ELF
Starring Will Farrell

I watched this movie yesterday on the recommendation of a trusted friend (trusted, at least, when it comes to movie reviews). I don�t feel one way or another about Will Farrell because I stopped watching Saturday Night Live years ago. It just stopped being funny. In fact, the few glimpses I�ve had of that wooden show reminds me exactly of the humor in "Elf".

Will Farrell might be a nice guy, love his kids, and be a friend to all but I just don�t find him funny. It�s as if he�s trying to do Jim Carrey but without the charm. But overall Elf is more a less a harmless Christmas movie. By "harmless" I mean that despite the presence of Ed Asner as Santa Claus, the movie isn�t particularly cynical or obsessively lewd or crude. It might, however, strike one as being melancholically and hollowly secular.

Remember the heartfelt singing of "Put a Little Love In Your Heart" at the end of "Scrooge" or "Old Lang Syne" at the end of "It�s a Wonderful Life"? Both are more than capable of putting a soft buzz in the heart and a tear in the eye. They go for the same thing at the end of "Elf" as the crowd is exhorted to sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" in order to help Santa�s sleigh fly (by the power of "Christmas Spirit" or some such thing). The moment falls horribly flat and seems embarrassingly wooden and hollow. I actually laughed at what was surely meant to be the spiritual peak of the film. And I immediately felt terrible pangs of compassion for the hardened atheists of the world. I was quite sure that this was an instance of revealing that those who celebrate "Winter Holiday" don�t have a clue as to what gives these moments real meaning.

Stick with "Miracle on 34th Street" if you�re looking for a good holiday rental.

I thought "The Santa Clause," with Tim Allen, was the best holiday movie in many years.


Markle

P.S. This isn't a holiday movie, but speaking of Tim Allen, anyone who hasn't seen "Galaxy Quest"--a science fiction comedy spoof of the actors in a defunct Star Trek-like TV show--should run to their video rental store the first chance you have.

Markle, thanks for that recommendation. I haven't seen Tim Allen's "Santa Claus" yet, although I've caught bits and pieces of it through the years.

Yes, and "Galaxy Quest" is a very worthwhile movie.

I liked "Galaxy Quest" a lot.

Our favorite Christmas movie is "A Christmas Carol" starring Albert Finney as Scrooge. I've seen a number of versions of this story and this one is the one I like best. Highly recommended!

I didn�t know there was a version with Finney. I�ll have to check that out.

The one starring Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge is a classic, as is the George C. Scott version, perhaps most notable for his brilliant portrayal of post-ghost exuberance.

There�s also a Patrick Stewart version, but I haven�t seen that one yet either.

One of the downright spookiest versions of A Christmas Carol is Mr. Magoo�s Christmas Carol. But I remember it to be pretty good.