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: Elf-tastic...
Summary: 5 Stars
I don't do Christmas. I've mentioned that before, but then again some people may not have taken me too seriously (I find the concept to be self-centered and manufactured). That said, some may balk at me gushing over a Christmas movie, but I like what I like and this movie deserves my attention. Talk about a movie that defies expectations. Looking at the trailer for this film or glancing at the DVD cover and you'd think it's going to be `stupid funny' so when the film winds up displaying genuine sincerity with every laugh you find yourself scratching your hear in disbelief.
This film has serious heart.
The film tells the story of Buddy, a human who was adopted by Christmas elves when he was a baby and raised to believe that he too was an elf. He made for a rather clumsy elf, being that he is kind of gigantic, and so he was eventually told the truth about his origin and sent off to the real world to find his human parents. He does find his father, but that doesn't go over very well (especially since Buddy is so genuine in his overall naivety that he comes across like a complete nut-job).
Sure, there is that whole `Christmas spirit' mumbo-jumbo that is so beautiful in context yet so inaccurate in application, but it works marvelously in this family centric film that nails nearly every mark it attempts to hit.
This film just has `it'.
In fact, this film has heaps of `it' in the form of Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Mary Steenburgen and Zooey Deschanel. I mean, really...what a marvelous cast. Ferrell is just effortless and so wonderfully delightful as Buddy. He captures the tone of this character with ease and delivers a performance we will remember and adore. James Caan handles a stereotype with gusto, and Bob Newhart is just so huggable as Papa Elf. I've always had a soft spot for Steenburgen, even when she hasn't deserved it, and Zooey Deschanel should be in EVERY movie.
If you want a smart, witty, charming family film that will defy odds and really deliver than this is the one for you, whether you engage in the traditions that come from this over-hyped holiday or not.
Movie Review: Good Christmas Flick.
Summary: 5 Stars
"Elf" is a cute Christmas movie with a great (and funny) script, great character acting, and a great Christmas soundtrack. Elf was a surprise hit a couple years ago and is (If I remember correctly) Will Ferrell's highest grossing film. The movie stars Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, Bob Newhart, and Faizon Love. The movie begins when Santa (Asner, who is perfect for the role) is making his rounds at an orphanage and a young baby crawls in his bag. Santa doesn't discover the baby until he returns to the North Pole and one of the elves, Papa Elf (Newhart) volunteers to raise the baby who is named Buddy. Well, Buddy grows up and at the age of thirty finally realizes that he is not in fact an elf.
Buddy then learns that his father is on the naughty list (god forbid) and begins his journey to New York city. When Buddy meets his skeptical father Walter (Caan) a workaholic children's book publisher, he is thrown out of the building but doesn't let it get him down. Buddy migrates to Gimbels where he meets the store manager played by Faizon Love. This is easily the most underrated character in the film, Love delivers several jokes which had me bawling. Love is very good with physical humor as well as verbal...But anyway, it is at Gimbels that Buddy meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel, who I've seen in several other films but looks absolutely gorgeous in this movie). I'm glad the Jovie character existed in the movie, because Deschanel is great (and very hot) but Buddy and Jovie don't make an extraordinary couple. Anyway, after Walter discovers that Buddy really is his son Buddy moves in with Walter and his wife Emily (Steenburgen) and son Michael and then well...See the movie. I have to add that in the movie Deschanel sings the song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and I need to add that she's got a great voice. She's an amazing singer, she was so good in fact that I bought the soundtrack. But, yeah this is a great Christmas comedy and is destined to be a Christmas favorite. A-
Movie Review: Bonkers But Beautiful
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this movie. It was totally bonkers: a human baby accidently ends up on the north pole and grows up among the elf community that supports Santa Claus. Buddy, as he comes to be known, knows that he's "special" however, since he can't keep up with the other elves. Never mind the fact that he's about three times as tall as any of them and barely fits in the shower.When he's 30, and still young by Elf standards, he learns that he's really a human. Buddy decides to go in search of his father (who's on Santa's naughty list), to find out where he belongs. He walks to New York (through the Lincoln tunnel), and is immediately run over by a cab. The chain of events starts at that moment ...
