Elf (Infinifilm Edition)
|
List Price: Our Price: $1.95 You Save: $13.01 (87%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.23 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of Elf (Infinifilm Edition)
Movie Review: Best Christmas Comedy Since "A Christmas Story"
Summary: 5 Stars
I read some of the reviews in the newspaper and was a little scared to give this comedy a try... but, I recieved as a gift and was TOTALLY blown away- the movie is a Christmastime perfection. A Christmas comedy that all ages in your family will be able to sit down and enjoy together.
The movie begins when Buddy- a human raised by elves learns that he is a human. Which explains why he has had a beard since he was 15 and is ten times taller than the other elves. He learns that his real human dad lives in New York City- wanting to know his true father and find where he belongs Buddy leaves the North Pole for NYC. When Walter Hobbs meets his son- Buddy who he has never known about he is a little concerned- he has a a son and wife at home and is a hard-working book publisher who has lost the true spirit of Christmas. When Buddy shows up his whole life is turned upside... at first he chooses to acknowledge Buddy- but slowly decides to take Buddy in out of concern for his mental health- fearful Buddy is crazy... since he walks around in an elf costume, talks about the north pole, and puts sugar on spaghetti. Buddy slowly begins to fit into his family growing close to half brother Michael the two spend time together chopping down Christmas trees and throwing snowballs. Once Buddy begins to fit in- Walter out of anger yells at Buddy causing him to runaway. On Christmas-well all of a sudden Buddy finds himself needing to rely on his human friends and family when he finds Santa's sleigh in Central Park- and needs that Christmas spirit...
The movie is cutesy to a point... no one can watch this movie and not be charmed by this movie. There is something very sweet and childlike about Buddy that makes you fall in love with him. Will Ferrell as always is a LAUGHING riot as the Christmas elf that brought him to super stardom.
Children will enjoy the story and Buddy. Parents will love Buddy and love the popular culture jokes that kids may not pick up on... No matter how many times I watch this film I always LAUGH at the same parts. This movie will be one you'll enjoy again and again each Christmas and definately one I would recommend you own!
The DVD features are possibly the best special features I've ever seen with two disks jammed with games, and interviews... this DVD is hours of fun for you and your children to enjoy.
This is NO "Christmas With the Kranks" or "Surving Christmas" you'll actually enjoy watching this holiday flick more than once- making possibly the best Christmas comedy movie since "A Christmas Story" or the "Santa Clause"Definately a movie to buy or own this Christmas!
Movie Review: The best way to spread Christmas Cheer...
Summary: 5 Stars
is by singing loud for all to hear.
I bought Elf this fall on DVD and have seen it five times already. This is probably one of the best holiday films to date. It takes from various Christmas movies and TV specials (the references to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and It's a Wonderful Life are seen in the movie). Buddy's enthusiasm throughout the whole movie should be a word of encouragement to everybody during a holiday season which can be depressing and leaves many people stressed out. I thought that I should rate the main characters in the movie
Buddy - Has an enthusiasm throughout the whole movie that should be teaching us all a lesson at the holidays.
Walter - The shut down, self centered, money obsessed father who does not want Buddy in his life and even denies his existence. It takes going with Michael to find Buddy in Central Park that he finally warms up to Buddy.
Emily- The only one who really liked the elf and kept the family together. She thought it was kind of weird that Buddy liked syrup on everything and freaked out when Buddy dropped his pants in the kitchen. Sings pretty well at the end too when the best way to spread Christmas Cheer is to sing loud for all to hear.
Jovie- The cute department store elf whom Buddy has feelings for and even takes her out on the town. He helped her get through the holidays with his enthusiasm. She has a great singing voice too.
Michael- The son who looks at Buddy as the father figure that Walter obviously never was. I find it hilariously funny when he and Walter tell the a*hole president of Greenway off and go find Buddy.
Miles Finch- I didn't know Walter had elves working for him... he's an angry elf. I like the scene where he and Buddy are fighting during the big sales pitch that would have saved Walter's job.
President- Worst character in the movie... looks like the Ditech guy. He is completely miserable. He deserved to lose money for the quarter. I like how Walter tells him "up yours" towards the end. What a jerk Greenway was.
Good use of old CBS characters from the 1970's as well
Santa- The role Ed Asner was born to play. He had success with Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant in the 70's on CBS and comes back in 2003 to play the big man. Nice job, Ed.
Papa Elf- Bob Newhart really comes through as the one who raised Buddy as a child. Heck, even the baby was bigger than him.
These characters weren't used as much except in the beginning and end but still did a great job acting.
