Nintendo Color Palette Quiz
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Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1986-1987
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Back with another Top 5 Tabletop Games. 1986 and 1987 have a lot more games for us to choose from. These two years may have too many games to talk about. Why couldn’t some of these games be released over the previous two years? Ugh! This is a good problem to have. I may have at least one honorable mention this year. Let’s talk board games.
But first, in case you’ve forgotten our criteria for the Top 5 Tabletop Games, let’s reiterate the ground rules again before we get started.
1: Cultural relevance plays as much of a factor as overall quality. A game might make a list that doesn’t hold up to others of its type, but you must admit the game is everywhere.
2: Only one game from a franchise makes the list. This will become more of an issue the closer we get to games with expansions.
3: Longevity plays a role, too. A game doesn’t have to fly off the shelves today, but it had to have some widespread appeal for a decent time.
5: Outburst (1986)
Outburst plays a bit like Family Feud. Two teams compete over multiple rounds to reach 60 points by guessing items listed on a Topic Card within a time limit. Outburst’s simple concept puts it firmly in the party game category, and games like this bring people into the hobby of tabletop games. And they can just be fun.
Outburst was featured in Games magazine’s Best Games of 1988. Scott Marley praised Outburst for its clever topics and team-based gameplay. Marley concluded that “Though Outburst is easy to learn, many topics are too hard—and occasionally too spicy—for children.” This may have prompted 1989’s Outburst Junior.
4: Fireball Island (1986)
I remember getting the original Fireball Island for Christmas in 1986. The box is ginormous. The plastic game board had undulating paths where the titular fireballs (marbles) would travel down and knock players down, causing the player to lose any items. The object of Fireball Island is to escape the island with the jewel, which players must steal from the top of the Vul-Kar’s mountain. Fireball Island only has one jewel, so once a player grabs it, they become the target of others. And boy, do they become a target.
Players are incentivized to knock the jewel out of the hands of the player who possesses it. The reimagining of Fireball Island by Restoration Games in 2018 doesn’t place as much emphasis on the jewel. Players can win by other means. Unsponsored quick plug: Restoration Games does great work. They’ve brought back many games on this list and even a couple of honorable mentions like Dark Tower (from the 1980-1981 list) and Thunder Road (which just missed this list).
3: The Fury of Dracula (1987)
I mentioned a few lists ago (1983-1984) that Scotland Yard inspired many asymmetric games with hidden movement; The Fury of Dracula is one of the most prominent. I like the theme, but the name “Fury” is a bit of a misnomer. Dracula travels on a hidden board while the hunters move across the game board openly and try to deduce where Dracula is, all the while collecting the means with which to slay Dracula (stakes, garlic, and holy water). The Fury of Dracula ends with an epic showdown.
The Fury of Dracula has been updated multiple times. The second edition changes a lot of the gameplay, while the third edition streamlines the rules to make it easier to play and get into. 2019’s Fourth Edition of The Fury of Dracula gave the game a facelift; it didn’t change much in the way of gameplay. I recommend either the third or fourth editions.
2: Labyrinth (1986)
Not to be confused with the 1946 marble game, Labyrinth, which was originally stylized as THE aMAZEing LABYRINTH, uses a 7×7 grid where tiles get placed on one end of a column or row and displaces the tile on the opposite side of the column or row, hence the German name for the game Das verrückte Labyrinth, which is a pun on the German words “ errücken” (displace) and “verrückt” (crazy).
Players move their pieces along the ever-shifting path. Many of the tiles will have treasures printed on them. These treasures will match the cards dealt to players at the beginning of the game. The first player to obtain all the treasures in their deck wins. Labyrinth looks simple at first, but it gets puzzlely real fast. It’s a great problem-solving game for children, but when played by adults, the game can become more strategic and cutthroat. Labyrinth’s shifting tiles is one of the most unique game mechanisms from this era.
Returning to the naming, I wonder if Labyrinth avoided calling itself that in 1986 to avoid a lawsuit or confusion with Jim Henson’s Labyrinth movie that was released the same year. I remember a Labyrinth marble game variant tying into the movie that year.
1: Arkham Horror (1987)
I didn’t realize how old Arkham Horror was until I started compiling this list. Designer Richard Launius originally submitted the concept as Call of Cthulhu: The Board Game. This won’t be the first time Launius will make a game based on H.P. Lovecraft. He made a faster-pace, dice version of Arkham Horror in Elder Sign. Launius may be the person most responsible for making H.P. Lovecraft so popular in tabletop gaming. Arkham Horror is an early, thematic cooperative board game. Before Arkham Horror, I don’t recall seeing too many popular cooperative board games.
