Christmas

News, Reviews & Features
  • Review: Last Christmas has everything she wants if you watch without prejudice

    Movie Review | Ed Williamson | 12th November 2019

    What's it going to be for George Michael, then? The Bohemian Rhapsody-style rock biopic? The Rocketman stylised musical? The Yesterday excuse to bump the songs up the list on Spotify a bit? Well, none of the above, really. Last Christmas is something a bit different: a festive romcom where his songs are there but largely non-diegetic, even though he himself is present in the form of posters on walls and in characters' conversation, so more of a tribute that informs a story. It's an affectionate and funny one too, and the kind that you recognise a fair bit is wrong with, but gosh-darn it, everyone's singing and having a lovely time, and it's Christmas, so just pour yourself a nice tall glass of mulled shut-the-hell up juice and go with it.

  • Flowchart to help you decide what is and isn't a "Christmas film"

    Movie Feature | Ali Gray | 24th December 2016

    With the year's Ghostbusters argument well and truly won by masculine internet men, they need something new to protest against. It seems the new issue facing Men's Rights Activists the world over is this: is Die Hard a Christmas movie? Choke on that, Christmas: I've taken your polite festive holiday and I've thrown a swearing Bruce Willis in it! But is it technically a Christmas movie? The only way to tell is with this flowchart, which uses science to determine exactly which films qualify as Christmas films.

  • The real villains of Home Alone

    Movie Feature | Ali Gray | 24th December 2013

    Like every other person on the planet, I've used this festive season as an excuse to rewatch Home Alone and the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York. One thing has become abundantly clear in doing so: these are the only movies that use horrific parental negligence as a jumping off point for comedy.

  • Happy Life Day to one and all!

    Movie Feature | Matt | 25th December 2012

    No proper post from us today - we're too busy stuffing our stupid, fat faces with sickly goodness. Back tomorrow.

  • Fresh Prince shows us the true meaning of Christmas

    TV Video | Ed Williamson | 26th December 2011

    It's Boxing Day. If you have any Christmas spirit left and it hasn't been sucked out of you by heated family arguments, disappointing aftershaves and tubs of Celebrations that only have the Bountys left, join us for the Fresh Prince's festive message.

  • A quick Christmas thank you

    Movie News | Ali | 25th December 2011

    Merry Christmas, they said. Good tidings to all men, they said. Well here it is. Just a quick note to say thank you for the best year of The Shiznit's existence yet. Humbugs for everyone!

  • 5 movie clips to keep you snug as a bug in a rug this Winterval

    Movie Feature | Luke | 24th December 2011

    Spielberg knows it, Kim Jong-il excelled at it: cinema has the power to manipulate hearts and minds - whipping up a whirlwind of thoughts and feelings, then dumping you in an aisle full of tears and popcorn. To that end we've assembled this gallery of clips, to help combat the winter blues by making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. D'awww.

  • BBC ruins Christmas before your gran gets the chance

    TV Video | Ed Williamson | 29th November 2011

    The BBC's new promo for its Christmas line-up: the video equivalent of your gran complaining that the turkey's a bit dry and observing that there are "a lot of blacks" in this year's Only Fools and Horses special.

  • Arthur Christmas

    Movie Review | Ali | 9th November 2011

    I always feel a little pang of guilt whenever I give a kiddy film a negative review, because obviously they are made for small, easily pleased children and not hardened, 30-year-old cynics who spend their evenings sitting in front of a computer thinking of witty put-downs while wearing Batman pyjamas and eating pies. Thankfully, with Arthur Christmas, I don't have to feel bad, because – brace yourselves – it's an absolute Christmas cracker. Hands off, Robbie Collin – that one's MINE.

  • I'll just leave this here...

    Movie News | Luke | 18th January 2011

    A music video made entirely from clips of Nicolas Cage going about his daily business of being a freakin' weirdo genius, why not.