Four Christmas Movies On Trial

The fastest way to start an argument at Christmas is to ask one question: what counts as a Christmas movie? Nathan brings Mitch on the mic, and between two theatre teachers crawling toward the end of the school year, we tear into four very different picks from the ongoing Christmas watchlist. One of them is a Disney favorite that somehow has almost zero Christmas in it, which leads to a surprisingly serious talk about nostalgia, story logic, and why some “holiday staples” don’t actually earn the label.

We start with The Parent Trap (Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid) and put it through a real Christmas-movie test, then pivot to a small, sweet surprise: Angela’s Christmas on Netflix. It’s short, animated, and genuinely heartfelt, built around a child’s simple mission to keep baby Jesus warm. If you’ve been hunting for family-friendly Christmas movies that work for kids and adults, we explain why this one hits so cleanly.

Then Mitch goes full fan mode on The Muppet Christmas Carol, and it’s hard not to join him. We talk about why Michael Caine’s straight-faced Scrooge makes the Muppets even funnier, how the narration connects to Dickens’ original text, and why the songs feel like legit musical theater. We wrap with Ron Howard’s live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas, where Jim Carrey’s performance and the bullying-based backstory earn praise, even as we debate the more adult jokes and language.

Listen for ratings, watchlist tips, and the one holiday classic we both call a perfect 5/5. If you enjoy movie reviews, Christmas film debates, and holiday movie recommendations, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review with your definitive pick: what’s your true must-watch Christmas movie?

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Transcript

Welcome Back And The Four-Movie Plan

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Couch critics, up from the naughty list to the night one two couch critics Christmas. I'm wrapping films for you. Hello everyone, and welcome to a brand new episode of The Couch Critics. I'm your host, Nathan, and on today's episode, we're going to be talking about four movies. Because life gets busy. If you couldn't tell, sometimes I miss episodes, and it's okay because I always make up for it by either doing four episodes, not four episodes, four movies in one episode, which, as a matter of fact, the last cinema Sunday of this month is going to be four movies in one. Because I've kind of slacked off a little bit when it comes to going to see movies in theaters. And there's a lot of movies I have not seen yet. One was the cinema Sunday I was supposed to do in April, which was the Super Mario Brothers Galaxy movie. My wife and I finally went to go see it. So I'll be sharing my thoughts on that. Then I believe I have to talk about Michael, which I have not seen yet, but I'm going to go see. I've heard mixed reviews and Mortal Kombat 2, I believe, I also will be reviewing. And the big one, the only one I was going to be reviewing is Mandalorian and Grogu is coming out on the 22nd, I believe, of this month. So that's going to be a stacked episode on May 31st, the last Sunday in May, which I can't believe it's already May. And I can't believe that it's already almost the end of the school year. And who better to talk about the end of the school year than my fellow theater teacher friend? That's right, Mitch. Mitch, how are you?

SPEAKER_00 1:37

It's been a year.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

It has been a year.

SPEAKER_00 1:39

Speaking, speaking as the educator, it has been a year. So and yeah, there are days when it feels when it feels like, you know, how did we get here? Then other days where it's like, can we get there, please? It's been one of those years.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

It's been crazy. So Mitch teaches high school theater and I teach elementary theater. So polar opposites, but it's you know, I'm sure we have some things in common, like you know, building up to a show, and sometimes you're wanting you're excited for the show. Like my winter show, I was super excited about because we did Narnia, super excited about it. And then my spring show wasn't as excited about it. Just being honest, it was a cute show. We did Winnie the Pooh, a lot of third graders in this show. Yeah, but it was one of those shows where like when it's over, you just breathe this big sigh of relief that thank you, Lord, that I don't have to deal with this anymore. Yep. But I will say I am very blessed where I'm at. Okay. So I'm not like dissing my work. I'm very blessed because we have some super talented kids, and when you do shows, it's very hard, not necessarily pre-cast future shows, but already have in mind like those kids you're like, I really hope they audition next year because they're super talented and I want to work with them again. So definitely had those in Narnia and Winnie the Pooh. So I can't officially announce what I want to do next year because we got to figure out you know, funding and dates and stuff. But I'm pretty excited about the two shows I'm thinking about doing. Mitch, do you know what you're doing next year already?

