Arthur Christmas (2011)
D: Sarah Smith
W: Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith
S: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen, Marc Wootton, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Ramona Marquez, Michael Palin
As the holidays draw closer and closer, I’m sure we all like to bust out all the holiday classics and watch them until our copies have gotten all worned out and are unplayable. We get that warm nostalgic feeling with A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965, dir. Bill Melendez), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966, dir. Chuck Jones), A Christmas Story (1983, dir. Bob Clark). National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989, dir. Jeremiah S. Checkik), the countless versions of A Christmas Carol and, of course, that unforgettable classic, Die Hard (1988, dir. John McTiernan). IT COUNTS!
But in recent years we haven’t had that many movies that can be deemed classics or stuff we’d probably watch again. A lot of these holiday films have been focused on consumerism and nothing that the holiday spirit is about. There was Jingle All the Way (1996, dir. Brian Levant) which was just about getting a toy and that's it. Deck the Halls (2006, dir. John Whitesell) which was mostly mean spirited competition with the spirit of the holidays after an after thought. Christmas with the Kranks (2004, dir. Joe Roth) which seems to take place in a universe where going on a vacation for Christmas or not celebrating it is a bizarre concept. Yeah, it could be commentary but I just didn't find it that funny in my book. And then all the countless sequels to classics that nobody asked for. Lookin' at you A Christmas Story 2 (2012, dir. Brian Levant)
There have been decent ones in between, mainly the Robert Zemeckis adaptations of The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol.
But in 2011 we finally got one that I’m sure everyone will be talking about, the animated film Arthur Christmas.
The movie is about the Santa Claus family as they try to come to a decision as to who the new Santa should be. Should the next Santa be the one already in service (Jim Broadbent) or his eldest and tech savvy son, Steve (Hugh Laurie)? Or should his father be reinstated as jolly old St. Nick (Bill Nighy)? Or will the reigns be handed to his youngest and clumsiest son, Arthur (James McAvoy)?
Before the decision can be made, the Santas realize that a child has been missed during the Christmas gift delivery. Arthur, being the holly jolly boy that he is, takes it upon himself to deliver the child’s present himself, with his family coming after him to bring him back home.
What happens is an hour and a half of pure holiday joy. You get some great voice work, especially from the amazing James McAvoy, some hilarious scenes that are perfect for any age, and a message that will remain true throughout the years: it doesn't matter how you give a gift; it’s the thought that counts.
Santa wants to give it because, well, he’s Santa, and he wants the glory. Steve wants to give it because he’s the oldest, and he feels more up to date to be Santa. And Grandfather Santa, or 'Grand Santa' as he's referred to as, wants to do it because to him, “Everything was better in my day.”
But, as Arthur shows the audience, it isn't about getting a pat on the back or praise for giving someone a gift. You give a gift because it feels good, and you get to make someone happy.
So this holiday season, add Arthur Christmas to your holiday movie collection. You won’t regret it.
Agree? Disagree? Share you thoughts in the comment section.
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More Holiday posts to come.
DISCLAIMER: All images belong to their respected sources.
This article was also originally published in UCBA's newspaper The Activist. I've included a few things that weren't in the original.
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