Matt Walsh Reviews CHRISTMAS MOVIES

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Matt Walsh Show – "Matt Walsh Reviews CHRISTMAS MOVIES"

Episode Information

• Title: Matt Walsh Reviews CHRISTMAS MOVIES
• Host: Matt Walsh
• Podcast: The Matt Walsh Show, The Daily Wire
• Release Date: December 23, 2024
• Description: Matt Walsh delivers his unfiltered opinions on cultural, religious, and political topics, providing listeners with a candid perspective on current issues.

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Introduction

In the December 23, 2024 episode of The Matt Walsh Show, Matt Walsh delves into the realm of Christmas cinema. Stripping away the festive cheer, he offers a no-holds-barred critique of both beloved classics and modern renditions of Christmas movies. Starting the discussion at [00:32], Matt emphasizes the importance of consistent content creation before diving into his comprehensive review.

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Top Christmas Movies

Number 2: A Christmas Story

Timestamp: [01:55] – [04:26]

Matt Walsh places A Christmas Story in the second spot of his top Christmas movies. He passionately defends its status against critics who deem it overrated, stating, “A Christmas Story is the movie that I've seen probably 30 times in my life, if not more. I enjoy it every time” ([01:57]).

Key Points:

• Timeless Appeal: Matt praises the film for capturing the universal magic and wonder of Christmas, resonating with both children and adults across generations.
• Personal Stakes: He highlights how the movie maintains personal and intimate stakes, avoiding the grandiose crises often seen in modern Christmas films. “The stakes remain very personal and very contained” ([03:10]).
• Perfection in Execution: Drawing parallels to The Princess Bride, Matt asserts that A Christmas Story is perfect in its performances, script, and overall execution, leaving no room for improvement.

Number 1: It's a Wonderful Life

Timestamp: [04:33] – [09:49]

Claiming the top spot without contest, Matt names It's a Wonderful Life as the greatest Christmas movie of all time. “It’s a Wonderful Life is one of the greatest films ever made” ([04:33]).

Key Points:

• Iconic Status: Matt lauds the film not just as a Christmas classic but as one of the top 15 films ever, emphasizing its perfection in capturing the Christmas spirit.
• Supernatural Elements: He appreciates how the movie integrates supernatural elements seamlessly, enhancing the Christmas narrative in a way that modern films lack.
• Personal Anecdote: Matt shares a heartfelt but humorous lament about his wife’s refusal to watch the movie with him, illustrating the deep personal connection he has with it. “She calls it boring. Every time she says that, it cuts me. It cuts me to my core” ([05:15]).
• Cultural Critique: Despite acknowledging George Bailey’s communist leanings, Matt believes the film transcends its political undertones through its enduring excellence.

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Most Overrated Christmas Movies

Timestamp: [09:49] – [11:57]

Transitioning to the negative spectrum, Matt Walsh categorically dismisses all Christmas movies produced after 1994 as overrated and subpar. “The most overrated and the worst Christmas movies of all time, those are every Christmas movie made after the year 1994. No sh” ([07:53]).

Key Points:

• Critical Decline Post-1994: According to Matt, Christmas cinema peaked with films like Home Alone (1992) and The Santa Clause (1994). Everything following these years has deteriorated in quality.
• Specific Criticisms:
  • Elf (2003): Matt criticizes Elf for its stretched narrative and loss of charm, stating, “It wears out its welcome midway through the first act” ([08:19]).
  • Jim Carrey’s Grinch: He refers to the latest Grinch adaptation as an “abomination,” expressing strong disdain for its departure from the traditional portrayal ([09:22]).
  • Rock’s Snowman: Matt mocks the reimagining of Santa as an action hero, calling for its elimination from Christmas lore.
• Lack of Christmas Spirit: He argues that modern Christmas movies fail to embody the true essence and spirit of Christmas, a sentiment equally applied to contemporary Christmas songs.

Notable Quote:

• “They have forgotten how to make Christmas movies. Even the mildly entertaining ones are still missing something, okay? They’re missing the essence of the Christmas film. They’re missing Christmas spirit” ([09:49]).

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Listener Questions and Further Discussion

Timestamp: [11:14] – [11:58]

Towards the end of the episode, Matt addresses listener inquiries regarding other Christmas films.

