The Annual Christmas Comedy

I just saw previews for this year’s new Christmas fiasco movie. Following in the lines of other such horrors as Christmas with the Kranks, Surviving Christmas, Elf, Jingle All the Way, and the never-ending Santa Claus sequels, we have the new kid on the block, Deck the Halls. While some of those movies do have some saving graces, they are mostly garbage. An aside to Tim Allen: Please stop. I know you have to make them bills some way, but really, you’re destroying America. But I digress. This new one stars Danny DeVito, someone I like and respect, and Matthew Broderick. Similar to other actors in holiday movies, this could be the end of their ropes.

Why do all companies think they can create another Christmas classic? Don’t get me wrong, I love new movies. It just seems like they are trying to out-do all the classics that exist now. They are going about it all wrong. A Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 1 & 2, Nightmare Before Christmas, and Scrooged (to only name a few) are all so well received because they did something different. We’ve all seen the neighbors that compete with each other, over and over again. Or the unwanted family member who invades for the holidays. Let’s diversify a bit! Take a different approach. Box failure awaits any movie that is a spin-off of an already popular movie. I’m not going to give any of my suggestions here because I’m saving them for myself. That’s what writers get paid for anyway.

Just stop and think before you produce another cookie-cutter Christmas movie. I’ll stay at home and watch the marathons of good movies while the new (I use “new” here loosely) ones die a painful death at the theatres come holiday time.