Michael's Movie Grade: B+ A surprisingly excellent Christmas fantasy for the whole family. Of course in a film like this the most important thing is to have a sense of magic, and this movie is simply oozing over with magic. From the beginning of this movie the magic is perfectly set up. It takes place in an environment that could be any place and any time giving the film the timeless feel that most great fantasy stories could have. From here everything is mostly uphill. The blend of live action and animation is near perfect. Of course with how film savvy we all are these days, we know in our minds that animation had to have been used at points, but our hearts and inner children completely buy into the fantasy. The musical numbers are fantastic. The songs are great by themselves, as they are extremely catchy and the lyrics help increase the emotion in each scene. However these songs are only enhanced by the great visual magic we see on screen. The acting is great and each member of the cast brings a sense of likability, fun or magic to their characters. To be fair this movie tells a story we have seen many times before, but despite the clichés the emotional moments hit home just the way they are supposed to. True some of these emotional moments are as corny as all get out, but sometimes isn't that what we want from a Christmas film. On the downside this movie is a bit overlong and there are moments that simply feel like padding. It could easily have used some cutting. Overall this is a sheer delight for those who like me can't get enough Christmas in their lives. Note: This film is available to watch on Netflix. -Michael J. Ruhland
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