SPEAKER_00 3:07

I do. I gotta get admin approval on them, but but I do know what I'm doing. We're going. Yeah, we we can save that for later if we want to.

The Parent Trap And The Christmas Test

SPEAKER_01 3:13

We could save that for later for a future episode, since Mitch, you know, decides when he wants to come on, you know. I mean, I guess that's how most people do, they decide high school theater, man. But he's super excited, he was super excited about this episode because one movie in particular that we're talking about, and it's the third one. So if you're paying attention to the beginning of the episode, you'll know what I'm talking about. If you weren't paying attention at the beginning of the episode, well, then I guess you're just gonna have to wait and listen. I was gonna say C, but listen. So the first movie we're gonna be talking about is a remake, which I mean, most of the ones we're talking about this episode are kind of remakes in a way. So this one, this first one's a remake of a Disney classic, The Parent Trap, which originally starred Haley Mills playing both of the twin characters, and in this modern adaptation, it is Lindsay Lohan playing the dual roles, and Dennis Quaid plays the father. And yeah. So, Mitch, have you ever seen this version of The Parenthouse? Yep. Okay, cool, awesome. And end a review right there.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

Yeah, yes, I have, and I love it. And I grew up with the original as well. It was one of those like Disney Channel, like when Disney Channel was starting, that was one of the movies they played on the regular. So when the new one came out, it we were all pretty excited about and look, we're like, how can they how do you top the original? Because the original is great. And I think I don't want to say they topped it, but it's just as good. It I believe it was written by Nancy Myers, and she she's an incredible screenwriter, especially in in the in the rom com thing. I think she she added a lot of she sprinkled a lot of her her stuff in there and and and made it, you know, like the the relationship between between the parents. I thought that it was deeper than in the first one. It was like, oh, these two fought, they were just very passionate people. Oh, they love each other. This one, I feel like the stakes were better in the second one or in the in the reboot.

SPEAKER_01 4:57

So I never got the concept of the parent rap. I I'm I'm sure I've seen the original one. I probably should have re-watched it before I watched the more modern one. I just don't understand the concept of how these two girls. Now I'm not saying this can't happen in real life, I just didn't understand how these two girls never knew about each other. I just that that concept to me just doesn't make any sense. And I don't know if it's because I live in a social media age and this movie was kind of before social media was like a big thing. So that concept was kind of you know to me, and I felt like they rushed everything, like they rushed the fact that the two parents fall in love again really quickly, and they rushed the the the silly fiance who they don't really 100% confirm that she's only wanting to marry him for his money, they kind of tease about it every now and then, but they don't they don't confirm it enough to make her out to me, in my opinion, to make her out like the quote unquote villain of the movie, because for all else's purposes, you never know. She might actually have loved this guy, and yes, he had some money, but they don't really flesh that out that much. I I in my opinion, did I think it was funny at times? Yes. My wife came in and watched it with me for a little bit. She's like, Oh, I remember this movie, and I remember those characters. It was like uh like the maid and the butler, and she's like, Oh, I love those characters, those characters are so funny. I'm like, Yeah, I guess they're cute. But to me, the movie wasn't fleshed out enough. I I felt like it was very rushed. I will say the call back to the original when Lindsay Lohan's, well, one of Lindsay Lohan's characters is going to the elevator and starts. But to me, it's it seemed random. It I liked it, but it also it was also random that she started singing the let's get together. Yeah, because the that song was nowhere else in the movie. It felt like uh here's a callback to the original.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

100% what it was.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Uh uh. If anyone, if anyone watching that version would even remember the original one because it's so it's such a modern movie with Lindsay Lohan. I don't know how many Lindsey Lohan fans would know the original parent trap. But yeah, I didn't I didn't hate it, I didn't not like it. I just don't get it. I don't I don't get the concept, and they don't really trick them because like in the original, don't they like do a lot of tricking and like they trick the parents into falling in love again?

