Christmas Movies Actually
Film, TV & Pop Culture
About
You don't have to love Christmas to love this podcast. Film critic Collin Souter and renowned sheep expert Kerry Finegan delve into every type of Christmas movie they can find. Classics, non-classics, horror, Hallmark, obscurities, foreign, shorts, TV specials, unnecessary sequels and remakes. Even films that you might not think of as traditional Christmas movies. The great, the awful and the unusual, all year round.
Episodes
- 160: Turbulence (1997)
Kerry and Collin invite you to board CMA flight #160 and experience the TURBULENCE! This 1997 thriller stars a go-for-broke Ray Liotta as a maniac hell-bent on crashing a plane and Lauren Holly as the flight attendant who must land the 747…
- 159: Christmas With The Kranks (feat. Barry from 96 Greers)
Kerry and Collin are joined by Barry, the co-host of 96 Greers to talk about John Grisham's "Christmas With The Kranks," starring Tim Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dan Aykroyd. Is it possible to truly dislike a movie that features such lovab…
- 158: Easter Movies Actually: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
We're releasing this a few days early so you can get a jump on the Easter weekend and so you still have time to purchase an egg dye volcano. "Rise of the Guardians" is like a superhero movie, but with mythical characters we all know and lo…
- 157: Four Christmases (2008)
Kerry and Collin watched the 2008 comedy "Four Christmases," starrign Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn, two actors who were at the peak of their fame and marketability during this era of their careers, but who made the unfortunate choice…
- 156: One Battle After Another (feat. Steve Prokopy)
"What time is it?" It's time to talk Oscars, but more specifically, Kerry and Collin are focusing on one of the front-runners to win the night, Paul Thomas Anderson's timely and sensational "One Battle After Another," a movie that somehow…
- 155: The Preacher's Wife (1996)
In episode 155, hosts Collin and Kerry review The Preacher's Wife (1996), a remake of The Bishop's Wife. They discuss the film's plot, spiritual themes, performances, and its place among 1990s cinema.
- 154: Valentine's Day Movies Actually: My Bloody Valentine (1981) - feat. Patrick Ripoll
In this episode of Christmas Movies Actually, Kerry, Collin, and guest Patrick Ripoll delve into the 1981 slasher film "My Bloody Valentine." They analyze the distinctiveness of its killer, the absence of a sequel, and compare the original…
- 153: A Very Jonas Christmas Movie (2025)
Christmas Movies Actually dedicates an episode to "A Very Jonas Christmas Movie." Hosts Kerry and Collin, with limited knowledge of the Jonas Brothers, discuss the film, Jesse Tyler Ferguson's Santa beard, and ponder casting for a potentia…
- 152: Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986)
The Christmas Movies Actually podcast reviews the 1986 film "Nutcracker: The Motion Picture," examining its narrative and performance aspects. The episode also includes a segment on December physical media releases and a list of favorite f…
- 151: Santa Claus: The Movie - 40th Anniversary (feat. Peter Sobczynski)
Film critic Peter Sobczynski joins "Christmas Movies Actually" to analyze "Santa Claus: The Movie" on its 40th anniversary. The discussion covers the film's perceived shortcomings despite its cast and production, and explores reasons for i…
- 150: BONUS - New Christmas Movies Now Streaming
In episode 150, hosts Kerry and Collin discuss new Christmas movies such as "A Very Jonas Christmas," "Jingle Bell Heist," and "A Paw Patrol Christmas," alongside Blu-ray releases like "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" and "CODA." They als…
- 149: Santa Claus Conquers The Martians (1964) / The Christmas Martian (1971) (feat. Dave Canfield)
Christmas Movies Actually discusses "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians," a 1964 film known for its poor quality and Pia Zadora's debut. Film critic Dave Canfield joins to analyze this and the Canadian TV film "The Christmas Martian." They…
- 148: The Ice Harvest - 20th Anniversary (feat. Nick Digilio)
The Christmas Movies Actually podcast features film critic Nick Digilio discussing Harold Ramis's 2004 crime comedy "The Ice Harvest," noting its similarities to "The Ref." They explore the film's themes, John Cusack's performance, and Dig…
- 147: A Merry Little Ex-Mas (2025)
The Christmas Movies Actually podcast reviews "A Merry Little Ex-Mas," a Netflix rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone about a couple separating but staying together through the holidays. They also discuss its lack of tension, the chemistry…
- 146: Thanksgiving Movies Actually: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (feat. Ed Daly)
Ed Daly joins Christmas Movies Actually to discuss John Hughes's holiday film Planes, Trains and Automobiles, focusing on John Candy's career and the film's editing process. The episode also includes a segment on Blu-ray releases.
