Christmas With The Kranks is a movie about cults

[@LackingSaint]

Go to NordVPN.com/jacksaint or use a coupon JACKSAINT for a special holiday deal. Get a 3-year plan with 81% off plus two amazing gifts: 4 extra months + NordPass password manager app (worth $194.61) {tim allen grunt} PATREON: www.patreon.com/jacksaint KOFI: ko-fi.com/lackingsaint TWITTER: twitter.com/LackingSaint TWITCH: www.twitch.tv/lacksaint COMMUNITY: discord.gg/BttSM9j NORD VPN LINKS: nordvpn.com/blog/official-res... nordvpn.com/blog/security-plan/

[@GrayYeonWannabe]

i cant see what the text on the screen says around 19:32 even though i slowed it down to 0.25 speed and tried several times. could you enlighten me pls? i am very curious

[@ASMR_libby]

@@GrayYeonWannabe "Also interesting to note that Us stands as a rare example of a home invasion panic movie with a black family front-and-center, a genre ordinarily the exclusive domain of the white suburban middle-class for reasons uncomfortably easy to discern. Are 'suburban concerns' simply the domain of the demographic majority? Turn over your textbooks to page 420 and blaze it, bro."

[@jaciemybeloved]

@@GrayYeonWannabe "Also interesting to note that "Us" stands as a rare example of a home invasion panic' movie with a black family front-and-center, a genre ordinarily the exclusive of the white suburban middle class for reasons uncomfortably easy to discern. Are 'suburban concerns' simply the domain of the demographic majority? Turn over your textbooks to page 420 and blaze it bro."

[@jaciemybeloved]

@Richard Carte It's not that deep, man

[@LIITEMIES]

At least its clear why its "to" logy.

[@thelegalsystem]

My parents love this movie and they're emotionally abusive/manipulative. So uh, take that as you will.

[@vfxninja5503]

They like having their worldview approved of by media

[@peterprime2140]

@@vfxninja5503 I mean, I get your point, but I think everyone likes that.

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

They are totally with the townspeople

[@crimsondynamo615]

If you plan to skip a Christmas, for the love of god make sure they don’t hear about it. Because if this movie is anything to go by they’ll put you through hell and back if they hear you going on a cruise.

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

I'm sorry that your parents are abusive, and I also like the movie; But more for the subversive Jack Saint take. I like that for half the movie it has the balls to call out Christmas as creepy! This might be inappropriate to point out here, so please forgive me if this is triggering, but suicide rates skyrocket around Christmas! Everyone gets so stressed, and then we're expected to put on a performance of "happiness"! Then we have to see "creepy uncles", "handsy relatives", and *abusive parents* , and have to pretend nothing is wrong! Christmas sucks! I live the values it's supposedly touting, but the conformist nonsense around it is used to silence any dissenting, or benignly counter, narratives. We're all just supposed to accept the worst parts of humanity by turning a blind eye to it...and them giving them presents, SMH

[@sheepewe4505]

This makes me theorise that this nasty Xmas movie started out as subversive satire, but was changed into feelgood family fun at an early stage of development. That would explain the cruel tone in the first half.

[@sholem_bond]

Yes, and I think the same thing happened with "Deck the Halls" (2006). I think it was originally supposed to be a dark comedy.

[@DylansDungeon]

Nope. The movie's based off a book by called "Skipping Christmas" by John Grisham. How the movie plays out is exact same as the book.

[@s.g.7572]

@@DylansDungeon John Grisham the thriller writer? If so, that would explain a lot

[@judsongaiden9878]

Collectivism should make people feel bad.

[@Spectra651]

It's pretty funny to me that Mr. Frosty--the ultimate symbol of rigid, cult-like Christmas tradition in this movie--is shown as downright demonic. His face changes to a creepy smile when Tim Allen finally caves into the neighbors' cultish mentality, and when he puts him up on the roof his eyes glow red, like even *he's* trying to warn Tim that, "No S**T these people are evil." It's probably the one hint of any self-awareness this movie has, even if it's only by accident. Edit: Whoa, guess I'm not the only one who thinks so, haha.

[@melissacooper4482]

I thought that the Frosty decoration was creepy!

[@chaoticsilver8442]

There's a slim... but not non-existent chance that that was not "only by accident".

[@judsongaiden9878]

Also notice how Frosty is doing the Baphomet pose.

[@nathanforester5993]

Nobody seems to bring up it might be alive.

[@MediecreGoddess]

the tone difference between the book and movie is so fascinating. in the book hes just imagining it because he hates the statue because he dreads the manual labor of setting it up on the roof. but in the movie its a perfect (accidental?) symbol of needless, exhausting labor demanded by conformity

[@juliamavroidi8601]

In the book the movie is based on (Skipping Christmas), it's actually mentioned that a Jewish family used to live in the street, the implication being they were bullied away.

[@sholem_bond]

holy crap (also I forgot there was a book; I should read it)

[@thechairman1318]

_“But it was alright, everything was alright, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Christmas.”_

[@tyrant-den884]

Sounds suspiciously similar to the end of 1984

[@iggsolo]

Maybe The Real Christmas Was the Cults We Made Along the Way.

[@penguinsrbirds2]

I'm so glad that 15 years later people are talking about the wackiness of this film. It was so weird to watch as a kid, like I was witnessing something terrifying, yet mundane enough that people just laughed it off like any regular Christmas comedy. But it felt so bizarre and surreal to me. Now I know I'm not alone!

