So I think for me, um hope is probably you know, if you kind of look at the greats, which yeah, again, we've we've chosen our own greats here, hope seems to be like kind of at the center, one of the center themes of each one. And whether that's you know, something specific like a family relationship, finding hope in that, or if it's something broader, um, you know, like maybe a kind of a on a on a grander scale. I th I think for me, hope is like that's gotta be a central theme, you know, in any good Christmas movie.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Sure, yeah. I don't think you could have one without it, honestly. Like all all the movies that I'm looking at that we've picked for sure, central to it. There's no way that it exists without the hope aspect of it. Yeah. Ben, what it what about you? You got like any kind of key ingredient that comes to mind that specifically Christmas movies have to have?

SPEAKER_02 6:59

Besides the hope, it's just gotta warm your heart. You know? Um, you know, it's such a I we live here in Ohio where it's cold during Christmas. Uh and so like, yeah, just something that just like brings you that joy and warmth that like you don't really get throughout the rest of the year. Uh it's just it fills that Christmas, that holiday, I don't know. Uh je ne sais quoi. Uh yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:25

I think for me, I'm gonna go with maybe transformation a little bit. Okay. I like that buzzword there, because hope, I think, transformation, the warmth, those are the key aspects when we're like, hey, let's mix this all together and see what pops out. And all of those things I think are present in the movies that we've chosen today. What about you, Tori? You got a favorite?

SPEAKER_00 7:45

I mean, I would say I mean, are you asking me like what?

SPEAKER_01 7:49

Yeah, like key ingredients. So obviously the things that we've said, but is there anything else that you would throw in there as being a key ingredient for a Christmas movie?

Klaus Overview And Why It Works

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Yeah, it kind of goes along with hope, but um the meaning of Christmas. And you know, obviously, you know, if you're looking at it the Christian worldview, you know, it it focuses on Jesus, but even you know, all these movies I would say aren't targeted, you know, faith-related movies, but you know, and it's and I like it because it's never about, you know, oh how many presents I have and stuff, you know, it it always centralizes around love and the people that you're with. So I appreciate that for sure. Which kind of goes along with hope.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Yeah. Well, why do you guys think that this genre kind of hits harder emotionally than maybe some other genres, you know, why like Christmas movies specifically?

SPEAKER_01 8:42

I think there's a wide base, like you I mean, there's a lot of people that celebrate Christmas. Obviously, not everybody in the world, but like the it's just such a uh wide audience base that many, many people over the the course of the season are going to be watching Christmas movies for sure. Um and and it's an all-ages thing too, right? I mean, every I mean, you know, kid to adult, all ages has a favorite Christmas movie um and that they enjoy for one reason or another. So that's that's my answer to that, is for sure like the just the overall large appeal of the movies.

SPEAKER_04 9:18

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 9:18

Yeah, that makes sense. I think there's a lot of tradition around each and every one of these. And so, like a lot of these that we've listed, I've grown up watching. And so, except for maybe Klaus being the newest one, but yeah, all the other ones, like you know, there's a lot of tradition around it, and then they're like a yearly watch, there's family like memories built around them, those sorts of things. So, like, yeah, I think that's that definitely adds to that like emotion.

SPEAKER_01 9:42

Mike, we got anything else you want to throw out there? We we kind of hit it.

SPEAKER_03 9:45

Yeah, no, no, I think you guys, yeah. I have nothing more to add. It was perfect what you guys said.

SPEAKER_01 9:50

This might add to some debate, I think. This next question. Uh is there a difference, and I I know our listeners are gonna feel very passionate about this, between a movie that takes place at Christmas and a Christmas movie.

SPEAKER_00 10:04

I could not think of one movie that fit that criteria. Oh, really? Yeah, there's but also I again, like I said, I do not have a wide movie base, but there's a very famous one, maybe you don't know, Die Hard. Oh my watch. She tried to make me watch it.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

I've seen some of it.

SPEAKER_02 10:24

I I will be on the con side or the negative side of that. And like I think that if you put Die Hard at any other office event, it could have still happened and could have still been like it it functions just as well. Yeah, and I think that's the biggest thing for me is like if you take the Christmas out of it, is it still the same movie?

SPEAKER_01 10:43

Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_03 10:44

Like I I heard someone arguing the other day that the holiday is a Christmas movie. Have you guys heard that one?

SPEAKER_01 10:49

I haven't watched it, so I thought it was.

SPEAKER_03 10:52

I mean, see, I almost think a long time. I almost think it's the same. It's it's exactly what Ben just said. You could take the Christmas aspects out of it, and the story would remain the same story and the same narrative, you know.

SPEAKER_02 11:04

So I don't know. Well, and again, like another popular one is Harry Potter. Like, for some reason, that's a Christmas one. And like there's like one scene that happens at Christmas, and like because it covers the whole school year. So it's like, okay, this one thing happens, and like again, I think it ties into some of that sentimentality, some of that like warmth and the hope that we talked about.

SPEAKER_01 11:24

But did did any of them come out around Christmas time? I don't know if you're not gonna do that.

SPEAKER_03 11:27

I don't know if they did, but I remember that ABC used to do their 25 days of Christmas, and they always showed Harry Potter. That's it. So before I I because I didn't watch Harry Potter for the first time until you know three or four years ago, and I always had a strong association with Harry Potter and Christmas because I think because of that, my entire childhood, they were always playing it. So maybe that's part of the association too, is just the like culturally, it was kind of you know.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

I was thinking somebody told me the other day that White Christmas is an actual it's just a movie that takes place at Christmas. Uh, it's not an actual Christmas movie. And I was like, wait a second. And they uh this was my my buddy Luke, shout out Luke, uh, who said that it's a war movie.

SPEAKER_03 12:09

And I said, Okay, so maybe I mean maybe saying that Die Hard is a Christmas Christmas movie is the same as saying white Christmas is a war movie. It's a war movie. You know what I mean? Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_01 12:20

I don't know. For me, see, I I I guess I don't know what makes the biggest difference. Because you could, I mean, what are we calling the the Christmassy themes or the Christmassy like if you take the Christmas out of it? So, like, does every Christmas movie have to involve Santa Claus in some aspect or um you know the or maybe from the Christmas?

SPEAKER_02 12:38

But the Christmas Carol doesn't.

SPEAKER_01 12:39

True. Yeah, true. But and that's one of the greatest, you know, Christmas Carol's one of the greatest Christmas movies of all time ever created. So that's I don't know. I I don't know where I would draw that line, but there are plenty of people that have very strong opinions about it. I personally don't. I'm very loose with that. You know, Gremlins, another one, right? That's a Christmas movie. I have never seen Gremlins. Uh okay. Well, we'll just rolling your eyes.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

We just got Michael to watch the Goonies, so now we need to get Michael to watch Gremlins.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

Yes, all right, that'll be next. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

That's a good one, though. I man, I have not seen Gremlin in a minute, so I'm I'm definitely we we should watch that one.

SPEAKER_02 13:11

Yeah. All right. All right, so well, shall we just go ahead and jump into our first movie? So Michael's favorite is Klaus. So I'm gonna give a quick summary. This is how we're gonna do it. We're gonna take turns giving a quick summary of someone else's, and then we're gonna have a couple questions for them, and he can just uh he's gonna talk to us a little bit about why he picked that one, why it's so important to him, etc. So if you haven't seen Klaus, it's an animated Netflix movie um about kind of the origins of Santa in a fictional town uh where a uh disgraced postmaster, postman is sent um to like prove himself, essentially, to his father, who's the postmaster. And Jasper. Jasper, yeah. Jesper. Uh and it along the way he meets a woodsman who makes toys and um starts giving them to children. And so uh uh Jesper ends up using starts off using Klaus kind of to g gain uh favor in his father's eyes, like by sending all these letters, like because he gets these kids to start sending letters to Klaus. And then um it turns into such a big thing, and you start to see Jesper's heart change a little bit, and uh yeah. That redemption aspect. Yeah, there's the redemption aspect, the hope, the yeah. And so yeah, like it's it's a really good one. And if I highly recommend it, even if it's not my favorite, it uh it's up there for me, and that's like I mean, it's fairly new, like what, 2021? 2019. 19, okay, wow.