Movie Review: Elf
Summary: 5 Stars
I guess with this kind of movie, you have to get into a cheerful state of mind before watching it, since it in all fairness is so embarrassing to watch at times you want to sink through the chair. The premise is easily enough explained, a human orphan baby; "Buddy", (probably not his real name originally, but you'll see why) crawls into Santa Claus' sack and returns to the North Pole with him. He is there adopted by an elderly elf in Santa's employ, and raised as an elf, among other elves. Naturally, since he grows up to be gigantic compared to his cohabitates, he in the end resolves (as so many adopted children) to find his true identity and his real father in the human world. He travels south, to New York City, where his father is a bitter workaholic publisher, not foreign to shortcuts in the world of business and neglectful of his wife and adolescent son. Buddy in full elf costume, seeks out his father (who doesn't know of his existence) and looks for his recognition and love. The twist is, that Buddy really believes he is an elf and is steeped in "elf culture" (sugar is the basis of all meals, making toys and Christmas is what life is all about and generally to be of good cheer no matter how life treats you, etc). This to say the least collides with the post-European society New York City has become, leading to hilarious situations. Ferrell does a wonderful enthusiastic elf that had me on the way to the floor at times with laughter. James Caan (the Jewish tough-guy in so many films) fills his role perfectly, as does the charming Zooey Deschanel. One could have wished for a better child actor than Buddy's half-brother, but that is the only minus I can find in the film. It is of course also quite sad to see how post-European the US is becoming, a city that was supposed to be the new York, has little that reminds one of that today and less every year.
Little more need to be said, it is a wonderful film for all the family about Christmas, the little that is left of it in this ironically most Jewish city in the world; New York City. The film itself has a very "Jewish feel" to it, but not really in any bad way, it is respectful of Christian celebration and treats it mostly nice, although it of course is a very childish portrait. 5 stars and really one of the few "family films" that can be enjoyed by the whole family, if one is able to just laugh for 1,5 hours in these troubled times.
Movie Review: A must see Christmas movie
Summary: 5 Stars
Elf (directed by Jon Favreau) is a lighthearted Christmas comedy that will suit the entire family. It should be on anyone's list of Christmas movies to watch.
Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an elf that lives in the North Pole and makes toys for Santa. There's one slight problem, though. He isn't small like the other elves or nearly as skilled at assembling toys. His father, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), admits to Buddy that he was adopted and that his real father lives in New York City. Buddy sets off to find his birth father (played by James Caan) and discovers much more along the way including a stepmother (Mary Steenburgen), half-brother (Daniel Tay), possible crush (Zooey Deschanel) and the true meaning of Christmas.
Ferrell plays a child well. Buddy has no idea how to act around people that aren't constructing toys for Santa. He embodies the joys of Christmas time and displays Buddy's innocence of the world around him well. In my opinion this is one of Ferrell's best movies. It's impossible not to smile during a scene he is in.
Deschanel meshes with Ferell nicely and the two have great chemistry. Her lovely, jazzy voice reminiscent of the 40s also adds a pleasant touch. When she is singing Christmas songs in the shower and at the end of the movie, it's simply magical. Ferrell's voice isn't to bad either.
The movie presents a good message that both children and adults can appreciate. Believing in Santa requires a leap of faith and we are reminded why it is so easy for children to take that leap. Elf warns us not to lose our imaginations as we grow older and that family and friends are the most important things in the world. Buddy's real father, Walter, finally manages to grasp this idea at the end of the film and I'm happy that he does.
The dialogue, jokes and themes are executed well by the director. Ferrell's innocence never gets tiresome and his reactions to life in New York City are hilarious. His views on life are a breath of fresh air and makes me wish I could see the world through his eyes.
Elf is a movie that you can watch during anytime of the year. It's incredibly sweet and the entire cast is fantastic in their acting roles. The message of holiday cheer shines through in this film and generates laughs at the same time.
Movie Review: Absolutely Hilarious Re-Awakening of the Spirit of Christmas
Summary: 5 Stars
Buddy is a human, accidentally taken from an orphanage as a baby, ending up with Santa's elves, and getting raised by them. He grows up much taller than they are. Buddy finds out that his father works in the Empire State Building, and sets out to find him.
Buddy has no clue as to what city life is like, and there is one funny scene after another. Buddy hops on the lines painted on the street. He goes into revolving doors, and "rides" them for a long time. He makes goofy motions as he attempts to straddle the steps of an escalator. He jumps from mattress to mattress in a department store. He eats pigeon droppings from off the fences (ugh!). He takes a flyer from one man and then passes it on to another man who is passing out flyers--back and forth.
Knowing the real Santa, Buddy exposes the Santa at Gimbel's store as a fraud. There is quite a row there, right in front of the children! But then Buddy stays at the store overnight and decorates it in a fashion never seen before.
Over time, Buddy's father warms up to him. It isn't easy. Buddy acts like a huge overgrown child, and is a constant source of irritation in the family and at his father's workplace. Buddy's eating habits are bizarre, to say the least. Everything must have candy!
In time, Buddy becomes close to his half-brother, a boy named Michael. After school, Buddy meets him, and they walk home together. Suddenly, some boys pelt both of them with snowballs. No problem. Buddy picks up a bunch of snowballs and hurls them at the adversaries in machine-gun fashion, hitting all of them squarely. They all scatter.
Santa's Sleigh crashes in Central Park in New York. Only Buddy can repair it, and then only the spirit of Christmas can make it fly again. (The spirit of Christmas involves such things as singing Christmas songs, and believing in Santa. It is measured by a "Clausometer" gauge in Santa's sleigh). Michael makes off with Santa's list. People are curious what is written in it. The television reporter is embarrassed when Michael reads what Santa was asked to give her. Then people start to sing, the Christmas spirit re-awakens, and the magic begins again.