Jingle All the Way (1996)

Some movies are review proof. Jingle All the Way is one such movie. Of course it's bad. The effects are so horrid and the story is so completely ludicrous that you can't help but shake your head and laugh. And laugh you shall! I'm an avid Arnold fan, and Jingle All the Way is my annual Christmas movie. Every year, and this year was no different, my brother and my cousins sit around the TV with some nice warm hot chocolate and laugh our asses off as we watch Arnold pummels his way through a pack of evil Santas, a reindeer, Sinbad, and a parade to ultimately make his son happy.There is a certain charm to this movie. It may be in the sheer nonsensical slapstick humour, or in the way that it pokes fun at how people confuse mass consumerism with Christmas spirit, but there is an evident good nature to the jokes. A lot of people have dismissed the film by saying it sends a message to parents that they better get their kids the toys they want for Christmas, or they're going to turn into crazy lunatic alcoholic mailmen. I don't think that's entirely the case. I think what's more dangerous in the scenario is not the father forgetting to buy his son a toy, but that he is neglecting his son, and leaving the kid to spend many of his most defining moments without his father present. That leaves a mark on the child, perhaps creating self esteem issues, and wondering if the child is loved by his father. Nevertheless, I doubt the filmmakers wanted to do anything more than entertain and get people in the mood for Christmas. In the case of my family and I, no movie does this better than Arnold's holiday family "classic," Jingle All the Way! It fails spectacularly as a satire and a legitimately feel good Holiday movie, but I don't think I would like it so much if it wasn't as bad as it is.On a serious note, this was one of the last films to feature Phil Hartman, and his performance here as a sleezy divorcée is a true testament to his comic genius!