favorite movie #109 - holiday edition: a charlie brown christmas

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #109 - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) - Like many, I grew up on this "true meaning of Christmas" classic. It may also have been the first pop culture example that I saw that equated the Christmas season with depression. The animation stays close to Charles M. Schulz's signature comic strip style and the music by Vince Guaraldi was memorable and delightful.

via GIPHY

Fun fact:

"The popularity of the special practically eliminated the popularity of the aluminum Christmas tree, which was a fad from 1958 to 1965, when the special portrayed it negatively. By 1967, just two years after the special first aired, they were no longer being regularly manufactured." — courtesy of Wikipedia

favorite movie #74 - halloween edition: mad monster party?

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #70 - Mad Monster Party? (1967) - From the folks that brought us Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer and other stop-motion classics comes this fun, silly movie hat references most of the classic universal horror monsters and more. Boris Karloff voices Baron Boris von Frankenstein, Phyllis Diller has a blast as the mate of the Monster. Frankenstein's nephew Felix (voiced by Allen Swift, who voices most of the other characters, some with impersonations of Jimmy Stewart, Peter Lorre. Sydney Greenstreet, and Charles Laughton) is set to inherit the family business. Felix also quickly falls for his uncle's voluptuous assistant, Francesca, who resembles the actress Stella Stevens and is voted by Gale Garnett. Bonus — it's the kid's favorite Halloween movie.

favorite movie #49: pom poko

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #49 - Pom Poko (1994) - My mom was a huge fan of Japanese anime, especially work from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. We found this movie at the library, after we blew through all the Miyazaki films and were trying to find some new anime to watch. It is a long, rambling, but ultimately powerful take on urban sprawl and the environment. The tanuki, or raccoon dogs who are the primary focus of the film, are finding their habitat encroached upon by the growing human population of Tokyo. Director Isao Takahata portrays the tanuki as fun-loving, mischievous, war-mongering, affectionate, magical, shape-shifting creatures. Different styles of anime portray the tanuki in their different states and moods, and add to the overall epic look of the film. There really isn't anything else out there like Pom Poko. It is so much more than a cartoon. It is a thoughtful, visually rich, at times sad film that can be revisited again and again.

Related:

two (very different) animated tales of animal survival
grave of the fireflies
paprika 's dream world
arrietty is like walking inside a painting

teen titans go! young superheroes' and their bratty beginnings

There seems to be a never-ending desire for superheroes and their stories these days. Origin stories are all the rage. DC Comics gave their readers a glimpse into the origins of popular characters like Batman's sidekick Robin in the Teen Titans comic book series, which has been running intermittently since the mid 1960s. In 2003 an animated series based on the comics premiered on the Cartoon Network, and featured Robin as the leader of a crime-fighting crew that included Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, and Raven. The five superheroes-in-training live in Titans Tower, which actually looks like a gigantic letter "T," in Jump City. The successful show ran for five seasons. In 2013 the Titans returned, this time in a reboot with a comedic twist, Teen Titans Go!

Created in a more streamlined animated style, Teen Titans Go! follows the misadventures of an even younger version of the Titans as they try to solve crimes and stay out of trouble. Interestingly, the same voice actors for the major characters have all returned for Teen Titans Go!

You can read my complete review on Cinema Sentries

how to train your dragon 2

This is a review of the digital version.

Fans of Hiccup and his adorable dragon Toothless will be delighted to learn that their second feature, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is now available as a digital download. The Blu-ray/DVD will be released next week, November 11th. This is a review of the digital version of the film, which viewers may be surprised to learn also includes some great bonus features usually reserved just for Blu-ray and DVD.

The original DreamWorks Animation film, How to Train Your Dragon (2010), was based on the popular series of books by Cressida Cowell. It was not only a financial success, but was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. The film followed the adventures of the quirky outsider Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), a young boy struggling to find his place in Viking society. A disappointment to his father, Viking chief Stoick (Gerard Butler), Hiccup meets and befriends a young black Night Fury dragon, who he names Toothless, and the two join forces to teach the Vikings and the dragons how to live together harmoniously.

Hiccup and Toothless are back in action

Between the release of How to Train Your Dragon and its sequel, DreamWorks Animation offered DreamWorks Dragons, an entertaining animated television series that followed Hiccup, Toothless, and their human and dragon friends as they went on new adventures while continuing to try to live peacefully together. This second film, How to Train Your Dragon 2, directed by Dean DeBlois, finds an now older, teenage Hiccup living in an idyllic Berk - until a group of dragon hunters, led by Eret (Kit Harington), who answers to the very evil Drago (Djimon Hounsou), show up and disrupt their peaceful world. ...