Because of this, Arkham Horror introduced a lot of staple cooperative board game concepts. Not the least of which is a “Doom Track.” Players work against the clock before the Ancient One breaks through its plane and into Arkham. Come to think of it, a game clock—of one persuasion or another—exists in most cooperative board games. Launius reinvented Arkham Horror into a Living Card Game in 2005.
Did we get the list right, for the most part? I didn’t mention Blood Bowl (1987); I’ll mention it here as another honorable mention. Let us know which games you’d add in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Check out the other lists in this series:
Top 5 Tabletop Games Prior to the 1930s
Top 5 Tabletop Games of the 1930s
Top 5 Tabletop Games of the 1940s-50s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Early 1960s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Late 1960s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from the Early 1970s
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1980-1981
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1982-1983
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1984-1985
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1988-1989
Top 5 Tabletop Games from 1990-1991
DC Universe (DCU) 2025 Preview
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Geekly hasn’t covered any movies or television series recently and it’s the new year, so let’s talk about the properties being released by DC Comics Studios in 2025. Full disclosure: I haven’t purchased a Max account yet; I’m woefully behind on most DC Comics-related television series. But I plan on signing up for Max soon, and there’s plenty of a back catalog to watch. Yay!
Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be as much for the DCU on Max in 2025 as in 2024. Our first property on this list was supposed to be released in late 2024 but was pushed back to January 2025. Let’s see what I’ll be binging as soon as I sign up for Max.
Harley Quinn (Season 5) (On Max Starting January, 16 2025)
Harley Quinn has lasted five seasons? My goodness!
Harley Quinn looks like a show I’d enjoy. It follows Harley’s exploits after she breaks up with The Joker. She discovers who she is without Mr. J and meets a lot of Arkham’s colorful characters along the way. The cast elevates this premise even more. Kaley Cuoco (of The Big Bang Theory) portrays Harley, while long-time voice actor Lake Bell takes on the role of Poison Ivy. Throw in Alan Tudyk as the Joker, Ron (Bunches of) Funches as King Shark, Tony Hale as Doctor Psycho, and Jason Alexander as Sy Borgman, and you’ve got yourself a party.
As I said, Harley Quinn’s Season 5 was supposed to be released in December 2024. The DCU must’ve thought that would make Max’s end-of-year schedule too tight. Creature Commandos began airing on December 5, 2024. I’ll have to add Creature Commandos to my laundry list of shows to binge.
Unlike the MCU, which shows its roadmap of titles for the following five or six years (mild exaggeration), the DCU keeps its schedule a mystery. Max didn’t even announce that Harley Quinn Season 5 was pushed back. It just vanished from Max’s December lineup with no warning. Mid-way through December 2024, it popped back up with a January, 16 2025 release. This will be a recurring issue with the DCU.
Superman: Legacy (In Theaters July 11, 2025)
As of December 14, 2024, Superman: Legacy was the only 2025 DCU release with an official release date of July 11, 2025. I’ve got a second one that I know the exact release date for. XD
The new DC Universe rides on the success of its first entry, Superman: Legacy. No pressure.
Fortunately, Superman: Legacy has a lot going for it. I trust James Gunn as a writer and director of comic book movies. Gunn used All-Star Superman as inspiration for the film. That’s another vote of confidence. (Note: Jim Plath made a Superman Starter Stories post several years ago, and All-Star Superman made his list; see what other stories made his list.) DC Studios cast a relative no-name to portray Superman/Clark Kent; I’m glad they resisted the urge to cast a big name. And the rest of the cast holds plenty of accomplished actors. My favorite may have to be Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner. This ought to be fun.
Superman: Legacy also precedes any other major DCU release. Man of Steel followed in the footsteps of The Dark Knight (not even the first movie of the Dark Knight Trilogy) and felt as if it had to mimic the Nolanverse’s vibe. The rest of the DCEU kept that same energy for too long. I know that The Dark Knight didn’t officially take part in the DCEU, but the DCEU maintained the Nolanverse grit, whether the characters warranted it or not. Superman: Legacy is a much better choice to anchor the DCU.
I’m excited for Superman: Legacy. I hope it goes well and that the DCU can become more than an afterthought to the MCU. DC Comics has way too many great characters to be overshadowed for long. But I’m also nervous about Superman: Legacy. It needs to be a hit.
