8 Bit Christmas (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max)

Initial release date: November 24, 2021

Studios: HBO Max/ Warner Brothers/ New Line

Plot: A humorous and heartfelt look back at the adventures of childhood. Set in suburban Chicago in the late 1980s, the story centers on ten year old Jake Doyle’s herculean quest to get the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas.

Cast

Winsley Fegley (Come Play) - Jake Doyle (Young)

Neil Patrick Harris (Netflix’s F Is For Family) - Jake Doyle (Adult)

Steve Zahn (Netflix’s Tall Girl) - John Doyle

June Diane Raphael (Netflix’s Grace and Frankie) - Kathy Doyle

Bellaluna Resnick - Lizzy Doyle

Sophia Reid-Gantzert (Netflix’s Baby-Sitters Club) - Annie Doyle

Che Tafari - Mikey Trotter

Santino Barnard - Evan Olsen

Max Malas - Jeff Farmer

Cyrus Arnold (Zoolander 2) - Josh Jagonski

Chandler Dean - Timmy Keane

Writer: Kevin Jakubowski

Director: Michael Dowse (Stuber; Netflix’s Coffee & Kareem)

Rated PG for rude humor and some mild violence, language and suggestive references (97 min)

HBO Max’s ‘8 Bit Christmas’ is a hysterical and entertaining holiday movie. In a way, this movie, an HBO Max Original, is just like ‘A Christmas Story.’ But instead of the Red Ryder BB gun, it’s a Nintendo.

There are quite a few moments that are extremely hilarious and will make you burst out with laughter. Seeing the kids do all they can to get a Nintendo can often lead to very funny moments.

There are also some parts that can be really sentimental and nostalgic. The father and son scene at the end is truly heart-warming and with the nostalgia, I mean, what kid didn’t want a Nintendo when it first came out? haha.

‘8 Bit Christmas' will certainly become a modern holiday classic for years to come. The movie can currently be seen exclusively on HBO Max.

Here are a couple little tidbits for ‘8 Bit Christmas’:

• Before filming, Neil Patrick Harris needed to do a 14 day Quarantine. Each day, he posted a funny video of how he was spending it.

• The HBO Max production was announced in March 2021.

• Principal photography also began in March 2021 in Toronto; digitally released on November 24 on HBO Max.