Read the complete review on Cinema Sentries.

big hero 6 — beautiful and brainy

There are many reasons to love Big Hero 6, the latest Disney/Marvel animated offering, but the two most obvious ones are the appealing duo of boy genius Hiro and his amazing robot Baymax.

Baymax and Hiro

The movie is (very loosely) based on a Marvel Comic of the same name. In typical Disney fashion, young Hiro (Ryan Potter) must deal with the tragic death of a loved one very early in the film. The melodramatic deck is also stacked, as 14-year-old Hiro  and and his older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) are already orphans when we meet them, and living with their eccentric but loving Aunt Cass (Maya Rudolph) in the futuristic hybridized city of San Fransokyo.

Hiro is also surrounded by a lovable team of self-professed science geeks, Tadashi's friends GoGo Tomago (Jamie Chung), Wasabi (Damon Wayans, Jr.), Honey Lemon (Génesis Rodríguez), and Fred (T. J. Miller), who all attend the city's prestigious science and technology school, the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. Tadashi wants Hiro to apply to the school, and he does, in spectacular fashion, with his invention of microbots, which can be controlled by the mind to take any shape or form. Hiro's microbots catch the interest of the head of the school, Professor Callaghan (James Cromwell), who offers him a place at the school, as well as Alistair Krei (Alan Tudyk), a wealthy owner of a robotics company, who wants to hire Hiro on the spot.

The action ramps up as Hiro meets Baymax (Scott Adsit), a very appealing healthcare/helper robot invented by Tadashi. With a few upgrades to Baymax, and Tadashi's friends on his side, the gang teams up to discover the identity of the mysterious masked figure who has stolen Hiro's microbots.  Hiro is no longer alone in his quest for the truth.

The team, L-R: Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Hiro, Baymax, GoGo, and Fred

Big Hero 6 has a big heart, but it is also great to look at. The mixture of anime and doll-like animation gives it a fresh look, while staying in the style of the day. San Fransokyo, with its soaring buildings and nearness to water suggests its two city inspirations, San Francisco and Tokyo, while becoming something altogether new and exciting. There are also visual and thematic nods to films Blade Runner, Scooby Doo, and Real Steel. Big Hero 6 also works as a superhero origins movie, as each of his friends use their tech wizardry to outfit themselves with special abilities.

The original comic book characters

One of the most appealing aspects of the movie is its love of science, gadgets, and most importantly, school. Tadashi rescues his smart but bored little brother from some tough guys and life on the street and shows him where he and his ingenuity can flourish — at the San Fransokyo Institute of Technology. That burning desire for knowledge, matched with the sincere and loving heart — of a robot — Baymax — makes for a very winning film.

the nut job

Universal Studios is releasing on Blu-ray and DVD The Nut Job on April 15. The animated film is set in the fictional town of Oakton, which, as far as its wild animal inhabitants are concerned, is in the middle of an extreme food shortage as winter fast approaches. Surly the Squirrel (Will Arnett) and his mostly mute rat buddy named Buddy march to a different drummer, and are constantly getting in trouble with the rest of the local animals. ...

Andie and Surly form an uneasy alliance

Surly checks out downtown

... The story is more than a bit frantic, and there are no real break-out characters that make an animated film a classic, but The Nut Job is amiable enough to entertain the kiddos. Whether the adults will be engaged or not depends on how much they like the look of things. And The Nut Job is great to look at - from its retro-inspired style to its bright colors and attention to detail. Especially impressive are the individual hairs on characters and rendered textures like wood and stone. The look of the film, from the styling of the buildings and backgrounds to the whole heist scenario, brings to mind classic Bugs Bunny encounters with the gangsters Rocky and Mugsy. Alas, none of the characters in The Nut Job have quite the personality of Bugs, but then, who does?

You can read my complete review on Cinema Sentries.

lost and found

eOne Films released a magical animated short, Lost & Found, on October 15 in the U.S. for the first time. Based on the best-selling book by Oliver Jeffers, and narrated by Jim Broadbent (Little Voice, Topsy Turvy, Moulin Rouge).

Lost and Found follows the story of a young boy who one morning finds a penguin at his front door. After researching penguins he decides that he will help his new friend get back home — except penguins live at the South Pole ... What to do? Row across the ocean in a small rowboat, of course. The two have adventures on the way, including a narrow escape from a gigantic octopus. But what the boy soon learns is that maybe the penguin wasn't ever lost, maybe he was just lonely. And maybe he wasn't the only lonely one.