- 145: Don't Open Till Christmas (1984) (feat. Patrick Ripoll)
With all the Silent Night, Deadly Night films complete (or are they?), Kerry, Collin and their frequent guest at this time of year, Patick Ripoll, take a look at another slasher film from the same era, the less controversial, but just as v…
- 144: Halloween Movies Actually: Monster House (feat. Christine Sellin)
Collin and Kerry correct a mistake from last year by focusing on a movie that actually does take place during Halloween. Christine Sellin returns to talk about "Monster House," a subversive and hilarious animated from from 2006 that sneaks…
- 143: Remember The Night (1940) (feat. John Zukowski)
Unfortunately, our episode on "The Apartment" has to be postponed until next year. Our apologioes for that. Fortunately, author John Zukowski was able to step in at the last minute and introduce a new Christmas gem to us, "Remember The Nig…
- 142: The Baltimorons (feat. Jay Duplass, Michael Strassner and Liz Larsen)
The director and stars of the wonderful comedy "The Baltimorons" (currently/soon in theaters) join the show briefly to discuss the film's evolution and its purpose as a Christmas movie. Before that, though, Kerry and Collin discuss the fil…
- 141: The Sure Thing / Better Off Dead (1985)
Kerry and Collin didn't plan on 2025 being a John Cusack-a-thon, but that's what ended up happening. After talking about "Serendipity" back in February and with "The Ice Harvest" coming up in December, the hosts decided to do a Cusack doub…
- 140: Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (feat. Pat McDonald)
It's so hot out there! What better way to defeat the August heat than to watch Santa Claus stuck in his sleigh on a sizzling Florida beach? Who will help him get back to the North Pole? A rag-tag group of homeless minors who have no experi…
- 139: The Love Boat - The Christmas Cruise (feat. Jim Peebles)
Kerry and Collin are joined by their good friend Jim Peebles, who also guested on the "A Very Brady Christmas" episode. "The Love Boat" is certainly cut from the same cloth, but this "Christmas Cruise" remains a mystery. Is it a movie? Is…
- 138: Invasion U.S.A. (1985) (feat. Erik Childress)
We're releasing this a day early, the 4th of July, because why not? After all, the film has "U.S.A." in the title. Kerry and Collin are joined by frequent guest, Erik Childress (host of Movie Madness) to talk about one of the dumbest films…
- 137: Brazil - 40th Anniversary (feat. Jeff Broitman)
Kerry and Collin are joined by Jeff Broitman (formerly of the podcast Fresh Perspective) to talk about one of Collin's all-time favorite films, Terry Gilliam's 1985 masterpiece "Brazil." It also happens to be one of Jeff's favorite movies…
- 136: Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Based on the encouragement of a GQ article from 2016, Kerry and Collin took a look back at "Bridget Jones's Diary" to see if the writer of said article had been onto something. That led them to go back and rewatch all of the "Bridget Jones…
- 135: Deck the Halls (2006)
Kerry and Collin plowed through this comedy starring Matthew Broderick and Danny DeVito as two feuding neighbors at Christmastime. The experience of watching the film caused one of them to ponder, "why are we doing this podcast?" There are…
- 134: The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)
Kerry and Collin, while trying desperately to recall facts about part 2, finally round out the Tim Allen "Santa Clause" trilogy with should be the best of the bunch, considering the casting of Martin Short. Did it meet the expectation? May…
- 133: The Holly and the Ivy (1952) (feat. Nell Minow)
A listener requested this title quite some time ago and it finally happened! Film critic Nell Minow joins Kerry and Collin to talk about this relatively obscure, but wonderful movie that might just be the first ever in the sub-genre of hol…
- 132: Night of the Comet (feat. Catherine Mary Stewart and Marya E. Gates)
Kerry and Collin are joined by Catherine Mary Stewart, star of the 1984 cult classic "Night of the Comet," an apocalyptic sci-fi film where the world ends at Christmastime, which is the best time to go shopping. They are also joined by ret…
- 131: Smoke (1995)
Wayne Wang's "Smoke" doesn't look like a Christmas movie, sound like a Christmas movie or ever feel like a Christmas movie. It really isn't, but the final fifteen minutes of this terrific ensemble film features a moving and poetic Christma…
- 130: Surviving Christmas (2004)
Kerry and Collin look at the often maligned 2004 comedy "Surviving Christmas," starring Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, Christina Applegate and Catherine O'Hara and find it's not quite as terrible as critics (Collin included) made it out to…
- 129: Serendipity (2001)
Kerry and Collin showed up late for their discussion of the 2001 rom-com starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale, "Serendipity." Does the movie take its concepts about fate and destiny to absurd heights? How many movies accurately depict…
- 128: In Bruges (feat. Morgan Gire)
The co-host of Friendship Dilemma, Morgan Gire, returns to the show to talk about Martin McDonagh's great, Oscar-nominated black comedy, "In Bruges," starring Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes. While the film does take place…
- 127: Nutcrackers (2024)
Kerry and Collin continue the tradition of starting the new year off with a look at a Nutcracker movie. Although, this Hulu offering is not a Nutcracker-based movie, the ballet does figure into the plot eventually, as Ben Stiller has to ho…
- 126: White Christmas - 70th Anniversary (feat. Pat. McDonald)
The perennial classic starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen turns 70 years-old this year. Kerry and Collin are celebrating the occasion by having on one of the film's biggest fans, film critic Pat McDonald. Is M…
- 125: The Ref - 30th Anniversary (feat. Nick Digilio)
Kerry and Collin are joined by first-time guest, longtime friend, film critic Nick Digilio, who claims "The Ref"--starring Dennis Leary, Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis--is his favorite Christmas film of all time. Collin has similar feelings a…
- 124: The Polar Express - 20th Anniversary (feat. Erik Childress)
Kerry and Collin are joined by Erik Childress to talk about the enduring--and maybe not so enduring--legacy of Robert Zemeckis' "The Polar Express." Based on the beloved picture book by Chris Van Allsburg, this film pushed the boundaries o…
- 123: BONUS! Six New Christmas Movies!
