Rating: 
Summary: TREMENDOUS FLOP!!
Review: I have just seen this film, and it's absolutely pitiful! This was a very low point in MGM's filmmaking. Little kids shouldn't see this movie. 1: The cursing from both Ralphie and the father. 2: The BB gun Ralphie wants. (This thing teaches kids that guns are toys in this society. Guns are violent, they could hurt people, and worst of all extremely dangerous!) 3: Beating up kids teaches other kids they could beat a kid up by making them bleed to death. 4: (This is the worst) Ralphie goes to the department store with his brother Randy to see Santa Claus. This Santa and his elves are mean, rude, and unacceptable. The other children are screaming their lungs out when they sit on Santa's knee. The Santa is scary, mean, and rude. When Ralphie goes up to Santa, his mind goes blank. The elf takes him off and shoves him down a chute. Ralphie stops himself, and says what he wants which is the air rifle, except he jumbles it all up. Santa says "You'll only shoot your eye out. Ho Ho Ho!" He kicks Ralphie down the chute. Kids should not see that. If so, they'll never believe in Santa Claus again. A child's face gets upset when someone says that there's no Santa Claus. Santa lives in the hearts and minds of little kids. They look forward to him and his flying reindeer coming every Christmas Eve. They should watch amovie where the Santa Claus is a happy, jolly, and merry "Ho Ho Ho!" person. I highly recommend "Miracle on 34th Street (1947)", "The Santa Clause", "Prancer", "Ernest Saves Christmas", "Babes in Toyland (Animated)", "Mrs. Santa Claus", "The Night They Saved Christmas", and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer." I know this sounds odd coming from a 13-year old, but I Believe in Santa Claus, too. I'm being honest! More scenes from "A Christmas Story" were unacceptable: the leg lamp, the "Oh, fudge" scene, where the mother and father go berserk when Ralphie says that horrible word, the soap eating scene, the dream where Ralphie is blind beacuse of that. The whole movie is STUPID! Nobody should see this, especially young kids. The whole movie doesn't match the title, it has no plot, it's senseless, it's very poorly acted, and it teaches kids wrong things. Lighten up, people. You got be crazy if you think this junk deserves five stars. I agree with you few people that say this is a bad movie!
Rating: 
Summary: I Loved It!!
Review: This is by far a new Christmas classic! A definite favorite.
Rating:
Summary: One You'll Remember
Review: One memorable Christmas in the life of a nine-year-old in 1940's Indiana makes for a memorable movie and reflections on the innocence of youth in "A Christmas Story," directed by Bob Clark and starring young Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon. What is happiness? To young Ralphie Parker (Billingsley), it's simple; it's getting the best Christmas present a boy could ask for, namely a genuine Red Ryder 200-shot carbine action air rifle BB gun. But it's getting close to the big day, and his hopes are fading fast; there's an obstacle between him and the coveted weaponry: Mom (Dillon). And the answer is "No." But why!? "You'll shoot your eye out." Reasoning and wisdom to which there is simply no argument. But, as Yogi once said, "It ain't over till it's over," and a determined Ralphie refuses to give in or give up on his quest for the ultimate gift. And as the story unfolds we get a glimpse, through Ralphie's eyes, of the way life was in another time and another place; an era long since gone, but never forgotten. Based on a portion of the Novel "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash," by Jean Shepherd, with a screenplay by Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, Shepherd narrates (as the adult Ralphie), with reminiscences that are poignant and delightful; about Dad (McGavin), an Oldsmobile man, turkey lover and fabled "furnace fighter," who in the heat of battle could weave a tapestry of profanity that as far as anyone knows is still hanging in the air somewhere over Lake Michigan; Mom, a woman who hadn't had a hot meal in years, thanks to tending to the needs of her family first; younger brother Randy (Ian Petrella); friends Flick (Scott Schwartz) and Schwartz (R.D. Robb) who share Ralphie's myriad adventures and set the protocol of the "dare," from the singular all the way up to the coup de grace, the "triple dog dare," employed during a contest to determine, once and for all, if one's tongue will in fact stick to a frozen metal flag pole; the endearing Miss Shields (Tedde Moore), the teacher who makes them write a THEME; and last, but not least, the yellow-eyed neighborhood bully, Scott Farcus (Zack Ward) and his toadie, Grover Dill (Yano Anaya), who give new meaning to the phrase, "Say Uncle!" There are humorous anecdotes about flights of fancy and lessons in life, like how to change a tire in record time and how to barter for the right Christmas tree (from Dad), and tricks used to get your younger brother to eat his food instead of just playing with it, as well as alternative uses for soap (from Mom). We also discover how Ralphie learned a valuable lesson about how the journey is often the best part of the goal finally realized (courtesy of a "Little Orphan Annie" secret decoder ring), and the real meaning of a "Major Award." McGavin is perfectly cast as Ralphie's dad, "The Old Man," as he is referred to affectionately, and he gives just the right touch to all of the small ironies of life that seem to surround him, while Dillon gives a winning performance as his mom, whose TLC nurtured the warm memories from which this story was born. But the most exemplary performance given here is by Peter Billingsley, who forever after will remain Ralphie Parker in the memories of anyone who sees this film. There is an engaging naturalness about him that makes an instant connection with the audience, for he personifies the child in all of us, and it's a character you'll remember for as long as you retain any memories of your own childhood. And therein lies the real charm of this movie; because everyone was once a child, and for better or worse, will carry memories akin to Ralphie Parker's (or Jean Shepherd's) forever. A heartwarming, funny film, "A Christmas Story" is a true classic that can be enjoyed again and again and will most likely become an annual event once you've experienced it. In the tradition of "It's A Wonderful Life," and "A Christmas Carol," this is a movie that can add so much to the festivities, no matter how you celebrate your holidays.
Rating:
Summary: Be A Kid Again!
Review: I have loved this movie ever since I first saw it. It's one of the first videos I ever bought. This movie has captured how it feels to be a kid--dealing with bullies, friends' dares, little brothers, Christmas anticipation, teachers, broken glasses, disappointments, and fear of your dad when you're in trouble. Some things never change, I guess. I love Ralph's daydreams, his whiny little brother Randy who won't eat unless he can be a pig, and the pink bunny pajamas from Ralph's aunt Clara who "had for years not only perpetually labored under the delusion that [Ralph is] 4 years old, but also a girl." Oh Fudge, wash my mouth out with soap (but please don't use LifeBouy)! There are a few bad words in the movie, but not many. It's limited to a couple of S.O.B.'s and a couple of smart-a**es. Most of the bad language in the movie is simulated. Because Ralphie's father swears all the time, Ralphie learns to swear. I think that is a good lesson for everyone. And who has not at least wanted to beat up a bully? As a mother, I can understand the "irrational prejudice against Red Ryder and his Peacemaker". What I can't understand is the few people with irrational prejudice against this movie. It's just as cute as can be. See it with your family. I think just about everyone will enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Heart warming Christmas Classic
Review: I am surprised at the number of poor reviews this movie has received. If you want another Homogenized Dizney movie perhaps this is not the film for you. If, on the other hand, you are in the mood for a witty, well written holiday film then this is for you. But please don't hold me responsible if you are offended by "the soft glow of electric sex in the front room window". :) I would have to say "A Christmas Story" is definitely a favorite of my entire family. I've seen this movie 3-5 times every holiday season for the past 14 years and never tire of it. Watch it now. "I TRIPLE DOG DARE YOU!" I have not seen the DVD version of this film but would recommend seeing it on VHS due to the disappointed tone of most DVD reviews I have read.
Rating: 
Summary: Not a good movie to let the kids watch...