[@gattskin]

my theory is that the neighborhood got the couple’s daughter to come back from peace corps somehow very shady stuff going on

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

They held her boyfriend hostage and forced her to return as exchange

[@skootergirl22]

@@PancakemonsterFO4 perhapes by breaking a candy cane so it will resemble a shard or glass and holding it by his neck.

[@Theresa-uj4le]

that's what i thought. All it would take is one member of the neighborhood to have connections with the peace core staff to have plans change, and honestly I think that's the scariest part. The Kranks don't even question it...

[@hayleyscanlon2347]

would certainly match up if we're using the analogy of scientology - people working behind the scenes to convince you that you do in fact really NEED the group

[@GreekDudeYiannis]

Speaking as a returned Peace Corps volunteer, they legit try to keep you in the country as long as you can. If you wanna go home, it's gotta be on your own dime and time. They'll only send you home if an "immediate" family member dies (sorry grandma/grandpa).

[@toastonline4]

I remember watching this movie when I was about 11 years old and my family was fresh out of a Southern Baptist Church. We watched this and my brother and I laughed a bit, but my Dad seemed nervous about it. I didn't even think about it again until I watched this, and now I think I get why Tim Allen has made him nervous since then

[@sparklingdaisy3169]

What was it that made him nervous about Tim Allen?

[@fsfredrikson]

aundrea hodges Must be the grunts... EHHHHHHUUUUUUUAAAAGGHH!?

[@chiefs2pretty4radio]

@@sparklingdaisy3169 Because he equates this movie (and, by extension, Tim Allen) with religious brain washing? Just taking a guess. I'm curious too.

[@justsomenuts]

@@sparklingdaisy3169 Well Tim Allen is a Trump supporter....

[@Distimmer]

Deeeeep. Yeah, Allen has always creeped me out. . Some weird 'forced comfomity' vibes to his whole career.

[@DaBriceisRight]

I've been saying this movie is a horror movie for years now. When I first saw it, it gave me so much second-hand social anxiety. This movie is Get Out for white people.

[@monorayjak4377]

Yeah. I can see that. Of course, I think Get Out is on a whole other level in quality.

[@jestersudz6085]

@@monorayjak4377 i mean obviously. like christams with the kranks is a white person christmas movie

[@mrcraggle]

This is one of my parents favourite Christmas films and I can't fucking stand it. The entire town is against this couple going on holiday because...? Why do they care so much about what they do? I've always hated that aspect of this film. They could actually had the Kranks go away and had have a miserable time but do the inverse of what the film does. Instead of having them having to give up their holiday for Blare, she comes home early and decorates the home for their arrival with the help of the town. It would create a scenario whereby they're grateful for their neighbours and friends who came forward to give them a great Christmas after a terrible vacation.

[@mrcritical6751]

Maybe show that when they’re on vacation they miss all the little things they thought bothered them and actually have Akroyde apologise for his actions and how pushy he was

[@TNTITAN]

If I remember correctly it because they have been involved in all the community Christmas stuff up until this year. I’ll put it like this we knew a guy who put up Christmas lights all around his house until his brother died. Now we are not demanding he put Christmas lights back up, but it’s sad knowing he doesn’t do this anymore.

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

There is an actual reason, it's a neighborhood association/homeowners association and one of the rules is most likely to decorate. It most likely is done for the purpose of advertising the neighborhood via curb appeal and by taking pictures to post online or anywhere else it's needed. The Kranks not decorating more than likely hurt the association in some way not to mention NA's/HoA's notoriously have very extreme power complexes and will do anything they can to mess with you for having the wrong kind of flowers outside your door let alone decorating for Christmas.

[@jessicaclakley3691]

Yeah but you see, that’d be a better film with an actually wholesome message. Instead, I think someone was feeling rather peeved and wanted to say something about society in general. Whether intended or not, they made a horror film lol

[@actual-poet9951]

I remember going to see it an thinking this is what was going to happen.. and then it didn't it just switched and felt bizarre.

[@SionnachUaine]

Not celebrating Christmas with a pushy parent who thinks everyone should is lowkey exactly like the first half of Kranks

[@mxpronounced3224]

This is the "war on Christmas" hot take we didn't know we needed

[@Torthrodhel]

Now you got me imagining an actual war on Christmas, and holy hell, Christmas wouldn't stand a chance they'd just be standing there with trees and presents, in big red suits or such, and holding faulty electrical wires. Against fully armored soldiers with machine guns and tanks. It'd be horrifically one-sided.

[@thechairman1318]

And the only time the celebration of Christmas was ever threatened in any way on U.S. soil was, unsurprisingly perhaps, *_when Christians themselves decided they didn't want it._* In 1647, England's Puritans overthrew and promptly beheaded King Charles I, and Parliament decreed that December 25 should instead be a day of _“fasting and humiliation”_ for the nation. New England's Puritans followed suit; arguing for a ban on the basis that was no scriptural basis for commemorating Christmas. Since the Puritan ideal of government was one where legislation would never contravene the Bible, a prohibition was required in their eyes. So, in 1659, the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony made it a criminal offense to publicly celebrate the holiday and declared that _“whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way”_ would be subject to a 5-shilling fine. Puritans kept their shops and schools open and their churches closed. While the public commemoration of Christmas became legal again in England following the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the Massachusetts Bay Colony would keep its prohibition on the books until 1681.

