Fant

Rating: Null/10 (30 November 2003)

'Elf' is without a doubt the best movie -- and certainly the best family movie -- to come out in a very long time. Although I very much enjoyed "Master and Commander" (far more than I expected to), 'Elf' is by far a better film. Okay, perhaps I shouldn't compare since they are two entirely different kinds of story, but given a choice to see either again sooner, I'd choose Elf. I cannot find words to describe what an increbibly pleasant surprise Elf proved to be. Very well- and smartly-written. There were many points in the story where they could have gone in any of several wrong directions but instead chose the right one. This movie is (for lack of less-overused words) very heartwarming and touching. Good (and relatively minimal) special effects, some good action, and an abundance of laughs. Movies haven't honestly earned that much laughter from me in quite some time. The performances were well-executed. James Caan was perfectly cast for his character, and Amy 'Strangers with Candy' Sedaris has a pleasantly light-hearted supporting role to Caan's. In particular, Will Ferrell's performance was spot-on, maintaining just the right level of earnest child-like innocence and skillfully avoiding going over the top or descending into mere clownishness. A well-chosen soundtrack, some clever pop culture references and a well-crafted opening credits sequence round out this wonderful flim.