National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) ***

While it's not quite the holiday classic for me as I know it is for many people, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) is indeed a very funny film with some choice dialogue (courtesy of writer John Hughes) and memorable moments. 

CV hits the right blend of cynical and sentimental without ever tipping too far into either territory. Seeing Angelo Badalamenti's name pop up in the credits was a surprise because I'd forgotten he scored this (and I'm not surprised, as his score doesn't really leave much of an impression, compared to his other brilliant work). 

Most often, the sight gags in Christmas Vacation work, but occasionally they don't (the sledding scene is a bit too goofy for me). As far as Griswold family films go, I'd rank the original 1983 Vacation [review] above CV (and Harold Ramis directing the former probably has a lot to do with it), but this is a fun film to revisit every few years.