Elf (2003)

I find it strange that I haven't reviewed this film already, and stranger yet, that I don't have it on DVD. I'm purely writing this out of the depths of my own memory, but I think my feelings haven't changed that much about the film.

Simply put, I liked it, it said what it had to say and it satisfyingly filled in the time without me wanting to rub my eyes with sandpaper. I was mildly disappointed in the worldbuilding, or lack there of, there are things mentioned that only get the lightest of glimpses and kept unsatisfyingly on the tongue, saying "I could've been more."

I also felt that Santa and the elves (though I feel the proper term for small elves should be elfs and this one should be used for Tolkien Elves) should've been held more responsible for Buddy's abduction and subsequent adoption. I mean, Buddy eavesdrops on a conversation and finds that he is a human and therefore adopted, thus shattering his sense of self causing him to have what I could only describe as a breakdown panic attack and then moves to New York to see his bio parents (and younger half-sibling) and then finds his dad who is so cynical he'd even bring Santa down. I hope I didn't spoil too much there, this is only probably like the first 30-40 minutes of a 97 minute movie.

But I guess that wasn't the story Elf was trying to tell.

I shouldn't be so hard on this film, it was a good film and a classic too; just maybe not perfect. Merry Christmas.