Peacemaker (Season 2) (On Max Starting August 2025)
Peacemaker Season was a huge success. Like many other titles on this list, I have yet to watch it. More binging! John Cena returns as the titular Peacemaker. Season one’s premise sounds interesting. Peacemaker joins a black ops squad, “Project Butterfly,” as it identifies and eliminates parasitic butterfly-like creatures who have taken over human bodies around the world.
Peacemaker served as a “soft reboot” for the 2021 DCEU movie Suicide Squad. Showrunner James Gunn postponed the second season because of his involvement in the Superman movie. This time, we have a month for Peacemaker Season 2’s release, and we know that Peacemaker’s second season can’t be released until after Superman in July 2025 because the events in Peacemaker Season 2 directly follow Superman. Think of this season as the bridge between the old DCEU and the new DCU. Fingers are crossed for a great DCU one-two punch.
Sandman (Season 2) (On Netflix Sometime in 2025)
We have no idea when Sandman Season 2 will be released, but it will most likely be released sometime in 2025. And there may be a good reason for this delay: Sandman writer Neil Gaiman’s allegations of sexual assault. Gaiman denies any wrongdoing. He’s innocent until he is proven guilty. I don’t want to get into detail about his legal issues here.
I don’t know exactly why Netflix has delayed Sandman Season 2’s release or given it a month for its release, but I wager it’s because Netflix wants to wait and see how Gaiman’s legal battle goes. Netflix canceled Dead Boy Detectives, another show based on a Gaiman-penned DC comic book, shortly after the allegations in July 2024, but that was because Dead Boy Detectives didn’t get enough viewers. Sandman Season 1 received plenty of viewers.
I was looking forward to Sandman Season 2, but that was before these allegations came to light. It’s difficult to separate art from the artist. It’s even more difficult to ignore allegations when (as of this writing) five women have accused Neil Gaiman of sexual assault.
Deep breath.
Let’s get back to Sandman. Despite what some viewers claimed, Sandman’s first season stayed true to the source material. Kirby made an excellent Death, likewise for Mason Alexander Park as Desire. The rest of the cast was fantastic. I didn’t think anyone could effectively pull off Morpheus. Tom Sturridge gives a solid performance. Did the first season take some liberties? Yes. But the heart of the story remained the same. Sandman Season 2 was my most anticipated DC Comics project for this year, and that includes a year with a Superman movie.
Okay. I was stoked about Superman: Legacy, too.
That’s all I have for now. Let me know your thoughts on the upcoming DCU movies and television shows. See you soon. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Justice League Color Palette Quiz
Happy New Year!
We don’t have a usual post planned for today. Normally, we post on Mondays and Saturdays. We also don’t have New Years Resolutions, but we do have some intentions and announcements for this next calendar year. That’s close enough to a resolution.
New Members
We may have more than one or two new members. It’ll all depend on what happens over the next couple of weeks. Season has returned. She’s signed on to do some much-needed editorial work. She’ll also produce articles during the year. We don’t know if she intends to write about anime or manga or go in a different route.
Skye will continue posting every other month or so. Besides those two additions, we may have a slew of newcomers this upcoming year. If we do, that will be because of a future point on this list: a new series of posts about fantasy and mythological creatures.
Monday and Saturday Posts
We’ll continue with our regularly scheduled posts for the foreseeable future. There may be the occasional rescheduling because of holidays, but for the most part, JK Geekly should continue its weekly Monday and Saturday posts. We’ll try to mix in some more video game coverage as well: at least one video game post a month.
Our top 5 board games throughout the years series will continue with a new post each month. At some point soon, we’ll switch those lists from every two years to each year. That will happen either with the 1992 or 1994 list.
With all future content, we’ll try to theme posts with new cinema and streaming releases. 2025 looks exciting.
Color Palette Quizzes
Starting tomorrow, we’re bringing back quizzes. Specifically, color palette quizzes. These will be abstract color palettes of famous characters. See if you can figure out who is whom. Color palette quizzes should continue throughout the year and will release on Thursdays. We hope you enjoy them. We enjoyed producing them.
Return of Reviews?
We scheduled a couple of TV/movie previews for the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Comics Universe in 2025. In addition to weekly Monday and Saturday posts, Geekly will produce reviews of some of these movies and shows and maybe others. We don’t know what that will look like, but Harley Quinn Season 5 begins airing January 16th on Max, and we should have some reviews beginning with that series. Fingers crossed.
