Hate Watching Dear Santa

Send us Fan Mail What do a Christmas werewolf film and a PG-13 family comedy have in common? They both challenge our perception of traditional holiday movies and leave us with a head-scratching blend of humor and horror. In this episode, we unpack the strange timing of a werewolf film's December release and imagine the hilarity of a festive lycanthrope tale. We then confront the perplexing narrative of the Farrelly brothers' "Dear Santa," where Jack Black's devilish charm collides with a dyslexic boy's Satan-summoning error. The film's bizarre plot twists—ranging from arm wrestling with Beelzebub to the peculiar Swedish Fish product placements—leave us questioning the filmmakers' comedic intent and their audience's amusement. Our conversation takes a turn as we critique the film's mishandling of profound themes like grief. Parents' emotional arcs are abruptly dismissed, and the soundtrack, which usually shines in Jack Black's projects, disappoints with its lack of coherence. We chuckle and groan over an ill-conceived subplot about a missing angel tree topper and the unrealistic portrayal of lying without consequence. The cross-eyed narrative even dares to include Post Malone playing beer pong with a kid—a misguided attempt at humor that skews the film's demographic even further. Amongst this chaos, Keegan-Michael Key stands out, proving that a handful of nuts and his improvisational prowess can inject life into even the flattest scenes. We discuss how humor can sometimes be uncomfortable and how it can resonate emotionally, albeit awkwardly, with the audience. As we wrap up, we express our appreciation for Jack Black's commitment, despite this misadventure, and tease future explorations of more promising cinematic ventures like "Alien: Romulus" and the quirky Coen Brothers’ "The Hudsucker Proxy." Join us for this wild ride as we dissect the bizarre blend of holiday cheer, comedy, and questionable narrative choices. Written Lovingly with AI Be our friend! Dan: @shakybacon Tony: @tonydczech And follow the podcast on IG: @hatewatchingDAT