Jingle All The Way (1996)

Timestamp: [11:14] – [11:37]

When asked about Jingle All The Way, Matt vehemently criticizes the film, holding it responsible for the decline of Christmas cinema. “Arnold Schwarzenegger killed Christmas movies” ([11:20]).

The Polar Express (2004)

Timestamp: [11:37] – [11:57]

In response to questions about The Polar Express, Matt concedes that while it manages to capture some Christmas spirit, it remains mediocre. “There are exceptions to every rule. I guess that one has it. Yeah, that one does have the Christmas spirit. It’s not great. It’s decent” ([11:39]).

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Conclusion

Matt Walsh wraps up the episode by reiterating his unwavering stance on the superiority of classic Christmas films over modern counterparts. He emphasizes that the essence of Christmas cinema lies in its ability to evoke genuine spirit and personal connection, something he finds lacking in contemporary productions. Ending on a personal note, he shares his frustrations with his family’s differing tastes, underscoring the deep emotional ties he has to the traditional Christmas classics.

Closing Remark: “Don’t be greedy, you brats. Also, Merry Christmas” ([11:52]).

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On A Christmas Story:

  • “A Christmas Story is a movie that I've seen probably 30 times in my life, if not more. I enjoy it every time” ([01:57]).
  • “The stakes are that the kid wants a BB gun. That's it. It never becomes a planetary crisis” ([03:21]).

• On It's a Wonderful Life:

  • “It's a Wonderful Life captures the Christmas spirit better than any other film” ([04:26]).
  • “I have to watch it alone because nobody watches it” ([09:00]).

• On Overrated Movies:

  • “Every Christmas movie made after the year 1994. No sh” ([07:53]).
  • “Elf was a funny idea for an SNL skit. Maybe stretched out about 20 times longer than it should have been” ([08:19]).

• On Modern Christmas Films:

  • “They are missing the essence of the Christmas film. They’re missing Christmas spirit” ([09:49]).

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Final Thoughts In this episode, Matt Walsh delivers a fervent critique of modern Christmas movies while championing timeless classics that he believes authentically embody the holiday spirit. Through passionate discourse and personal anecdotes, he invites listeners to reflect on what truly makes a Christmas film great, separating nostalgia-driven favorites from contemporary cinematic attempts that, in his view, fail to capture the magic of the season.

Transcript

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[Matt Walsh]

All right, we have some more content for you today. It's important that we keep churning out content. If you go a day without content, then the world will explode.

[Donald Trump]

Merry Christmas, you filthy animal.

[Matt Walsh]

That's what I've been told anyway. So, anyway, so today we're gonna talk about Christmas movies. You may have noticed that it's December, which is why we've chosen this very topical subject. I don't know what to say, except it's Christmas and we're all in misery. Specifically, what I'd like to do is pass down from on high the official list of the top two Christmas movies. There are only two. And then, because this wouldn't be a Matt Walsh video without complaining about something, I'm also going to officially declare which Christmas movies are the most overrated. So we're going to do, you know, positive and negative, both ends of the spectrum. Let's begin with the top Christmas movies. And there's one important stipulation here. This is very important. Charlie Brown's Christmas, how the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Cartoon, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer are all delightful. I watch them with my kids every year. They're great. They are not feature length films, so they're disqualified from consideration. If we're doing a video about the best Christmas TV episodes or short films, it would have only titles on it and it would be the three I just mentioned. But that's not the video we're doing here. As for great Christmas films, there have been two. Only two. Tis the season to be merry. There have also been some decent Christmas movies. There have been some good ones. There have been some passable ones. But the two great ones are these. And we'll go down the list, starting at two. Number two, A Christmas Story.

[Unknown]

You'll shoot your eye out, kid.

