When it comes to sequels, not many movies are able to capture the same charm and joy as the first movie. Some sequels surpass the first movie, looking at you Empire Strikes Back, and some just fall flat. A Christmas Story Christmas gives us a sequel that we did not know we needed and makes us glad to return to the house on Cleveland street.

The movie starts off with Ralphie living in the Southside of Chicago in 1973. He is getting ready for Christmas with his family while trying to sell his first book. After getting a call Ralphie returns to his home and here is where the fun begins. While the reason for his return is one of the plot points of the movie, I don’t want to give away too much.

Now that Ralphie is a father, he tries to give his children a Christmas like the ones his father gave him. No, there is no request for a bb gun this time around but seeing Ralphie run around buying gifts for his children is pretty fun to watch. There are a lot of great callbacks in this movie and that is what makes this movie shine. Just like in the original movie we see Ralphie’s imagination take over and witness his daydreaming take him out of the real world for a moment.

In the real world, we see Ralphie reunite with his old friends. The original cast is all here and the interaction between them brings a tear to the eye. It’s crazy to see all of them together on the screen and then realize that the original movie came out 39 years ago. That is also where the tears come in because knowing how long ago the original came out makes us feel old.

The trailer does give away that Ralphie is trying to live up to the memory of his dad. He made everything look easy and Ralphie wishes that some of the things in his life were easy too. One of the side plots is Ralphie trying to sell his book and become a famous writer. While this plot might not seem like much it plays a big part in Ralphie honoring his father and finding his writing voice. It is really beautiful to see how his writing plays into the original movie.

The Fandads were lucky to meet Ralphie, Peter Billingsley, before an advance screening of the movie and ask him a few questions. We asked him about how it felt to be on the set with the original crew and being surprised when our children don’t know something we think they should know. The second question revolves around a scene where he has a snowball fight with his children but his children do not know how to make snowballs. The video below is also available on our Youtube page.

A Christmas Story Christmas is now available to stream on HBO Max. Watch it tonight with your family and share with us your favorite moment in the comments. Make sure to watch the credits to see some easter eggs and screen comparisons to the original movie.

Final Thoughts: A Christmas Story Christmas has the same charm as the original movie. There are a lot of great callbacks that old fans will enjoy themselves. For fans new to the saga of Ralphie, they will enjoy this story of a father trying to give his children a great Christmas. This is one of the best holiday movies to come out in some time and that is not just nostalgia talking.

Kid-Friendly: Children will be able to relate to Ralphie’s kids and might learn a thing or two from them. There are a few curse words and alcohol drinking but all that takes place in a bar. There is one scene of a kid vomiting but it is only heard and not shown. Kids will enjoy this movie!

Violence: There are a few instances of bullying by neighborhood bullies.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max comes the family comedy “A Christmas Story Christmas,” the long-awaited follow-up to annual holiday favorite, “A Christmas Story.” This time, Ralphie is all grown up and must deal with Christmas and all that comes with it…as a dad. Peter Billingsley returns to the role that has made kids of all ages anticipate Christmas morning like no other.

Starring alongside Billingsley as Ralphie Parker are Erinn Hayes (“Bill & Ted Face the Music”) as Ralphie’s wife, Sandy; Julianna Layne (“Prodigal Son”) as their daughter, Julie; River Drosche (“Miracle Workers”) as son Mark; Scott Schwartz returning as Flick; RD Robb returning as Schwartz; Ian Petrella reprising his role as Ralphie’s brother, Randy; Davis Murphy (“Looking for Dr. Love”) as Delbert Bumpus; with Zack Ward returning as Scut Farkus; and Julie Hagerty (“Instant Family”) as Ralphie’s mom, Mrs. Parker.