Can I start by saying I absolutely love Neil Patrick Harris? He is an amazing and talented actor who nails every role he plays. 

In 8-Bit Christmas, Harris plays a dad who is spending quality time with his daughter at his childhood home for the Christmas season. Considering he is a dad in real life, Harris nailed the fatherly role. Upon arriving at the old home, Harris’s character Jake and his daughter named Annie, played by Sophia Reid-Gantzert, find the old Nintendo Jake had as a kid. While playing with the toy, Jake tells Annie the story of how he received the Nintendo. 

While it was a sweet Christmas tale, what stuck out to me the most was how relatable it was. It compared how Jake worked hard to get the newest technology of the nineties while his daughter was wishing for a phone and is about the same age Jake was when he got his Nintendo. 

I found that the young Jake scenes were so real. While I love Harris with all my soul, young Jake—played by Winslow Fegley—was a realistic interpretation of a young kid. It felt as though I was just watching a kid be a kid. I enjoyed how I could relate to the older sibling struggles Jake went through and got to see his wholesome interactions with his friends. 

The plot of the movie was anticlimactic and mostly enjoyable to watch. It was a pure, childlike plot, and even though that was the best aspect of the movie, I found it to be only semi-entertaining. 

The movie in general was simply one way to spend my time; it was honestly fine.

I can say I loved the acting; Harris’s acting is an obvious addition to the greatness, but all the child actors were spectacular. While watching, I could imagine it happening to everyday, ordinary kids. 

The realistic acting, writing, and set made the movie all the more enjoyable. The set alone was absolutely fantastic. The old nineties-style houses were amazing, and the school setting was so realistic it reminded me of my own school building. I honestly envied the basement of one house featured in the movie. 

I won’t claim this is my new favorite Christmas movie. There were many aspects I enjoyed, but I also found it catered to fans of a different genre than I would typically watch. My mom was almost in tears towards the end of the movie, and my little brother was laughing so hard throughout the movie—not going to lie, I chuckled quite a bit as well. 

I have no strong feelings toward the movie; it was a lovely family-watch-together type of movie. 

It was a Sunday night when my family and I sat down to find a Christmas movie to watch together. I was not a part of the movie picking conversation, otherwise, we would have watched something completely different. But now, I am glad I wasn’t a part of the conversation. I would not make 8-bit Christmas an every holiday season watch, but it was an enjoyable, realistic story filled with childhood wonders and themes. 

I absolutely enjoyed the acting and set. The older-style houses and the technology of the time were all astounding. I found it to be a great holiday family watch. I would say give 8-Bit Christmas a try.