SPEAKER_01 14:33

Um one of my favorite aspects of this movie is the fact that it's like this untold story. It feels like it was untouched territory that you didn't see in any other Christmas movie, yeah, didn't try to work any of this stuff in there, but it's stuff that's familiar to us, you know, like this idea of writing letters to Santa and getting toys and like kind of some of the the lore that is established about Santa Claus in it. Yeah, it's I don't know, it's just it feels untouched in other movies.

SPEAKER_02 14:58

Yeah, most every other Christmas movie like Santa Claus is just like a known commodity. Yeah, and so you don't they don't really discuss it. So now to see that it wasn't a thing and now it's become one is interesting for sure. Yeah, no, that was fun.

SPEAKER_03 15:08

Yeah, I actually hadn't thought about that, Nick. I'm trying to think of besides the claymation like Santa Claus is coming to town movie, what other popular movie is there that explores his or I I literally don't know. I couldn't even think of one.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

Not a lot. I mean, like, you know, Santa Claus does kind of dive into some things, but nothing. But not the not the OG Santa, though. Yeah. Like, yeah. So I I really that's I think my why it it why I enjoy it so much. Like, yes, the the the um overall story and everything, like that's that's what keeps me coming back to it and the way that makes you feel and those warm feelings that we were talking about earlier, but that's what part of the reason that makes it just so a novelty, I guess.

Jesper’s Arc And Favorite Klaus Moments

SPEAKER_02 15:49

I mean to go along with that, like there's a little bit of magic in it or just like some spirituality sort of stuff, but like it's really fascinating though because you see a real thing become a myth that's like surrounded by magic, you know? Yeah, the fact that like how does Santa go down the chimney or like make all these toys, etc. Like you get you see the real reasons behind it, and you also get to see through children's eyes how they like extrapolate and make it such a big thing. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

And the comments are super funny, like they there's we were watching it the other day, and we were cracking up, you know, we've seen it, and it's one of my favorite movies. Actually, it is very funny. This the second best movie on this list I will commend you because when like when he was um like traveling to the town. I mean, just Jesper's comments will just are pretty timeless. It's also it's a very unique movie. You know, all you know, most uh modern Christmas movies, it's it's about oh, you know, we need to do this before Christmas Day, or um, we need to rescue Santa Claus so he can you know deliver all the presents for um you know by Christmas Eve. And this one is again just very unique. And I I wasn't expecting it. So that initially really drawed me in. Yeah, definitely.

SPEAKER_01 17:11

Michael, what about you? Since this is your pick. I know we've all kind of had our say in it. What makes this movie rise above them all for you?

SPEAKER_03 17:18

Yeah, yeah, that's that's a great question. I think um, I mean, you guys have already touched on so many of the aspects, you know, why I love it in particular, but um yeah, I think going back to like just the originality of the story, like again, just no other movie again that I really know of that explores like the lore and kind of the myth behind Santa Claus to that degree. And it's just so funny to me, like how how that myth grew. So the example I'm thinking of when you were um just talking, um Ben about the myth, is when Jesper and Klaus lose their wheels and the reindeer are carrying the sleigh and they fly, they ramp up over that that hill, and one kid sees them flying. And one kid sees them flying, you know, this sleigh with the reindeer that's flying over the town, and it's like that becomes the myth, you know. And so, like, again, that's one small example of you know how how the whole story comes together. But um, so yeah, I think that aspect of it, and then just Jesper's arc as a character, just from going from this spoiled, rotten brat to like someone who has such a deep like care and has these deep friendships, you know, with Klaus, and obviously Alva is more than a friend. Um is just I I love that. Like it's very, very well done, very well written character. I mean, you cut you you kind of hate him in the beginning, like you know, just like that spoiled brat. But then to see him at the end with his family, and oh, it's so like it's very emotional. I mean, I I've cried every year that I've watched it.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

He reminds me of Cusco. That's what we were saying. Yeah, we're cute. Absolutely first new groove fans.

SPEAKER_03 18:56

Jason, Jason Swartzman and David Spade kind of sound similar too. Very like similar character type, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Oh man. And I mean, Klaus is very much Pacha, like there's there's a lot of that same dynamic, like similar dynamic, yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 19:11

That's true. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

Well, another question that we had written down is and you kind of hit on one moment. Are there any other moments from the the movie that just if somebody um had never seen it before, you'd want them to see this specific moment. Like you'd want to pull this out and say, hey, this is like one of my favorite parts of the of the movie as a whole.

SPEAKER_03 19:31

Yes. So I was going back and forth between two, um, between two scenes. The first scene is when Jesper and Klaus deliver the the little snowboard, I don't really know what you call it, um, to the little girl. Um, and I'm actually forgetting what her character's name is. I can't even remember it. And I don't even know. Maybe she doesn't have like an established Oh, the one that doesn't speak any English. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

Oh yeah.

Muppet Christmas Carol Setup And Defense

SPEAKER_03 19:58

I can't remember what her name is. Um I'll have to look up here in a second. But when they deliver her her little like snow, you know, her little snowboard, and oh my gosh, that's so emotional. And they're just watching her from behind the hill, like the joy that it brings her. I would say that one. The second one, uh, which is you know more of a sequence, but it's the um it's the montage of when the townspeople are literally transforming from like mortal enemies into like really close friends. And it's also during that montage as you see Alva kind of like beginning to invest more in the kids, and like it'll cut to her taking more out of her savings, you know, every like couple of scenes, you know, to buy more stuff. So I think uh I couldn't go back, I was going back and forth between those two scenes, but um, I think yeah, like again, you kind of have to watch the whole movie for the either of those to really impact you, right?

SPEAKER_01 20:51

Um, but still I think just on their own, they're both very like powerful, you know, sequences and I was I was thinking earlier when you were talking about how like just the kind of some of the themes of the movie, and it's funny how much Jesper, like I think this is a key aspect. Maybe you guys will say that this is very similar to other Christmas movies, I don't know, but the way that it was all an accident for like he he didn't set out to kind of like change things and then it did, and that was part of like I think the magic that comes along with it is like him realizing that oh wait, I the the way that I have even though this was this is selfish, I have actually impacted the community for good. And once he kind of realizes that, I think that's part of the the um that montage that you were talking about is uh when that really that relation or sorry that that realization comes to him.

SPEAKER_02 21:38

Yeah, well so what what is it that Klaus keeps saying to him? One single act of like good will like brings another. Yeah, and I mean that's the that's the whole story right there. Yeah, yeah. Like once once Jesper starts doing things like especially in intentionally to be good, not just like you know, accidentally bringing things, like you really start to see the change happen.

SPEAKER_01 21:57

And yeah, no, it's a beautiful Christmas movie. I would highly recommend that if you have not watched it, that man, that that will pay at least for the month of December, you know. Get your Netflix membership, watch it.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Free trial.

SPEAKER_01 22:11

Yeah, free trial if you can. Just watch it, watch Klaus, and that's that'll at least get your money's worth for that one month. Especially if you're buying it for Stranger Things.

SPEAKER_02 22:19

Might as well, while you've got the membership, yeah. Love it.

SPEAKER_01 22:22

Well, let's jump into our next one.

SPEAKER_02 22:24

Okay, before we do, no, before we do, I want to ask. So Tori, you're about to introduce Muppet Christmas Carol. So I would like to just talk to us a little bit about your your um dislike for the movie.

SPEAKER_00 22:36

If if you're watching on YouTube, I'm rolling my eyes, but I I have this thing with puppets. And if you know me, you know I'm a teacher, a preschool teacher. So you would automatically think this lady uses puppets all the time. Well, you you're wrong because they they just screep me out.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Are puppets banned from your classroom?

SPEAKER_00 23:01

Um, not banned. I'm okay with the ones that like that don't have that you don't need a puppeteer like the stick and the strings. I'm okay with those, but it's it's weird voices, and then they just move. And then and I've heard that people, you know, can go to college to be a puppeteer. And I'm like, you're weird. I haven't heard that.

SPEAKER_03 23:24

I haven't heard that.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

I've never heard oh, I've not heard of that. I mean, I know there's like clown college, but I haven't heard of puppeteering.

SPEAKER_00 23:29

There is the you can specialize in puppeteering, and and I just think what person would go to school to learn how to move a stuffed animal.

SPEAKER_03 23:39

If you if one of our listeners out there, if you have gone to puppet school, send us an email. I can tell.