Geekly News
We only had a couple of Geekly News posts this past year. Granted, we relaunched in September and there wasn’t that much time remaining in the year. We’ll post more than two Geekly News posts this year. We’re unsure how many will get posted, but it’ll be more than two in a calendar year. Geekly News will also not count toward the weekly posts. They’ll be extra and unscripted like this post. XD
Fantasy and Mythological Creatures
Geekly has crafted a series of fantasy and mythological creatures questionnaires for fellow writers to complete. Our first questionnaire is about dragons. This series should include several new voices on JK Geekly. If you’re a writer and would like to contribute, contact us at jkgeekly@gmail.com.
If you run a blog of your own, let us know and we can include it with your contribution. We may have to cap the number of entries if we receive too many. But don’t worry, there are plenty of fantasy/mythological creatures to go around. If you have a preference for a specific fantasy creature, let us know and we’ll try to accommodate you.
The nature of these posts can mean that this content will most likely be irregular. We intend to begin this series in February. This will give people a chance to fill out their questionnaires. We’ll aim for a monthly release, but this could change, depending on the series’ response.
Closing Thoughts
That’s all we have for now. The only other thing worth mentioning is that we may include quarterly check-ins like this one. The next one of these should show up in April 2025. Or that could be an elaborate and early April Fools’ Joke. We hope you’ve had a fantabulastical New Years, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Getting Into Comics: Magneto Starter Stories
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. Today is my youngest daughter’s birthday. Happy 24th birthday! One more year and you can rent a car. Is that still true? Anyway, I wanted to bring back the comic book starter stories and asked her which character she’d like me to cover this week. She answered Magneto.
You heard the girl. Geekly will be covering its first comic book starter stories for a supervillain. We may have some growing pains with this topic. Villains are a little more difficult to recommend starter stories for, but I’ll do my best. The following list should give you an idea of which stories you should read to get to know Magneto better.
Single Issues
We’re doing this list a little differently than prior starter comic book stories. We’ll start with single issues and then move on to story arcs that consist of multiple comic books.
Uncanny X-Men #1
(written by Stan Lee/art by Jack Kirby; 1963)
This first entry cheats a little bit. Uncanny X-Men #1 is the first appearance of Magneto and the X-Men. Since the issue does double duty and sets up Magneto and the X-Men, there’s less of a focus on him as the main villain, but Uncanny X-Men #1 does a great job of showing Magneto as a formidable foe.
You don’t have to break the bank to read the first X-Men story. Marvel has reprinted it plenty of times. You should even be able to read Uncanny X-Men #1 for free online. If you did want to own a physical copy, Uncanny X-Men #1 would cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. X-Men didn’t have the warmest of receptions when it first launched. This makes the comic rare and valuable. Ka-ching!
I, Magneto
(Uncanny X-Men #150, written by Chris Claremont/art by Glynis Wein, Dave Cockrum, Dan Crespi, and Tom Orzechowski; 1981)
Magneto started out wanting a world where mutants dominated over inferior homo sapiens, but in “I, Magneto,” Magneto sets out for what he wanted all along, to become everyone’s leader. In this story, Magneto wants no less than the planet making him the world’s leader.
Magneto enlists the help of a series of supercomputers, but when those computers begin to explode, Magneto becomes furious. Kitty Pryde has been blowing up his computers by phasing through them. In a fit of rage, Magneto nearly kills her. Magneto sees a lot of himself in Kitty Pryde, since they have a similar heritage. When Magneto sees himself as the monster he’s turned into, he realizes that he isn’t fit to lead the world.
The Trial of Magneto
(Uncanny X-Men #200, written by Chris Claremont/art John Romita Jr.; 1985)
Claremont does a great job with the Uncanny X-Men’s bicentennial issue. As the name suggests (“The Trial of Magneto”), Magneto is on trial for former acts as a “mutant terrorist.” While he stands trial, unknown terrorists leave behind a calling card, “Free Magneto – X-Men.” Professor X sees this message and suddenly falls ill. Cyclops believes Charles is possibly dying.
The terrorist acts serve as a distraction so the Von Strucker twins can attack the court and exact vengeance against Magneto. This puts everyone in the courtroom in danger. Magneto saves everyone in the building. This shows the judge Magneto’s humanity. The scuffle results in Professor X suffering a heart attack. Magneto saves Charles, but Charles insists that he can no longer care for the X-Men. He asks Magneto to take his place.
If you’ve seen the X-Men ’97 cartoon on Disney+, many of these story elements will sound familiar in “The Trial of Magneto.” This story showcases Magneto’s propensity for being a hero.
Story Arcs
X-Men: Magneto Testament #1-5
(written by Greg Pak/art by Carmine DI Giandomenico 2008-2009)
Magneto Testament fleshes out Magneto’s childhood story. This five-issue miniseries doesn’t pull any punches. It shows us Magneto as a young boy surviving the Nazi death machine. As a result, Magneto Testament is one of the bleakest stories Marvel Comics has ever published. It’s also poignant.