[@Torthrodhel]

@@thechairman1318 very interesting!

[@chumsie2411]

Not sacrificing a child to appease the moon-god? What a stupid idea!

[@SamNets]

I read this just as tim allen said his line, nice

[@madscientistshusta]

Indeed, I mean if the moon god exists you wouldn't want to upset him so why not just sacrifice the child just to be safe -Some guy named Pascal probably

[@twinkiesmaster69]

You talking about Issac? Poor guy

[@ThexDynastxQueen]

SOKKA IT IS ALMOST THAT TIME TO SACRIFICE ANOTHER OF YOUR GIRLFRIENDS TO THE MOON! AS IS TRADITION!

[@subzerobadass]

Someone should remake Christmas with the Kranks as a horror movie. I mean, I am high, but that's not a bad idea, right?

[@sharonspears-mandeville2369]

Hmm,you've got a point there,dude.. Just a few tweaks in the writing and setting here and there,and you're good to go,eh..?

[@wadespencer3623]

Honestly it might just take a reedit.

[@crimsondynamo615]

Just put horror music over it and change the filter on bright scenes to suddenly turn dark.

[@conjunctionprawns3330]

Someone should remake Christmas with the Kranks as a comedy.

[@sighduck9789]

@Sean Wilkinson The Kris Kringle Kult = The KKK I guess Santa is kinda just a deflated dunce cap commander, all red flaccid triangle hat and his pointy hat goons

[@thumblesteen7696]

I spent three years in a cult, ever since I left I feel like I'm in a totally different universe. This video hit on some pretty good notes, and even emphasised stuff I never realised about my experiences. All in all, good job Jack Saint. You really live up to your surname. Merry Christmas everyone.

[@Monderoth]

Thumblesteen good to see there are others with similar experiences too! I was in a cult for a month and it was horrible, but it becomes easier to process those thoughts when you find that you aren’t alone in having them.

[@markrobertson6664]

I’m glad both y’all made it out and hope you’re living great lives now.

[@meh4294]

I glad you were able to get out ,getting out of a cult is a hard thing for ppl ,hope yall the best

[@IAMFANTROLL]

any advice for how to pull people out of the cult mentality? I'm very interested in trying to break the cycle of people getting suckered into cult mentalities

[@aliencafe]

Yo what the fuck I just watched this movie on MONDAY and couldn't stop thinking about how weird the premise was

[@piratetape]

You have a gift.

[@AstraIVagabond]

@@piratetape To see beyond the present.

[@PurpleStarryGalaxy]

It was based off of a book so of course it's going to be weird. That book was for adults by the way.

[@WikiSorcerer]

It's the War on Christmas in movie form: a few people have become apathetic to Christmas traditions and the rest of Conservative America immediately flips their shit and makes a disproportionately big deal out of it.

[@sholem_bond]

I was just thinking

[@fresanegra77]

More than just conservative americans it represents the general conservative ideology around the globe to me

[@judsongaiden9878]

So does that mean conservatism is a collectivist ideology?

[@judsongaiden9878]

@@fresanegra77 So does that mean conservatism is a collectivist ideology?

[@fresanegra77]

@@judsongaiden9878 isn't it just a collection of ideologies and beliefs of a specific demographic? Idk, I'm not a politics expert really, if I'm wrong please tell me

[@PalitoSelvatico]

Cristmas with the Kranks is Midsommar

[@padraickeane5922]

The cultists in Midsommar were nicer.

[@PalitoSelvatico]

@@padraickeane5922 shit ur right

[@TheSefirosu200x]

Midwinttar?

[@fruustles]

@@TheSefirosu200x midvinter

[@phibie8853]

I was thinking this too lol, it's very similar, but only Midsommar makes it more clear through the tone that it was intended to be a faux happy ending. This one just feels like they weren't hard enough on how intentional that shift was (prolly cause of the ppl in charge wanting the classic christmas movie cash)

[@TheSolarWolf]

Holy shit, this movie was about the “War on Christmas” crowd. Why did I not see this before.

[@HaydenX]

I'm guessing you were a teenager or younger when it came out.

[@higherfurtherfaster90]

I remember watching this movie thinking do these townspeople have lives?

[@NIHIL_EGO]

Literally highly privileged people living in a gated community, living a safe life with all their basic needs satisfied, but not much to do in their existence, except waiting for death.

[@nataschavisser573]

I am white and grew up in the last days of apartheid South Africa. We were never required to pledge alegiance to our flag or recite any oaths in schools, not even in the 1940s or 1960s. I find it very disturbing that this is a practice in US schools.

[@Heatherryderbeansntatos]

Natascha Visser yeah allot of people here have a boner for “patriotism “, it’s disturbing living here and probably scary from an outside view😬. Luckily I live in California where most of that is turned waaaay down compared to your average Midwest or southern town.

[@MysticKenji2]

Tfw when a literal apartheid state is less fash than you are

[@PancakemonsterFO4]

ALL HAIL AMERICA

[@monsieurbubbles938]

They never made us have to stand for the pledge, and I live in a state that voted for trump.

[@jackgude3969]

That Aqua Nerd Nebraskan here, can confirm. Aaaall those people who genuinely hate Kaepernick are my neighbors :|

[@ECL28E]

This could've been a great satire of Christmas movies if it hadn't been forced into this "family-friendly" format. Can you imagine if they went full "Hot Fuzz" on this?