The CGI animation by Studio AKA is colorful and charming, and stays close the original style of author Oliver Jeffers's illustrations. Directed by Philip Hunt, the BAFTA award-winning Lost and Found is available in widescreen format and looks great on a large-scale high definition television screen. The original score, in Dolby, composed by Max Richter, is a lovely accompaniment to the sweet story. The DVD has a total running time of 54 minutes, which includes the animated short as well as a "making of" featurette that includes interviews with Jeffers and the production team, as well as images from Jeffers' original book.

Jeffers, the recipient of many awards, including The New York Times Best Illustrated Book and The Roald Dahl Prize, is originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, but now lives and works in Brooklyn, NY.  He is the author of many children's books, including another that features the little boy and his penguin, Up and Down. Lost and Found, the first of his books to be turned into an animated film, is also set to air on Nickelodeon as a holiday special this December. Kids and adults alike will be enchanted by Lost and Found.

khumba

Millennium Entertainment is releasing Khumba, a South African animated film that has a little something for everyone. Kids will love the title character of Khumba (Jake T. Austin, (Wizards of Waverly Place), a young zebra who has been wrongfully alienated from his herd because he is different — he lacks stripes on his back half. Khumba is blamed for the drought that is plaguing the Great Karoo, where he and his herd reside. After his mother dies, the sad little zebra goes on a quest to find a mystical waterhole, and he hopes, earn his stripes. Along the way he meets a series of colorful characters, some friendly, some dangerous, and even finds himself before the credits roll.

Khumba and Skalk

Directed by Anthony Silverston, the animation is sharp and gorgeous and looks great on a large-scale high-definition television screen. The Blu-ray/DVD combo pack also includes behind-the-scenes features and interviews. English SDH and Spanish subtitles are available.

While the story arc may be stereotypical, adults will love the look of the film, as well as enjoy recognizing some of their favorite actors in the supporting cast. Laurence Fishburne plays Khumba's father Seko, Liam Neeson the hungry and menacing leopard Phango, Steve Buscemi (Monsters University, Hotel Transylvania) as the wild dog Skalk, and Khumba's new-found friends, wildebeest Mama V (Loretta Devine) and ostrich Bradley (Richard E. Grant). Khumba's journeys take him through beautifully animated South African landscapes where he meets a migrating herd of Springbok and other colorful animal characters.

Back at home, Khumba's friend Tombi (AnnaSophia Robb, The Carrie Diaries) tries to convince Seko and the rest of the herd that the drought is not Khumba's fault, and that they need to find a new waterhole as well as their young friend. The film, apart from its skillful animation, also has an important message about diversity and accepting yourself for who you are. While Khumba may at first seem eerily reminiscent of other animated films like Madagascar, it does have its own quirky style and message, and its visual portrayal of the African landscape and many of its inhabitants is top-notch.

Originally published on Blogcritics: Blu-ray Review: ‘Khumba’

frozen

The kid and I checked out Frozen the other day. It only shares the slightest similarity to the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Snow Queen, so fans of Gerda and Kai may need to adjust their expectations before attending. Instead of a girl-power story of a young girl, against all odds and an evil Snow Queen, rescuing her young male friend Kai, Frozen features two strong female heroines, a pair of sisters (and princesses, of a northern country dubbed Arendelle) named Anna (Kirsten Bell) and Elsa (Idina Menzel). Elsa has a special ability — she can create ice and snow with the wave of her hand. But after some childhood play goes horribly wrong and her younger sister Anna is injured, their parents rush them to some friendly trolls, who take away Anna's memory and doom the fearful parents and Elsa to hiding their older daughter's gift away from the world — and her sister. "Conceal, don't feel," is the mantra they insist Elsa adopt.

Elsa, the Snow Queen - it's lonely at the top of a mountain of ice

Par the usual Disney fairytale adaptation, the girls' parents soon meet a tragically convenient end, leaving the sisters to grow up orphaned and estranged — as Elsa fears that she will lose control and seriously harm Anna and others. When Elsa comes of age there is a glimmer of hope at her coronation that the two sisters may finally grow closer, but that hope is quickly dashed when the impulsive Anna falls immediately for a visiting prince named Hans (Santino Fontana), and Elsa loses her temper and control of her powers, to the horror of her sister and coronation guests. She flees the scene, unwittingly covering Arendelle in ice. She may be forced into a life of isolation, but she is finally free, and no longer hides her ability but exults in it, constructing an enormous mountain castle made of ice.