SPEAKER_01 23:45

I would love to hear about it. I can tell you too. Like, it is, I mean, think about just all we've talked about practical effects and stuff like this on the on different episodes. Yeah. And um, like I I recently saw um, I mean, this is completely changing the subject, but going to like Jabba the Hut. I think there were four people that were working Jabba to make him come to life in some way. And so I can understand how like that's it's there's a lot of moving parts and action.

SPEAKER_02 24:10

And I'm sure I'm sure a lot of it too is like creation of these things too, like you know, the ability to actually make them and make them unique and make designs and characters out of them. Like yeah. But anyways, yeah, so why don't you introduce Muppet Christmas care a little bit? A little bit of a summary.

SPEAKER_01 24:30

Well, it's um to be fair, she has not seen this movie either. So we're making her do it. Oh, wait, hold on. Sorry, I didn't mean to thank you.

SPEAKER_00 24:38

I said I have seen parts of it when it has been on. I have left the room. But Muppet's Christmas, I will try to sound excited. Um Muppet's Christmas Carol is follows the um frequently done, um, overdone, I would say, Scrooge Scrooge um you know, journey of um, you know, with visiting the ghosts and changing his life, being generous. And there's Gonzo, the one with the big nose, is the is the narrator or something.

SPEAKER_03 25:15

And Charles Dickens. Yes, yeah, he's Charles Dickens, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

Yes, yes. And yeah, and then you see like Miss Piggy and Kermit and as the Cratchits. Yes, all the all the people, and then he ends up.

SPEAKER_02 25:29

Do you know who play Scrooge? No, no, the legendary Michael Cain. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 25:35

Now, can I just say I already gave this trivia point before, but if you say my cocaine in a in a British mark explicit for this, you're you're saying yeah, we are saying Michael Cain as he would say it. But you gotta you gotta say it real deep. Go ahead, Michael. Yeah, okay. Michael Cain. Hello, my name is Michael Cain.

unknown 25:57

See?

SPEAKER_03 25:58

It works. Well done. All right. All right, let's get into the uh topic.

SPEAKER_02 26:03

Tori, thank you for being such a good sport.

SPEAKER_01 26:04

Yes. You're welcome. That was part of the fun. Was uh I was like, oh man, she does not like the Muffets. We should make her summarize the Muppet Christmas Carol. That'd be fun. Yeah, that's funny. Uh Ben, this is your movie. Yeah. Why'd you pick it?

SPEAKER_02 26:17

Well, as Tori was saying, I know that a Christmas carol in general is kind of overdone, but it is a pivotal Christmas story, and I think it's one of the things that might like have led to look at all these movies or probably a little bit inspired by Christmas Carol. You've got The Grinch is a extrapolation of Scrooge. You've got all these movies with a moral or like the uh the watching a person change, especially. Like it's one of the first ones to do that. I think it like this story does. Um, and so yeah, like and you get to see like it's a wonderful life, definitely take some influences from this as well, like just the uh another worldly being showing you like how if you change your life, how it changes everything around you, etc. And so, like, I mean, it's got all of those plus Muppets. Plus Muppets. Sorry, Tori. But some of us, some of us find Jim Henson's world and creation to be magical. And so it's it's a personal thing, and I understand that.

SPEAKER_00 27:11

I'll respect. I'm trying to be respectful. I mean I try to have a subjective opinion.

Michael Caine’s Scrooge And Songs That Stick

SPEAKER_02 27:16

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But on top of that, like, I mean, the music is great. There's some really great songs in there. And I mean, again, just seeing, especially growing up with the Muppets, seeing them in this world and in this uh time of year, like it adds to the Christmas, and like, yeah, it's the same as like watching people watching uh Peanuts Christmas special, like seeing those characters in this environment and like celebrating Christmas and that sort of thing. Like it's special.

SPEAKER_01 27:40

Yeah. Yeah. No, I I feel that for sure. And Ben and I have uh have definitely so I'll I'll just preface this. I this is probably the movie on this list of five that I'm least familiar with. I've seen it the least amount of time. I know, it's wild, right?

SPEAKER_02 27:54

Um butting off on him or he's just not allowed to watch it now.

SPEAKER_01 27:59

So I know. Where's the wont woman? There we go. Uh no, but what I was gonna say was just the fact that Ben and I have definitely had a like that's part of our relationship, is been our love for the Muppets.

SPEAKER_02 28:12

And when we were in the world, like what the the Jason Siegel Muppet movie when that came out. We bonded over that. Yes, we did. Truly.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

It was that was a fun time.

SPEAKER_00 28:20

I do. I I do love Jason Siegel, so I can I'll stand by that.

SPEAKER_01 28:26

I can be your gateway. Um well, tell me this. I I guess I'm I'm asking all the questions. You are why don't you take the question there, Mike?

SPEAKER_03 28:34

So, uh Ben, what's you know, what's a moment that you can't get through without tearing up in the Muppet movie?

SPEAKER_02 28:40

I mean, just kind of the end, watching Scrooge like truly change and celebrate with everyone, especially with the uh with the Cratchit family after he watches especially what Tiny Tim was going through and everything, and you see that ending of uh Michael, do you want to play the clip?

SPEAKER_00 28:56

Yeah, God bless us, everyone.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

Yes. And so like Michael Cain, surrounded by Muppets, sitting at this Christmas table with Tiny Tim sitting on his lap, and it talks about how uh he uh Gonzo talks about Charles Dickens, talks about how like Scrooge became like a second father to Tiny Tim, and again, just like truly seeing that change and like just this this summation of the whole movie and then.

SPEAKER_03 29:19

Dude, I could I could tear up right now and talk about it. He is so like so powerful. I mean, you go from He's just this completely isolated, totally alone guy, like eventually, no, yeah, no connection, no community to like they're all packed in this little room, you know, and just he's like, Oh man, yeah, it's it is so good. It's gonna keep going.

SPEAKER_01 29:44

No, I was gonna I was gonna throw something out there because um I'm sure you guys have probably heard that Michael Cain is thought of being one of the greatest portrayals of Scrooge, like in this movie. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 29:57

He's good. Well, honestly, that's part of the the appeal of the movie for me is they have like a serious actor. Yeah, yeah. Because you think, okay, it's a Muppet movie, like, you know, it's you're gonna get a comedian. It's gonna be goofy. And Michael Cain is like a serious character actor, and he get he really gives it all. I it's in my opinion.

SPEAKER_02 30:15

One of my one of my favorite like tweets slash memes of all time I've ever seen is the difference between like the two of the best Muppet movies ever. You've got this and Muppet Treasure Island. Yes, and the comment is so Muppet Christmas Carol is so good because Michael Cain treats all the Muppets like fellow actors. Muppet Treasure Island is so good because Tim Curry treats himself like a Muppet. And again, like you gotta lead one way or the other. But again, yeah, Michael Cain goes about it. I keep doing that today. I'm sorry. Um, Michael Cain goes about it so seriously, and just like he takes his role very seriously when it could have been like goofy and stuff like that. And so I think that adds to it is of like it's a real story, and like, yeah, that's a lot of fun, but you actually get something from it. Yeah, there's a magic to it for sure.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Like the that's he's the straight man. I mean, he is the one it's humorous because he is so serious, and it's just wild to think about when you do go back and you watch it and you just kind of dial in on Michael Cain and just I imagine if there were real people around and this would be like a serious drama, and like that brings that brings up a memory of watching it the other day, and um watching Michael Caine deliver with a straight face when he's with the Ghost of Christmas Past deliver with a straight face.

SPEAKER_02 31:26

That's Mr. Fozzie Wiggs rubber chicken factory. Like again, a serious actor delivering that line.

SPEAKER_03 31:34

Just the the juxtaposition of that it was is amazing. Well, that's actually so I think we have time for one more question on this. Do you have a a memory like associated with this movie? Like, you know, either from childhood or you know, adulthood?

SPEAKER_02 31:47

It's the songs that like I feel like initially stuck with me, like as growing up, and especially um after all, there's only one more sleep till Christmas. Just yeah. Like thinking of that one every Christmas Eve and just Kermit walking through the streets, merrily singing it. Just yeah, that one in general. And again, it's one that like I've probably watched about every year of my adult life, and so it's just a special one to me. It's like the one that every year I have to watch just because it it brings all that Christmas joy to me. Love it.