[@two_owls]

Jake Busey makes appearances in both Starship Troopers and Christmas with the Cranks. So obviously his Officer Treen character is an ancestor of Private Ace, making the two part of a shared universe.

[@blazehawkins2759]

Now that's a deep cut.

[@diabreadstick]

Making a good analysis of cultish behavior combined with Christmas conformity: :) Using semicolons instead of colons for the sin count timer: >:(

[@Dorian_sapiens]

**ding**

[@hannabelphaege3774]

>;(

[@diabreadstick]

@Hannabel Chesterfield You DARE-

[@bronxbearbud272]

for years, the Christmas day parade at Disney world was led by none other than that the Marine corps drum and bugle band or whatever it's called walking down main Street blaring out tubes like from the Halls of Montezuma as the toddler son sits on the curb bored and restless only to be smacked by his father and told to respect these men that for the service they perform for their country. What better way to celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace.

[@vfxninja5503]

"These dropouts got blown up by IEDs and murdered people so our government could steal oil; you better show some god damn respect or I'm burning the Christmas tree when we get home."

[@morphman86]

Always found that odd... UK, for example, hasn't been on the defensive side in a war in over 80 years, yet for some reason, you are disrespecting veterans who gave their lives to save ours (not sure how that one works) if you do not wear a poppy on a certain day, and that means you do not deserve to live? Yes, immigrants in UK are receiving death threats for not wearing poppies on Remembrance Sunday, mostly because they didn't even know it was a thing. Every year.

[@josephsheehan6079]

Not to take away from your point but everyone in a marine band is a professional musician by trade. The bands are some of the only stable wind positions in the country and I wouldn’t be too harsh on them.

[@bronxbearbud272]

@@josephsheehan6079 thank you for respectfully according my commentary, and hope you'll see that I do the same, and appreciate the way you recognized to these musicians and their devoted service to their art, arguably yes a very high and holy thing that I should not have paid such short shrift to. But come on, blaring the Halls of Montezuma Disney's exquisite amplification system isn't just an affront to my Roman Catholic beliefs, but can turn this old brain to mush after 22 seconds. Could we at least go over the volume ? Just expose my a x unholy soul before now referencing my beliefs , which are essential reflections of Christ's message of peace and goodwill. I would personally feel embarrassed to greet him with a surging anthem calling men to war, to me it would seem like I was slapping the kid in the faceand in these parts that ain't kosher. And it would insult him even more as he reached adulthood, He reminds me the peacemakers are blessed and considered children of God, and I'm going yo give him an argument? Not my style Especially in times when the proper use of military might to restore and maintain the rights of the individual in a peaceful world is often the last function they serve, and quite often the first one they destroy.. To glorify an institution with that kind of record? . No thanks, not my style. I will continue to sing Christ's praise and not theirs. And I don't think a little child, sitting curbside to give Jesus a happy morning birthday should have to hear that either birthday should have to listen to that crap either . How's this, if these wonderful professional accomplished musicians are again marching down that street playing that kind of a tune, let's make sure they play as written. Sure you can go on striking up the band but the folks know what happened when you did so in the past: We're in a bigger better war for your patriotic past time. We don't know what we're fighting for, but we didn't know the last time. Could somebody at least give that kid a reasonable facsimile of why he sleep in the guy who went off to that war? Denk you and merry Christmas

[@josephsheehan6079]

bronxbearbud no offense but Is English not your first language because it’s very hard to understand your point. Further my point is that they aren’t men of war. They are just musicians playing a gig.

[@steveitysteve9463]

as an australian, the most bone chilling aspect of this was when those young kids were doing their pledge. does that really happen in america, yall pledge alleigance before class? like we have to sing the national anthem but only during school assemblies

[@manjackson2772]

I'm from the uk and even singing the anthem like that seems fucked up and weird. closest I ever came was singing the school song and the close of every term, and that was just cause the school was up itself about how important it was

[@Gamescapes]

American here! I lived in Florida and Texas during my school years and it was definitely a thing! Every class had a flag so you could address the flag during the pledge, though in later years every class had a TV and they'd put a flag graphic on the TV. iirc in Texas if you refused to stand and put your hand over your heart during the pledge the teacher could give you detention. Also the vice principal or sometimes like an office aide would recite the pledge over the school loudspeaker. I was in school 2000-2012 so it might be different these days.

[@AmunRa1]

That is 100% a thing here in America. Apparently we think it's 'patriotic'. Most public schools do it every day during the first period. It's bad enough that, if for some reason, you decide "nah that's dumb I don't wanna say it", you can expect to catch serious crap for being "un-american". This is despite the fact that the Supreme Court decided ages ago that our constitution guarantees the right to refuse to recite the pledge. Technically, they're not supposed to punish you, but they do anyway.

[@eldritchone1319]

Yes. It's disturbing and, the worst part is that a lot of people are adamant on it. If you don't, it's seen as disrespectful and un-American. The idea of pledging allegiance to a flag (a lot of people are pledging to the country in their minds no matter what, instead of the principles of equality, since who the fuck pledges to principles in that manner?) and some wording establishing a specific religious view ("under God" being added, implying Christianity is the one true religion) are fundamentally anathema to the freedoms of a first world nation.

[@merrittanimation7721]

In Texas we have to do it for the state too. By high school nobody actually said either anymore, but that was probably because I went to a more liberal school.