Let it go, let it go
Can't hold it back anymore
Let it go, let it go
Turn away and slam the door
I don't care what they're going to say
Let the storm rage on
The cold never bothered me anyway 

"Let It Go," music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, performed by Idina Menzel

An intrepid Anna sets out after her sister, sure she can convince her to come home and "fix" everything. She is joined on her quest by some comic (and potentially romantic) relief — Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his lovable and loyal reindeer Sven, as well as a magical snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad).

Beware, spoilers below:

Frozen has a lot to recommend it. The vocals by Bell, and especially Menzel, are great. I do think, however, that apart from Elsa/Menzel's big number "Let It Go," the songs were pretty forgettable. Does every Disney animated movie have to be a mini-musical? Maybe it's time to move beyond Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. Pixar and Dreamworks are making entertaining pseudo-Broadway song free animated movies.

Olaf the snowman is adorable and sure to have multiple spin-off cartoons, as his character of a snowman who yearns for sunnier days is just too great to resist. After the sisters have an unsuccessful reunion Elsa once again unwittingly injures her sister, lodging a shard of ice in her heart, You would think that after being able to build such an amazing palace of ice (a truly gorgeous sequence) she might pay a little more attention to what she does with her flying ice hands.)

Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and Sven in a beautiful ice forest

When the trolls confirm that the only thing to melt the ice that is slowly freezing Anna's heart is an act of true love, it is assumed that true love's kiss will save the day. The audience knows that Kristoff, not Hans, is the candidate for that job. But there is a last-act plot turn that spoiled a bit of the magic for not just me, but my daughter. The screenwriters make Hans a truly nasty villain, robbing Anna of the ability to realize for herself that she doesn't really love him. They do minimize that blunder by having the love that saves the day be that between the sisters, and not dependent on romance, which, admittedly, is great. But the sour, clichéd character of Hans still hung over our movie-viewing experience as we exited the theater.

That said, I would still recommend Frozen. Making Elsa a conflicted and not evil Snow Queen was an interesting choice. Along with Tangled and Brave, Disney's princess stories are trying to take some forward steps. Teeny, tiny, baby steps forward. But next time let the girl be strong on her own and make her own decisions about love, and not let her get dumped and disappointed by a bad guy so that she then notices a good one. Let the conflicted, "dark" girl like Elsa be the main focus rather than her spunky, cute sister. Could Disney manage a story that didn't have princesses in it at all? The original Snow Queen didn't need Gerda to be a princess. Far from it — she and Kai were poor. Not every girl dreams of being a princess. Remember Lilo and Stitch? It's worth a try.

the centered worlds of moonrise kingdom and fantastic mr. fox

Sam, "I admit we knew we'd get in trouble. That part's true. We knew people would be worried, and we still ran away, anyway. But something also happened, which we didn't do on purpose. When we first met each other, something happened to us."

Sam and Suzy embark on an adventure

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom tells a tale of young love, circa 1965. Or, a love story that happens to be happening to two young people. Kids, most would call them. 12-year-old Sam (Jared Gilman) and the lovely deadpan Suzy met one summer and it was clearly a meeting of the minds. Or souls. After some serious pen pal-manship the two decide to run away together the following summer. Sam is a Khaki Scout, and comes to the rendezvous equipped with all matter of survival gear. Suzy brings her kitten, favorite books, her portable record player and a suitcase. Suzy's parents (Frances McDormand and Bill Murray), Sam's scout master (Edward Norton) and troop and a laid-back local policeman (Bruce Willis) go on full alert and try to locate the missing pair. But Moonrise Kingdom is not really about whether the kids will be found or not. It's about love and family. Sam is an orphan and envies Suzy's large family, while Suzy detests them and romanticizes Sam's situation.

Sam, "I feel I'm in a real family now. Not like yours, but similar to one."
Suzy, "I always wished I was an orphan. Most of my favorite characters are. I think your lives are more special."
Sam, "I love you, but you don't know what you're talking about."
Suzy, "I love you, too."