Magneto Testament explores what made Magneto the man he is today. X-Men: First Class may dip its toe into this origin, but Magneto Testament digs deeper. This is one of the best Magneto stories ever written and a must if you want to understand Magneto.
X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills
(written by Chris Claremont/art by Brent Anderson; 1982)
I know this story also made our “X-Men Starter Stories” post years ago (here’s a link to that list if you’re interested), but Magneto is an X-Men villain, so there’s bound to be some crossover.
Many consider God Loves, Man Kills the defining X-Men arc, and they may be right. Humanity is the main villain. Humans, through the machinations of William Stryker, launch a scheme to rid the world of mutants. Magneto learns this while investigating the deaths of two mutant children. Magneto then joins forces with the X-Men.
God Loves, Man Kills establishes Magneto’s willingness to do anything to protect mutantkind, even if that means joining forces with his enemies. Stories like God Loves, Man Kills do a lot to deepen Magneto as a character.
Mutant Genesis
(X-Men #1-7, written by John Byrne and Chris Claremont/art by Jim Lee; 1991)
Before Mutant Genesis, Magneto lost his way. He even ran the X-Men and New Mutants for a time. (See the above write-up for “The Trial of Magneto.”) While these storylines helped to humanize the X-Men’s greatest villain, Mutant Genesis brings Magneto back to his roots. He has returned as a powerful villain. During this arc, we see how Magneto’s powers are slowly driving him insane.
But Magneto isn’t alone in his insanity. Mutant Genesis introduces Magneto’s team of Acolytes. These Acolytes pose a huge threat to humanity and even mutant-kind. It also doesn’t help that long-time X-Men begin questioning their loyalty to Professor X’s cause. Mutant Genesis is the final story seminal X-Men scribe Chris Claremont wrote for the series. Without Claremont, the X-Men would not have become the household names they are today.
Planet X
(New X-Men #146-150, written by Grant Morrison/art by Phil Jimenez; 2003-2004)
Magneto disguises himself as Xorn, one of the X-Men’s most trusted members at the time. The X-Men had thought that they had rescued Xorn from a Chinese prison, but it was a ruse. Magneto worked with the Chinese government to infiltrate the X-Men. At the time Magneto was believed dead, making this reveal even more shocking. Planet X shows how clever Magneto can be when putting an elaborate plan into action. This story did a lot for Magneto’s legacy.
As Magneto is the X-Men’s oldest enemy, no one could imagine that he could disguise himself well enough to fool his enemies. In classic mastermind fashion, Magneto didn’t reveal his identity until the time was just right.
There are so many other stories that I could’ve included here. I’m sure I missed one or two, or three hundred. Let me know which Magneto stories you’d choose instead. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
Tabletop Game Review: SiXeS
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We haven’t done too many tabletop game reviews over the past several years—before our Marvel United review last month (here’s the link for that review if you missed it). Today’s review is a much shorter game, but one that packs a punch: SiXeS.
Played over six rounds, SiXeS is a party game where players predict what their opponents will write that will match—or not match—depending on whether you’re in a “match” round or a “unique” round. The player with the most points after six rounds, wins.
Before we proceed, we’ll prep the party and discuss SiXeS’s details.
The Fiddly Bits
Designer: Steven Poelzing and Rick Soued
Publisher: Eagle-Gryphon Games and Hobby World
Date Released: 2016
Number of Players: 3-8
Age Range: 12 and up
Setup Time: Less than a minute
Play Time: 15-20 minutes
Game Mechanisms
Party Game
Card Game
Word Game
Game Setup
SiXeS consists of three decks of cards: “Match,” “Unique,” and “Lightning” decks and a scoring pad. Each player gets a sheet from the scoring pad and a writing utensil. Shuffle all three decks. Each card is double-sided with one side easier than the other. SiXeS’s rulebook shows which side to use for each round.
You’ll also need a means to keep time; you can use a minute-long sand timer (SiXeS doesn’t include one) or set your phone’s timer for a minute. Some of the rest of “Game Setup” can fall under “Game Flow,” so let’s continue with the next section.
Game Flow
On the scorecard, you’ll find rounds 1-6 marked. Each round has spaces for six answers. Play begins with a “Match” card. After the timer starts, players will think of things that fit the category’s criteria (this will be the word or words printed on the card). For instance, a category like “Sandwiches” can yield answers like “Peanut Butter and Jelly,” “Hero,” or even “Knuckle.” You’re going to have to match at least one other person’s answer at the table, so you may not want to get fancy with which words you use during a “Match” round.