[@sheeps_]

This is why I never got “comedy’s” most “comedy’s” are unintentionally sad and tragic and I end up crying sometimes

[@sheeps_]

Becky C. I am so glad I’m not the only one who’s felt this way my whole life

[@ChestersonJack]

Same!!

[@kimifw58]

comedies* There's sadly a low standard for them. Hopefully the genre will reach a renaissance where people take it seriously again like horror.

[@roxie6519]

I saw this movie in the theater with my grandma and she really liked it. Or at least gave no indication that she disliked it. For me, fifteen years latter I haven't been able to get over how much I couldn't stand it. I honestly thought I was the only one.

[@votekyle3000]

The year after this movie came out, my mom announced that our nuclear family was doing this, leaving my cousins and grandparents out in the figurative cold. It was one of the best Christmases I’ve ever had. Can recommend. The Christmas card even said “We’re having Christmas with the Kranks”

[@AlexMint]

Honestly this plot is really familiar to Jewish people who've dealt with Christian hegenomy(I don't have anything against well-meaning people, but I do often get the hairy eyeball for stuff liike working on Sundays). Even my grandmother who is also Jewish has balked at my complicated relationship with Christmas.

[@jfm14]

Where do you live that people are weird about working on Sundays?

[@AlexMint]

@@jfm14 Southern Virginia. People would literally come out of church and ask why I wasn't in church as I ran myself ragged for people who would regularly just not tip.

[@rebeccasheley5762]

@@AlexMint lmao why are they purchasing your services if theyre gonna judge you for working?! lmao where is the thought...

[@AlexMint]

@@rebeccasheley5762 I mean, there is no thought. If the restaurant was closed on Sundays, they'd whine that it was closed and go to Chilibees or whatever. I got tired of the lifestyle and am hoping to either move to BOH or get out of the restaurant industry altogether.

[@AlexMint]

@Rebecca Woolf I mean I don't exactly go around screaming "I'm jewish!" everywhere. Noticing that I'm Jewish usually takes longer than it takes to notice I won't eat pork.

[@buranflakes]

My parents likened this movie to how conservatives are supposedly persecuted because of course they did

[@shisuiki]

Yikes, very much yikes

[@vfxninja5503]

This movie about conservatives bullying a family into joining the herd?

[@buranflakes]

@brandon roberts Yeah it's kind of funny, I remember them complaining sometimes about liberals and their supposed victim complex and yet they clearly have one themselves

[@leedraconis5793]

buranflakes omfgggggggg

[@MrKenichi22]

buranflakes It’s sadly a true thing

[@JeffFinley]

Disgruntled guy is tired of going along with everyone else's expectations, decides to do his own thing in the face of their disapproval. Feels excited and alive again. But peer pressure and guilt/shaming tactics make him think he's a bad guy for doing it, so he gives up his dream and is applauded for it. Kind of a sad story.

[@PersistentKoffing]

I like that we're just doing hot takes as titles now

[@Fluffkitscripts]

Someone actually managed to make a cult-based horror movie _while trying to make a Christmas movie._

[@dwc1964]

Big Al probably likes that

[@Frownlandia]

You know who totally understood the satire of Starship Troopers on set, despite the lead actors not quite getting it? Jake Busey. I'd like to think he had a similar reading of Christmas with the Kranks.

[@casir.7407]

what the hell was that bikini scene

[@littlefieryone2825]

Honest to God thought all those cuts were him. But no, it's just "Counter, Rabbi, Breasts" every half a second.

[@elvellarambles9151]

LittleFieryOne I know!! I was like “WUT IS THIS EDITING. WHY DID THEY CHOOSE TO CUT IT LIKE THIS.”

[@borednerd5767]

male gaze at it's finest

[@ChangedMyNameFinally69]

At least she's in shape for an older woman? I don't fucking know

[@adam_nathan]

Took me so long to pause the video so I could read the single frame over the “Us” segment that reads (I fixed the spelling of ‘centre’ because I’m a dick though): “also interesting to note that ‘Us’ stands as a rare example of a ‘home invasion panic’ movie with a black family front-and-centre, a genre ordinarily the exclusive domain of the white suburban middle-class for reasons uncomfortably easy to discern. Are ‘suburban concerns’ simply the domain of the demographic majority? Turn your textbooks to page 420 and blaze it bro” (19:32)

[@jacobpelkey8534]

Thank you for the transcription!

[@Whatlander]

THANK YOU

[@fritosnlegoshai]

I knew someone would freeze frame and post that text block in the comments. You are my hero

[@jaschabull2365]

It's not just me who has a pet peeve of KZbinrs making text flash across the screen so briefly it takes the viewer several attempts to pause at the right time to let them read it, is it?

[@BR-ec2ph]

THANK YOU

[@donniejefferson9554]

This movie is secretly about the "War on Christmas" in the first half at least. A majority group acting like they are being attacked because a small number of people arent following the same holiday traditions as them even though it has absolutely no effect on what they do. They feel oppressed because others dont follow every cultural thing that they enjoy

[@birdiejett3163]

I am so grateful someone finally recognized the satirical genius of Christmas with the Kranks I always knew it was brilliant PEOPLE SAID I WAS CRAZY BUT I KNEW BETTER-

[@mgg7756]

Lol

[@slashbash1347]

What's worse is that in the novel, Skipping Christmas, they made mention that there was a Pakistani family that moved into the neighborhood and quickly had to move out. Also, why's the daughter engaged to a guy she knew for less than a month?

[@kimifw58]

because that's what daughters do LOL!!!!1! In-story, I think it's because he had a cool accent or something.

