For many people, a familiar pastime in the weeks leading up to major winter holidays is gathering with family members and watching holiday movies, be they in a theater or on television. During the month of December, as has become tradition, the Falls Free Press will reprise “The 12 Films of Christmas,” focusing on new holiday movies for the year 2022—a year that can still do with plenty of peace and joy. We will review each film, whether naughty or nice, and let you know where to watch.
Had Peter Quill, AKA Starlord from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, been alive in 1978 for the Star Wars Holiday Special, there’s a good chance he would have experienced all holiday specials feels on television like the love, joy, and complete insanity that the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special puts out into the universe.
Following the Milano crew after their departure from Thor and Korg in Thor: Love and Thunder, they now reside on Knowhere and are purchasing the commerce planet from the Collector. Being Christmastime, Peter (Chris Pratt) is sad, recalling not only his experiences with the holiday and with his father figure Yondu (voiced in animated flashbacks by returning actor Michael Rooker), but also still dealing with the death of his girlfriend Gamora during Avengers: Infinity War. Attempting to make this year’s Christmas the best their friend has ever had, Drax and Mantis (Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff) travel to Earth to find his childhood hero, the man who saved a town by dancing, Kevin Bacon.
The trip results in a montage of ridiculous photos with passersby on Hollywood Boulevard, the destruction of multiple police cars, and raiding of a Christmas store before putting Kevin Bacon in a box as a gift. Is this human trafficking? Does Bacon agree to hang around for the party? Does Rocket get a gift he’s asked for? Does Groot appear to be going through awkward teenage growing pains? Is there a soundtrack equal to the other Guardians of the Galaxy movies? All of these and more are affirmative.
The holiday special combines live-action and animated scenes to produce a canonical story in the Marvel Cinematic Universe by James Gunn. Gunn, writer and director of the original two films, has stated previously that he is a fan of the Star Wars Holiday Special, as well as the original How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch can especially be seen in the the special’s opening and closing animated segments where Kraglin (Sean Gunn) recalls Yondu’s introduction to the holiday, making a difficult decision as to whether or not destroy the Christmas propaganda.
Gunn also introduces two original songs to the special, both sung by the band the Old 97’s, who portray an alien band living on Knowhere. “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime is Here) combines misinterpreted facts about the holiday’s culture as deciphered by a person who’s learned them from friends of friends. The band closes the show with “Here it is Christmas Time,” with Kevin Bacon leading. In addition, the special includes such holiday classics as the Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping,” “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues, “Is this Christmas” by the Wombats, and Fountain of Wayne’s “I Want an Alien for Christmas.”
While the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special may not be the next How the Grinch Stole Christmas, it is an absolutely wonderful addition to the Guardians storyline and Marvel films, introducing a new relationship to explore between Peter and Mantis for their next film.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special is available to stream on Disney+.