Players find out if they matched anyone else at the table by sharing their answers. You receive a point for each answer that matches another player. If all six of your answers have at least one match, you receive a “Crooked Six.” That’s a seven. You get seven points if you match all six answers. I guess the designers wanted to maintain SiXeS’s theme by calling a seven a “Crooked Six.”
The objective changes with “Unique” rounds. “Unique” rounds play a lot like Scattergories, but you aren’t forced to begin each of your answers with the same letter. In “Unique” rounds, you receive points for each answer that matches no one at the table. You can also earn a “Crooked Six” if no one else puts down your valid answer.
The final card type, “Lightning” has six different categories. You will answer each category in the order in which they appear on the card, and players will try to match answers with at least one other player at the table.
The player with the most points at the end of six rounds wins.
Review
SiXeS resembles Scattegories but with a twist. I like how the rounds vary. As a result, I find it easier to continue playing multiple rounds of SiXeS over Scattegories.
I have yet to play a game of SiXeS that doesn’t include someone getting miffed that no one else chose their cromulent answer or at least one round ending with multiple people unable to fill in all six spots on their scorecard. SiXeS can be frustrating at times but also engages a group of gamers. It’s a great ice-breaker game. It fits into the party game category and a “getting-to-know-you” game. I can see companies using SiXeS as a morale-building tool.
SiXeS’s box says you can play 3-8 players. I wouldn’t recommend three players. Four and five players can be a lot of fun, but SiXeS’s works the best at higher player counts. There’s nothing preventing someone from playing SiXeS with more than eight players. No one’s stopping you from handing out extra scorecards and writing utensils.
That said, beyond the eight-player mark is where SiXeS either becomes super easy and super hard, depending on the round. Matching one out of ten or eleven players would be easy—too easy—but coming up with a unique answer among ten or eleven players can be nearly impossible. I’d stick to as close to eight players as I can. You could convince me into a nine or ten-player game of SiXeS, but the game begins to crumble under the weight of eleven or more players.
Verdict
Easy to learn and fast to play with great replayability, SiXeS gives Scattegories a much-needed twist. It’s also highly portable. I won’t mind taking SiXeS with me on future trips.
Top 10 Classic Christmas Films
Hello, and Merry Christmas to you. This is Skye once again and thank you for inviting me back to the platform for another holiday update. This time, it’s Christmas, so what better way to celebrate than with movies?
Trust me, I went through a lot of movies to pick out my favorites. With that being said, this list will also include animated Christmas specials. I know this post is called “Top 10 Classic Christmas Films,” but I wanted to make sure all my bases were covered. Some of those specials deserve praise, too. Now, let’s get on with the list.
10. The Polar Express
This may be a controversial choice, but bear in mind, it’s number 10 for a reason. I don’t deny this movie has problems. It absolutely does. From the wonky mo-cap animation to the overused action sequences, this movie isn’t perfect. At the same time, it can be beautiful.
When the girl’s ticket is flying across the winter landscape, it’s genuinely impressive to watch. Also, some of the environments can be grand when shot properly. However, the most enduring part of the film is its message. It’s not the most original message, but they tackle it in such a complex way that it still sticks with me.
So, while flawed, The Polar Express has earned a spot on this list.
9. Home Alone
Much like The Polar Express, this movie is difficult for me to defend. It often doesn’t know what tone it wants to convey, is awkward at times, and can be overly childish. To that same end, there are some genuinely heartfelt moments.
There isn’t a single bad performance in the film from any actor (even Macaulay Culkin), plus the chemistry Kevin has with his mother helps ground the film to its holiday roots. Overall, it’s uneven, goofy, and mean, but it also has a John Williams score. That’s the main reason this film beat out The Polar Express. You just can’t beat John Williams.
I reviewed Home Alone on my blog last Friday, so click here if you’d like to see my more detailed thoughts.
8. The Rankin/Bass Specials
Our first Christmas specials. Yes: specials plural. I’m including both Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town! in this slot, because they’re both of equal value. Why are they so low on the list? They’re still corny and random, y’all.
Both specials are weird and only created to give us the origin behind the songs. Also, both make little sense in hindsight. Some things are thrown in for the sake of padding the runtime, but I can’t help feeling Christmas-y whenever I see them. Despite their flaws, you can’t say they don’t remind you of Christmas. We all watched the Rankin/Bass Christmas Specials as kids, and we’re gonna show them to our kids too.