SPEAKER_00 7:12

And sort of kind of it doesn't work on either one. It it it it the parents make are the ones who make the decision in the end on both of them. That that much is true, like but it's all rushed, both of them are yes, if we're looking at it, you know, in in with those goggles, like when I take off the nostalgic, because it is this movie is purely pumped by nostalgia in my brain. Like it it's that's if I'm looking at it in those in like a you know, in a cinophile term, yes, it's it's an odd premise. And I would say in the new one, I mean they call it out a few times, like when when she tells the mom, when she tells she's like, I don't mean to say this, mom, but this arrangement really sucks. It's like it's like, why would you even think to do this?

SPEAKER_01 7:47

Yeah, why that yeah, this doesn't seem like a good idea. Why would you want your daughters not to not know each other? I just like what kind of agree, yeah, what kind of divorce agreement is that? That's really messed up.

SPEAKER_00 7:58

You get one, I get one done.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Yeah, and they never ever talk to each other, right? They never see each other, visit, and then they just so happen to send them to the same camp.

SPEAKER_00 8:06

To the same camp. Oh, yeah, the same rich girl camp.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Yeah, so I I say all that to say, what in the world does this movie have to do with Christmas? Nothing. Why is this movie on a Christmas list? I don't understand this Christmas list. And if you've been following this journey for so long, we're almost done. After these four movies we're talking about today, we only have four more movies left, and then we're gonna move on to our sixth season, which I already know we're gonna be doing. And let me just I don't, I'm not gonna spoil it, but if you're a nerd, you might be excited about our six season. I'm just gonna leave it at that. And if you were watching our Zoom video that we're recording for the audio, you would get an obvious clue as to what season six is gonna be about, but I'm not gonna tell you what that is because that would give it away. So, anyway, the parent trap had nothing to do with Christmas at all. No Christmas, there's no scene at Christmas. I think they may like say, Okay, you can have this one at Christmas, but that's it. There's literally nothing in it.

SPEAKER_00 9:02

Christmas I could I consider it a summer movie, it takes place at a summer camp at the beginning.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

I mean, at the beginning of the movie, yeah. It's and it's not even like one of those movies where it begins in the summer and it ends at Christmas. There's no Christmas. Okay. So let's go ahead and rate this thing. So the Lindsay Lohan parent trap, Mitch, what would you give it for a Christmas movie? Christmas movie, zero. There's there's no, yeah. I mean big old zero. Yeah. For a general movie, what would you give it? 2.5. Yeah, I think I'm gonna agree with you because there are those little cute moments, and it is to me, it's it is like classic Disney live action rom-com. So again, I didn't hate it, I just didn't love it. And I don't even know if I've 100% liked it.

SPEAKER_00 9:40

It's it's there are better movies, yeah. I mean, it's if I'm looking, like I said, you know, my nostalgia goggles for it, you know. If if the family put it on, we'd watch it, we'd laugh, we'd, you know, it would connect us to certain things. You know, the first one, the first one I saw with my aunt, you know, gogrester, she's gone now. So it reminds me of her. So those things are attached to it, but that like if we're talking about the movie itself and we're dismissing all that 2.5, it's it's got it's got enough to be a a a good Disney movie, but is it like top tier? No.

