It’s a crime, nay a sin, that this movie doesn’t get to be called An 8-Bit Christmas Story. The DNA of A Christmas Story surely (in a totally legally distinct way) inspired and influenced this charming, if flawed, fun nostalgic Christmas film.

The movie stars Neil Patrick Harris recounting his youth in 1988 when all the kids wanted was an NES. It’s got clueless parents who are sure an NES will put an eye out (by which I mean, melt their brains), an annoying younger sibling, bad Christmas gifts, bullies, and school with all the neighborhood kids. It’s not a mirror of Christmas Story but surely it’s got enough DNA… much less Doogie Howser’s breathless, eye-widened narration.

This film is charming and funny and is actually pretty great for the first half. But I think it loses steam, especially as it diverges more and more from a believable nostalgia story into some kid’s version of a heist film. That said though, what better way to reflect the 80s than with some kids’ adventure film nostalgia? So maybe it was the perfect choice. But it felt a little dragged out and less fun to me.

A modern movie steeped in 80s nostalgia? That never happens… except on days with the letter Y in them. So it’s arguable if this movie brings much new to the table… there’s so much out there from Stranger Things to the latest Ghostbusters reboot. But I’d say it carves its own niche with its love for the NES.

This is a fun little excursion for the holidays on HBO Max. It’s not the holiday classic that A Christmas Story is… but, hey, maybe for some kid today it could be. After all, I wasn’t a kid in the 1950s yet A Christmas Story in the 80s worked for me. Maybe 8-Bit Christmas can be someone’s new favorite movie.

Score: 78