THE NARRATOR
There are three shorts total in the anthology, and what ties them all together are three toys under a Christmas tree that represent each story, as the narration done by (Sideshow Bob himself) Kelsey Grammer helps takes us in and out of each of them. I admire the concept of having three Christmas toys under a Christmas tree that represent three shorts in this magical living room, as we have an off-screen narrator. It reminds me of how we enter the two stories in a strange and yet magical library from the underrated Disney classic "The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr.Toad". Moreover, for a straight to video animated Disney film, the animation doesn't look or feel half-baked, or that it looks that it was originally meant to be a Christmas Special meant for the Disney channel. It's not spectacular, but it does look well detailed compared to most straight to video Disney films and sequels. Right when you see a magical shooting star, and see the tree, decorations, and presents materialize in an empty living room you're enchanted by it for how mystical and Christmassy it looks. The only thing that I find corny in these sequences is the narration from Kelsey Grammer. I don't think it’s awful or dull, but man is it too corny for how much he's phoning in the whimsical and laid-back tone. I just find it a little too over the top to take it seriously, in fact I actually found it funny. Even as a kid, I thought his tone in narration was a bit much. But aside from that, these scenes still do a nice job transitioning to each short as you feel yourself getting sucked into the Christmas atmosphere.
DONALD DUCK STUCK ON CHRISTMAS
Donald's nephews Huey, Dewey, and Louie love celebrating Christmas so much that they wish they can do it forever, and after making their wish upon a shooting star their wishes are granted. As you probably know where the story is going, they go from loving it, to hating it realizing that Christmas should only be celebrated once a year. The story is obviously nothing new, but in the long run I think it does a better job executing the moral compared to most versions of the story, particularly "Elmo Saves Christmas". Instead of the kids celebrating Christmas as the month goes by, while others around them question it (when they could've all this time, just went on with their daily lives and celebrated Christmas on the day that it's supposed to be celebrated on); this version smartly takes the "Groundhog Day" route, by having them relive the same day on a constant loop. Much like “Groundhog Day”, the short ends with the nephews learning what they should do for others on Christmas, while also understanding why it should be celebrated once a year. Yeah, it follows pretty much the same plot-line as the Ramis film that it prevents it from being new and fresh, but to see the same outline done by Disney characters and on a holiday that's perfect for a story like this that ties into another old classic moral is just as fun and charming as it sounds.
What's wonderful about watching the characters in this short is they don't feel like that they have to resort to being cool and hip just to appeal to kids and fit the modern standards for audiences like they do on say the TV show "The House Of Mouse". They feel like the classic characters that we know. Huey, Dewey, and Louie are the innocent but fun loving trio that love to cause trouble, as Donald would find himself constantly losing his cool in front of a disapproving but loving Daisy. We also get appearances from the two adorable chipmunks Chip and Dale, and Scrooge McDuck, which I will admit it feels kind of a bit odd to see him not obsessing over gold since that is a big part of his identity. I mean the characters could have at least given him a gold coin for a Christmas present. The only new character that we meet is Aunt Gertie who is this fat jolly duck that loves to hug and kiss the nephews, who I found to be so funny and lovable that I wish that Disney would use her in other cartoons involving Donald and his nephews. The humor is as fun as you would think it would be, especially during the abuse that Donald Duck has to suffer who is trying hard to keep his cool since it's Christmas time. But the real highlight in terms of laugh out scenes is when the nephews decide to liven things up by literally trying to sabotage Christmas. The best part is when they replace a turkey with a live turkey that ends with a gag that is so random and yet so warranted that I find myself bursting with laughter every time I see it. And when the short does get to its heavy emotional material after laughing at the misery that the nephews have created, it does legitimately feel a bit depressing for how gloomy the imagery is and how emotionally torn all the characters are.