[Matt Walsh]

Now, there are some people who argue that A Christmas Story is overrated. And those people are philistines and scoundrels. A Christmas Story is a movie that I've seen probably 30 times in my Life, if not more. I enjoy it every time. No movie has ever captured the magic and wonder of Christmas as a child, like A Christmas Story does. It's a timeless film in that every generation of children can watch it and relate to Ralphie and his quest for the Red Rider BB gun, just as every generation of adult can watch the movie and feel nostalgic, even though we didn't grow up in the 50s. Fred Gile. It must be Italian. It is in many ways a perfect film. You know, there isn't any change that would make to any of the performances, the script, everything about it. You know, the movie perfectly accomplishes what it wants to do. A movie like the Princess Bride is in a similar boat. These are perfect films. They're Perfect. Not top 10 or top 20 films ever made, but they're still perfect. They're perfect at doing the thing that they're trying to do. There's a shortage of perfect films in this world to be a pity to damage yours. And one thing I love about the movie and something that modern Christmas movies and modern movies in general, I think get wrong, is that the stakes in the story of Christmas movie, the stakes remain very personal and very contained. Now in modern Christmas movies, and I've seen a lot of those too with my kids, unfortunately, like every single one, there's always the thing at the end where somebody has to rescue Santa or whatever from somewhere or something. Because if they don't, that, you know, there will be no Christmas for anyone ever again. It becomes this, like, global thing. A Christmas Story doesn't do that. The story remains intimate and personal. The stakes are that the kid wants a BB gun. That's it. It never becomes a planetary crisis. And for that reason, the movie feels nostalgic and charming and relatable. It feels like Christmas in a way that many modern Christmas films don't. Okay, so that's number two. Number one, the top Christmas movie of all time, hands down, no contest, not a competition is It's a Wonderful Life. Now, this is in fact one of the greatest films ever made. Not just Christmas film, but films in general. It's one of the all time, probably top 15 films ever made. It is iconic. It is perfect. Again, there's not one beat or frame or moment or performance or anything that I would change.

[Unknown]

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[Matt Walsh]

It cannot be topped. It cannot be remade. If anybody ever tries to remake it, they should be Boiled alive in hot oil and then buried in the desert in an unmarked grave. I'm not kidding. I mean, for YouTube's sake I am, but I'm not. Anyway, It's a Wonderful Life captures the Christmas spirit better than any other film. And it brings in the supernatural element of the holiday, you know, way that the Christmas story does not. Which is why it gets edged out on the list by It's a Wonderful Life. Now, yes, yes, George Bailey is a bit of a commie. Sure, he is a bit of a commie. But, you know, the film is still great. I don't know. It's able to overcome that. That's how great the film is. Now, on a personal note, I will say that the major challenge in my marriage is, and I don't want to air get into airing dirty laundry, especially not in my own family, my marriage, but this is a major challenge, is that my wife refuses to watch this movie with me. She won't watch it. We go through this every year. She calls it boring. Every time she says that, it cuts me. It cuts me to my core. I weep hysterically. In my heart. I mean, not physically, but in my soul. I'm crying. So not everybody appreciates this movie. Sometimes in a tragic situation, there may be people close to you who don't appreciate it. But they're wrong. This is the greatest Christmas film of all time. Period. I mean, that's it. Natural disasters are becoming more frequent and devastating, folks. From the Maui fires to Hurricane Helene, we're seeing entire towns wiped out in 24 hours with barely any warning. And what happens? People are left without basic resources, scrambling to survive. Now, I know what you're thinking. It won't happen here. That's exactly what everyone thinks until they're in the middle of a catastrophe. Being prepared isn't just smart, it's essential. That's where the wellness company's emergency kit comes in. These aren't your run of the mill first aid kits. We're talking about a personalized mini pharmacy right in your own home. No more relying on overworking work, doctors or understocked pharmacies. When disaster strikes. Bacterial infections, staph bite wounds, uti, strep, throat, respiratory illnesses. These kits have you covered. It's like having a doctor in your pocket minus liberal indoctrination from med school. Look, you keep a fire extinguisher handy, right? Well, consider this your medical fire extinguisher. It's not paranoia, it's preparedness. Here's how it works. Just fill out a form online A pharmacist reviews it and boom. The kit arrives in two weeks. It even comes with a medical board approved guidebook. That simple. And right now when you go to urgentcarekit.com Walsh and use promo code Walsh, you'll save 60 bucks plus get free shipping. That's urgentcarekit.com Walsh to save $60. This is preparedness simplified. Invest in your family's self managed insurance plan today. Urgentcarekit.com Walsh USA residents only now, as for the most overrated Christmas films. And I'm not going to get into like listing, you know, actual titles because the most overrated and the worst Christmas movies of all time, those are every Christmas movie made after the year 1994. No sh. Every single one. Without exception. The Santa Claus in 1994 was the last decent Christmas film. Not great. Not great, but decent. Home Alone was a couple years before. I think it was 1992 or something. That was good. Better than decent. Not great.