Because of that, this list would feel naked without them.
7. A Christmas Carol
I know what you’re thinking: “Which one?” Honestly, all of them. Don’t get me wrong, none of them are perfect, but what I love is the concept. It’s so powerful that everyone wants to give their take on it from the Muppets to Mickey Mouse to Robert Zemeckis. That last one might need some therapy.
Richard Donner threw his hat in the ring with Scrooged, The Looney Tunes did their own rendition, George C. Scott gave us a subtle Scrooge in 1984, there’s even a Christmas Carol stage show. Basically, what I’m saying is we all have our favorite version. Whichever one you prefer, there’s no doubt it’ll give you that Christmas feeling with a crotchety man changing his ways due to a certain jolly holiday.
There’s several adaptations and there’ll likely be several more in the years to come which is why A Christmas Carol is on the list.
6. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
With few exceptions, the originals are always better than the remakes. This one, however, is no exception. My favorite aspect of Miracle on 34th Street is how it treats the concept of Santa Claus in such a realistic way. Also, Edmund Gwenn’s performance as Kris Kringle is my favorite cinematic Santa Claus.
While Christmas is a magical time, here we’re viewing Christmas through the lens of the adult world. Miracle on 34th Street proves that the power of the holiday can transcend even the most uptight/rigid adult institutions, and it does so in spectacular fashion. Miracle on 34th Street left me hooked from beginning to end and represents the season in a way that resonates with both children and adults.
This is certainly a film I’d call a holiday classic.
5. The Snowman
While not explicitly about Christmas (there is Christmas imagery here and there), The Snowman mostly revels in the wonders of winter. You could probably guess that with the special being called The Snowman. Even though it’s not about Christmas, whenever I see The Snowman, I can’t help but feel Christmas-y.
The same way “Winter Wonderland” is a Christmas song, The Snowman is a Christmas special. The Snowman is a very dream-like experience. It includes stellar hand-drawn animation, a great musical score, and no dialogue. In a way, watching it feels like an elaborate dream a child could’ve had on the night of Christmas Eve, and that’s what makes it feel Christmas-y. Some parts are drawn out or odd, but The Snowman is definitely worth a look.
Check out The Snowman. You’ll return to this Christmas classic year after year.
I put Joyeux Noël above The Snowman, because it’s more outwardly related to Christmas. Much like Miracle on 34th Street, Joyeux Noël focuses on the power of the holiday. In this case, it’s the power of the holiday in the darkest of times.
Joyeux Noël tackles the Christmas spirit in ways I haven’t seen any other film accomplish. Soldiers in WWI call a truce during the holiday and become friends with their enemy. Each of them goes through complex emotions when the truce ends. They must resume fighting with the friends they just made the day before. Despite the misery and death surrounding them, these people still knew that the Christmas spirit was too great to kill.
If you’re looking for a great Christmas cry, Joyeux Noël is exactly what you need.
Hear me out. I know Die Hard isn’t really Christmas-y. It doesn’t represent Christmas in the ways that any of the previous films and specials I’ve talked about do. That’s the reason I like it so much. There’s no other Christmas film like Die Hard.
Die Hard diverges from what you would typically expect in a Christmas movie, but both the film and the holiday are inseparable. It makes sense that John would try to make up with his wife during the season of perpetual love and hope. Also, Hans’ plans likely wouldn’t have worked during any other time of the year with everyone distracted by the holidays. With all of this, Die Hard is still one of the greatest action flicks.
There’s no other Christmas film like Die Hard, and there likely won’t ever be again.
2. A Christmas Story
Some people probably see A Christmas Story as annoying at this point. If that’s the case with you, I understand. Although, in my experience, that’s mostly due to the over commercialization of the film with sequels, merchandise, and a live TV musical despite A Christmas Story lampooning those very things.
Remember when A Christmas Story used to be the small film only you, and a few people you knew watched? That’s when the movie works best. The reason it’s become so heinous is due to people trying to make it bigger. A Christmas Story works the best when it’s just a small family in a small town dealing with small stuff. Oddly enough, when A Christmas Story focuses on the small moments, that’s when it feels the biggest and most personal.
A Christmas Story takes place 80 years ago, but it still feels like a family Christmas that could happen today which is why it’s my number two.
1. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Yes, my absolute favorite Christmas special takes the top spot: the original Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas. You can’t go wrong with the classics, and there’s a lot to appreciate with this Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Everyone knows the story: a mean green man hates seeing people happy around the holidays so he does what he can to put a stop to it. From the brilliant animation heralded by the legendary Chuck Jones to the outstanding vocal talents of Boris Karloff and Thurl Ravenscroft, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is, without a doubt, synonymous with Christmas. That and the ever-enduring message for kids that Christmas cannot be stolen is one that will live on forever.
