MOVIE OF THE WEEK #1 (11/23/11): ARTHUR CHRISTMAS
KEY VOICE CAST MEMBERS: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton and Ashley Jensen
WRITER(S): Sarah Smith & Peter Baynham
DIRECTOR: Sarah Smith
WEB SITE: http://www.arthurchristmas.com
THE PLOT: A film that seeks to answer the question of how Santa Claus (voiced by Jim Broadbent) delivers all those presents around the world in just one night, Arthur Christmas begins by diving into life behind the scenes at the North Pole.
You see, like many others, Santa is a family man - and being the title of Santa is passed down from one Claus to the next. The current Santa is the son of the Grandsanta (voiced by Bill Nighy), a 136 year-old man who makes no bones about how things were better back in his day. You see, Grandsanta isn't impressed by how things are done currently. For while Grandsanta just had the reindeer, "one drunken elf" and some magic dust to help him fly his beloved old school sleigh "Evie," the current Santa has thousands upon thousands of helpers in the form of elves.
Broken down into 13 ranks - Field Elf, Feeler Elf, Alarms/Gadgets Elf, Wrapping Elf, Sorter Elf, I.T. Elf, Listener Elf, Paramedic Elf, Delivery Elf, Mission Control Elf, Special Santa Unit Elf, S-1 (the Star Trek-like vessel now used to deliver gifts) and Helsman Elf - this Santa operates with the precision of a Navy Seal team ... And it's all done under the direction of Steve Claus (voiced by Hugh Laurie). While his dad wears a traditional Santa uniform, Steve wears a Christmas-colored outfit more akin to a general's attire. (At least his facial hair is in the shape of a Christmas tree ... A finely manicured Christmas tree, but a Christmas tree nonetheless.) And as long as the job gets done and he gets to relax with his wife (voiced by Imelda Staunton), Malcolm (the current Santa's real name) is happy.
No one, however, is happier than the current Santa's youngest son, Arthur (voiced by James McAvoy). Despite not being an elf, Arthur is more than happy to work alongside them (although the feeling isn't always mutual), answering children's letters and making sure all the good little boys and girls get what they want. That should explain why Arthur is so saddened when a startling discovery is made by Bryony (voiced by Ashley Jensen) - Wrapping Elf specialist - that a child has been missed. And while Steve is willing to dismiss the matter and regard it as a statistical anomaly, Arthur isn't willing to let it go.
So who is gonna make sure a little girl in England doesn't miss out on Christmas? Well, the movie's title might give you a hint!
THE TAKE: When was the last time you saw a movie that was just a nice, quaint charming experience? One that made you laugh, made you feel a little sentimental and maybe - just MAYBE - almost made you cry before arriving at the ending that while you knew was coming, you still enjoyed it all the same? If it's been a while, I have a suggestion for you.
Go see Arthur Christmas - if that can't help get you in the holiday spirit, I'm not sure what will.
Arthur Christmas succeeds in being an entertaining film as it follows a very simple formula to near perfection: [1] Make your jokes suitable for both kids and adults by not being too simple nor complex but insulting to the intelligence of neither; [2] Develop your characters so that even the secondary ones make meaningful contributions to the actions/reactions of the lead protagonist(s) and [3] Achieves the goal of being a "feel good" movie without manipulating you to arrive at that point. From clever integration of adult mannerisms into the story of Santa's workshop (the aforementioned use of the elves like Navy Seals) to the development of Arthur to his eventual place in the Claus family and the way he affects those around him, director Sarah Smith does a very good job at shaping the story without becoming too sappy or slapstick at any turn. Channeling her inner Pixar-like creativity, the detail in everything from the backgrounds to even the reactions of the characters who are on screen for just a split second is on par throughout the film, which adds to the overall viewing experience as a whole. While it's true the 3D could have been put to much better use, Arthur Christmas is as appealing visually as it is as a story.
While it probably won't replace Elf, Dr. Seuss' The Grinch Who Stole Christmas or A Christmas Story in a lot of people's hearts, it sure beats the long-forgotten Fred Claus.)
You can't have a good movie, however, without good voice actors; Arthur Christmas fortunately features a cast that plays well with one another. While Nighy steals the show as Grandsanta, McAvoy is able to avoid letting his character become a secondary figure in his own movie. (If it can happen in adult, live action affairs like Cedar Rapids, it can happen in animation.) But instead, the cast breathes life (yes, it's a tad cliché, but it applies) into their characters, making them all work. (Don't be surprised if the Blu-Ray has its own elves or Grandsanta mini-feature included as part of the bonus materials!)
Arthur Christmas, however, works best as a kid's movie for a simple reason: He is earnest and makes a good role model in regards to thinking about others, believes in the idea of doing the right thing at all costs and even when he becomes disillusioned, does so in a way where you understand and feel for him.
PARTING SHOT: A film sure to bring a little holiday cheer to children young and young at heart alike, Arthur Christmas is the rare holiday-themed stocking stuffer that's actually worth keeping instead of wishing you could exchanging it for something else.
RATING (OUT OF FOUR BUCKETS OF POPCORN):
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