Angela’s Christmas And A Kind Motive

SPEAKER_01 10:08

Moving on to our second movie of these four movies is Angela's Christmas. Now, this is one of those movies that I was like, what is this movie? It's on Netflix. So if you want to watch it, if you haven't watched for, like Mitch, I did not watch it for this episode. It is on Netflix, it's a very short little cartoon, it's like about a little over 30 minutes, and it is very cute. It is a very cute movie, and it deals with a little girl who just wants to keep baby Jesus warm. It is adorable. Oh man, it's an adorable movie. I thought it was very well animated, very well voice acted. It's just a very cute story, and I I loved it, and I'm really glad I watched it because it's one of those movies on this list that I would never have heard of if I did not have this Christmas list. So, while yes, I have watched some movies that I've scratched my head and been like, why? Like the parent trap. There are these other movies like Tokyo Godfathers, which is a movie I never would have thought I would like because of some of the content in it. But it was a really good movie. Oh no, if you haven't heard my review of Tokyo Godfathers, go back, listen to that review. I thought it was a great movie. Angela's Christmas is nothing like that. It is for children, it is a very cute story. I don't really think there's anything else I could say about it. There was nothing really wrong with it. I will say that the the priest slash pastor character for some reason was like kind of a jerk at first because he she basically takes the baby Jesus from the church nativity because she's afraid that he'll catch a cold. It's again, it's the cutest thing in the world. Oh my god. And this pastor's like, How dare you steal the baby Jesus? And like is seriously about like charge this girl for stealing the baby Jesus, and then you know, he comes around and it's again super cute movie. I would give this movie, I'm just gonna go ahead and read it. I would give this movie a 4.5 out of five. Can I give a reason why I'm not giving it a five? No, I cannot, but I'm giving it a 4.5 out of five for Christmas. And I'm going for a general movie, this is not a movie that I'd be like, you know what? I feel like watching in the middle of September or summer, Angela's Christmas. So I'm gonna give it a 3.5 out of five for general, just strictly for the fact that it is strictly a Christmas movie, it is a very cute movie. So, Mitch, you have not you didn't watch it, but you should watch it because it's cute.

SPEAKER_00 12:19

And I mean, just the premise alone, that sounds great.

SPEAKER_01 12:22

I think you would like it because I think I know you.

SPEAKER_00 12:24

You do.

Muppet Christmas Carol Done Right

SPEAKER_01 12:25

So the third movie. This is the movie that Mitch was really excited about. And again, if you were listening to the beginning of this episode, you would know what I'm talking about. But if you didn't pay attention, here it is the Muppet Christmas Carol. So I remember when I first started this journey, and Mitch was like, Oh, you're talking about Christmas movies? Are you gonna talk about the Muppet Christmas Carol? And I didn't closely look at my list and I thought it wasn't on it. And he was like, What? Why is it put on your Christmas list? I'm like, I don't know. The parent trap's on it. So the Muppet Christmas Carol is on my Christmas list, and we're talking about it right now. So there have been a plethora of Christmas Carol movies out. There's even going to be another one coming out soon with Johnny Depp playing Evan User's Screw. But this one is interesting for many reasons. Number one, it's the Muppet. You can't you can't go wrong with the Muppet. Anytime you throw the Muppets in like Muppet Treasure Island, not as well known, probably not as well loved as this one, but still, it's basically the same thing.

SPEAKER_00 13:16

Still, still incredible.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

Yeah, you have the Muppets being the Muppets, and you have like an iconic actor playing one of the main characters. Like Tim Curry played what's his character?

SPEAKER_00 13:25

Lonjon Silver.

SPEAKER_01 13:27

Yeah, that guy. He played him and it was great. Yeah. This movie has Michael Kane, which, if you don't know who Michael Cain is, who are you? Why are you listening? Michael Kane plays Epineezer's Switch. And what makes this movie work is that the utter silliness of the Muppets going on around him, and he plays it as straight as possible, as straight-laced, he's acting like he's acting with actual actors, and it it comes off as a very powerful and very good performance. It does. So, Mitch, I'm gonna let you do most of the talking because this is the one you were super excited about. Why do you love the Muppet Christmas Carol so much?