If there are any nitpicks that I have with it, I will admit that the nephews getting tired and sick of Christmas did feel a little bit rushed, as if we didn't get enough scenes of them enjoying their wish before they despise it. But given the run time, and that there are two other shorts that follow after this one, it makes sense why it had to be cut short where you can already assume that enough time has went by for them to be sick of it. I also felt like the constant bits of the nephews leaving their Christmas card from Donald and Daisy behind was obviously going to play an important role in the story. If it was done once, it would pass perfectly as a throwaway gag that would shock you to find out the purpose it serves in the story. But since them ditching the card with close-up shots of it falling is shown so many times, it's almost as if the short is constantly telling the viewer that it will be important later on. As for the animation, like the opening it's not huge, but it's not cheap looking either. The characters look great, the slapstick is timed and edited well, and the Christmas colors and imagery is enchanting. The only piece of animation that looks noticeably cheap is Dale's design for when he's sweeping for how sketchy and awkward it looks with that unnatural smile.
As standard as the story is, I think it's by far the best version of "The Christmas Everyday" tale I've seen, that's supported by lovable and funny characters, some good laughs, nice animation, and a heartfelt climax.
A VERY GOOFY CHRISTMAS
Goofy's son Max is hoping that Santa will get him the snowboard that he always wanted. But when his nasty next neighbor Pete tells him that there is no Santa, he starts doubting his beliefs in him. After discovering that his Dad was dressing up Santa Claus as they were helping a family in need, Max’s spirits are broken who has lost all hope. Feeling bad for ruining his son's faith, Goofy decides to prove to Max that there is a Santa by staying up Christmas Eve until Santa show's-up.
The short takes place in the "Goof Troop" universe, and while you get your funny slapstick from Goofy, Max acting cool by skateboarding and wanting a snowboard, and Pete being the comical jerk that you love to hate and laugh at, the real charm to it is seeing Goofy interact with his son Max before he even reached his pre-teens. It's just adorable seeing an innocent and curious Max whose losing faith in his beliefs, as his father tries so hard to cheer him up, even if it gets him hurt in the process. Without giving too much away, after getting the best joke in the whole entire movie, I love how the tables turn when Max has to try to cheer up his father that adds an extra layer of sweetness to their relationship. The animation is still just as good as it was in the previous short, that has some nice Christmas colors and designs, as well as good timing and creative set-ups for the slapstick involving Goofy that do bring a good chuckle every now and then, as well as one or two priceless surprises. I also enjoy the little in-jokes, Easter eggs, and references to other films. For example, the name of the toy store that Goofy goes into to get Max's letter that hilariously parodies scenes from the "Indiana Jones" movies is called "CEO Shorts", that's a fun little knock-off of the famous toy store "FAO Schwarz". And the snowboard that Max wants badly has a very long name, just like how the B.B. gun that Ralphie wanted in "A Christmas Story" has a really long name.
As cute and entertaining as the short is, there are two issues that I have with it. The first one is that we never see Pete's family at all, not even so much as Max's best friend P.J. when he was younger. I can understand why the writers didn't feel the need to put them in there. I mean after all the story is mainly about Max and Goofy, with Pete being the killjoy, and just adding his family in there would be pointless, as you wonder if he tells his own kids that there's no Santa. But if you know the "Goof Troop" universe, this (at least for me) absence will come off as a bit distraction where you find yourself being puzzled about where they are, and what they're doing all this time, especially when being one of the main characters in the show. Could we at least get a cameo, or some kind of mention of them, just anything? But in reality that's just a nitpick compared to the real problem I have with it, which is the same complaint that Doug Walker pointed out in his review of the film for Disneycember, and that’s the ending being a complete cop-out. I won't give it away, but I do feel like the ending would've been stronger if the answer was left ambiguous and leaving the viewers to decide for themselves, instead of directly revealing if Santa is real or not. It's not an unsatisfying ending, it does provide a good laugh from Pete, and I felt like Max deciding to help his poor neighbors just like what his father did for them is cute and inspiring. But I thought the ending would've been stronger if it didn't give us such a clear-cut answer thus giving the viewer more of a reason to revisit it.
Aside from the ending, and the absence of Pete's family, the second segment overall is very charming and entertaining that brings a few big laughs, and offers us a different chapter in Goofy's relationship with his son.
