It’s Christmas again, and I bring you good tidings of super joy! It’s that special time of year where I scour the internet for new Christmas movies to try out to see if maybe they’ll be the lucky few to make the cut of entering my annual Christmas movie rotation. Wait. Back up. Shazam! came out in April of 2019, so you may be asking yourself, “are you only now just watching this movie?,” and to that I say no, I first saw it at an early screening before it was released.
I will admit that I’m more of a Marvel person myself, and the DC cinematic universe has been a bit lacking for me apart from a few exceptions, of course, so I kept my expectations significantly lowered when I went to see it, but it far exceeded those expectations! I had no idea that Christmas would even be involved, so that was a nice bonus for me, but the cast, story, effects, etc. just worked for me, and it is now among one of my top DC movies.
Why should this movie be included in your holiday watching? Well, technically, if we go by Die Hard rules, it IS a Christmas movie! There are three different time periods shown in this movie, and each one of them takes place during Christmas. That means there are plenty of festive decorations all around and for that added special touch: snow. The climax of the movie even takes place at a Christmas carnival and Santa makes several appearances. There is even a quintessential tree trimming scene. If all of that doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit, then maybe you need to refill your eggnog.
The story itself, aside from the usual tropes of figuring out recently discovered super powers (which is done in an amusing and self-referential way), is very heartwarming and lovely. A young boy, Billy Batson, is searching for his mom and a family. He finds one in a place with people that he wasn’t expecting. It is a movie about chosen family which I usually find to be much more meaningful and beautiful. This is especially effective during the holidays–a time where we gather with the people we love most which include our chosen families. It’s a big reason why Friendsgiving has become so popular. Shazam! touches on the loneliness that can come with the season; it often seems like it is heightened during this time. Being without a family on Christmas can be extra painful if you are a person who celebrates the holiday, so finding that love and a support system for your own is so important and can change your whole outlook on the season. Seeing Billy continually isolate himself is frustrating and heartbreaking at times, but watching him ultimately realize how much his newfound family is significant to him is enough to make any Grinch’s heart grow three sizes. Characters realizing what is most consequential to them and who or what give meaning to their lives is a major staple of any classic Christmas movie.
The story revolves around children and is from a kid’s perspective, so the movie is filled with a sense of childhood excitement and wonder. This is a nice touch to increase the Christmas spirit of the movie as well since Christmas time is always extra special for kids. It’s also a time for adults to feel nostalgic and to feel like kids again. It makes everything seem that much more fun and giddy–almost like finally playing with that new toy you’ve been wanting on Christmas morning.
So if this is a movie you’ve never seen or have only seen once outside of Christmas, maybe give it a try this year. Not only is it a superhero movie, but it’s a movie about love, acceptance, togetherness, and finding strength in each other (all coming together to defeat the forces of evil!), and these are things the holidays are centered around. Watching the movie during the Christmas season might even enhance your enjoyment of it altogether. I think I can safely say that this movie will be added to my annual holiday rotation. It’s currently available on HBO Max.
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When I’m not busy daydreaming or having an existential crisis, I can usually be found watching a movie or TV, listening to music or a podcast, or with my nose in a book.
