December 23, 2009

Short Cuts: "Make Work Your Favorite"

Elf (2003). Directed by Jon Favreau; written by David Berenbaum; starring Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, James Caan, Faizon Love, Mary Steenburgen, and Peter Dinklage.

Although I personally find it only chuckle-inducing, I've accepted that Elf has, in the span of only six years, become a Christmas comedy classic for the new millennium. I can't believe how many people talk about this movie each December, but then The Christmas Story never did much for me either, so go figure.

Elf is one of the few Will Ferrell movies in which I don't find him very funny, but some of the reserved supporting cast performances complement his over-the-top geekiness really well. Exhibit A (above) is one of my favorite scenes, with Faizon Love giving one of the best incredulously blank stares in years. I find it a lot funnier than Ferrell's hysterics, but that's just me.

Anyway, I don't mean to be a grinch - enjoy Elf, A Christmas Story, or whatever other holiday movies you might watch around this time of year. I'll be traveling and offline for the next week, but I have a couple of posts in the pipeline that will go up before I get back. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!

3 comments:

  1. There was a moment in this film that damn near made my best friend and girlfriend both want to move well away from me out of embarassment.

    ...When KG and Richter are trying to hatch up a story idea, KG suggests a story about a tribe of lonely asparagus who are self-concious because their pee smells funny...

    This struck me as friggin hilarious. In a packed theatre, this struck ONLY me as friggin hilarious.

    Merry Chrsitmas.

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  2. I love ELF. It just hit all the right notes for me.

    A CHRISTMAS STORY, on the other hand, annoys me like few other films do. I hate it with a passion.

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  3. Merry Christmas to you, too, Hatter. I've been the only one laughing in a theater before. I can't remember the movie, but I can definitely remember the feeling.

    Ah, Matthew, brothers in arms. I don't think I hate it with a passion like you, but it's a piece of Americana that I and my family are entirely unfamiliar with, and not at all nostalgic for.

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