SPEAKER_00 13:59

Or everything about it. I just, I mean, my eyes are wandering right now. I'm such an emotional Latino. This this movie, we we've talked, we've talked about other Christmas carols. We we did the Disney one as well, and I brought it up then too. Where this one succeeds, it succeeds from the very beginning. The overture overlooking, you know, the town. You could tell that Brian Henson, like this was he he had to do this movie for his dad. His dad passed away at the beginning of the process. So it's dedicated to him at the beginning, and it's also dedicated to Richard Hunt, who is the voice of Scooter and the you know, the guy who did Scooter, for those of you who don't know. So we we have the music. Paul Williams did the music for this as well. So it really brings us in, and then like the the going through of the town, and you like they really introduce us to like this world. It's like, okay, you know, you've got the melons, we're being stolen. Help me! You know, it it uh it's the the the combination of the zaniness of the Muppets, but then this like really serious, like you said, like a very serious British theatrical movie, and it balances both so good. And then Gonzo as the narrator, which I think is the the piece that that makes this movie great. He is he's he's using he's uh he's narrating it with words directly from the text. And Dickens scholars rate this movie as the best rendition of a Christmas Carol on film, and and they say it's because of that connection to the text. Then the music, then you get into the songs. The songs, the songs could be on Broadway, though that I mean they are incredibly crafted musical theater songs. Then I think it's cast beautifully, and and that you know, the the humans, the the right humans are humans, the right Muppets are Muppets, and it it just oh my god, it does everything right. This movie does everything right. And one of the songs, I will briefly talk about it because I can't talk about it too much, but Tiny Tim's song, Bless Us All, is probably one of the best written Christmas songs that I've ever heard. And to this day, I can't, yeah. It's I mean, if you go back and look at the lyrics, honestly, and also the way it's sang, and I remember since I since I was young, the first time I saw it, and at the end, when Tiny Tim sings and then he starts coughing, at the I cry every single time. And I just cry, ugly cry. I it's it's a beautiful song. The movie's beautiful, top to bottom. It's just it does, it does everything right. And there's another moment that I want to point out when also another unsung hero, the the ghost of Christmas put present, his connection to Michael Cain as Scrooge, and then when he's singing his song, there's this moment when when Scrooge starts like trying to imitate him. And I remember even as a young kid, I knew that like it's oh my god, he's changing. He he's like he's warming up to this idea of Christmas, and it's just these little nuances, they don't have to spell it out for you. It's it's just beautifully crafted. The movie's just top to bottom incredible.

SPEAKER_01 16:35

Yeah, that that's one thing I really appreciated about it is that they almost all the lines are from the text. Like, yes, here and there are some ad-lib lines, not ad-lib, but you you you like original written lines. But majority of the movie is the book, and so that I I appreciated that very well, very much. And yeah, the performances were great. Uh the fact that they were able to you make you laugh at at Kermit and Piggy one second and then feel for them the next. I I think that's a testament to just the the puppeteers, the the writing, the directing, just everything about it. I thought it was I thought it was very well done. Yeah, I just it's it is. It's a very good adaptation of a Christmas Carol. If you haven't seen it, again, who are you? You should watch it. I also I watched the full-length theatrical version, which included, I think, one or one or two when love is gone in the original one, and those are really good. So I would highly recommend if you have Disney Plus, this is not a plug for it, but if you have Disney Plus, go to the extras and go to the full theatrical version of the film. I think you'll get a more deep inside look of Scrooge's life and the impact of his choices just by those two songs. I I just thought it was really, really, really, really, really, really good.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

It's so funny. Fun fact, Nathan, the original VHS release had that song in it. Yeah, and it was it was in full screen format, and then they only recently fixed it with the widescreen format. That's why they kept it out because they didn't have it. But then when they found the footage, they they fixed it.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

Very nice, very nice. So, yes, I thought it was great. I don't I don't really see anything wrong with it. I can't think of anything negative. Like I said, it's it's a great film. It is 100% Christmas, so that's good. So let's go ahead and rate it, Mitch. Since you were super excited about it, what would you give the Muppet Christmas Carol as a Christmas movie? Five. I agree. I I think it's 100% a five out of five. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. It's about Christmas, and people can argue this, but a Christmas Carol 100 is a Christian story. It is the fact that the the book and or the play call the very last part of the book Scrooge's Conversion, that right there. I'm like, it's a Christian, it's a he becomes a Christian. So I'm gonna give it a five out of five for Christmas. And for a general rating, what would you give it, Mitch?

