Like a warm hug in stop-motion
“What is Christmas?” asks a little owl’s papa in Disney’s latest holiday short, An Almost Christmas Story. “I don’t actually know, but I think… it’s what this is,” says the little owlet, Moon, as he hugs his papa after returning home.
This adorable Disney short with a runtime of less than 30 minutes explores the idea of the meaning of Christmas. Is it the cheer of the holiday season, the jingle of the bells or the carols on the street?
An Almost Christmas Story follows a mischievous young owl, Moon, who, like any curious kid, decides to help his papa fix their nest that he “accidentally” broke for the nth time, only to be attacked by a predator and asked by his papa to stay put in a tree.
This time, like a diligent child, Moon doesn’t waver when the tree goes on its way to Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. There, with the help of unusual friends—Luna, a little girl with a prosthetic leg; Peaky, Punt, and Pat, the three very much city pigeons; and Dave the dog—Moon embarks on a journey to return home.
The most dazzling charm of the film is undoubtedly its unique visuals. The film is stop-motion styled featuring a paper mâché, craft-like aesthetic with New York city made out of cardboard. The chunkiness of the stop-motion animation adds a lot of whimsy to the atmosphere of the film, making it a Christmas special after all.
Director David Lowery of the beloved fantasy adventure film, Pete’s Dragon, comments on this charming aspect of the film: “I grew up making everything out of cardboard. All of my movies I made as a little kid were full of cardboard spaceships and castles and props.”
An Almost Christmas Story’s eccentric aesthetics doesn’t stop with just the background but it seeps into the storytelling style of the film where Moon and his quirky friends gain spotlight and detail amidst all the other characters and cityscape being literally cardboard cutouts, always in the background.
Add to the whimsy of the animation style, the film sports fantastic performances from the cast with excellent delivery from Cary Christopher, the voice of Moon, brining the childlike charm into the character alive.
Interspersed with Moon’s story is John C. Reilly’s folk singer narrator, lifting the spirits of the characters and the viewers alike when his guitar’s string breaks off, “Guess it’s broken. Oh, well, that hasn’t ever stopped me before,” as he continues to keep the Christmas spirit alive with his lovely carols which eventually inspire courage in our lost protagonists to find their way back home in the very Disney like spirit.
This is quite a predictable heartwarming holiday feature with an owl meeting a human, both broken and lost in some aspect who find comfort in each other and gain strength to find their way back home. But what makes it special is how it feels with its warm and welcoming aesthetics, lovely and quirky characters (pigeons as city bullies, why not!), and a message that will brighten your day.
So, what is Christmas, you ask? Is it the cheer of the holiday season, the jingle of the bells, the carols on the streets? An Almost Christmas Story says it’s a warmth of a hug, the coziness of unlikely friendships and the kindness of unknown strangers. Christmas is a a lot of things for a lot of people but most of all, it’s a feeling. So, what is Christmas for you?
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Verdict - 8/10
8/10