Kerry and Collin take a quick dive into six newly released Christmas movies, including The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, Christmas Eve In Miller's Point, Dear Santa, Hot Frosty, Meet Me Next Christmas and Nutcrackers . They also take a look…
- 122: Red One (feat. Leo Brady)
Aside from "Wicked," Red One" is probably the most advertised film of this season, but does it deserve to be? Film critic Leo Brady joins Kerry and Collin to talk about this much-hyped action fantasy film and why its star, Dwayne Johnson,…
- 121: Thanksgiving Movies Actually - Home For The Holidays (1995) (feat. Rebecca Martin Fagerholm)
Kerry and Collin are joined by Cinema Femme's founder Rebecca Martin Fagerholm to talk about Jodie Foster's ensemble comedy "Home For The Holidays," starring Holly Hunter, Robert Downey, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Cynthia Stevens…
- 120: "Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker" (feat. Patrick Ripoll)
Starring Mickey Rooney. Yes, that Mickey Rooney. Five years ago, Kerry, Collin and guest Patrick Ripoll made a pact to talk about the "Silent Night, Deadly Night" films every year in October. The pact has been fulfilled with "Silent Night,…
- 119: Halloween Movies Actually - "ParaNorman" (feat. Christine Sellin)
First, a quick explanation over what went wrong with the "Go" episode. Then, Kerry and Collin are joined by returning guest, Christine Sellin, to talk about Laika Animation Studios' amazing 2012 movie, "ParaNorman," a movie that accomplish…
- 118: "Go" (feat. Mike Schindler)
Kerry and Collin celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Go" by talking to one of its biggest fans, film programmer Mike Schindler. The film has the late-'90s influences all over it: the "Pulp Fiction"-like structure, a hyper-active techno soun…
- 117: Meet Me In St. Louis (feat. Patrick Ripoll)
Kerry and Collin are joined be frequest guest Patrick Ripoll (co-host of 96 Greers ) to talk about one of the essential Judy Garland movies, the technicolor marvel "Meet Me In St. Louis," in which the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Chr…
- 116: Nothing Like The Holidays (feat. Alejandro Riera)
First-time guest Alejandro Riera joins Kerry and Collin to talk about the Chicago-based family comedy "Nothing Like The Holidays," which came out in 2008 and features a predominantly Puerto Rican cast. This follows the "Family Stone" and "…
- 115: Six Weeks (feat. Peter Sobczynski)
The tearjerker "Six Weeks" starred Mary Tyler Moore, Dudley Moore and a talented ballerina named Katherine Healy. It came out in 1982 during awards season and managed to score two Golden Globe noms and a Razzie nomination. Frequent guest P…
- 114: Kiwi Christmas (2017)
Prior to their recent trip to New Zealand, Collin and Kerry looked up "New Zealand Christmas movies" and this was the result. "Kiwi Christmas" follows a typical formula for an ABC Family Christmas movie in which Santa Claus doesn't want to…
- 113: Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July (1979)
Kerry and Collin take a look at the feature-length Rankin/Bass movie (and TV special) "Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July" and are bewildered by how plot-heavy and overloaded it is with exposition and countless new characters. What is…
- 112: 4th of July Movies Actually: Independence Day (1996)
A detour into the 4th of July, Kerry and Collin talk about the biggest hit of 1996, Roland Emmerich's alien invasion epic "Independence Day," which gives America permission to make our holiday a worldwide holiday because of something WE di…
- 111: The Santa Clause 2 (2002)
Kerry and Collin talk about "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" every chance they get in this episode because it's a far more interesting subject, but because it's not holiday-based, they stick to the format as best they can by talking about the 200…