MICKEY AND MINNIE'S GIFT OF THE MAGI
It's Christmas Eve and Mickey wants to get Minnie a chain for her watch for a present, as Minnie wants to get Mickey a case for his gold harmonica. But none of them can afford a gift to get for each other, annnnnnd I'll be nice and not spoil the rest for the very few of you who haven't heard this kind of story before. For a timeless romantic Christmas tale, Mickey and Minnie are indeed the perfect characters to cast when doing an adaptation of it through their trademark characters. The scenes of them together are as cute and romantic as you would expect them to be (especially the ending), and their determination to get each other a gift is very sweet to watch. You also have Mickey's dog Pluto helping him out and needless to say it is as adorable was watching Mickey interact with him in all the other cartoons that they've been in together.
From an animation standpoint it still looks as good as the other shorts and I admire the use of warm colors used for the climax. But there are indeed a few things regarding the animation that I do find awfully distracting, and that's the designs for some of the characters. Characters such as Daisy and Pete who we've seen in the other segments for some strange reason look completely different here. In the Donald cartoon Daisy had black eye pupils, but here they are big and bright blue. And in the cartoon with Goofy Pete's fur was brown, now it’s his traditional black color. If these were released as separate shorts, I wouldn't mind these changes as much, but since they are technically tied-together because of the ending of the film, it's very distracting.
Things get a little weirder when considering the universe that Mickey lives in. Every character we see is either one of the trademark characters of the Disney cartoons, or completely original. Then we discover that Figaro from "Pinocchio" is Minnie's cat for some reason, and that Owl from "Winnie the Pooh" is there. I wouldn't mind seeing these characters in the world if it was swamped with other Disney characters that existed outside of their cartoons like in the show "The House Of Mouse" or more appropriately "Mickey's Christmas Carol" for example, but since we see like two of them, it to me just feels random. Even as Easter Eggs they feel out of place within the cartoons world. Come to think of it, if all these worlds connect to each other, then why is there a town with nothing but talking dogs when we find out that the "Goof Troop" universe is part of this world? In addition, if Goofy can talk, why can't Pluto, why does Pluto act like a dog, when Goofy does not? Oh and did I mention that in the first short we see Donald and his family eat turkey, now I'm no professional with animals, but I'm pretty sure that's considered to be cannibalism. And...ok now I'm really over analyzing the logic in this universe, and being a cartoon that’s clearly not intended to be logical with it's environment I shouldn't be so critical with it, since it's the characters and what they go through that's the real focus. But with that said, I do feel like that it's a bit of waste to only give us two cameos of Disney characters from the animated movies, instead of a few more. In terms of comedy, I don't think the segment is as funny as the other ones. They're mostly just cute little gags that are meant to entertain you instead of making you laugh. The only real best gag that we get in the whole short is when Pete accidentally sets his business on fire that had me laughing hard. I will say that the short does have nicer music compared to the others, but to be fair it's not really the score but the scenes with Mickey playing his gold harmonica that's also carried through his emotions and the situations that he’s in, whether he's playing with a firehouse band, or playing it out of depression.
This retelling of a classic Christmas story with Mickey and Minnie is truly what makes the short so endearing, but everything else regarding it's animation, humor, music, and world is good, but nothing special and at times weird.
THE CHRISTMAS MEDLEY
In the film's finale after when the toys and decorations in the living room vanish, and Grammer gives his closing narration, we see all the leads from each story join together for a Christmas medley to close out the film. Nothing much I can really say about except that it's the perfect way to close out the film for how adorable and uplifting it is!
CLOSING THOUGHTS ON THE FILM ITSELF
The film is overall nothing new, and nothing incredible, but it's still a sweet and simple Christmas film that kids and Disney fans will admire. Seeing the characters in timeless Christmas stories works beautifully. The humor is fun, and at times will provide a big laugh. And the animation though not spectacular is definitely not cheap or unpleasant to look at either. If you're looking for an alternative option of spending Christmas with Mickey and his friends after watching "Mickey's Christmas Carol" so many times, then look no further!
No comments:
Post a Comment