A Christmas Story Christmas 4K 2022 2160p HMAX WEB-DL

Follows the now-adult Ralphie as he returns to the house on Cleveland Street to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child, reconnecting with childhood friends, and reconciling the passing of his Old Man.

A Christmas Story Christmas 4K Review
There have been a few attempts to sequelize the 1983 movie, "A Christmas Story." In 1994, director Bob Clark returned with a new cast for "My Summer Story," unable to recapture the same level of mischief and nostalgia with an update on the works of writer (and narrator) Jean Shepherd. And there was 2012's "A Christmas Story 2," a DTV offering that shamelessly rehashed everything from the original film, hoping to reach fans of the holiday classic with more of the same, minus competent cinematic execution. "A Christmas Story Christmas" is the first attempt at a follow-up with as much of the original cast as possible, including Ralphie himself, Peter Billingsley. Director Clay Kaytis ("The Christmas Chronicles") has the unenviable task of reviving the acidic magic of the 1983 effort, but he manages to reconnect with that old Parker Family feeling, overseeing a continuation that expectedly rolls around in callbacks, but also returns viewers to the spirit of "A Christmas Story," generating big laughs and warmth along the way.

It's 1973, and Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) is trying to make it as a sci-fi author in Chicago, supported by his wife, Sandy (Erinn Hayes), and his two children, Mark (River Drosche) and Julie (Julianna Layne). Preparing to spend Christmas with his parents, Ralphie learns that his father, The Old Man (Darren McGavin, who appears in photos and clips), has passed away, summoned to Indiana to deal with the loss. Reuniting with Mrs. Parker (Julie Hagerty, an inspired replacement for Melinda Dillon), his mom, Ralphie makes a promise to make this Christmas as special as the ones The Old Man oversaw. Trouble is, he has no idea how to do so, stuck with limited funds and time to make sure everything is just right. Visiting old friends Flick (Scott Schwartz) and Schwartz (R.D. Robb), Ralphie tries to put together a "Christmas plan" to pull off the impossible, also struggling with a request from his mother to create the perfect obituary for The Old Man.

It's been 33 years since the events of "A Christmas Story," and Ralphie is now a mature adult, raising a family while clinging to a dying dream of becoming a celebrated author, trying to sell a 2,000-page-long sci-fi epic to uninterested publishers. He's having a tough time with work, and his Christmas is challenged by a profound loss, with The Old Man passing away mere days before the holiday. Ralphie and his loved ones return to Indiana, where the smells are much worse but the house on Cleveland Street remains (the film was actually shot in Bulgaria), sending the once bright-eyed nine-year-old on a journey of memories as he reconnects with his mother and assesses The Old Man's legacy, especially when it came to Christmas goodness. "A Christmas Story Christmas" (written by Kaytis and Nick Schenk) hopes to tap into nostalgia early and often, but the screenplay also does a commendable job reintroducing the characters and setting up a new adventure for Ralphie, giving him two quests in the delivery of a twinkly Christmas and an obit he doesn't know how to write.

"A Christmas Story Christmas" recycles a few jokes and sight gags from the 1983 feature, but it doesn't become obsessed with replicating every single moment. There are quick views of the pink bunny costume and what remains of the leg lamp, and bullies remain in the neighborhood, determined to destroy Mark and Julie's snowman with their snowmobile. Bumpus hounds are present, and some old faces join Ralphie, with Flick a tavern owner, while Schwartz remains his worst customer, keeping their triple-dog-dare feud simmering. Ralphie's kid brother, Randy (Ian Petrella, in a cameo) is a businessman traveling around the globe, and the house itself is filled with reminders of The Old Man and events from "A Christmas Story." Klaytis also works in music cues and cinematography tricks from the previous endeavor, while Ralphie occasionally gets lost in fantasies, including his victory at a Pulitzer Prize ceremony. Nods and reminders are handled with care, gracefully executed by the production, but there's more to "A Christmas Story Christmas," following Ralphie's own shortcomings as a parent (requiring two hospital visits), his struggles as a writer, and Mrs. Parker's fear of carolers. Perhaps this isn't enough to really define the feature as its own thing, but the material's mission is to bathe in the joys of "A Christmas Story" and update the players, which it does with tremendous charm.

Unlike the other sequels, "A Christmas Story Christmas" feels alive with holiday spirit and earned emotion, with Ralphie getting in touch with family and seasonal feelings. It also helps to have some cast members back in action, with Robb and Schwartz immense fun as Schwartz and Flick, and Billingsley is completely committed to the feature, working to rekindle old Ralphie mischief and wonder while maturing the character in panicked dad mode. Supporting turns from Hayes and Hagerty are also aces, contributing to shenanigans. "A Christmas Story Christmas" achieves its creative goal with extraordinary care, making a focused effort to please the fanbase without oppressive pandering, finding its own atmosphere of holiday reminiscence and tomfoolery. Perhaps the creative success of the endeavor plays more vividly for those who sat (slept? suffered?) through "A Christmas Story 2," but it's hard to imagine admirers rejecting the celebration of Shepherd, Clark, and seasonal love Klaytis and Co. offer here.