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is short, sweet, and undoubtedly the best Christmas classic.
With all that said, I hope you enjoyed my Top 10 Classic Christmas Films. Before I leave you, I’d like to add some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the list including National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Santa Clause, and the animated Frosty the Snowman special. Each of them, while not great enough to make the list, are still worth a look if you’re interested.
Also, what are your top 10 Christmas classics? Let us know in the comments and have yourselves a Merry little Christmas now. We’ll see you next year!
-Skye
Moving Today’s Post to Christmas
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. We’re moving today’s post to Wednesday, Christmas Day. We hope to have another Skye sighting. Fingers crossed.
Happy Early Christmas! Yay!
Top 5 Ice-Powered Comic Book Characters
Hey, hey! Kyra Kyle here. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, today is the first day of winter. Let’s celebrate by listing the Top 5 Ice-Powered Characters in comic books.
5: Ice (DC)
The first of several DC Comics characters on this list, Ice is the successor to the Ice Maiden. Tora Olafsdotter is the product of Norwegian experiments with Ice Maiden, hoping to replicate her powers. Tora’s arrival in the human world led the original Ice Maiden feeling superfluous. Ice Maiden returned to Norway, while Tora took up the name Ice and joined the Justice League International. She’s had an off-again, on-again relationship with Guy Gardner and developed a friendship with a heroine named Fire.
4: Captain Cold (DC)
Leonard Snart, Captain Cold, started life as a gag villain, but over time, Cold has become an impressive DC Universe villain. Snart grew up in an abusive household and turned to a life of crime. He developed a cold gun. The gun has extraordinary power. It can create temperatures to absolute zero. He can freeze objects (and people), create ice patches and icicles, and create a “cold zones” which can slow down anyone, including the Flash.
Snart is one of the founding members of the Rogues. He’s joined the Ice Pack (a group of cold-powered supervillains) and the Secret Society of Super Villains.
3: Killer Frost (DC)
There have been two women who bore the Killer Frost moniker. Crystal Frost was a scientist working in the Arctic when an accident gave her the ability to generate extreme cold. She became a supervillain, but her powers were slowly killing her. In an attempt to save herself, she consumed the heat of Firestorm and died.
Following Crystal’s death, her friend Dr. Louise Lincoln became Killer Frost. She recreated the accident that gave Crystal her powers and sought revenge on Firestorm. Able to transmute heat to cold and create gusts of wind and structures made of ice, Killer Frost has teamed up with villains like Captain Cold (who we saw in our previous entry) and Mr. Freeze, who happens to be our next entry.
2: Mr. Freeze (DC)
Dr. Victor Fries (originally a mad scientist Mr. Zero) is another DC villain who began life as a joke villain. The 1990’s Batman: The Animated Series recreated him as a sympathetic villain in its Emmy-winning episode “Heart of Ice.” Mr. Freeze has a sad story behind his frozen smile. His wife Nora fell terminally ill. Dr. Fries dedicated himself to cryogenic research to save her. The head of the corporation funding Fries’s work shuts down his project, and Victor fights them to save his wife. A fight ensues, which results in Victor turning into Mr. Freeze.
Freeze can only survive in sub-zero temperatures. To survive, Victor built himself a cryo-suit. He also developed an ice gun (powered by diamonds) and pursued a life of crime. Freeze’s gun can freeze objects and people, while his suit gives him increased strength and durability. Combined with his intellect, Mr. Freeze is a formidable foe.
1: Iceman (Marvel)
Iceman Bobby Drake started as the youngest member of the original X-Men. Most fans ignored him; he was the Spider-Man of that early X-Men team, cracking jokes and acting as the conduit for younger X-Men readers to view the team through.
Fast forward a couple of decades, and Bobby made his weekend appearance on Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends. I know it’s hokey, but I still enjoy watching this Saturday Morning cartoon on Disney+. Little did I, or any of those early readers of X-Men, know that Bobby may be one of the most powerful mutants. Iceman is an Omega-level mutant. As a frame of reference, Magneto is also an Omega-level mutant. Yikes!
Iceman can become ice in an organic form. By doing this, he can change his size and size, becoming an enormous ice man. He can also add spikes of ice on his knuckles or other body part, becoming a living weapon.
Hello, Winter! Let us know who you would add or remove in the comments. And wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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