I don't even know what to say about this film. We've all seen it a thousand times. We know all the lines. It's the perfect holiday film, and we all watch it every year. At least everyone I know does. At least I thought they did; I was blown away when my dad and uncle both confessed to have never seeing it, when I popped it in after Christmas dinner. Huh? How is that even possible, it's on about 1000 times between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.

Needless to say that they enjoyed it. So did the five kids sitting on the couch with us. Every moment of the film is its own little piece of perfection. The scene where Flick sticks his tongue to the pole. The scene where Ralphie beats up Scut Farcus. The scene where the old man gets his leg lamp. The "oh fudge" scene. The scene when Ralphie finally gets his BB Gun. And on and on.

The perfect tone of realism and comedy is set through the whole thing. I love the 1940's setting, when Americana was at it's peak. Each character is fully realized, from Ralphie, Randy, the parents, his friends and so on. Oh sure, I may be a little jaded having seen it near 100 times. I remember every line, every movement of the camera, every cut in the film. But to me that speaks to how well it holds up after so much scrutiny.

Some may say that It's a Wonderful Life is the all-time-best Christmas movie; but I'll always believe that this A Christmas Story is THE Christmas movie.