How to Watch 8-Bit Christmas Online

A '80s-centric holiday movie that celebrates Nintendo's cultural impact, 8-Bit Christmas is a nostalgic tale for the whole family. Based on a book by Kevin Jakubowski, this film from Michael Dowse offers plenty of laughs and heartwarming moments.

Directed by Dowse, 8-Bit Christmas stars Neil Patrick Harris as Jake Doyle, a ten-year-old who embarks on a quest to get the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas. It's a fun, heartwarming film with some great performances.

Official Trailer

8-Bit Christmas is the latest in a long line of films that celebrate the holidays through a retro lens. This year's offering comes from New Line Cinema and HBO Max, and is set in the '80s.

Directed by Michael Dowse, the film is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Kevin Jakubowski. It stars Neil Patrick Harris, Winslow Fegley, June Diane Raphael and Steve Zahn.

The first official trailer for 8-Bit Christmas dropped online Thursday, and it promises a wacky holiday comedy starring Harris as an adult telling his daughter the story of his epic boyhood quest to get a Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas. The PG-rated movie is a feel-good family comedy that's sure to bring back memories for anyone who grew up in the '80s.

It's an uplifting film that also pokes fun at '80s-era thinking about gender roles and what the future might hold. It also highlights how important it is to be a good friend and support one another.

Jake and his friends plot their way to getting a Nintendo for Christmas, but they face obstacles along the way. The group includes Mikey Trotter (Che Tafari), Evan Olsen (Santino Barnard), Tammy and Teddy Hodges (Brielle Rankins and Braelyn Rankins) and Timmy Keane (Chandler Dean).

Young Jake's adoration for the Nintendo is bolstered by his oversized bully brother Timmy, but he soon finds that their parents are not as warm and fuzzy about video games as they seem. When he tries to convince them that a game console will make his life better, they turn him down.

This '80s nostalgia tour might be more for parents than kids, but it's still a fun movie for both. It's full of '80s references, from first-generation video games to the Cabbage Patch Kid craze, and it even manages to include a short-lived peripheral called a Power Glove.

Despite some minor problems with inconsistencies, the film is a genuinely enjoyable and heartwarming family comedy that will have audiences smiling. It's a reinterpretation of the Ralphie Parker-style saga that was popular in the late '80s, and it's sure to delight anyone who grew up during the time period.

Official Synopsis

Based on Kevin Jakubowski’s novel, 8-bit christmas follows the tale of a boy who sets out on an odyssey to get his own Nintendo Entertainment System for Christmas. Directed by Michael Dowse and starring Neil Patrick Harris as a grown-up Jake Doyle, the movie is a heartfelt look back at childhood and the adventures of a generation.

Set in suburban Chicago during the 1980s, the movie centers on ten-year-old Jake Doyle’s herculean quest to get the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas. Despite being told by his parents (June Diane Raphael and Steve Zahn) that video games will turn his mind to mush, Jake tries everything he can to convince them to buy him one.

The quest leads him into one crazy predicament after another, including a flaming wreath, lost retainers, speeding minivans, snobby sisters, a hot teacher, and a naked Cabbage Patch Kid. The film will appeal to millennials with a connection to the era, but many of its story beats feel stale.

While this film might not be for everyone, it offers a laugh out of the nostalgia trip and is a fun family film to watch. However, it is unlikely to go on to become a classic.

A lot of the humor in 8-bit christmas is a bit over-the-top, but it does have its funny moments. The movie is a bit reminiscent of The Goldbergs, with a story that is full of '80s cliches and references to pop culture properties.

It also has some elements that will appeal to younger audiences, such as the roller rink and the Cabbage Patch Kids craze. Those who have a strong affinity for the era will find plenty of references to things they enjoyed during their own time, from Jose Canseco rookie cards to triumphant Footloose music.

The film is a fun movie to watch with the family, and it is not too long for most children to sit through. But it may be too long for some older teens or adults, and the script can be hard to follow.