[@sholem_bond]

I thought the book said it was a Jewish family? or were there just multiple families who "left" (got driven out)?

[@m3ntyb]

They knew each other when they were younger and reconnected on her trip.

[@fabrisseterbrugghe8567]

I really dislike gated communities because they create that type of lock-step.

[@klarstrup]

{tim allen grunt}

[@kloggmonkey]

eeuÄÄÖÖÖ?

[@fockingreat1125]

huUUuh!?

[@__eevee]

@@fockingreat1125 TIM ALLEN GRUNT

[@mattf666]

Uyuhhh??

[@oof-wi7hp]

his show last man standing was so bad too. god. seeing his face itself now fills me with bad feelings

[@blahblahghost]

I hate this movie so god damn much.

[@BE-ew2pt]

blahblahghost GOD me too, my dad loves it and I crave death

[@carter_lovejoy]

It’s like we take The Wicker Man (both the original and more likely the Nicolas Cage remake) and Jingle All The Way and mesh them together and that’s what Christmas with the Kranks is. I hate how the DVD is still put on shelves at stores like Target and played on TV every Xmas. A lot of people think this is an “Xmas classic.” It’s not. It’s utter shit and I’d rather watch the Star Wars Holiday Special than this.

[@bronxbearbud272]

let us instead pray for the atonement and redemption of the film's soul, all the better to honor the child born on that day.

[@jojothebard6687]

I'm with you buddy. This movie is the worst one I've ever seen. Not just the worst christmas movie. But the worst movie I've ever seen.

[@CleaverArchive]

Glad to see that the first comment i saw on this video was a valid opinion.

[@NewbDragoon]

3:46 contains another parallel to Starship Troopers: they both use the same set as an airport.

[@FaceofEvil6]

you mentioned "another article discussing the term 'cult' itself" and I IMMEDIATELY got an ad break for PragerU lol

[@crimsondynamo615]

Dennis prager would side with the neighbors, because he would see the Kranks as people doing the war on Christmas bullshit

[@sholem_bond]

speak of the devil

[@demetergrasseater]

Immediately when I look at the plot what I see is this: The writers did not mean to make any commentary about cults. They meant to write a satirical take on society's obsession with Christmas traditions but when they got to writing a conclusion realized they couldn't resolve it without themselves caving to the preciousness of said traditions, for fear of upsetting general audiences.

[@an8strengthkobold360]

I'm almost 100% certain this is what happened.

[@JordanSullivanadventures]

I mean to be fair the actors in My Scientology Movie were paid to be there and do whatever they were asked.

[@thejest69]

I was confused by the conclusion drawn from that scene too. I understand how it could have made the former cult member feel uncomfortable, but paid actors listening to the man who hired them and proceeding to do their job of acting, that's hardly an example of society being prone to cult-like behaviors

[@HaydenX]

Part of the reason I think people are so quick to try and avoid defining "cult", is the fact that in doing so, in any remotely broad terms, it would classify essentially every religion, most fandoms, and most political parties as cults. No one, who is an active member in a cult, wants to see their faith or organization classified as such...and many of them are in very powerful positions. I wonder how much of the reticence in classification is out of self-preservation of individuals or organizations which would otherwise be making these categorical decisions and/or definitions.

[@an8strengthkobold360]

The bite modle is pretty reliable.

[@lightshadowed]

I loved this movie as a kid because I actually grew up in a small town neighborhood like this and my family did get harassed every year for leaving for the holidays (we're immigrants, we visited family in the tropics lol). Edit: sorry, I should be clear, I loved it as a horror-comedy.

[@kelvinlion8839]

In the book (Skipping Christmas) each street in the neighborhood was assigned a theme for decorating and the residents really cared about winning for some reason. Doesn't it take the fun out of decorating if they tell you how to do it?

[@DerShermanator]

Corps is pronounced like core.

[@amyliaclenny1866]

unless you add an "e".

[@notaninstrument7707]

Attributes is pronounced ATtributes

[@z-beeblebrox]

@@notaninstrument7707 unless you atTRIBute it to something else

@@amyliaclenny1866 Corpes

[@SorchaSublime]

I have a theory they were originally making a properly cult themed film but got cold feet for some reason and couldnt entirely cover it up

[@sabrinapapa7224]

I didn't celebrate Christmas growing up so this was one of the only Christmas movies I was allowed to watch lmao

[@Nukestarmaster]

I was recently contemplating how a lot of secular Christmas movies seem to have a lot of really strange morals, this movie (vaguely remembered) was definitely on the forefront of my mind in that realization.

[@CaiominTwin]

lmao at the Cult Sin counter

[@p.m3163]

Tim Allen has such a weird track record of films

[@dwc1964]

The best Tim Allen movies / shows are the ones that let Tim Allen play Tim Allen and that are fully aware that Tim Allen is an asshole. When Tim Allen is involved in the creative process in any way, the work will not be aware that Tim Allen is an asshole, and therefore be bad.

[@AroAceGamer]

@@dwc1964 Even in the Toy Story movies?

[@dwc1964]

@@AroAceGamer without having actually watched those movies but seeing lots of commentary about them, I'm going to go ahead and say, yes

[@dwc1964]

@@AroAceGamer I'm really specifically thinking of Galaxy Quest

[@crimsondynamo615]

“You just got Zoomed by Tim Allen”

[@LeftyPlaat]

engage! I noticed in the clips that even the snow is just a decorative trim for the nice green lawns...just the 'right' amount to be there but not in the way...