SPEAKER_00 18:57

I don't like to do this all the time, but I'm going to for this one. It's a five. I it's it is a beautifully crafted movie from beginning to end.

Jim Carrey’s Grinch And Adult Edges

SPEAKER_01 19:04

Yeah, it's one of those rare Christmas movies where you're like, you know, I probably could watch this anytime. Yep. If I'm, you know, if I'm sad, I'll just put on a Christmas Carol and it'll make me happy. So yeah, I think it's great. Go watch it. Muppet Christmas Carol. And last, but certainly not, I mean, well, depends on how you feel about it, but I think it's pretty good. We're gonna be talking about the live action remake of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, starring one of my personal favorites, even though he's kind of gone crazy go nuts lately, Jim Carrey. I think Jim Carrey probably still one of my favorite comedic actors of all time. I do have favorite dramatic actors, but Jim Carrey is up there as one of my favorite comedic actors of all time. Just classic movies like Ace Ventura, Dumb and Dumber, Liar Liar, The Mask, even though wasn't Mask isn't one of my personal favorites. And and he he's just great. I mean, the Truman Show is probably one of my favorite movies of all time. Just because, and and it's not even 100% comedic the whole time. He's just does he's a very he's a very uh diverse actor. He can he can do everything. So when it was announced that he would be playing the Grinch, I'm like, of course he would, because look at his facial expressions, his his voices that he can do, and then I mean I don't remember when it first came out, but I've after re-watching it multiple times, I really enjoyed it. I thought they gave a more of a backstory to the Grinch because the original cartoon is like what 30 minutes is that, and they don't really talk about why he hates Christmas so much, they just say he does, even though they kind of show you with all the loud noises and stuff. Yes, that's annoying. But I like how it was deeply rooted in bullying and how people treated him when he was a kid, and I just I thought it gave a nice, a nice little backstory to the Grinch. There are some things I didn't like about it, but before I dive we dive into that, Mitch, obviously you've seen this before. What are your thoughts on the live action Grinch?

SPEAKER_00 21:01

Well, I saw it in the theater and it was the the Christmas of my seventh grade year, and it was the year seventh grade was the year I went into homeschooled for a year because of oddly enough bullying in my sixth grade year, like bad, like bad bullying where I like I it was bad. So when I first saw the movie, those scenes, those scenes were very triggering. And even even today, even today, they're hard to watch. But I saw it and I was so mad. And I'm like, I don't like I I I refuse to ever watch it again. I'm like, I don't like this movie. It you know, like why did they give them a reason? The book says no one knows the reason. Why did it need a reason? Oh, and I it took me a long time. Uh and by long, I'm talking like probably a decade. It was probably around 20, the 2010s when I gave it another chance, watch through it again. And, you know, looking at it from an older perspective, it's like, okay, you know, these aren't that bad. And yes, I agree with you now. Those backstories, they they rooted in something, you know, how people treated him is why he hated Christmas. And now I can't I watch it every year now. Now it it is 100% in in my top, in my top list of movies. That I watch, like I will not miss a Christmas without watching it because it's beautifully the cinematography is great. The the the production design of the Who's and the it's great. And the acting is, I mean, so many great actors. Ron Howard is a brilliant director. I mean, he's the Mount Rushmore of directors, he's the greats, Apollo 13, my gosh. And Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey is he's more quote, you know, his his lines, his stuff, his his whole persona of the Grinch is so much so much part of like cult Christmas culture of today. I mean, he is the Grinch. I think people more so now when you say when you when you talk about the Grinch, they don't talk about the cartoon anymore. There used to be a time when it was like both, or which one was better. That's not it anymore. I really do think that this one stands as the the one that people want to see, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_01 22:45

