Mark A. Kendell

So, Mark A. Kendell pops up as the name behind The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (2024), and honestly, this movie just grabs you out the gate. It’s that perfect blend of chaos and heart that you only get when you shove a bunch of wild kids into a church Christmas play. The Herdmans? Oh, man, these kids are straight-up legendary for being the worst of the worst—like, stealing lunches, setting things on fire, you name it. And somehow, they crash the auditions and take over all the main roles. The entire town basically expects the nativity to be a total trainwreck. But then, something weird happens. As rehearsals spiral into mayhem and everyone’s whispering about how this year’s pageant is doomed, you start seeing these little moments—like, real, messy, honest moments—where the Herdmans aren’t just wrecking stuff, they’re actually trying. The adults are losing their minds, the kids are horrified, and the church ladies are probably updating their wills, but beneath all that, you get hit with this gut-punch of realness. The chaos actually shakes people up, makes them see the Christmas story in a way that’s way less sugar-coated and way more… well, human. By the end, nobody (least of all the Herdmans) does what’s expected. There’s still plenty of disaster, sure, but there’s also a ton of heart that sneaks up on you. It’s messy, hilarious, and honestly, a little bit magical—like the holidays themselves. So yeah, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever isn’t just about a play. It’s about finding meaning in the mess, and maybe, just maybe, letting a little chaos change you for the better.