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Gilmore Girls is the perfect cold-weather, bingeworthy comfort show that has accompanied millions of Rory and Lorelai fans all around the world. The series that first aired in 2000 is an autumn and winter staple, that’s for sure, but an even better way to indulge in the Christmas spirit is to take one of the widely loved Gilmore Girls stars and put them in a Christmas movie.

Lets all bow down to Lionsgate, because the production company together with director Dallas Jenkins were behind making this wish become reality. The Christmas comedy drama movie The Best Christmas Pageant Ever connects a Gilmore Girls star to the festive season, and it couldn’t be a greater delight. The movie, which was released for the big screens on November 8, 2024, is now finally available to rent on Apple TV+ or Prime Video. As the adaptation of the 1972 children’s novel of the same name by Barbara Robinson,...

The box office is heating up in fall 2024, making for a highly competitive season. One of the biggest hits right now is the well-reviewed film adaptation of Wicked, which released in theaters on November 22. At the time of writing, Wicked has made over $359 million worldwide, and is well on its way to becoming one of the year's best performing films at the box office. Disney's Moana 2 released this past weekend and delivered a strong $135.5 million opening. Meanwhile, Ridley Scott's blockbuster sequel Gladiator II is also vying for a spot in the box office race.

At the same time that these coinciding box office hits are occurring, it is also getting closer and closer to the holiday season. This means the release of several festive movies both in theaters and on streaming. One of those movies was Netflix's Hot Frosty, a movie that, while a direct-to-streaming release, has been successful for its platform.

In Dallas Jenkins’ The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a group of kids wreak daily havoc on Emmanuel, a small town somewhere in America. The Herdmans, according to the narrator (Lauren Graham) of this uneven tale, are “the worst kids in the history of the world” — a title earned by Ralph (Mason D. Nelligan), Leroy (Ewan Wood), Claude (Matthew Lamb), Ollie (Essek Moore), Gladys (Kynlee Heiman) and Imogen (Beatrice Schneider) through a host of shenanigans ranging from personally offensive to downright harmful.

A nifty montage at the beginning of the holiday feature shows the Herdmans bullying kids and adults with impunity; taking the Lord’s name in vain; smoking cigars; stealing from local businesses and even setting fire to a dilapidated shed. Because of their repugnant behavior, residents of the community hardly believed the Herdmans were “real,” says the narrator. “No one knew why they were that way.” And it appears that few people — including,...

Based on the 1972 children's book of the same name by Barbara Robinson, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever lengthens the story but fails to dig deep while exploring its own true meaning of Christmas. Now that it's November, stores, companies, and the media will all be leaning head-first into the Christmas spirit, even if the event itself is still almost two months away. This is the cycle of Christmas cheer in film and television. Though it's being released right on schedule, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is trying to combat the commodification of Christmas, if only slightly.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Director Dallas JenkinsRelease Date November 8, 2024Studio(s) Kingdom Story CompanyWriters Platte Clark, Darin McDaniel, Ryan SwansonCast Tom Young, Jenni Burke, Isla Verlot, Nolan Grantham, Wyatt Dewar, Danielle Hoetmer, Mason D Nelligan, Essek Moore, Ewan Wood, Beatrice Schneider, Kynlee Heiman, Molly Belle Wright, Matthew Lamb, Sebastian Billingsley-Rodriguez, Kirk B.R. Woller,...

There is a reason certain Christmas movies stand the test of time and return year after year, and also a reason the Hallmark-style factory-made product is easily forgotten. It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas and A Christmas Story are pure examples of the former. They are perennials, classics.

In fact, that sweetly nostalgic 1983 A Christmas Story is what I thought of most when watching the latest entry in the genre, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which may not be the best Christmas movie ever, but it grabs your heart and makes you smile. It also is that increasingly rare so-called “faith based” film that doesn’t try to hit you on the head with a sermon. Instead, it manages to be thoroughly entertaining family fare that also uncovers the true, not commercial, meaning of the holiday. I wouldn’t be surprised if this Lionsgate release becomes a perennial itself.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever opens in theaters November 8th.

The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they bully…and now they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant.

Six siblings who sneak into church searching for snacks and walk away with the lead roles in the town pageant. Grace (Judy Greer) is directing the performance for the very first time; she and her daughter Beth (Molly Belle Wright) and husband Bob (Pete Holmes) are in over their heads, especially against a town that wants them to kick the Herdmans out. But the play’s mischievous stars might unwittingly teach a community the true meaning of Christmas.

https://bestchristmaspageantever.movie

Wamg is giving away Atom Movie Tickets to see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever in St. Louis.

4 Family Packs: 4pm show or 7pm show. Each winner will receive 4 tickets.

Email michelle@wearemoviegeeks.

Kynlee Heiman as Gladys Herdman, Matthew Lamb as Claude Herdman, Mason Nelligan as Ralph Herdman, Beatrice Schneider as Imogene Herdman, Ewan Wood as Leroy Herdman and Essek Moore as Ollie Herdman in Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Photo Credit: Allen Fraser A Christmas comedy like no other is on the way! In The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, the most notorious youngsters in town, the Herdmans, are taking over the traditional Christmas pageant. Expect mayhem and fun, along with a heartfelt reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. Directed by Dallas Jenkins, the man behind The Chosen, and based on the acclaimed novel, this movie stars Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Molly Belle Wright, and Lauren Graham. Don’t miss the hilarious and endearing holiday delight The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, which opens in theaters on November 8th!

The post The Herdmans Take Over Christmas — & The Pageant! — In ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.