SPEAKER_03 32:17

Yeah, wow, awesome. Well, hey, let's jump to our uh our next movie. We're gonna take a quick little break. Let's take a quick little break. Yep.

SPEAKER_04 32:26

Snow, snow, snow, snow, snow.

White Christmas: Nostalgia, Music, And Tradition

SPEAKER_03 32:32

All right, we are back from our break. And we're gonna jump into Nick's favorite movie, which is White Christmas. I'm gonna give a little summary here for uh if anyone hasn't seen it. So White Christmas, which came out in uh 1954, it's a classic holiday musical about two former army buddies. Um say it is a war movie. Um apparently. But now they're successful entertainers, they team up with a pair of sisters to help their old uh commanding officer save his struggling Vermont inn. Um so you know, through romance, music, uh elaborate song and dance numbers. Um yeah, the gang brings warmth, friendship, and holiday spirit just in time for Christmas. So classic movie. Yeah, so Nick, let's jump in here. What uh what does this movie give you that modern Christmas movies can't?

SPEAKER_01 33:22

Uh just the I I feel like the musicals don't hit as hard these days. New like there are things to appreciate in new musicals that have come out recently, but something about just like the Irving Berlin age of of uh the the musical theater is so much fun. The theater what's happened to the theater?

SPEAKER_03 33:44

Do modern do modern um actors have the same scope of skill? Like so Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, I mean tab dancing, singing, you know, playing instruments, like it's uh it's amazing to see. Sorry, keep going.

SPEAKER_01 34:00

No, no, no. You're I mean, I I don't know if that's what makes those movies hit differently or not, but for me, I think I mean there's some randomness to it too. When you go and you watch White Christmas, like even all the musical numbers that are in there, I think if they made White Christmas today, it wouldn't it wouldn't be the same. Like they would like just I don't know, just some of the weird ones. I mean, choreography. I mean, they they wouldn't have put that into the movie because they'd be like, this doesn't really add anything to the plot.

SPEAKER_02 34:24

It's literally just like we're gonna stop and perform a song in the middle of this. And like you're just looking at this.

SPEAKER_01 34:30

And so is it about sandwiches, Michael? There there is one about sandwiches, though, because that's um oh, what is that? Uh uh, the one that Bing Korosby's gonna be. Counting your blessings about sandwiches, though. Well, okay. While they're eating sandwiches.

SPEAKER_02 34:41

Okay. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

There's a difference. You're right.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

It's it's like a Christmas movie. It happens at this time, it doesn't make it about that thing. Fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 34:50

I agree. Misspoke about that. No, but I I think that's what makes it stand out as being different. Um, yeah, it would it would just because that's why I don't know if they've ever has there been an attempt at a reboot? Like there's been a shows. No. But have they ever tried to actually reboot? I have never heard of one. No. And the question would be is if they did, would anybody watch it? I think that they would, but at the same time, I don't know. I it would almost be out of spite and hatefulness.

SPEAKER_02 35:16

I feel like I would give it a chance, but I would not, it would take an awful lot to overwrite the classic.

SPEAKER_03 35:23

Yeah. If they I think a lot of people would watch it because a lot of people love the original, they would be curious to see how they did, but I do not think it would be beloved. I mean, there's no way it could be better than the original. Yeah. Like it's too big, you know.

SPEAKER_02 35:36

Okay, interesting question then. Sorry, we're going off book, but like who who even is there who could take the place of Ben Crosby?

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Oh man, I don't even know. If you were like if we're casting the the new white Christmas.

SPEAKER_02 35:46

Like we won't do the whole cast, but just Ben Crosby. Who could play Bob Wallace?

SPEAKER_01 35:51

I don't even know. I see now I feel bad for putting people on the spot when I've asked them how they cast movies. Because you just asked me that, and I'm like, I should have something in my mind of like who would be the person. But the correct answer is you can't replace Ben Crosby.

SPEAKER_00 36:03

You're probably Brian Gosling.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

Uh not for me, but yeah. Maybe for the ladies, like I don't know. But who even has, I mean, who are the big singers these days that you think of of being, I don't know, just like the really great Hugh Jackman? I that was who came to my mind. Well, there's a lot of people that don't even like Hugh Jackman or his singing. For one, he's not a bass, so I mean Yeah. Fair.

SPEAKER_02 36:29

Russell Crowe? Oh no, Michael.

SPEAKER_01 36:33

Let's just go through the entire uh cast of play Miz from a few years ago.

SPEAKER_02 36:38

Well, so let's jump back into like Christmas. Um speaking of musical numbers, Nick. I'm just gonna pivot right past that. Okay. Uh Nick, if you could insert yourself into one of these musical numbers, which one would it be?

SPEAKER_01 36:50

Uh I think choreography for sure. Really? I don't know, just something about the goofiness. I wish I could be as cool as Phil Davis and just like the the animated nature of his dance. Doing his choreography. Doing the choreography. It's a special one. The way that it starts out. I I don't know, just when I went back and I watched it recently, I'm like, I love this song. It's so like so random, but it's so good.

SPEAKER_03 37:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

Oh man. I also like um the best things happen while you dance. That's a fun one. I'm not as near as a good of a dancer as either of those two, but I wish I was and I could dance to that song. That'd be good. Well, oh yeah. I mean, you guys, have you thought about dance lesson? I mean, you could there's a lot of stuff you guys can do. Tori Tori, so I don't know if I've I've shared this with you guys yet, but we got really into dancing with the stars this past year. Really? Okay. Tori's always been a fan of watching uh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 37:43

Like I just think it's so yes, um, Robert Irwin. Robert Irwin, yeah. And I always thought, you know, my mom would ask me, Oh, have you watched Dancing with the Stars? And I'm like, no. And I always thought it was just an old person show. And then I was like, you know what? I'm gonna watch Dancing with the Stars because I really like we really like Robert Irwin. And then there was a lot of other really good people too, and we were into it.

SPEAKER_01 38:05

I don't know why it's taken me so long to get into it because it's a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_03 38:08

Like well, do you have to become an old person to then? Obviously, are you guys sure you haven't crossed that threshold yet?

SPEAKER_01 38:14

I think I crossed it a long time ago. I think part of the reason that I love it so much is because of my love for you know, those big musical numbers and stuff like that. And that's what the show kind of captures. Obviously, you don't have the the singing that goes along with it, but the dance numbers is just a lot of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 38:29

The growth that you see as well.

SPEAKER_03 38:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:31

Anyways, that took takes us off of it. But it's it is related to me. Like I think that part of the reason that I love dancing with the stars so much is because I really have appreciated these big dancing numbers, the musicals, and and being involved with them. Um, you know, I've got some good memories from my time uh in high school theater, and then you know, Ben and I at uh Mount Vernon being a part of a couple, I think I don't know if we were in two musicals together or not, but definitely the the king and I for sure. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 38:57

Um Michael's in that too. I won an award for that one, actually. I did, yeah. I did. Best accent. I I have the plaque. I'm gonna bring it in next episode and we'll display it. Wonderful.

SPEAKER_02 39:08

Yeah, Michael played the captain at the beginning. I did. I had completely forgot about season one scene.

SPEAKER_03 39:14

You got to get to viewers with the book. I won my Michael Cain accent a second ago. So that should be example in the case.

SPEAKER_02 39:20

Oh, I thought you were gonna say that's how you got the character. He was the he was the ship captain at the beginning of the movie. Was he? Yeah. Oh, because she does she does leave for a while.

Elf: Buddy’s Joy, Jokes, And Heart

SPEAKER_03 39:31

Well, let's let's get off me and uh get back to white Christmas. So we got a few more minutes here. So, okay, so similar question, Nick, to what you've asked us. Like, you know, what makes this movie rise above the others as a Christmas movie?

SPEAKER_01 39:44

Um, as a Christmas movie, for me, I think it comes back to that tradition. So I've shouted out my dad a lot on the show. I'm not shout out my mom, uh, who I was giving crap to because she I told her I was like, Oh, you don't listen to the show. So she might not even hear this shout out. Um, but that's the reason that I love White Christmas, is my mom. Um, so sh this is I would probably I I feel safe saying it's her favorite Christmas movie. She would watch it every year while she was wrapping presents and stuff like that. And as a young kid, I don't think I had a huge appreciation for it, but as I um got older, I mean she it was the same thing with like Sound of Music. My mom was huge into the sound of music and huge into uh you know White Christmas and some of these other ones. What was uh was Holiday Inn, I think was another one.

