Christmas Film Reviews: “Arthur Christmas”

Coming in hot under fourth place is “Arthur Christmas” – my favourite quirky reimagining of the Claus familia. It contains a number of well-known voices, such as James McAvoy as the eponymous hero, Hugh Laurie as his older brother Steven and Bill Nighy behind the face of their gumpy grandfather. You may hear a familiar name when I mention Peter Baynham, who is one of its co-writers. Yesterday, I talked a little bit about his masterful cursing in “Bad Santa”, but this frosty Wednesday we’re turning a new page into the man’s skilful tales for kids.

It’s the peak of Christmas night and all children are blissfully sleeping. Elves storm their houses, leaving presents and warding off pets under the watchful command of Steven – Santa’s eldest son. Enthusiastically observing from North Pole’s mission centre is our own Arthur. He’s the most youthful Clause descendant, whose love for celebrations is purer than snow. Upon their father’s return, the boys celebrate hastily over turkey and mash, not realising one child has been missed. As soon as Arthur notices the mistake, he sets out on a journey across the globe to deliver the fateful pink bicycle. Grandsanta is the only one willing to help, excitedly tagging in on the ancient, wood sleigh, only to deliver comical confusion and grumpy remarks. The hours are pushing and sunlight will soon begin creeping in, but Arthur never gives up hope. No child should be left without a present on Christmas, regardless how hard the journey to their house may be. Despite suffering a multitude of detours around Canada, Africa and the open ocean, Arthur knows it will all be worthwhile. Will the Claus family pull together and finish that last mission as a team or will reindeer-loss and the American government get in the way of Christmas cheer?

What I find refreshing about this film is its constantly changing scenery. Unlike a fair share of Yule flicks, the story isn’t fixed in a single country or town, but rather alternates in unison with the diverse journey. Reeking havoc from Canada to Cuba, the companions escape narrowly from the eye of the police. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about a giant inflatable Santa, whose belly gets in the way of their sleigh. Minutes later we’re found stranded in Tanzania, fighting off lions and only a fraction after that, Arthur is paddling a boat among the turbulent Pacific waves. There are no boundaries, but infinite horizons. There’s nothing more triggering to a child’s wonder-maker than the possibilities of an endless adventure stream. Sarah Smith, “Arthur Christmas”‘s director manages to create that sensation almost flawlessly.

And brace yourselves for a heart jab of cuteness at the sight of Bryony the elf. As is standard for most animations, we have a trusty minion that saves the day more than their crew ever knows. One of Santa’s tiny workers, who holds bragging rights to the ability of wrapping presents with only three piece of sticky tape, fits right into that place. She risks her job, hiding in the sleigh with the hopes of being utilised in Arthur’s mission. Sharing equal amounts of passion for installing happiness in the world, him and Bryony become best friends before their trip is even over.

 

Family is the key word of December after all. In the sea of gift wrap,  evergreen trees and sparkly, red balls, our island of salvation is coming home to the people we love. “Arthur Christmas” is a showcase of those important connections we make not just through relatives, but to the world as well. Gooey to its very core, the script drips with sticky positivity and touching character development.

Arthur himself is a tall, skinny youngster, who seems frail enough to break. Aided by a pair of raindeer slippers and a fitting jumper, the character’s aura circulates strongly around charm. His voice is the one in every child, unreasonably optimistic and noble, unharmed by the harshest of boundaries in the name of true happiness. That’s what makes the boy so special. Nothing is about the present itself, nothing is about showing off and being on top. What counts the most is a smile, a hug, or a little, tiny gasp of joy upon the sight of a long-awaited dream.

Watching this film without the presence of a minor is completely acceptable and I myself have done it more times that I care to admit. Its lighthearted humour make for a chilled night in without weighing you down with any negative underlying dilemmas.

My snack recommendation for this treasure is a bowl of chocolate-covered pretzels and the necessary tub of “Phish Food”.

Stay awesome!