I don't know if I necessarily agree with that. So let's dive into my dislikes. There the again, I love Jim Carrey. I love almost everything he's ever done. This movie disappointed me because The Grinch is a children's book. The original cartoon, even though it was voiced by creepy Boris Karloff, it was still very kid friendly and it was great. It was literally word for word the book. This movie again extent expands things. And because of this, they geared it more towards adults. Like some of the jokes are more adult, and even some of the language. I don't know if you noticed, but there's actual adult language in this movie. Like he says cuss words and it it makes me very sad. Um, I'm not gonna say the words because I just want to. Yes, he does. He does. He says it during while they're making him eat all the pudding, and then when he gets on the sleigh with Cindy Lou at the end, he says something, and I'm just like, This is supposed to be, and I and from what I heard, the the wife of Dr. Seuss actually hated this movie, hated it so much that she said no more. Because I think I want to say the cat in the hat was before this, or it was it was shortly after, but it was already hated that too.

SPEAKER_00 23:55

It was already approved.

SPEAKER_01 23:56

She was like, No more live action after the cat in the hat and the grinch. There's reasons to hate that one too. She was like, You can make cartoons of it, but do not do live action anymore. It's terrible. So I was very that that makes me very disappointed with this movie, just because they felt the need to uh address that. Oh, we want adults to watch this, so let's make no, they could have still made it kid friendly and it because it's the Grinch. You had Anthony Hopkins narrating it, which was brilliant. You had Jim Carrey being Jim Carrey as the Grinch, brilliant. You have Where Are You Christmas, one of the most beautiful songs ever? I've had I've done two shows where I put that song in in a Christmas performance and it gets me every time. It's just a beautiful song. So it it really disappoints me that I can't give this a perfect rating just because this isn't something I can watch with my kids because the language in it and some of the other jokes. So let's go ahead and rate this thing, the the Grinch. What would you give it for a Christmas rating, Mitch?

SPEAKER_00 24:55

Um, I think it's still up there. I'm I probably I'm gonna give it a 4.5 for the same reason. Like, why don't I give it a five? I don't know, but we'll give it a 4.5.

SPEAKER_01 25:03

Yeah, I'm gonna give it a four. I think I would give the cartoon, the original cartoon Grinch, a five out of five. I think that is 100% Christmas. 100% agree. Yeah, I would watch that over the Jim Carrey version. I would just because it's it's such a classic. Boris Karloff's voice is just so perfect as the narrator, and also he doesn't even really even really change his voice. That's what's so funny about it, but it's still it's still that's iconic Grinch to me. So I'm gonna give the Grinch Jim Carrey four out of five for Christmas. And for a general rating, I really don't know if I would ever be like, hey, I want to watch the Grinch with Jim Carrey. So sadly, I'd probably give it a two, maybe even a 1.5 out of five for a general rating. And I love Jim Carrey. I love Jim Carrey as the Grinch. I just wish they didn't feel the need to lean too much into the adult stuff. So, what would you give this movie general, Mitch?

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Yeah, I'd say the I'll middle road it again. Two 2.5 for sure. It yeah, as a general, I would never, it's been almost like, hey, you know, if it's summertime, it's almost like, hey, you want to watch the Grinch? Like, if I'm in a Christmas mood in the summer, it's probably I'm probably gonna pick one movie. You know what I mean? It's not it's never gonna be that one. Probably the Muppet Christmas Girl. Probably.

SPEAKER_01 26:12

Those are reviews for the four movies that we talked about today: The Parent Trap, Angela's Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. We're almost done with our Christmas list. Almost done. So next Sunday, hopefully, if I don't skip another episode, we'll be talking about Die Hard. Is it a Christmas movie? And A Boy Called Christmas, which I'm assuming is a Christmas movie. So we're gonna be talking about those two movies next Sunday and get ready for the epic cinema Sunday at the end of this month on the couch critics. Where every movie gets its close-up.