Reviews

I don't understand the hate. I grew up with the original, and it's still my favorite, but this one is my second. It is goofier/funnier, but the comedy is coming from people like Keegan Michael Key and it's funny.

It gives Predators a real reason to bother with all the hunting. The acting is pretty good all around. Sterling Brown's portrayal is kick ass, and the way he goes down is amazing in my opinion. People have complained about it - God forbid they do anything different beyond the usual tropes! Jacob Tremblay is once again solid, like a fully formed adult actor trapped in a kid's body. Olivia Munn turns the token sexy scientist into much more.

Ignore the haters and give it a shot. You may end up thinking it's the equivalent of the never quite drink/never quite sober uncle who talks endlessly about "the war", but it wouldn't be a family reunion without him!

I'm all for plugging along through the same holiday tropes to get my Christmas fix, but this one was cobbled together in such a slapdash fashion that it caused plot holes, illogical premises, etc.

The "problem" that nearly breaks them up at the end is the single worst I've ever seen in a Christmas movie. His "you lied to me" dialogue is so stupid and it's clear the actor thought it was unbelievable as well.

There is no upstate in Washington, where they pretend to set the film for no apparent reason. It doesn't add to the plot or add any detail. It's clearly in the one place people use the term upstate because the news van and all the license plates read NY.

The main guy doesn't usually spend Christmas with his family, so he's flying to Belize. Pretty sure his family is closer than Belize.

I can forgive their lack of chemistry, just seems like two middle aged people finding placeholders so they don't have to be alone anymore though.

I actually kind of dislike Ben Affleck in general, but this movie is solid. I have no idea what warrants the critic hate. The writing is actually quite good. Another family in trouble waiting to break the news to the kids after one last holiday, but instead of the usual "forced to hang out because it's Christmas," this family is forced to pretend to be a happy family because they've been rented for that purpose. Does the pretending to be a happy family reunite them emotionally? You watch Christmas movies, right? However, the strain and discontent in the parents relationship is handled masterfully by grumpy bear Gandolfini and a delightful Catherine O'Hara. It's not in your face, and the resolution is believable. Drew's budding relationship with Applegate's character is similarly handled well. His meaningful gesture toward her is both endearing and a trainwreck. The whole of it is punctuated with crass and irreverent jokes, but it's not trying to be Bad Santa in any way. If anything, it's another Christmas Carol/Scrooge retelling where loneliness is the three ghosts. It subtlety unveils a message for most people complaining about they're families: at least you have one to resent. I gladly watch it every year when I need a palette cleanser from the saccharin crap buffet of standard Christmas schlock.