SPEAKER_02 40:24

Yeah, that was actually the first appearance of the White Christmas song.

SPEAKER_01 40:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 40:27

Really? I didn't know that. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 40:29

Um but yeah, so she was the one that got me into this movie, and then um over the years it became our thing because my sister and my dad didn't want to watch White Christmas. So it was it was kind of our thing, you know. We would watch White Christmas when it was just the two of us, and I would appreciate it. Um so I think that's the tradition of watching it with my mom um kind of stands out in my mind as being like, why is this one special to me? Um so yeah, that's the that's the big thing. And then overall, kind of like we were talking about earlier, is it is it the quintessential Christmas movie? No, it's it's really not for me. Um, but just that memory is what kind of keeps it going in my mind.

SPEAKER_03 41:08

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. Yeah. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 41:11

Nice. What are your guys' takes on the movie? So I know I think we talked about order earlier. Uh we let's go to my wife, because I'd love to hear her thoughts on White Christmas. She doesn't get a chance to say much about it. Thoughts on White Christmas?

SPEAKER_00 41:22

Well, I actually never watched it until I watched it with you and your mom. And I remember thinking this is not a I wouldn't consider it a Christmas movie. It wasn't very Christmassy. Um, so I was kind of surprised at the plot of the story, but I'm not a big fan of old movies. I I don't appreciate them very much. So this is uh this is a bottom tier one for me, man. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

Is this below or above Muppet Christmas?

SPEAKER_00 41:53

This is um man, gosh, I would say it's below.

SPEAKER_04 41:59

Wow I I just I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 42:02

I just didn't pull on my heartstrings.

SPEAKER_02 42:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 42:06

I I will say, yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 42:08

So Okay, hold on. Sorry, it doesn't pull on your heartstrings. So when all the soldiers from the general's army show up at the end and they're honoring him, and he's just walking down, it's the movie is 70 years old. Man, like we don't need that fair, fair. But while like you don't get teared up while watching him being recognized by all these people after so long.

SPEAKER_00 42:34

That was nice. I will say that that was nice.

SPEAKER_01 42:37

If I'm being real though, like to me, emotionally, this movie is not quite because it's just different from modern movies. You know what I mean? It is, yeah. I can understand why somebody might watch it and go, like, well, I just I have a hard time connecting emotionally with it. Right. Um, because like I said, for me, even my love for for it doesn't necessarily come from like the emotions that the movie made me feel so much as the memories that it evokes having that tradition. I get it you know, yeah. That makes perfect sense. That does make sense, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:05

Michael, you're gonna say something before I had to ask Tori.

SPEAKER_03 43:08

Uh were yes, I'll take up the last 15 seconds with this comment. I I get what you're saying about it, like the style of the old movies. Like I grew up watching really old movies because my family was just into it. And so there's kind of a nostalgia factor for me, you know, like those old big production, like 50s and 60s movies. So I can see if you didn't really, if you weren't really into that, like in general, then yeah, this movie probably wouldn't, you know, do it for you. So it makes sense. But anyway, let's uh let's transition to uh Tori's movie. Nick, do you want to take that?

SPEAKER_01 43:43

Yeah, I'm excited to to give the synopsis on of this one. Another one that I really love. Uh Tori chose the movie Elf, which follows the story of Buddy the Elf, um, who finds out after a long time of living in the North Pole that he is not actually an elf, and he's got a father living in New York. Uh oh my gosh, why did I forget his father's name now? Um Walter Walter, thank you. And uh Walter Hobbs Walter Hobbs um decides to go down to meet his father for the first time. And uh Will Farrell and playing Buddy the Elf, all kinds of shenanigans come from that. So uh that's I think it goes on over the over the course of time, you know. Uh Buddy and well, Walter initially doesn't believe that Buddy is his his son, and there's the whole entire aspect of that, and as we've talked about previously, the change of hearts that occurs over the course of the movie that kind of leads it to an emotional end as well. So um, yeah, why don't you tell me? So, Tori, you you picked this one. What's your what's your reasoning for picking Elf as being your quintessential classic Christmas movie?

SPEAKER_00 44:49

I didn't appreciate it. I don't think when it came out, because when did it it came out early 2000s, right?

SPEAKER_03 44:56

I think 2003.

SPEAKER_00 44:58

Yes. And it's my it's the only movie that I like that Will Farrell is in. Because I'm not a huge Will Ferrell fan, but I just I just think Buddy, Buddy himself, the character is so iconic. I mean, he doesn't have a mean bone in his body. And it's just again, it's a creative, I like the creative storylines. And it's I don't know, it's just it's goofy. I I I'm much more of a comedy person. And you know, there's some you know, there's sentimental things and parts, but it's layered in a lot of humor, which I think it makes it just a f a fun, light-hearted Christmas movie.

SPEAKER_01 45:42

I'll uh I'll pack onto that as well. I don't know if you guys are in the same boat, but I initially could not stand the movie Elf. Really?

SPEAKER_02 45:49

I was there too.

SPEAKER_01 45:50

I think part of it was they just played it so much in the early 2000s, like my so that was my dad and my sister's movie that they always wanted to watch was Elf. And I would specifically like I didn't want to watch it. I would leave. I was like, this is so dumb, I cannot stand it. And over the course of time, with more viewings and everything else, I really came to appreciate it a lot. Um, I think at the time I was I was very much a Will Farrell hater. Um and then as he was in more things, I think I don't even know when he won me over. I really I started watching more of his movies. I did not like Talladega Nights, but like by the time Step Brothers came out, I was all in. I was like, Will Farrell's hilarious, yeah, um, and everything that he does is funny. And so I went and I that I after kind of having that appreciation of him, then after I started watching, you know, Elf at the Christmas season, had more uh of a love for it, I guess. And then learning about some of the behind the scenes things that happened um made me appreciate it even more.

SPEAKER_00 46:46

Like that thing that we listened to speaking of the behind the scenes making in the movie or something.

The Grinch: Versions, Jim Carrey, And Mythmaking

SPEAKER_01 46:53

Yes, the movies that made us that's a series on Netflix. If either of you guys watched it, I've heard of it, haven't watched it. Yeah, same. Um very good. They did do an episode on this, and um, yeah, just a lot of that behind the scenes kind of stuff is discussed about it and how they why is this an enduring classic and all that good stuff. There's one about Die Hard, Back to the Future. There's all kinds of good movies that are a part of it. Um yeah, what about you guys? What's your perspective on Elf?

SPEAKER_02 47:17

Very much the same as you, like I said, I right when it came out, I think it was just because it was on so much that like I just got sick of it. But again, like it's definitely come around and it's definitely one that every year I will gladly sit down and watch now. Because I initially I was like you, where it was like uh I really don't need to see this again. And it's just kind of I I didn't have a problem with Will Farrell, but just in general, something about it is just like I was tired of it. But no, I think um it's it's definitely grown on me, Michael.

SPEAKER_03 47:41

I have always loved Elf. I so I mean I was like 12 or 13 when this came out, and so I don't think I really even like knew Will Farrell as an actor necessarily quite yet. Um, but I immediately fell in love with it. We I I think we've watched it every year since it came out, I'm pretty sure. And I we bought on DVD. I bought on DVD with my own money. Yeah, I still have the DVD. There you go. And uh so I used to, yeah, we used to watch it every year, and like it is definitely very lighthearted. I feel like it like it's funny because when I'm thinking of like it um in relation to Klaus, for example, Klaus is like an animated, colorful movie, but it's kind of heavy in a sense, you know, especially dealing with like Klaus's, you know, loss and his grief. But Elf, like it just yeah, it's extremely light-hearted, but it does still have like that kind of especially at the end, you know, that emotional payoff where like, yeah, there is some depth there.

SPEAKER_01 48:33

But it's very funny, but you're right. It's by the end, there's an emotional connection, and you almost you feel it, you really do. It hits you, and you're like, oh man, this is kind of this is beautiful. Like there's something about it.

