Inexplicably jazzy Santa is the beating heart of Netflix's 'Christmas Chronicles 2'

Welcome to Thanks, I Love It, our series highlighting something onscreen we're obsessed with this week. 

Gather ‘round all ye struggling to find the 2020 Christmas spirit, and I’ll tell you a tale of Kurt Russell jamming out as a jazzy, sax-playing Santa.

The Christmas Chronicles 2, a spunky sequel to director Chris Columbus’ 2018 romp The Christmas Chronicles, has a lot going on — even by Netflix holiday standards. (Lookin' at you, Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square.)

In this sci-fi adventure, Russell reprises his role as Ol' Saint Nick, opposite wife Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus, to once again save Christmas at all costs. The pair is joined by franchise lead Darby Camp, returning as Katie, and newcomer Jahzir Bruno, playing Katie's friend Jack.

Together, the group contends with kidnapping, chemical warfare, attempted reindeer murder, and a super mean elf at the center of it all. It's a hellish setup for our heroes, and makes for a somewhat baffling viewing experience (as the film's 57% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes indicates.)

Still, through all the chaos, the spirit of Christmas shines bright in a glittering moment of sheer holiday fanaticism that made even this Scrooge — I'm not always like this, 2020 has just sucked — say a seasonal “Thanks, I Love It!”

Let’s set the scene.

Via Giphy

After accidentally traveling back in time to a ‘90s airport — I would tell you why, but I truly do not think it is ever explained — Santa and Katie must find a way to recharge the Christmas cheer meter on Santa's sleigh so they can deliver presents to the world's children. So, Katie goes to get batteries (not kidding) and Santa does a musical number intended to raise the spirit of travelers and help his sleigh fly.

An original song by Steven Van Zandt, "The Spirit of Christmas" is a jazzy duet between Santa and music legend Darlene Love that is without question the best three-and-a-half minutes of the nearly two hour movie. (Inexplicably, Love is playing a ticket agent named Grace who is getting her ass handed to her by angry customers over delayed and canceled flights — but she does get a great costume, so whatever.)

It's a great gospel number, sure to stick in your head after a few listens. But more than that, it's a shining display of enthusiasm and effort that's uplifting in this glum holiday season.

There's a choir, dancers, lights, glitter, and, in one glorious instant, a mysterious stagehand that gives Santa a saxophone and sunglasses the moment he shouts "SAX!" Glistening with sweat and beaming with excitement, Russell and Love look like they could collapse from exhaustion at any moment, and the crowds of impassioned extras behind them look about the same.

In this scene from a sequel that is otherwise fairly forgettable, everyone leaves it on the stage/terminal. As in the original Christmas Chronicles, where Russell's Santa performed a jailhouse rock number after getting booked for grand theft auto, there's no explanation for why this movie that has no other musical numbers explodes into such a frenetic bop. It's never acknowledged, never revisited, never lingered on long enough to make you question the holiday magic.

It's just the spirit of Christmas, and right now? That's enough.

The Christmas Chronicles 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

Via Giphy