The fantastic Mr. Fox

An equally fantastic treehouse from Moonrise Kingdom

Bill Murray has been working consistently with Anderson since Rushmore, and the director has always managed to assemble the best talent. Also on board for Moonrise Kingdom are Bob Balaban as an overly-involved narrator, Tilda Swinton, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, Frances McDormand, and another Anderson regular contributor, Jason Schwartzman. I've been a fan of Anderson and his highly stylized films, featuring twisted family situations since Rushmore. Moonrise Kingdom is a visual feast as well as sweet and funny. But as I was watching it I couldn't help but be reminded of his previous film, the stop-motion Fantastic Mr. Fox. Moonrise Kingdom's opening credit sequence set in the Bishops' (Suzy's parents) house, how the characters are placed in a frame, and how the camera moves, reminds me of Anderson's animated animal characters as well as being very reminiscent of Mr. Fox's home.

Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl children's book, tells the story of Mr. Fox (George Clooney) his wife (Meryl Streep), and his uneasy relationship with his son Ash (Jason Schwartzman). Mr. Fox and his friends steal food each night from some rich and angry farmers, but soon find their lives and homes threatened by the humans, until they turn the tables on the farmers and find a new life — underground. The disaffected Ash and his gripes, especially his resentment of his talented cousin Kristofferson (Eric Anderson), sounds similar to runaways Sam and Suzy.

Beaver's Son, to Ash, "We don't like you and we hate your dad. Now grab some of that mud, chew it in your mouth, and swallow it."
Ash, "I'm not gonna eat mud!"
Beaver's Son, "Cuss yeah you are." [Shoves mud in Ash's face]
Kristofferson, "Don't do that."
Beaver's Son, "Why'd you take your shoes off?"
Kristofferson, "So I don't break your nose when I kick it." [Karate moves ensue, Beaver's son walks away crying]
Ash, "I can fight my own fights."
Kristofferson, "No, you can't."

The crew from The Life Aquatic, led by Bill Murray

Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore

A tableau semi-vivant from The Royal Tenenbaums

Anderson has always been a fan of ultra-saturated colors and (mostly) centered compositions. Think about the framing of a scene the next time out watching The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou or The Royal Tenenbaums. His highly stylized visuals effortlessly leant themselves to the animation of Fox, but that sensibility, especially coupled with an attention to detail, is just as wonderfully employed in Moonrise Kingdom. The Bishops' house interiors resemble a miniature dollhouse — until someone actually walks into the frame and surprises the viewer. There are many set pieces in Moonrise Kingdom, but one of the funniest, an amazingly tall tree house built by the troop Sam belongs to, the Khaki Scouts, brings the tree that houses Mr. Fox and his friends to mind as well.

At the Bishops' house, with Suzy ...

... and without Suzy

Mr. Fox, "They say all foxes are slightly allergic to linoleum, but it's cool to the paw — try it. They say my tail needs to be dry cleaned twice a month, but now it's fully detachable — see? They say our tree may never grow back, but one day, something will. Yes, these crackles are made of synthetic goose and these giblets come from artificial squab, and even these apples look fake — but at least they've got stars on them. I guess my point is, we'll eat tonight, and we'll eat together. And even in this not particularly flattering light, you are without a doubt the five and a half most wonderful wild animals I've ever met in my life. So let's raise our boxes — to our survival.

Families may be dysfunctional, and our world and our lives, may be less than perfect, but somehow Anderson's characters manage to find ways to enjoy themselves and make the best of things. All while keeping things centered.

the secret world of santa claus

Just in time for the Christmas season, Cinedigm is releasing two DVD sets of the international animated television series, The Secret World of Santa Claus: The Secret World of Santa Claus: Elves in Toyland and The Secret World of Santa Claus: A Present for Santa. Each two-disc set features Santa Claus and his helpful elves as they prepare for their annual marathon toy delivery and sleigh ride. The DVDs are designed as a countdown to Christmas, with the first set covering December 1-13 and the second set December 14-25.

Santa, the elves and the reindeer

The Secret World of Santa Claus, originally broadcast in 1997, is French in origin. It continues to be aired in France and Canada each holiday season, and now American children and their families can join in the fun. Most of the episodes are centered around Santa's North Pole workshop, where he and his trusty elves make and prepare the toys for all of the children of the world. The elves and other North Pole residents are:

Jordi - He is the inventor and scientist of the three elves. He can also turn into any animal, and the group's many adventures present this opportunity quite often.

Thoren - She can fly and even become invisible. She can also speak any language, which frequently comes in handy.

Guilfi - He is an apprentice elf and is not sure of his magical power yet, but he is very mechanically-minded.

Balbo - He is a polar bear who guards Santa's workshop.

Gruzzlebeard - A troll, he is Santa's neighbor and the bad guy of the series. When he isn't playing his electric guitar (badly), he is trying to mess with Santa and prevent Christmas from coming.

