‘8-Bit Christmas’ joins pantheon of holiday classics

December 25, 2021December 25, 2021 John Hansen Christmas

Movie review: “8-Bit Christmas” has nostalgia for 1988, but it remembers family and classmates as much as it remembers Trapper Keepers and Nintendos.

‘Night Before,’ (2015), ‘Office Christmas Party’ (2016) offer holiday chuckles

December 23, 2021December 23, 2021 John Hansen Christmas

Throwback Thursday (Movie reviews): “The Night Before” and “Office Christmas Party” make for a solid double bill of modern Christmastime comedy.

‘4:50 from Paddington’ (1957) a padded Christie whodunit

December 19, 2021December 23, 2021 John Hansen Agatha Christie

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): The reliable whodunit elements are in place, but this Christmas-set tale is unusually cold – not always in a good way.

‘Black Christmas’ (2019) gets woke for its latest update

December 17, 2021December 8, 2021 John Hansen Christmas

Frightening Friday (Movie review): The third version of “Black Christmas” explores themes of its time and boasts a great lead heroine.

‘Double Sin’ (1961) puts Poirot in a Christmas mood

December 12, 2021December 5, 2021 John Hansen Agatha Christie

Sleuthing Sunday (Book review): “Double Sin and Other Stories” collects four Poirots, two Marples and a couple supernatural yarns.

‘Black Christmas’ (2006) descends chimney after classic

December 3, 2021November 25, 2021 John Hansen Christmas

Frightening Friday (Movie review): The remake of the 1974 classic digs into Billy’s backstory. But it fails to breathe life into the sorority sisters.

A cinematic feast: All 32 John Hughes movies, ranked

November 25, 2021November 25, 2021 John Hansen Christmas

Movie rankings: From Thanksgiving feasts to Christmas classics, from teen heartbreakers to family heartwarmers, here is how I rank the catalog of John Hughes.