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Rating: 5 stars

All movies seen on 12/27/2011

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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik

Holiday | Comedy

Most recently watched by CaptainBigTime, AllAboutSteve, sleestakk, zombiefreak, schofizzy, ashe5k, danfinn, lordofthemovies, elisabethwithns, vivalaserdisc

Overview

It’s Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark’s continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.

Rated PG-13 | Length 97 minutes

Actors

Chevy Chase | Beverly D'Angelo | Juliette Lewis | Johnny Galecki | John Randolph | Diane Ladd | E. G. Marshall | Doris Roberts | Randy Quaid | Miriam Flynn | Cody Burger | Ellen Hamilton Latzen | William Hickey | Mae Questel | Sam McMurray | Nicholas Guest | Julia Louis-Dreyfus | Nicolette Scorsese | Keith MacKechnie | Brian Doyle-Murray | Natalija Nogulich | Tony Epper | Billy Hank Hooker | Alexander Folk | Jeremy Roberts | Woody Weaver | Michael Kaufman | Doug Llewelyn | Devin Bailey | Frank Foti Jr. | Traci Kochendorfer

Viewing History (seen 5 times)

Viewing Notes

In a cinematic world of nine metric tons of Christmas movies, CHRISTMAS VACATION tops the list.

This one is the first Griswold movie I saw as a kid, as Beverly D’Angelo’s boobs were off limit for me as a nine year old with VACATION and EUROPEAN VACATION. I instantly fell in love with the family and the movie. Twenty-plus years later, the movie still holds up.

It’s more wacky than most John Hughes films, but it still has all the right Hughes-ian moves: a big house, relatable teenagers, a dynamic cast, memorable lines, memorable scenes, and a great dollop of heart. There’s little that doesn’t play well, aside from needing more Aunt Bethany. CHRISTMAS VACATION is the standard bearer of holiday comedies.

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