Today I picked up a copy of "Elf" on DVD, easily my favourite Christmas movie. My plan is to initiate a tradition of rewatching it every Christmas, in much the same way I suppose that my Dad puts himself in a Christmas mood by watching Ray Martin host Christmas Carols.
For those of you who haven't seen this film (possibly everyone other than Michella), it is the story of Buddy (played by Will Ferrell) who, as a baby, crawls into Santa's sleigh, and ends up in the North Pole. He is raised as an elf, but his general incompetence in areas such as toy making betrays his human origins. When his adopted father tells him the truth, he runs off to look for his real father, and ends up (as you do in all Christmas movies) in New York City.
It's actually quite a funny, sweet movie, and Will Ferrell is hilarious as Buddy. The scene where he comes across a midget in a corporate meeting and thinks he's an elf is a high point, as he enrages the little fella with questions like "Does Santa know that you left the workshop?"
I'm not really sure what to make of Will Ferrell. He's carried one of my favourite movies "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", was serious and funny in "Stranger than Fiction", had a few great moments in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and a fantastic cameo in "Wedding Crashers". Add "Elf" to this and you've got a great comedic resume . . . and yet I'm not totally sold on him. It seems like he needs the right material to really shine, and has definitely had a few missteps along the way.
This is a great film though, funny without being dirty. And I'm pleased to say, if there's ever an occasion where someone is perusing my DVD collection and asks "You got anything we can watch that's not going to give me nightmares?" I'll be able to pull this one out with pride.
For those of you who haven't seen this film (possibly everyone other than Michella), it is the story of Buddy (played by Will Ferrell) who, as a baby, crawls into Santa's sleigh, and ends up in the North Pole. He is raised as an elf, but his general incompetence in areas such as toy making betrays his human origins. When his adopted father tells him the truth, he runs off to look for his real father, and ends up (as you do in all Christmas movies) in New York City.
It's actually quite a funny, sweet movie, and Will Ferrell is hilarious as Buddy. The scene where he comes across a midget in a corporate meeting and thinks he's an elf is a high point, as he enrages the little fella with questions like "Does Santa know that you left the workshop?"
I'm not really sure what to make of Will Ferrell. He's carried one of my favourite movies "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy", was serious and funny in "Stranger than Fiction", had a few great moments in "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" and a fantastic cameo in "Wedding Crashers". Add "Elf" to this and you've got a great comedic resume . . . and yet I'm not totally sold on him. It seems like he needs the right material to really shine, and has definitely had a few missteps along the way.
This is a great film though, funny without being dirty. And I'm pleased to say, if there's ever an occasion where someone is perusing my DVD collection and asks "You got anything we can watch that's not going to give me nightmares?" I'll be able to pull this one out with pride.
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