5 Great Comedy Movie Sequels (And 5 That Were Disappointments)

1. Christmas Vacation (1989)

More than anything, Christmas Vacation is simply another chapter in the life of the Griswolds. A family that, thanks to their father, bare witness to disaster after disaster. What made the first three Vacation movies so fun to watch, especially the third one, is the love that screenwriter John Hughes had for these characters. Everyone could relate to the misery that's involved in taking long road trips with your family, and Hughes struck that chord again by forcing this family to have the worst Christmas ever. This would be the type of Christmas Day that would haunt me for decades if I was in this family. Clark Griswold tries his best to make Christmas Day perfect for his wife and kids, but various shenanigans occur that prevents that from happening. A couple of trees get destroyed, a cat gets electrocuted, furniture is set on fire, and Clark winds up not receiving his holiday bonus. Could the day really get any worse? Christmas Vacation is an obvious choice for number one because it's mandatory viewing during the Christmas season. There's A Christmas Story, It's A Wonderful Life, and Christmas Vacation. By putting the Griswolds into an entirely new situation and setting, John Hughes was able to make a movie that is, more-or-less, just as funny as the first. Unfortunately, there's another film that he wrote that's on this list that wasn't quite as successful...