ELF

Elf is a movie, which everyone pretty much just assumed would be awful. No one expects a whole lot from Will Ferell and many of us just allowed it to sit unassumingly in their movie collection. Occasionally you might have come across it while searching for a respectable film to watch and shuddered at the memory of the self-doubting moment you removed the DVD from the discount pile at Wal-Mart. That is until you actually watch the film.

Will Farrel plays a man named “Buddy” who was inadvertently brought back to the North Pole with Santa's sleigh as a baby and is then raised as an elf. He was taught to do all sorts of elf things like build toys and wear tights. When Buddy is unable to meet his etch-a-sketch quota in the toy workshop, it is suggested that he seek out his true identity by finding out about his father in New York City.

The story may sound awful, but the surprise is that Elf is a legitimately funny and endearing holiday film. The casting is spot-on as Bob Newhart, Peter Dinklage, and Zooey Deschanel all play fantastic roles. Will Ferrel's chaotic personality fits the role of Buddy perfectly. Many would even claim that the film is a real throwback to the Rankin-Bass Christmas classics such as Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. More likely than not, Elf will join these films as a tradition to be shared at Christmas time with family and new generations alike.