SPEAKER_00 48:44

And someone recently, I never thought of elf like this before, but someone described um Buddy as you know neurodivergent. Oh yeah, really? I've never heard that. And I've you know, and it clicked, and it's like, man, it's like society accepting, and how how can this person, you know, we're not trying to change buddy, we're trying to help Buddy, you know, be successful where he is. And I mean, I just I don't know, it's just that was a very creative way of thinking about it.

SPEAKER_01 49:16

Yeah, that is cool. Well you said that Buddy the elf is iconic. What makes him iconic in your mind?

SPEAKER_00 49:23

I mean, he just it's he can he can uh look at a very like serious situation and just you know, say something funny. You know, it's like when he goes, when he gets a job, you know, and he's in his suit and he goes down um to the mailroom and you know it it's a very like dark and gloomy place. And you know, when he says, I mean, I'm misquoting this, but he said, This is like Santa's workshop, except for you know, every you know, it smells like mushrooms and and everybody hates me or something.

SPEAKER_03 49:59

That's why they want to hurt me.

SPEAKER_00 50:00

Yes, yeah, everyone hurt me. And it's just I mean, just his his lightheartedness on life and just little things that we take the joy in it. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 50:11

Well, that's a that's a perfect example because by the end of his time in the mail room, he has the whole place like dancing and partying. Yeah, he like spread he spreads that joy, you know.

SPEAKER_02 50:22

He's the embodiment of Christmas cheer. Yeah, that's that's a good way to say it. You even look at like I was just thinking about this. Like, you even look at the beginning when he's with the elves, and even amongst them, he has way more like Christmas cheer and just joy and yeah, his heart's full of hope, like uh compared to everyone else. Well, speaking of Christmas cheer. Best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. Which is a good segue. So, Tori, what do you think what what joke or line still makes you laugh to this day?

SPEAKER_00 50:48

This you're probably not suspecting this, but the thing that always just cracks me up is when he's comes to New York for the first time, and you know, and he's running around the streets, and when we watch the movies that made us, you know, it's said that you know, they only had like a very short amount of time to do this, and buddy, they buddy just literally like Will Farrell just made stuff up. And my favorite part is when he's walking by that guy in the red jumpsuit and the beard, and he's like, Santa, oh never mind. And that guy that was not playing, and that just cracks me up. Like it's so random, it's so funny.

SPEAKER_02 51:32

Yeah, there's like there's a different thing every time that gets me. This past I watched a couple weeks ago, and for me, it was when um he takes Zoe De Chanel's character on a date, and she's like, he's like, close your eyes, I'll taste this. Tastes like a crappy cup of coffee. He's like, No, it's the best cup of coffee in the world. And again, just the callback.

SPEAKER_03 51:51

What I love about Buddy is his sincerity. Yeah, like he is so sincere in those moments where he like really believed that. Yeah, yeah. That's very passionate. Yeah, so passionate. That's a great example, Benny.

SPEAKER_01 52:03

Um I was surprised because the moment that I thought you were going to say was as Buddy the Elf is leaving the North Pole and then the narwhal pops up. Yeah, buddy, buddy.

SPEAKER_04 52:13

Hope you find your dad.

SPEAKER_01 52:14

He used to say that all the time. That is a classic. Or uh, oh man, what about the with the Santa Claus, the fake Santa Claus?

SPEAKER_00 52:23

You sit on a throne of wise.

SPEAKER_01 52:25

Yeah, yep.

SPEAKER_02 52:26

Uh, plus, shout out to Peter Dinklage in it.

SPEAKER_01 52:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 52:30

One scene, but amazing.

SPEAKER_01 52:31

Call me elf one more time.

SPEAKER_03 52:34

Well, so okay, speaking of Peter Dinklage, so James Kahn, who plays Walter Hobbs, kind of a similar idea to when we were talking about the Muppet movie, is he's a really serious character actor. Yeah, no, absolutely. And he's kind of he's one of several straight men in this movie. But again, him being like a really serious actor, taking it seriously, like, and kind of contrast that to Buddy and Will Farrell's character. I mean, it's it's amazing. Like, and that's probably what makes it so good, is like he's not being goofy and not taking it seriously. Like, you know, he's a he's very serious, but I'm foiled to each other. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but James Conn is one of he's a uh he's one of my favorite actors. But all right, we have 30 seconds left. Do you want to do one more question, Nick?

SPEAKER_01 53:13

Sure, yeah. Um, is Elf secretly a rom-com? I don't know if this is a secret or not. What do you think?

SPEAKER_00 53:20

No, because because the main focus of the movie is Buddy and his relationship with his dad and how he regains that. And um, I love Zoe De Chanel, but you know, that's just it's just a fun side, you know.

SPEAKER_01 53:36

Yeah, fair enough. Fair enough. I think I would have gone the other way. I'd say, you know what, there are a lot of rom-com aspects of it. But when you're I I get what you're saying. The main that's it is more of a B story.

SPEAKER_00 53:46

He went to New York to find his time.

SPEAKER_02 53:48

Not to find love. True. Again, could have taken the romantic element out of the movie, and I think it would have still functioned just fine.

SPEAKER_01 53:55

Yeah, that's fair. Yeah, that's fair. So I guess you could say that. So it's not so I guess are you guys on that same boat then the rom com, it's not. I don't think so.

SPEAKER_03 54:02

I'm gonna agree with Tori.

Claymation, Honorable Mentions, And Soundtracks

SPEAKER_01 54:04

Yeah. All right. Well, let's take us into our final movie, which was the uh listener pick, and we ch the the listeners all chimed in and gave us their perspective, and ultimately we landed on the Grinch. And part of the reason I think that happened, I was telling the guys, um, not everybody specified because there's been a few different versions of the Grinch, um, what theirs was. The one that came up, I think, most frequently was the Jim Carrey one. Yeah. Um, but I think there were at least one or two people that just put on like the classic Grinch, which I haven't seen in quite some time. And I don't know if anybody is, I don't know, who I did part of this was my students, so I don't know if any of them were thinking about the animated one that just came out in whatever it was, 2018, 2019. So, anyways, that's the the movie, the Grinch. Uh, anybody want to set us up with a with a quick summary synopsis?

SPEAKER_03 54:53

Yeah, I can. I'm just gonna off the top of my head, uh, I didn't chat GPT this summary. So good for you. Uh yeah, so Grinch, um, yeah, he's kind of a misfit who was born who's dropped off in Hooville. And um, you know, he is angry at the townspeople, has a lot of resentment towards them because, you know, they made fun of him as a kid. So he goes up to live. Because he's green. Um, he goes up to live in the mountainside, and he over time just continually hates Christmas and you know, um hates hates the who's of Hooville. But then um, yeah, meets one of the Hoovillions uh and from there kind of begins his journey to loving Christmas again. So the Hoovillions.

SPEAKER_01 55:33

That's I think the first time I've heard just the who's the who's yeah, just the who's I want to refer to them as Hoovillions. It's kind of that's kind of nice. Yeah. Um as we're looking at this movie. So when you guys think about the Grinch, what's the one that comes to your mind? Is it the Jim Carrey? Jim Carrey. Oh, yeah. Yeah, Jim Carrey. Yeah. I I would agree. I mean, and it's I think a sign of the the age that we're all among the same uh age that we that's the one that comes to mind immediately. And I can remember watching that when it first came out in theaters and everything. So that's a that's a good one, man. Like I just gosh, Jim Carrey, such a great character actor.

SPEAKER_02 56:08

I grew up on Jim Carrey movies.

SPEAKER_03 56:11

Like was this version of the Grinch written with Jim Carrey in mind?

SPEAKER_02 56:15

So I was doing some I was doing some research on this. It was okay, so um I'm blanking on her name, Theodore Geisel's wife had rights to the movie that like everyone wanted, and she decided to finally auction them off. But she wanted say on who would be the Grinch. Um, she wanted someone like Jim Carrey, okay. And they got Jim Carrey. Oh, I will say I did re I did learn this time that Jack Nicholson was reading for it at one point, which would have been a very different movie.

SPEAKER_01 56:42

Interesting.

SPEAKER_02 56:43

Also, Tim Burton was originally asked to direct, but his he had a scheduling conflict. And actually, uh hot take maybe. I'm glad.

SPEAKER_01 56:51

To me, it feels like there's parts of this movie that feels a little bit Tim Burton-y, you know?