[Unknown]

Flam wad.

[Matt Walsh]

Everything after that. Everything after that has been trash. It has all been bad. Same for Christmas songs too. By the way, this is also the cutoff for Christmas songs. 1994. No Good Christmas song or movie has been made after night. I don't know why, but that's. That's it exactly. 30 years ago. Don't come to me talking about Elf.

[Unknown]

Drop the whole elf thing, okay?

[Matt Walsh]

I can already hear some of you people. What about Elf? Elf came out of Elf. No. You disgust me. How can you live with yourself? No, I just watched Elf again with my kids. Like pretty much every Will Ferrell movie during that run. Elf was a funny idea for an SNL skit. Maybe stretched out about 20 times longer than it should have been. It wears out its welcome midway through the first act. And by the third act, whatever charm it had has long since died. Along with my Christmas cheer and my hopes for the future. All of it is dead by the end of that movie. You also see in Elf this thing that they do now in Christmas movies where by the end of it, it's like whatever. They're out in the city and all the people are there and they're all watching and there's some big, you know, dramatic scene unfolding and all that kind of stuff. It's just not. It's just not good. What else is there? I mean, don't you dare suggest the Jim Carrey Grinch abomination. Now, Grinch, I certainly don't want to hear about whatever bull the rock just put out.

[Unknown]

We got Snowman.

[Matt Walsh]

You know, every year it's stuff like that. Now the rock is playing whoever, and Santa's an action hero now. Time for some season's beatings. It's all bad. All of it is bad. It's all terrible. Hollywood, for the last 30 years, has forgotten how to make Christmas movies. Even the mildly entertaining ones are still missing something, okay? They're missing the essence of the Christmas film. They're missing Christmas spirit.

[Unknown]

I'm gonna stick my whole fist up your.

[Matt Walsh]

That's what they're missing. You can't. It's. It's unquantifiable, but you can't quite figure it out. It's like it's just not there for some. There's something. It's just not there. It's the same with the Christmas songs. They just don't have that spirit. You listen to a Christmas song that was made in the 40s or the 50s, all of them have Christmas spirit. And you listen to those songs, you're like, that's a Christmas song. That's what a Christmas is supposed to sound like. It feels like Christmas. Every single song in the last 30 years doesn't feel like Christmas. Just doesn't feel like it. So they're all bad. That's not up for discussion. But it's okay, because we don't need new Christmas movies. We have the two greatest, which you can watch every year as we do in our family. Well, it's a Wonderful Life. I have to watch alone. I have to sit and watch it alone because nobody watch it. My kid's been poisoned against this movie by my wife. She's told them all. It's. It's. I almost got them to watch it the other day, and I put it on. And then my son goes, oh, it's black and white. Yes, it's black and white. Okay, you don't need. It's. The story is what colors it in. You won't even notice that it's black and white when you start watching it. It's so magical that you don't even. It doesn't need to be in color. That's what I said. They didn't want to watch it. They didn't want to watch it. It's black and white. Anyway. You don't need any other Christmas movies. You have to. That's all you need. Don't be greedy, you brats. Also, Merry Christmas.

[Unknown]

Hey, Matt, I have a question for you. Actually, two. What about jingle all the way? That was in 96. How do you fall on that?

[Matt Walsh]

Jingle all the Way. Are you kidding me? Is that a serious question? Okay, that's. Actually. That's. That's where Christmas movies. Well, I'm glad you brought that up. That's where Christmas movies. That. That. That's where they broke. Put that cookie down now. Arnold Schwarzenegger killed Christmas movies.

[Unknown]

Okay, and then what about Polar Express?

[Matt Walsh]

When did that come out?

[Unknown]

2004.

[Matt Walsh]

Look, there are exceptions to every rule. I guess that one has it. Yeah, that one does have the Christmas spirit. It's not great. It's decent, so whatever. So there's been one. There's been one in 30 years. Okay, great.

[Unknown]

I'm glad we had a clarification.

[Matt Walsh]

Okay, good bye.