Elf

I don't know how we managed not to see this before, but The Elder Son has seen it several times and recommended it so The Husband bought it on a recent store trip. It's great fun -a human Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. We think it's perfect. It could have so easily been dreadful, but everything that could have been done right was done right. Mistakes were not made. I look forward to Elf as an annual holiday tradition.

The movie is directed by Jon Favreau and stars Will Ferrell as the human brought up as an elf, James Caan as Buddy's biological father, Mary Steenburgen as Buddy's step-mom, Zooey Deschanel as Buddy's love interest Jovie, Bob Newhart as Buddy's adoptive elf papa and has Ed Asner as Santa.

Elf is at youtube in 10 parts with embedding disabled. Part 1 is here. (Not anymore, as I check on 12/1/2009)

trailer:


Here's Buddy and Jovie singing a duet: (Gone, as I check on 12/1/2009)

Slate calls it "a heartwarming homage to Christmas movies past". The New York Times calls it a "charming" success. Roger Ebert says,

This is one of those rare Christmas comedies that has a heart, a brain and a wicked sense of humor, and it charms the socks right off the mantelpiece.