Jingle All the Way [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [1996]

this movie is the embodiment of the crazy holiday shopping of a super rare toy...i laughed till i could not laugh anymore... the late Phil Hartman plays Arnold's nemesis...and he plays it to the hilt! Sinbad is awesome in this movie also! He plays the other dad looking for this super rare toy also...he is not right, folks! This movie covers everything and is a Christmas classic! Get it and you will laugh yourself silly!

It's a Wonderful Life. A Christmas Story. Home Alone. Usual Christmastime movies that are on day 1 of November, counting down the 8 weeks left until Christmas, and they are all worthy of being so played. Even throw in some Die Hard, Elf, Scrooged and even some Grinch and you'll mostly be greeted with joy. This one though, this one is usually a mixed bag, with some loving the story of a man trying to get a hot ticket item on Christmas Eve; others deride it for being a terrible film that does everything wrong. Every year we watch (My fiancee and I) and we enjoy every cheesy line, every cartoon-y set piece and every syrupy plot despite it's issues, of which there are many. Arnold Schwarzenegger is Howard Langston, a hard-working... Uhhh.... businessman, I guess (It's never fully explained what he does) who is seemingly too busy working hard for his family, missing out on various activities that his son partakes in, to the chagrin of his wife Liz, played by Rita Wilson. He plans on making it to Jamie's (Jake Lloyd) karate ceremony and misses it because of traffic, his son is understandably sad. Of course, Howard asks his son what he wants for Christmas, which is, unfortunately, a hot-ticket action figure, Turbo Man. His wife figures he bought it already (Being forgetful, he doesn't), but he figures he can go out to the local KB Toys, pick up a toy and be home for the parade. Of course, it turns into a nightmare involving a slightly deranged mailman (Sinbad in turbo-ham mode), mocking salespeople and a Jim Belushi, all in his way to find a toy. I know I should hate this film, and everyone else should too, but I can't bear to hate on this slice of 90s cheese. Yes, the story should've taken more risks (The film could have been a darker edged take on commercialism, the anything-goes attitudes people go for material possessions, amongst other ideas), but with Brian Levant, a dedicated hack-ish filmmaker delivering some mediocre kidertainment with the likes of The Flintstones under his belt, you're gonna get some fully cooked ham for Christmas dinner. Speaking of ham, the main stars are chewing it up, with Schwarzenegger clearly having a ball here, delivering each line with zeal ("Put that cookie down... NOW!" being one of my favorite lines ever!) and is the best actor in the film. Sinbad is overacting to a point of annoyance for the most part, save for a decent bit set in a diner, relaxing after some madness at the Mall of America, reflecting on the failures of his life. Rita Wilson is... well, she's in the movie and is underdeveloped, but Phil Hartman, the neighbor who has the hots for Liz, is golden. Jake Lloyd is the worst actor of the bunch, and I know he was a kid and was dumped on for Episode 1, for good reason mind you, but he just doesn't have the skill to act. Of course the screenplay and direction are mediocre to a fault, and an ending that almost ruins any credibility the film had (How does a parade afford a costumed actor with a fully-functional jet pack?!?!?), but every year it goes into the that and 90 minutes later it's back in the case for another year, but with a smile on our faces. Moving onto the Blu-ray, let's start with the picture and sound quality in a bit of detail. Since watching on a fateful day in 1997, I've seen this film on VHS, DVD, TV showings and some SD streaming due to slow internet speeds, but I gotta say this is the best the film has looked since, probably, the theatre showings in 1996. The film had a rather large budget ($60 million, in '96 dollars!!!) and looks it too. The cinematography was very sharp and colorful, with the Blu-ray shining with the details of actors' faces, fabrics, Christmas decor and more. The Blu-ray retains the 35mm film grain lovingly, and will be the best way to watch it, save for an eventual 4k bluray. The 5.1 DTS-HD track is also very active, with the lively score by David Newnan lovingly filling the air, along with some great surrounds at the various stores, several action scenes and even an off-screen explosion doing a great job of engaging the viewer. Extras wise, well.... Fox could've spent a bit more time and effort into the content, but what's here is decent enough. Replicating the "Family Fun Edition" DVD (Mostly... I'll get to that in a bit), is the best extra and that is an extended director's cut that runs for 4 extra minutes that adds a bit more to the fun and doesn't really effect the overall flow of the film. Also returning are 3 featurettes. "The Making of a Hero" barely talks about the film, but it's a decent 15 minute look at the creation of Turbo Man and the costumes of the show-within-a-movie show. "Super Kids" is an 8 minute look at what kids' favorite superheroes are. Yawn. Lastly on the featurette front is "Turbo Man: Behind the Mask", a faux-E! True Hollywood Story about the titular hero. Snore. Missing are separately viewed deleted scenes, photos, and some games from the DVD, but the digital copy includes all of the extras on the viewing platform of your choice, minus the games (The DVD is stupidly cheap if you're a completion still). The film could've used a Levant-Schwarzeneggar commentary, a making of the film, maybe some contemporary interviews with the cast and crew and more than what is included. Overall, the specs of the disc make this worthy out if the gate, despite lame extras, the film is a mixed-bag crowd pleaser and will brighten your holidays.

Classic. Excellent movie. Had to purchase, because Disney+ removed it.

Christmas fun for the whole family! Can't go wrong with Jingle All the Way in your rotation around Christmas time. Funny, heartwarming, and all around entertaining! I purchased this blu-ray for around $6. Great value, and a great movie!

It's 90s nostalgia, and it's pretty great quality. They didn't do wonders with the transfer, but if you're use to watching it on DVD, you'll notice the difference. Also, the unrated cut is included, which is just a few extended scenes with slightly off-color jokes. My 10 and 5 year old didn't get the jokes, so we were in the clear. Christmas classic.

It’s great to have both versions of the film. I grew up with the theatrical but then as I was older only came across the extended cut. I like both because I like to see more of the movie but the theatrical I feel has better song choices that extended replaces. I love that this came with a digital copy too.

I am in the process of buying older movies on blu-ray to have physical copies as i don't trust streaming much. Loved this movie in the 90s and still love it now. Quality entertainment without being preachy.

It’s a good Christmas movie for what it was but as far as this being extended it’s not it’s the regular movie nothing new the theatrical version is the TV cut so basically 4 minutes of the film was removed or altered for tv