SPEAKER_02 56:56

Yeah, just like the whimsical nature of it, but like, yeah, I think that Ron Howard did an amazing job. And like, I don't think it would have been a Christmas classic as much if Tim Burton did it. Personal take, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 57:08

I gotta think about that, yeah, because it definitely would have had a darker it still would have been funny and and whatever, but like a darker, edgier tone almost. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 57:17

Jim Carrey just in this entire movie is is hysterical. I have heard this is another one where I've heard parts of um the lore behind it in the creation, um, because there's been a lot done over the years about it. But Jim Carrey's kind of known for being somebody that does a lot of ad libbing, um, and there's a lot of that within this movie as well. Really?

SPEAKER_03 57:37

Okay, cool.

SPEAKER_01 57:37

Uh I know so the one thing that pops into my mind right away was the the scene where he's talking to Max and trying to get him into character, and the story behind the scene was that he was kind of like Jim Carrey was goofing off and and trying to act like Ron Howard. Yep. That's why he went and grabs the hat and puts the hat on. That's Ron Howard's name. Yeah, Ron Howard said, All right, we gotta film this and actually put it into the movie. And they did, and so that's just part of that's just the improv that Jim Carrey is known for. You just you don't know what you're gonna get with him um in the script.

SPEAKER_02 58:10

My favorite is the where he's like trying to figure out what he's gonna wear. Oh, and he goes and grabs the tablecloth. That was not supposed to be as clean as it was, and so yeah, they asked him to like just go knock it all over. And just yeah, again, like that is hilarious. I do love that. Jim Carrey just being better at things than he should be. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 58:26

But have you guys have you guys watched the new one?

SPEAKER_03 58:29

I've not, no. I know, I haven't.

SPEAKER_00 58:31

I was pleasantly surprised because they they took, you know, the the original premise, you know, of like the Grinch hating Christmas and isolating himself, but they they you know put enough of a little twist on it that like I enjoyed it. You know, I was again, like I said, pleasantly surprised.

SPEAKER_01 58:51

It's worth watching for sure. Yeah, you guys need to watch it because just some of the the it is not quite um to me. I think the emotional appeal of it hits even a little bit more in the animated version because I think the comedy takes the front in Jim Carrey because he's Jim Carrey. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 59:09

Um just so over the top. He can't he can't not be the focal point, like, let's be real.

SPEAKER_01 59:12

And even kind of I mean, kind of similar to Buddy the Elf, but uh not because Buddy the Elf, I think, like we talked about, just the way that his personality is and his infectious hope and thought. Yes, uh, whereas the Grinch is kind of the opposite of that, uh, so that doesn't come through as much like that emotional appeal. Um, but in this version with Benedict Cumberbatch, you see a little bit more of peeling back the layers of the Grinch and getting some of that emotion behind it. And so I think that's part of the reason that I do I think there's a lot of people that would say, Hey, that one, that that version, not any good. But this, yeah, I I think that it hits the emotions a little bit more than the the um live action version.

SPEAKER_03 59:53

Wow, I need to watch it.

SPEAKER_00 59:54

Yeah, in the lit in with the little the girl, the main character, she's uh trying to do something fun. her mom not to give away too many spoilers but you know I just think that's I think that's really refreshing you know as you know we're trying to to bring up the next generation of you know you it's not all about stuff Christmas isn't about that and so I again I just think that that's like really nice to see yeah I yeah that makes sense I did want to make a quick note so this Jim Carrey's version of the Grinch is actually called how the Grinch stole Christmas that's like the official title which I didn't know until just now dodge on that is that not what the what the other that's what the animated version is called too right I'll look it up I don't know I thought they were all called the same but I could be wrong.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:38

I mean I think the book and like the original animated is called that but I could be wrong. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:43

Well anyways any any other thoughts that you guys have on the Grinch specifically the Grinch is very quotable.

Best Santa Debates And What Counts As Christmas

SPEAKER_03 1:00:50

Yes when we were looking up sound bites which I should I should play a couple of these holiday hooby what a Christmas water just the Jim Carrey performance many well we we were when we were looking up sound bites for this the three of us were quoting like everything.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:11

I mean we were because and it is so quotable and like again that just goes back to that speaks to Jim Carrey's ability to just like be so over the top and memorable I mean you know obviously yeah we watched this as kids and we continue to but like extremely quotable yeah we were talking about the original script like I would love to see the original script versus what Jim Carrey said and just like yes see exactly what he came up with and I mean I know one of the things that we talked about was the the scene where he's coming up with why he can't go like his schedule for the evening the schedule um and just like I'm pretty sure that was 99% improved like just knowing him and that scene but yeah like yeah no that definitely makes the movie.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:52

Any closing thoughts on the Grinch oh gosh it just I mean I grew up as a you know as a little little kid watching the animated version and I always you know enjoyed that and then I didn't appreciate I feel like this is with all movies like I didn't appreciate how funny it was until I was older and um just I don't know just like the connection that I would make with it you know and um and then now with the new one so it's just it's he's just man he's an icon and they'll get the Grinch himself and um our kids have the Grinch Tony um to put on their Tony box. And so they love they were listening to it yesterday and it's just I don't know it's just a story that is you know carried on in different ways through generations.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:43

I think this might be the the kids' favorite Christmas movie right now. Oh yeah that's fun I just showed it to them and they were yeah they had a lot of fun with it and now they'll they'll point it out every time they see the Grinch so that's nice. That's part of the fun that's uh that's one of the first ones that I can oh you know what didn't come up in this I forgot because this is another thing that Tori does not like how do you guys feel about claymations oh yeah I I love I love claymations I love the claymation movie like the old old claymation christmas movies I'm and again I grew up watching them so like I yeah there's the nostalgia factor and um it's been so long for me like I kind of want to go back and re-watch them just because it has that has not been one that has survived that I watch every single year. Yeah but I do have that nostalgia for them because kind of like you said I mean those were the ones especially the Rudolph one yeah when we're yeah we didn't have cable for I would say a big chunk of my childhood um and so what did we watch? Well what was on kind of like the basic channels like the EVC that you know the 25 days of Christmas and those were obviously the big movies that they came on over and over again. So that was a that was a good one that we continuously kept on coming back to. So I I have a place in my heart for them Tori does not have a place for then I I I'm sure I can answer this.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:00

I'm sure you love them. I I do I know you do I know I I can feel the vibes yeah I again I know you have known you for a while um I'm just going through like some honorable mentions at this point.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:12

Yeah uh the other one that I was very surprised didn't come up and we kind of mentioned this off air but uh a Christmas story did not come up very much in the in the favorites and I know that that is such a uh classic that many many people watch every single year uh any thoughts on those I watched it for the first time this year uh my wife and I at our at my in-laws we watched it and I will say I probably needed to watch it as a kid to appreciate it because now as an adult like there's it's funny there there's a lot of funny moments.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:46

Yeah but just the kind of irreverent I don't know style I just yeah it was it was fine.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:51

I think it encapsulated growing up in your like early late 80s early 90s.

SPEAKER_01 1:04:56

Yeah I think for that generation it probably really captured yes I agree with you yeah last honorable mention that I was just thinking of that I was surprised that Tori actually didn't pick this one because oh I think I know what you're gonna say at the same time one two three Christmas vacation okay yeah yeah which I still have not seen have not seen that all yeah movie night I I know seriously I had never watched it until Tori and I I don't know if we were dating or or married at the point that I finally watched it for the first time um but uh yeah that was always her family's thing and they would quote it so it's a it's a favorite of the of the Williams clan for sure um and we I Tori maybe watched at one point I sat down and I was like you know what it was kind of like one of those things that it had to grow on me over time. The first time I watched it I was kind of like nah it's not that great. You kind of you gotta be in on the joke a little bit because that's what it was for them it was like oh they've they've seen it multiple times and would quote it or whatever. And so I wasn't necessarily as in on the oh I've seen this a bunch you know we watched it together with my family or whatever. And so once I finally did watch it for the first time it was like all right whatever like judging it just from a movie perspective I didn't love it. But the goofiness of it upon further viewings is a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:14

And if like if cousin Eddie wasn't in it he makes the movie man. And I one of my quotes I mean I feel like I say this to you all the time like go into the store pick yourself out something real nice like he says it just funny I want to give an honorable mention.