[@TindraSan]

it's good to have a review of this movie I can actually with a good conscience go back to, as the only one I saw before this was by JonTron before I realized he was a shit. also if you want to see this movie but animated, watch Sony Animation's The Smurfs Christmas Carol (or w/e the exact title was)

[@kimifw58]

Film Brain also did a good review of it.

[@geckovonparsley8200]

You can also check out Cinematic Excrement. Ofc he doesn't go for serious analysis, mostly just poking fun at it.

[@SuperBlahmaster]

If you need a Christmas movie to analyze next year, I recommend Jingle All The Way.

[@redactedredacted6656]

That would be great but The Santa Clause would continue the theme of Tim Allen Christmas films that are horrifying

[@WishIWuzKaji]

I saw your pfp and now I need to read 20th Century Boys again. Ironically, also about a cult lol

[@sierrasouthwell9237]

@@redactedredacted6656 I never really thought of it that way, but yeah, 'The Santa Clause' is legitimately horrifying. For completely different reasons than Christmas with the Kranks.

[@RazedParadise]

I've always seen this movie as the only psychological horror christmas film, which is why I love it so much.

[@elskabee]

I hate this movie with a Goddamn burning passion and you really hit the nail on the head why: none of their problems are actually problems, just overreactions to unimportant details needing to be adhered to precisely or everything is ruined. How very cult-like

[@shocknawe]

Imma tell yall one thing: Im recovering from me dad's and ama's passing and me constant shite depression, and and shite as consumerism may be, I'm only able to thread along due to collecting and fixing old video games and the like.

[@Dorian_sapiens]

Sorry for what you're going through. Collecting and repairing old video games sounds like a fun pastime, honestly, and I'm glad it brings you some comfort. Take care of yourself as best you can! ❤

[@shocknawe]

Dorian sapiens thanks, love. sometimes, coming online and just "sorta randomly" typing that out to strangers on a video from a youtuber I like helps a tad too.

[@allgodsnomasters2822]

oi, well that sounds more like working on art, it be consumerism if you were filling it wth funko pops and shit, just because something is sold doesnt make it not art, and applying passionate labor to imprving it, thats art too

[@sailorellie8310]

I'm so sorry. It's incredibly difficult to lose parents. Enjoy the things that help you escape and cope but don't forget to grieve and talk to people about how you feel, see friends. My mother passed when I was a young teenager and I totally withdrew from everything but the Internet, video games and so on, and became a shell of a person for a long time. Please don't isolate yourself from the world. Stay safe, stranger :)

[@kitwhitfield7169]

You do what you need to do, mate. And fixing stuff isn’t consumerist, it’s creative! I’m very sorry for your loss, and hope you get good emotional and medical support for your depression. Wishing you the best. xxx

[@Donyoku]

That's ok, I didn't even realize their characters had names either

[@91Vault]

I saw this movie when I was a kid, and now that I remember it I was a little disturbed how the kranks were bullied into conformity

[@deaf-tomcat]

A truly insane movie to watch while bedridden in the hospital

[@nekobun]

Okay the Jake Busey connection between Kranks and Starship Troopers kind of put me over the edge.

[@LinNoOne]

"a cult at its best behavior is indistinguishable from a harmonious, loving community." Damn. What makes this especially profound to me, is the fact that abusive family systems operate in the same way as cults, using the same controlling & manipulative techniques. It's more proof of exactly how hard it is to wake up to the fact that you were raised in & perhaps even continued the generational cycle of abuse.

[@monkeyfeed908]

we had a jewish family live on our street for the 10 yrs before i moved and they were super funny. They had their holiday lights up before anyone else and they went all out every year. They would also join carolers and stuff which was weird bcuz they would be wearing a kippah and singing about christmas... but they were super cool. i asked them once if they celebrated Christmas and they said "We celebrate everything, but maybe not for the same reasons.". I was 4 doors down, across the street and I have not lived there in 5 years and I still got a card from them this year.

[@sholem_bond]

Tbh as an American Jew, it's really hard not to celebrate some level of secular Christmas in the US, because it's everywhere. Also, if you're from an interfaith family, like mine, you probably have some positive associations with the Christmas traditions/celebrations of the Christian side of your family/your Christian set of grandparents. It varies family to family, and w/levels of observation, of course (my family is very Reform).

[@thatoneenglishmajor3200]

jack i've made a tradition of rewatching this every christmas since i first discovered it (which was. last christmas) and i need to point out that your 1-frame essay at 19:32 deserves a video of its own. would love to hear u say more abt the homogenized white insularity behind the "home invasion panic" genre and the importance of *Us* as a subversion of that 👀(no pressure ofc, on the off chance that u do see this comment. glad u've been taking care of urself!)

[@unregisteredassaultbutterk1185]

Starship Troopers was just the Afghanistan/Iraq wars but with bugs instead of brown people

[@21Arrozito]

This movie is so frustrating to watch, because you just want them to have a nice vacation. I actually wanted to watch them go on vacation.

[@JeffFinley]

Seriously, I was legit disappointed they didn't go on that cruise

[@yoroshikus]

i watched this literally yesterday. what an absolute nightmare.

[@slashbash1347]

18:11 Oh, you're showing the best Christmas Carol adaptation.