Megs x

 

 

Christmas Film Reviews: “The Nightmare Before Christmas”

The number eleven spot on our Christmas countdown falls in the hands of Tim Burton. I mean honestly, were you really expecting otherwise? With limited competition in the stop-motion festive variety, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” snatches a prime slot in the winter hall of fame. Although it features a cast you’ll almost certainly be unfamiliar with, that only contributes to the flavour – adding a degree of authenticity to otherwise truly phantasmagoric scenes.

Chris Sarandon enters the role of Jack Skellington, a poetic and smiley scrag, who lives in one of six tree kingdoms. Surrounded by ghouls, witches, zombies and vampires (among other creepy crawlies), his gloomy life in Halloween Town seems not quite as exciting as the past remembers. Screams and cries no longer bring Jack a sense of satisfaction, a distinct lack of deeper purpose and dullness haunt his last return home. As a healthy concoction of horror, comedy, romance, fantasy and musical, Tim Burton expresses these feelings in a graveyard song, which romantically changes the course of Skellington’s destiny. Entirely by chance, he stumbles upon Christmas Town, a neighbouring land engulfed with sparkly decorations and hearty laughter. At once, Jack finds himself with a burning obsession in mind. What is this pure bliss and who’s the jolly, old man hauling “Ho-ho-ho!” from a fancy red robe? Soon enough the whole community gets involved, determined to recreate the festivities in their own, sinister way.

As mentioned somewhere in the above lines, I’d point out where, but I want to see you suffer, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is a stop-motion animation. For the unfamiliar souls on my reader crew, this art form includes miniature figurines, which are manipulated into action still by still, effectively creating a fluid motion. Back in 1993 when the film first made its debut in cinemas, arguably one of the most famous pioneers in the genre were Aardman Animations. You’d know some of their work such as “Wallace and Gromit”, “Chicken Run” and “Flushed Away” from general childhood playground tiddle-taddle. Practices was still developing in order to create the feature films we see released in present day, which flow with admirable smoothness in motion. This means that every now and then you’d be able to spot slightly rougher, chopped up segments, which will send you straight into a nineties throwback. Don’t panic, that’s one of the movie’s biggest positives, embrace the journey and strap in while it lasts. The genuinely charming clumsiness is a gift, rather than a set-back.

The storyline jumps from one action to the next in an engaging string of events. Not a dull moment exists in this swirl of dismal fright and optimistic Yule merriments. Imagine the film like a swirly marshmallow, which ties its flavours to utmost perfection. Thematically, we see notes of compassion, camaraderie and hope, which shines a guiding light into the otherwise dark future of Halloween Town. The songs are poetically written, expressing accurate emotions with few simple lines.

The cuteness factor is brought to us by Zero – a ghost puppy, which is just as cuddly and functional as your own dog, except it features a glowing, red nose, sweetly reminiscent of Rudolph’s knocker. And if that isn’t adorable enough already, he is in the shape of a floating sheet, showcasing the nearly extinct classic portrayal of spirits. The dream pet all ’round! Zero’s as much a part of the plot as master Skellington himself, hovering above the soil like only a loyal friend could.

Catherine O’Hara is in the part of Sally, a toxicologist, runaway experimentation. Despite her frightening rag-doll body, sawn together with thick, blue stitches, she is adorable and lovable just as much as Zero is. Jack inevitably develops affections for her, which culminate in the resolution of the film, so make sure you don’t get drunk enough by then to give slumber priority. It’s a heart-tugging moment of finding love in a hopeless place. It’s two creatures of the night connecting beyond the boundaries of terror.

To conclude, this animation is a film just as much for kids as it is for grown ups. I would dare call “The Nightmare Before Christmas” a timeless classic, full of imagination and creativity. It bursts the seams of traditional festive tales, merging seasons and stories together into a bigger celebration of the life beyond fairytales. I could only finish this off by recommending a nice cup of hot chocolate, impaled with a cinnamon stick and sprinkled with dusting sugar for this one.

Enjoy the nightmarish Christmas, everyone.

Stay awesome!

Megs x