In the end, the story of a boy trying to get his own Nintendo for Christmas is surprisingly relevant to today’s kids and their families. With consoles like the Playstation 5 and Xbox Series X becoming increasingly popular, the same problem is happening to a lot of kids. And that's where 8-bit Christmas comes in: it shows kids that they can achieve their dreams if they work hard enough and never give up.

Cast

The cast of 8-bit christmas is a mix of familiar names and up-and-coming talent. Director Michael Dowse (Goon, Stuber) casts Neil Patrick Harris as the adult Jake Doyle, who tells his daughter the story of his attempts to get a Nintendo for Christmas back in 1988.

The film primarily takes place in Chicago, with Jake and his friends trying to find one of the coveted video game consoles that topped many kids' wish lists during the late 1980s. But this isn't just a story about video games, it's also about the real meaning of Christmas and the importance of spending time with family.

This '80s nostalgia tour doesn't quite reach the apex of holiday classics, but it's a solid, fun film for families to watch together. Whether your kids are into video games or not, they'll enjoy the laughs and shenanigans in this film.

Fegley, who plays the adolescent Jake in most of the scenes, gets a few good zingers from his character's narration, but it's Raphael and Zahn who really steal the show. They give the film some of its most consistently hilarious scenes, channeling Christmas movie patriarchs like Clark in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Old Man Parker in A Christmas Story.

Though the '80s setting makes 8-bit christmas feel very familiar, it also offers some apt updates in terms of diversity and an overworked mother. It's a refreshing change of pace from a lot of other recent holiday films, and it's worth checking out even for adults.

The story of a boy's quest to get an NES for Christmas is surprisingly relevant today, as kids struggle to keep up with the latest gaming systems and graphics cards. Parents aren't always on board with this idea, however, especially if they don't want their kids to spend all their time in front of screens.

While the main plot of 8-bit christmas is a little bit thin and predictable, it's still an overall enjoyable Christmas story. The main characters are likable, and the message that video games aren't dangerous is a good one to discuss with children.

Recommendations

8-Bit Christmas is a heartfelt, spritely and well-cast look at the adventures of childhood. It stars Winslow Fegley as 10-year-old Jake Doyle, Sophia Reid-Gantzert as his daughter Annie and June Diane Raphael as Jake’s mother Kathy.

A decade-old nostalgia trip that takes the viewer back to Christmas of 1980, 8-Bit Christmas focuses on a young boy's quest for the latest and greatest video game system for Christmas. It tells the story of Jake, an enthusiastic kid, who wants nothing more than to play on his Nintendo system, a quest that gets him into all kinds of trouble along the way.

Despite its reliance on nostalgia, 8-Bit Christmas works well for both older kids and adults. Its spritely pace and sentimental tone make for a fun watch, especially when it's being told in flashbacks.

The movie is filled with '80s references, including Cabbage Patch Kids, slideshows, roller rinks, leg warmers, baseball cards, triumphant Footloose music and teachers instructing students in the Dewey decimal system. It also includes a boy who’s diagnosed with ADD, parents protesting the dangers of video games and the snarky humor of the times.

In addition to '80s nostalgia, 8-Bit Christmas also features plenty of slapstick comedy and violent barfing. It's rated PG, so you should only watch this film with your children if they are mature enough to handle it.

As a '80s kid myself, I appreciate the film’s homage to my own childhood memories. I particularly like the movie’s depiction of the chaotic atmosphere of a pre-online shopping world.

A spritely, sprightly and well-cast look at the adventures that took place in the life of a young boy, 8-Bit Christmas is an entertaining family film. Its '80s references are fun for older kids, while its story of a young boy’s quest for the latest and greatest video game systems is appropriate for most age groups.

As an actor, Winslow Fegley delivers a solid performance as Jake, but it doesn’t quite match the rest of the cast. In particular, Steve Zahn is wasted as Doyle’s father, while Neil Patrick Harris has a pleasant voice to act with but doesn't contribute much personality to the story.