Dudley - Also a troll, he is Gruzzlebeard's lackey, but he sometimes switches sides to help Santa.

Rudolph, Donner, and Blitzen - Santa's reindeer who can talk and fly.

Jordi, Thoren, and Guilfi

In The Secret World of Santa Claus: Elves in Toyland, besides having to deal with Gruzzlebeard's frequent wacky schemes, Santa and his elves frequently visit young children around the world to help them if they are in trouble, or to determine what gift they should receive for Christmas. Some of the places Santa and the elves travel to deliver gifts that will make children happy include an archaeological site, and even outer space - Santa's sleigh can really go anywhere. Santa even tells a story of a Christmas from long ago with some characters that will be familiar to viewers - Arthur, the Lady of the Lake, and Merlin!

Disc 1 (episodes 1-7): "The Magic Pearl," "The 12 Labours Of Santa Claus," "Little Geniuses," "Rudolph Is Missing," "The Star Child," "Leon’s Christmas," "A Present For Two"

Disc 2 (episodes 8-13): "Super Rabbit," "Lucky Charm," "The Flying Carpet," "Santa Claus’ Memoirs," "Magic Wand," "The Boy Who Wished To Be Little Again"

Gruzzlebeard

In The Secret World of Santa Claus: A Present for Santa, we get a little more background information about Santa's world, including some troll history, Santa's friends, and how Santa manages to deliver all of those presents in one night - with a little bit of magic and quite a bit of time travel. But Jordi's latest invention may change Christmas forever when he inadvertently sends Santa and the gang into the future ... But no worries, Santa manages to make it back to the North Pole to contend once again with Gruzzlebeard, who has found a way to make toys come to life - including dinosaurs.

Disc 1 (episodes 1-7): "A Present For Santa," "The Christmas Conference," "The Story Of Trolls," "Christmas For Dudley," "The Return Of Santa Claus," "The Tall Little Girl," "The Teddy Bear"

Disc 2 (episodes 8-14): "Stolen Christmas," "Havoc In Toyland," "Message In A Bottle," "Balthazar Can’t Make Up His Mind," "The Longest Night," "Santa Claus’ Secrets"

Both disc sets have an approximate total running time of 321 minutes. The characters and animation are bright and colorful and the episodes are designed to be enjoyed again and again during the Christmas season. The Secret World of Santa Claus is a nice addition to animated holiday fare.

saving santa

Just in time for the holidays, Anchor Bay Entertainment has released the Blu-ray + DVD combo pack of Saving Santa, a fun British-made animated tale featuring Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, Sherlock) as a little elf with a big dream — he'd like to work for the big man himself, Santa Claus (Tim Conway), as one of his inventors. But as is typical for the elf, one of Bernard's slightly eccentric inventions goes very, very wrong, and he is suddenly put in the position of having to rescue Santa, and Christmas, too. Time travel and an evil villain named Neville Baddington (voiced by the always wonderful Tim Curry), pose constant challenges for the determined elf to set things right.

Bernard has a great friend in Blitzen

Some well-known actors round out the voice cast: Joan Collins (Dynasty) plays Neville's even more evil momma, Vera Baddington. Pam Ferris (Call the Midwife, Luther) plays Mrs. Claus, Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody) plays Shiny, and Noel Clarke (Doctor Who, Star Trek Into Darkness) plays Snowy.

Saving Santa is directed by Leon Joosen, who was one of the animators on The Little Mermaid and The Swan Princess and Aaron Seelman, who worked as an editor on Barbie: A Perfect Christmas. The Blu-ray also features some extras the whole family will enjoy, including a featurette entitled “Why Saving Santa?”, a music video, “Some Kind of Miracle,” sung by Ashley Tisdale, and some “behind-the scenes” content featuring the actors during voice recording sessions. The film has a running time of 84 minutes, with captions and subtitles available.

Neville Baddington plots and schemes to please his momma

Saving Santa looks great, especially on a widescreen, high-definition television. The CGI animation by Prana Studios (Hoodwinked!, Tinker Bell, Planes) is colorful and sharp. While the film has a Groundhog Day approach to time travel, young children should find the déjà vu-ing more amusing than confusing. Some musical numbers (Bilbo sings!) peppered throughout keep things moving along nicely. While the film's holiday message is predictable, the engaging cast, especially Freeman, make this quirky tale a fun, if slight addition to this year's crop of holiday-themed films.

Originally published on Blogcritics as Blu-ray Review: ‘Saving Santa’