Review: Despite the controversy over Jamie's provocative negative review, I happen to agree with him/her. While some parts of the movie were humorous I must admit, the movie as a whole was dark and mean. Swearing is glorified, as well as the violence. I watched through this movie before allowing my kids to see it, and I decided this was not a movie to let them see at their age. This movie does have it's followers, but you must see that this film is not one that young children should be seeing. Santa Claus is also portrayed as sinister, which kids will not understand and could be potentially traumatizing. I'm afraid to say that I did not like this movie. I do not believe that it should be considered a classic like Miracle on 34th Street. If anything, it should be a time waster for older, more mature teens. I'm sorry if I offended loyal fans of this movie, but that's what I think.
Rating:
Summary: "Fudge" to any negative reviews: it's a true family classic.
Review: I can't *believe* that anyone would give this wonderful family movie a bad review. The proof is in the pudding: from my 90-year-old grandparents to me, everyone in my family (plus my 30-something hipster friends) loves this movie. This Christmas I look forward to introducing this timeless classic to the fourth generation of my family. This movie evokes the feeling of Christmas in the Midwest better than any I have ever seen. The isolated complaints about the violence and profanity are ridiculous and exaggerated: hey, boys *are* violent in real life. If you want a dumbed-down, politically-correct, saccharine fantasy -- a lie -- look elsewhere. What makes this movie so delightful is that it depicts childhood with complete and refreshing realism, and *at the same time* captures a riveting sense of magic, beauty, mystery, humor, and wonder. I recognized the people, the situations and (since I grew up in Cleveland, where much of the movie was shot) even the specific places -- yet every time I see "ACS," my eyes get misty at the end. That's quite an accomplishment for a movie. Don't be fooled or misled by the tiny minority of bad reviews here: This Midwestern boy, who grew up in sight of many of the movie's location shots, recommends "ACS" for families everywhere with no reservation. I can't tell you how much warmth and affection we feel for it. Political correctness be damned: anyone who objects to this movie objects to *life*. P.S. Thanks to other reviewers for alerting us to a questionable DVD transfer.
Rating:
Summary: "Full Screen" dilutes this great film.
Review: I have always loved this film; was a fan of Gene Shepard (the author) when he was on WOR radio in New York for years and thought he was first-rate. Read his book on which this film is based ("In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"). Enjoyed the movie in the theatre. But, they've taken this classic and chopped off its sides -- and thus emptied out both a great deal of its fun and visual power. Producers: DVD is a film-lover's format. If you must use "full screen" for some reason, please include the original format, too. Otherwise there is no compelling reason to purchase.
Rating:
Summary: a christmas tradition
Review: this is the type of movie i like to sit with my entire family and watch every yeat around the holidays. It's great fun with lots of laughs and moments of looking back to my own childhood and the anticipation of a particular christmas gift from santa claus.
Rating:
Summary: Christmas mayhem for the whole family!
Review: Some families make a ritual of watching "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street" each holiday season. Not ours; our top choice is this hilarious view of one Christmas season in Ralphie's life, as seen retrospectively by him as an adult. More a series of picaresques in the life of a little boy who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas than a full storyline, it takes us on a journey through childhood, going from the little brother who must be allowed to eat like a pig to eat at all, to the town bullies and their continual harrassment, to the father who wins a "valuable prize" one day in a newspaper puzzle contest. Throughout, Ralphie is plotting ways to still get the gift of his dreams, the Red Ryder--"you'll shoot your eye out"-- BB gun. Part of the charm of this film is the narration of Ralphie as an adult looking back on part of his childhood, but it also has many universal themes that are so common to kids, no matter what era. The bullies, the longing for a seemingly unattainable thing, the playground dares, the constant daydreaming--all these are presented in an entertaining fashion that still causes us to think, "Yeah, I remember that." Our kids are watching this and saying, "That is just like when I..." This is a wonderful piece of silly escapist nonsense that all members of the family can truly enjoy.
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