Buddy is a delightful and enchanting character with many special talents and a childish personality. He is naive to the point of stupidity, but charming all the while. His lovable demeanour gains him friends in spite of his clumsy efforts. He is sweet, kind and generous. When his father at first rejects him, Buddy ends up in a department store where other elves (people who pretend to be Santa's elves) are working, and stays up all night to decorate the place. When the department store Santa isn't the real Santa, well, you can guess what happens ...
Buddy eats spaghetti covered in syrup, smarties and pop tarts; he gets drunk in the mail room of his father's office and his young half-brother shows him to ask a girl out on a date.
But all the while, things are looking bad for Santa Claus (and also Buddy's father). How will Buddy rescue the day? When Santa crashes his sleigh in Central Park, it's Buddy's moment to shine.
Abstract, enchanting, child-like madness all make up this beautiful movie. Absolutely delightful and recommended to viewers of all ages. If you want a Christmas feel-good movie, this is it.
Movie Review: An unexepected delight with lines you will remember
Summary: 5 Stars
When you see the trailers and see Will Ferrell in that dumb Elf suit it is easy to dismiss this movie. Just don't give in to that first impression. This is a very funny, often witty, sometimes delightful film. It has a very good heart and Will Ferrell gives a performance with an amazing innocence. Yeah, I know. This is the same guy who gave us "Old School" and "Anchorman". But this is better (although I liked "Anchorman").
Here you have a guy, Buddy, who ends up being raised at the North Pole among Santa's elves as if he were just another Elf. A huge elf. There are some very funny scenes at the North Pole that lead to him being told by Papa Elf (drolly played by Bob Newhart) that he is a human. Buddy is sent to New York to find his father (played to perplexed perfection by James Caan) who is on the Naughty List.
Much of the fun in the film comes from the predictable cluelessness of someone raised as an Elf at the North Pole trying to find his or her way in New York City. However, there is such freshness to the approach in this film that it is positively joyful. Buddy interprets things literally with a good heart and everyone views him as being impossibly clever and full of cynical motives or dangerously insane.
One of the great moments in the film comes when Buddy takes his new friend who happens to be a girl, Jovie (played by Zooey Deschanel with an inviting softness), around New York for a tour of his favorite places. I won't spoil this delight for you. However, one of the great lines is simply a toss away, "Watch out for the yellow ones. They don't stop!"
Did I expect a movie like this? No. Am I happy my expectations were not met? You bet!
Recommended and for any time of the year.
Movie Review: can be watched every night for a month, and it doesn't get old
Summary: 5 Stars
I wasn't going to order this for my wife- I knew what I was in for. "Why don't you put Elf on for me?" every night- but I can't say no to her, you know? So now I know the lines to this think like I did for Princess Bride and 16 Candles, back in high school-
And there are some great lines!
"You sit on a throne of lies!"
"Watch out for the yellow ones, they don't stop!"
"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?"
"My finger has a heart beat."
"Have you seen these toilets? They're GINORMOUS!"
This movie is sweet, goofy, funny, innocent and joyful- everything you want in a Christmas movie.
Will Ferrell is fantastic as Buddy the Elf. This was the movie that really turned me around on him- he really nails this role- before this movie I always thought he was just massively annoying.
Bob Newhart is great, of course. I used this movie as an excuse to make my wife watch some of his older stuff, particularly his great sit-coms from the seventies and eighties.
This is where I first met Zooey Deshanel. What a delight she is! She has a bit of a hipster/indie edge, without being off-putting.
And the Louie Prima songs are a great touch- who would have thought to use Louie Prima in a Christmas movie? But it works!
The infinifilm stuff is a bit annoying. I won't be buying any more of these- it's an interesting idea, but it doesn't really work.
This movie works for the whole family - young kids to oldest adults - and it has enough odd ball moments that it bears repeated re-watching.