Part Twenty-two of A Very Merry Christmas Challenge.

Simultaneously a glistening piece of nostalgia and a free-wheeling work of Christmastime charm and cheer; A Christmas Story is an utter masterpiece that explores the life of a child named Ralphie as well as visualizing a period of vibrant happiness and Rockwellian beauty.

Directed by Bob Clark, the film flows like a constant stream of memories. Some good, some embarrassing, some bad, and some venturing into the surreal and the fantastical; the state of mind of Ralphie makes up the bulk of the story, as does his quest for his ultimate present of a Red Ryder Air Rifle. However, the film never becomes a character study, always finding ample screen-time for the…

The thing that sets A Christmas Story apart is its personable nature.

Yeah, the leg lamp (lamp leg?), the bunny suit, and "You'll shoot your eye out" are as iconic as they are esoteric, but the main draw here is the feeling of genuine fondness for the joyful memories of Christmas.

That vibe of honesty allows any and all events herein-be they stressful, ironic, unexpected, par for the course, or completely imagined-to resonate with the viewer as truth.

It's partly in the homey, no-real-conflict atmosphere of both the Parker household and the era in general. Yeah, the 1940's were no picnic, and these people aren't perfect, but in the mind of the narrator, those days were about as pure and…

Film #33 of Eighty-Eight Favorites

Music for your reading pleasure

"Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."

“Look, there he is!” my parents would say, as they pointed at “Santa” in the night sky (it was actually an airplane, but I was too naïve to know that). My anticipation for Christmas was already at its highest peak, but this spotting of Santa sent it to astronomical levels. On every Christmas Eve when I was little, we would go to our church to watch the Christmas Eve service and, coincidentally, whenever we would walk outside to go to our car when the service concluded, we would spot “Santa” in the night sky, to which my parents would take advantage of my ignorance…

I first saw A Christmas Story at a campus auditorium theater when I was in college during the early 1990s, and I still remember how hilarious the movie was during that first viewing. I've seen bits and pieces of the movie many times in years since, because it's always on for marathon showings this time of year, but tonight's viewing of the Blu-ray was only my second time watching it from beginning to end with undivided attention. I'm pleased to report that I cracked up just as much tonight as I did the first time. I love how this movie blends 1940s Americana with coarse comedy sensibilities of later decades.

The sight of actor Peter Billingsley, who plays Ralphie, always…

A Christmas classic like no other. As a kid I used to really hat this movie. I think it was the part where he shot his eye out that scared me. That and the scene where the kid gets their tongue stuck to the light post. But as the years went on I kept going back to the film. Going over my dad's for the holiday and going on Christmas movie marathons usually included this title. Today I have grown much appreciation for it. Its rough attitude and narcissism are things that you won't find in many other specials. One thing that's great about it is its relatability. Who doesn't have that father who gets grumpy and swears when something…