Elf

The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition Elf on the Shelf Gift Set
$30.00
We really love the little story and elf, it is so adorable and my 4yo daughter loves it. My only complaint is the way they beat into your head that it's going to be your new family tradition. A tradition is started when you do something fun and decide to do it again the next year, not when someone hands you a box with the words "your new family tradition" written all over it lol. At the end of the book they make you write down the day you start your new tradition. But even though that part is annoying, as a whole it is cute and we will use him again next year, we did name him Robert after all hehe :)

Home Alone
$14.98
Yes, I feel cheated. Nowadays, when you buy a dvd labelled "widescreen" you should be getting anamorphic widescreen, not a letterboxed 4:3 image. Anything less than anamorphic and yet still labelled "widescreen" is a ripoff. That includes this DVD.

To add insult to injury, the picture quality of this version is exceptionally poor and has the appearance of having been dubbed directly from an old VHS tape.

I am referring to the Twentieth Century Fox 1999 DVD release in these comments.

Elf [Blu-ray]
$28.99
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.

A Christmas Story (Full-Screen Edition)
$19.98
As always, this is a great movie! I use a playstation 3 to watch my Blu Ray's! The picture quality is just slightly better than what it was shot in, and the audio is still in a mono format, but it is still a great movie! I think the picture keeps it true to it's roots and give it that oldies feel, so they were good in not doing much to it! However, I do feel the audio could have been cleaned up and enhanced more. I will enjoy my blu ray Christmas Story!