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

I always thought this was a commentary on how terrible neighborhood associations/homeowners associations are and how despite that people still stay in them because of the very community that stifles them. Look at how in the real world an association will go through gas lighting, threatening, harassment, and much more just because a single home owner planted a certain thing they don't want planted or put a decoration that didn't fit in, hell, or even a doorknob that's installed by the homeowner that isn't the specific type their people install. But that's essentially cult lite so there you go.

[@GlitchCrunch]

Its also a critique of Home Owners Associations.

[@sholem_bond]

white Anglo suburbia in general, even, maybe

[@haileydixon7239]

So I’m rush sewing Christmas presents and the only way I can focus is watching really long KZbin videos (enough distraction to keep going, not too much to stop) so ready to binge you’re let entire channel

[@haileydixon7239]

Also I saw this in theaters as a child and remember sitting next to my mom and being so embarrassed at seeing Tim Allen in a speedo

[@maddi6081]

Literally me right now

[@thesneakymemedealer5071]

"what is this, some sort of cultish ritual" -JonTron

[@sholem_bond]

yeah but Jontron would've figured out some way to blame it on "the globalists" or illegal immigrants somehow

[@lizabethhampton4537]

I'm still convinced that Krampus and Christmas with the Kranks take place in the same universe. Krampus colors Vic Fromeyer's behavior.

[@saedigasay-dee-guh3108]

I remember watching christmas with the kranks when i was young and thinking it was some weird horror movie.

[@CaptainZlex]

See also Ian Danskin's video on how the Alt-Right is like an abusive relationship.

[@sovietspaghetti7472]

Link?

[@CaptainZlex]

@@sovietspaghetti7472 kzbin.info/www/bejne/m16wgZKvhK2cjJI

[@michaelalley356]

I remember watching Jontron's video on this move back in late 2016, and being pretty unnerved by how he thought the climax were the Kranks decide to celebrate Christmas after all heartwarming.

[@howdoyoudo5949]

I know right, I can feel the creepiness of this piece of media.

[@fy8798]

That explains a LOT about Jontron...

[@trevingrayek8292]

The more I learn about this guy, the more I’m glad I didn’t watch any of his videos.

[@moredetonation3755]

@@trevingrayek8292 I downloaded his Dark Dungeons video in case I get the itch, because it's literally his best work and has no problematic elements.

[@michaelalley356]

@@moredetonation3755 brings back memories if a more innocent time.

[@twistysunshine]

Love to have you back to your v extremely random feeling and yet completely backed up assertions. Also when I paused for a while, turned it back on and heard Thought Slime and thought I'd switched videos somehow for half a second

[@JeffFinley]

Anyone else get old school slasher horror vibes with Jamie Lee in the early part of the movie? Her freaking out about the creeps outside, hiding behind the curtains and under the blankets. Then trying to get away in the car only to be followed and harassed by a villain with black gloves... which then get stuck in the window! Must be PTSD from her role in Halloween lol

[@NotHPotter]

Now I'm sad that there doesn't actually appear to be a video from you about Starship Troopers.

[@pimblesthebreadboi6639]

this is a great video. fun fact: this movie was based on the novel Skipping Christmas from John Grisham which my dad made me listen to on a road trip

[@fsfredrikson]

I wonder how faithful to the book that movie was...

[@pimblesthebreadboi6639]

fsfredrikson fairly close, iirc. i hated the book tho, and i also didn’t enjoy the movie. i never liked grisham

[@AleTitan]

@@pimblesthebreadboi6639 watching a movie and listening/reading the book it's based on when you don't like it sounds like a nightmare

[@ToastyJunebugs]

They save up enough money to go on a tropical cruise for xmas every year?? Jesus, what kind of presents are they buying?

[@theconjurer7471]

You could say it’s a “cult” classic

[@Lauren-zd4cu]

i love revisiting these old jack saint videos! I hope he comes back soon :)

[@razieldumas]

Hey! It's Dewey from Malcolm!

[@SebWad]

Thank you for the grunt trigger warning. Alas I grew up in the '90s so it was too late for me.

[@saragrimbaum6428]

I remember reading this book with my mom as a kid and thinking the main characters were such villains for not enjoying the holidays like everyone else. That was when my parents were really into keeping up appearances in a predominantly Christian, upper middle class neighborhood. Thankfully it finally sunk in for me as a teen that the neighbors in the story were the real assholes.

[@soupalex]

the "cult sin counter" did me in

[@PlanetGoddess]

This is the starbucks controversy ten years early

[@Quackervoltz]

The WHAT?!

[@chrisbcpack]

wearing sunglasses during a video essay is such a power move

[@kalm_tree]

Going into this video I wasn't sure I was going to be interested in the subject matter, but two minutes in you had my full attention. Your skill with presentation is really remarkable

[@91Vault]

This reminds me of a movie I watched a few years ago where Richard gere plays a ceo who does some dodgey stuff, he justifies his increasingly amoral actions because “this company was going to go under and people would lose their jobs” I thought at some point he would face consequences for his actions, or the film would show how delusional he was....except the movie is totally on his side and confirms the premise that he is totally a nice guy

[@loog8621]

I read this SCP a while ago about a town of people who constantly celebrate Christmas and if you they think you aren’t celebrating the holiday spirit they will kidnap you and turn you into one of them

[@kyletowers9662]

This movie is gross af and its disgusting that it airs every year

[@bloodmooncomics2249]

I love that I have watched this video at least once a year around Christmas. I guess my mind just loves this video (it is really good).