ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The holiday season is in full swing and throughout the month so far, there’s been a lot of Christmas-themed media I’ve been viewing, all of which has been delightful, whether it’s a classic that’s on my must-watch list every year or a new discovery.
One of my more recent discoveries came from Disney+ with “An Almost Christmas Story,” which follows a young owl named Moon (voiced by Cary Christopher) as he unexpectedly finds himself in a Christmas tree destined for New York’s Rockefeller Center. In his attempts to get home, he forms a bond with a lost girl named Luna (voiced by Estella Madrigal). The pair’s adventure throughout NYC is narrated by a folk singer (voiced by John C. Reilly)
From the special’s opening scene, I was immediately reminded of the old Rankin-Bass specials (i.e. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” etc.), so I knew I was probably in for something special. I absolutely loved the character design and thought all of the characters looked amazing, especially the adorable young Moon. There are a few characters that look a bit like they’re patched together, but it actually ends up working out and looking really good. Overall, the character design team definitely deserves a shoutout, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they get some recognition during the next awards season.
I also thought the animation overall was absolutely stunning, which I would absolutely expect from a project that included the involvement of Alfonso Cuarón, whose work I’ve admired since “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” because his attention to a project’s visual details is just stunning. In a way, I actually thought the animation style was reminiscent of Guillermo Del Toro’s adaptation of “Pinocchio” from back in 2022 (which I also very much enjoyed). Overall, the people in charge of that aspect of the special also deserve a shoutout and like the character design crew, I wouldn’t be surprised if some awards come their way come awards season.
I also felt the voiceover work throughout the special was really well done. Cary Christopher did an amazing job as the curious young Moon and was able to perfectly convey not only his frustration/confusion at his father’s seemingly strict rules in their forest home, but also his fear at finding himself in a new and unfamiliar place and that natural curiosity about everything typically seen in children. I also really liked Estella Madrigal as the special’s leading lady, Luna, and I absolutely loved how her character was willing to just help this random baby owl while dealing with her own issue of finding her way back home, and she gives a very sweet performance. Luna is also shown to be an amputee, which I thought was an amazing bit of representation, and it’s not made a big deal out of at all and simply shown to be part of who she is. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Luna and Moon and found it rather hilarious how, while they are shown to not fully understand each other, they end up talking about the same thing without each other realizing it. Overall, these two had great voiceover chemistry and I really enjoyed their performances.
Another voiceover standout is John C. Reilly as the special’s narrator. His Midwestern drawl is absolutely perfect for a project like this, and the handful of songs her performs throughout the movie are very, very well done. I know he’s done voiceover work for some other projects and honestly, I hope he does more of it, because he’s really good.
Something else that stood out for me throughout the special was the music. The musical score used throughout helps set the mood for each scene, whether it’s a moment that’s meant to be more tense, a moment that’s supposed to be a little more melancholy, or a moment that’s meant to be more uplifting/soaring. No matter what the mood was supposed to be, the music absolutely delivered, and I loved it. I also liked the Narrator’s folk songs sprinkled throughout and thought they helped add another dimension.
As cliché as it might sound, I also liked the special’s overall message about Christmas maybe being more about that special feeling from being with friends and family instead of being only about the bright trappings we typically associate with the holiday. I feel like if more people actually kept that in mind throughout the holiday season, it would be WAY more enjoyable. I know that’s the message of basically 99 percent of media set during the holiday season, but I felt “An Almost Christmas Story” actually did it in a more subtle way than some other media, and I ended up really enjoying the end result.
Overall, I enjoyed “An Almost Christmas Story” and would give it a solid “A” grade. With a runtime of just less than 25 minutes, it’s an absolutely wonderful Christmas short with great animation and voiceover work throughout, particularly from Cary Christopher, Estella Madrigal and John C. Reilly in the lead roles. It’s a great Christmas short for children and is good to put on either shortly before putting them to bed, or maybe you need them out of the way while you’re preparing a meal. If you’re looking for a solid Christmas special for this year, “An Almost Christmas Story” is a good one to check out on Disney+