SPEAKER_03 1:06:30

My wife and I are watching the original Miracle on 34th street right now. It's that movie's it's so emotional for me. Yeah it's an amazing movie. It's when when Santa Claus uh speaks in Dutch to the little girl that just came over to New York City oh man the tears were flowing Home Alone Home Alone I love the Home Alones.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:52

I like the second one I think better than the first one I said the same thing.

Thanks, Traditions, And Star Wars Prequels Tease

SPEAKER_03 1:06:55

Well actually so this is a perfect segue we're gonna do like a quick and we're obviously you know about to run out of time but we're gonna talk about best Christmas soundtracks. Mine was going to be Home Alone 2. Yeah that's a surprising but I I I mean John Williams again you can't go wrong with him. John Williams yeah his particularly Christmas star by John Williams from the Home Alone 2 soundtrack is it's my favorite Christmas song for sure but then even just in general in you know in terms of music um it's it's up there for me like maybe in my top ten I think some I think soundtracks that like stand out in my mind as having that that Christmassy like if we're going just based off of movies.

SPEAKER_01 1:07:34

Yeah excuse me um definitely Polar Express like the music from that is uh very very Christmassy and like if you just were to put it on the background it's very got that vibe that you're gonna feel like us just the joyfulness of it and and put you in that Christmassy mood. But if we were going for like different I mean we're not really talking music but it that that would obviously be a lot different if we're talking about the the who's got best Christmas albums and stuff like that. Yeah, it's different right Ben did you have uh any thoughts on best soundtrack?

SPEAKER_02 1:08:03

Um I think White Christmas is up there for me.

SPEAKER_00 1:08:05

Yeah yeah it's hard it's hard to think about anything else that like that and like I mean I don't put on Muppet Christmas Carol but uh in terms of just soundtrack but yeah again the songs I love the songs so yeah Spirited which I know probably would be your Spirit's up there which again like that honorable mention for me like as a new classic that's one that I watch every year now which if you guys haven't seen again Will Farrell yeah plus Ryan Reynolds so I tried Tori wasn't a huge fan we I did try to make her watch that one with me and she watched it for I was you you um jogged my memory there because I was like I think I've seen that part of it I think part of it yeah no I think I think it was good but then I fell asleep and then which is which is a common occurrence in our house if you're if you're not watching this on YouTube get onto YouTube and just look at Nick's face with his eyes rolling in the background and Tori's reactions and all the puppet inclamation stuff yeah oh yeah next lightning round question which I was thinking about best movie Santa for me oh go on no I was just gonna say I mean I for me I think I have to say Tim Allen because I love the Santa Claus growing up I think that's that's a good choice.

SPEAKER_02 1:09:10

That's what I was initially thinking but then I was remind remember remembering uh the new miracle on 34th Street with Richard Attenborough I believe who's yeah like very oh very good I think he's a really good Santa.

SPEAKER_03 1:09:22

I will say Marty from Christmas with the cranks is oh I love Christmas with the cranks he's so humble and unassuming and just that's the obscure one he has such a kind spirit and I I would imagine Santa Claus would be that way. Yeah you know humble kind like so you know so like wanting to invest in other people and Marty is like exactly that you know so I don't know just Tori Tori loves Christmas with the cranks too that's I do too it's it's I love that movie.

SPEAKER_00 1:09:50

Yeah mine is very obscure so the new I forget what um what streaming service it's on but it's the the Santa Claus like the series did you guys have you guys watched that no no I don't think I'm it's the Santa that's in there.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:10

Okay the one that they made based off of yes movies I remember hearing about it I think it came out like last year or two years. Yes I thought he was a really good Santa now I'm I'm trying to remember who you're talking about there it's not not the Tim Allen version but a different version I think it's based on the Tim Allen movies but it's like a it's like a series.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:29

Well Tim Tim Allen was in the the no wait he is the Santa so maybe I no yes he is in the series I I don't know there are but there are multiple santas in the yeah because there's multiple it that shows the the timeline of Santa.

SPEAKER_03 1:10:47

Oh okay um I need to watch that yeah I think it's interesting. Because I love the Santa Claus movies so they were pretty good.

SPEAKER_01 1:10:54

It's goofy I mean you know if if very campy but especially the I mean they put it out there for the people that love the Santa Claus movies. And those as you know more of them came out the by the third one it was kind of like okay this is this is a bit goofy but very much I I did watch each of them as they as they came out for sure. Yeah what's what's our last one? Do we have time for one more you think yeah go for it. All right um what do you think are our movies so this is kind of going back to our first opener here what are movies that should be considered Christmas movies and I'm going with gremlins for sure like that's uh that's good Tori's face I don't know I did think of a movie that had a Christmas scene which was Mean Girls when they did when they did the dance that's so that's I mean I don't think of that as a Christmas movie so I guess I don't have an answer.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:48

I'm gonna say the line the witch in the wardrobe should should be a Christmas movie.

SPEAKER_01 1:11:52

Ooh I could see that yeah there's some aspects of of Christmassy things there for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:11:57

But do they ever explicitly mention Christmas? They Father Christmas is trying to it's the first time in like a hundred years that he's able to pass out presents.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:06

Yeah you're right okay that's a good one I can't think of anything initially no I mean I can think of the opposite which is why I'm stuck on what's what's the opposite then these are movies that you say that people say are Christmas we've we've mentioned a lot of them like again like I will be a not a diehard like Christmas movie person but that surprises me it's not that I don't like the movie I just don't think it's a Christmas movie.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:30

Yeah two different things oh yeah I mean because I think you guys always have the same opinions like I if Nick thinks it you think it's engaging I I love diehard a lot and to me I there was a time where I was watching it every year around Christmas and there is something to be said for like I don't know what's fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:48

Going back to our original discussion maybe that's part of what makes things a Christmas movie is if it's part of your tradition to watch it around this time of year then maybe it is a Christmas movie you. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 1:12:56

So yeah yeah yeah well let's let's bring it to a close I want to say a big thank you to my wife for taking Tori thank you so much and a professional podcaster I did drive her here so she didn't you know like she couldn't have escaped um so I put her in the car but no we we we appreciate you coming and and being a part of our our discussion on Christmas movies and for being a listener for uh yeah thank you for watching and listening to our episodes um so thanks for being such a great sport out of my own will because a lot of times I listen to it on when you're editing things on your MacBook.

SPEAKER_02 1:13:28

But I have listened many times you know and I'm sure we're talking about a lot of the things that you don't normally like to talk or listen. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:13:36

Yes and it's brought in and I have a very closed off like a I have like horrible opinions on things I mean I know I do and I mean it but it's made me appreciate things that I once thought were just weird. You know but but it was like I didn't expect to listen to Lord of the Rings or I the Dungeons and Dragons episode that I always make fun of him for playing.

SPEAKER_01 1:14:02

I don't think that you guys realize how big that is too because that is that's amazing yeah her taking the time to listen to that out of her own free will is is kind of surprising shows how much I love you. Tori did you say your heart grew three sizes yes towards nerd culture maybe one let's she's not gonna be playing anytime soon yeah no no we're partaking in Lord of the Rings but she at least listened to us talk about it and appreciated it. I appreciate you guys having me on well let's uh let's preview what are we what are we up to next Michael?

SPEAKER_03 1:14:39

What's our next episode I am so excited so next episode we're gonna be going back to one of our favorites Star Wars and we're gonna talk about the prequels yes so um movies that came out in the early 2000s uh pre a new hope and um I have a tremendous love for these movies I grew up watching I mean this you know I was 10 you know 10 through 14 you know when these came out so I'm excited for that.

SPEAKER_01 1:15:04

Yes for sure um we decided to come back and revisit Star Wars specifically because we have now been at this podcast for six months. We've got that deserves celebration for sure. No I'm I'm really I'm just I've been enjoying it so much and it's so I I've been waiting to go back to the world of Starver Star Wars my goodness Star Wars and talk with you guys about it. We can call it the Starver I'm so excited and um yeah I hope that you guys just enjoy the rest of this Christmas season and including our listeners just go and watch those queer Christmas movies, start new traditions, things like that. That's what's going to make the the memories and wanting to come back to watch these movies over and over again just that much more special. So um we thank you so much for listening and we'll see you guys next time.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:52

Sounds good Merry Christmas